News Forum - Bangkok chosen as Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city

[Thaiger]

Netizens are not convinced with the Independent‘s selection of Bangkok as Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city. Singapore ranked in first place, followed by Bangkok, Osaka in Japan, Xiamen in China, Taipei in Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Beijing in China. Bangkok is a “fantastic city for cycling” thanks to Lumphini Park, Benjakitti Park, and the city’s “brilliant guided cycling tours,” according to the Independent. Hinting at Thailand’s dangerous roads, one netizen commented that Bangkok is the “most cycling friendly for a trip to heaven.” Another said, “Bangkok should be the most extremely challenging city for cycling in Asia. I […]

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[Khunmark]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

Netizens are not convinced with the Independent‘s selection of Bangkok as Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city. Singapore ranked in first place, followed by Bangkok, Osaka in Japan, Xiamen in China, Taipei in Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Beijing in China. Bangkok is a “fantastic city for cycling” thanks to Lumphini Park, Benjakitti Park, and the city’s “brilliant guided cycling tours,” according to the Independent. Hinting at Thailand’s dangerous roads, one netizen commented that Bangkok is the “most cycling friendly for a trip to heaven.” Another said, “Bangkok should be the most extremely challenging city for cycling in Asia. I […]

The story Bangkok chosen as Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

Bangkok ahead of Chiangmai? I don’t think so.

[Soidog]

Maybe the people were confused and thought this was a survey asking about the number of motorcycles in Bangkok? 

[HolyCowCm]

Hog Wash. Who makes these moronic choices up?

[KaptainRob]

I have no idea who the "Independent" is but these comments rebut the article perfectly :-

Quote

 

Hinting at Thailand’s dangerous roads, one netizen commented that Bangkok is the “most cycling friendly for a trip to heaven.”

Another said, “Bangkok should be the most extremely challenging city for cycling in Asia. I can’t even find a safe footpath to walk on.”

 

Quotes of the week! 

[Pinetree]

What a load of tosh.  I've never laughed so much for ages. Deluded isn't strong enough to explain this idiocy. 

[Bluesofa]

28 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

I have no idea who the "Independent" is but these comments rebut the article perfectly :-

Quotes of the week! 

That's spot-on.

We've all read about cyclists being hit by inattentive motorists, including some round-the-world cyclists who in the past have died on Thailand's roads.

Almost two years ago I was cycling in a wide motorbike lane, when yet another inattentive driver wandered across from the first car lane and 'side-swiped' me, I ended up with a fractured spine.
My 'assailant' was none other than a doctor from a local hospital, rushing to get to work. At least she stopped and took responsibility.

[Soidog]

2 hours ago, Bluesofa said:

My 'assailant' was none other than a doctor from a local hospital, rushing to get to work. At least she stopped and took responsibility.

I had a similar thing happen to me 4 years ago while on a bike in Hua Hin. Knocked off the bike by a female doctor on her way home from work. Luckily it was minor Road rash and nothing so serious as your terrible injury. Hope you’ve recovered 

[MrNovax]

Cycling in Bangkok is extremely dangerous.  I remember a few different stories about people cycling from Europe all the way to Thailand, only to be hit by a car (or truck) while here.  Between the potholes in the roads, lack of bike lanes, lack of foot paths, and aggressive driving, id say it is one of the most challenging cities in the world for cyclists.  

Back in my younger years a few of us would cycle around the city.  I look back and am amazed that none of us were seriously hurt.  

[Bluesofa]

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

I had a similar thing happen to me 4 years ago while on a bike in Hua Hin. Knocked off the bike by a female doctor on her way home from work. Luckily it was minor Road rash and nothing so serious as your terrible injury. Hope you’ve recovered 

What is it with cyclists and female doctors travelling to and from work?
Instead of that 'Baby on board' sticker, perhaps there should be one:  'Attention cyclists: Doctor driving'
Thanks Soidog, yes I made a full recovery. These were the sordid details:
https://talk.thethaiger.com/topic/5340-cycling-accident-re-run/ 

 

[Soidog]

15 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

What is it with cyclists and female doctors travelling to and from work?
Instead of that 'Baby on board' sticker, perhaps there should be one:  'Attention cyclists: Doctor driving'
Thanks Soidog, yes I made a full recovery. These were the sordid details:
https://talk.thethaiger.com/topic/5340-cycling-accident-re-run/ 

Wow! That makes my accident trivial. You were indeed lucky to be alive or not find yourself in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. 
 

All I recall with my incident is going flying off the left side of the bike and thinking this is going to hurt. I hit the road and rolled several times before landing in the tall grass. I recall thinking - I hope there are no snakes in this long grass. I could hear a woman shouting something which I couldn’t make out and a couple of men then picked me; good job my back wasn’t injured. Once on my feet the woman spoke in English and said she was sorry but had got too close before changing lanes and hit me! I had some bad cuts and grazes but nothing else. I told the woman I would go to hospital to have things checked and called a friend with a pickup to come get me. As I wasn’t badly hurt and my bike looked in one piece I wasn’t pushing for any cost of repair to me or the bike. It was at this point she said she would make a call to “Her hospital”. I asked what she meant and that’s when she declared she was a doctor at the hospital . My friend arrived. Bike in the back and me inside bleeding a little on his car seats. A few hours later, it was just a good story to tell in the bar. Her call certainly helped, as there was no bill to pay after receiving several stitches and the usual bag of tablets to take away. Again, a very lucky escape and fortunately I also had head protection. 
 

Stay safe out there, especially in and around hospitals !! 

[Bluesofa]

8 minutes ago, Soidog said:

All I recall with my incident is going flying off the left side of the bike and thinking this is going to hurt. I hit the road and rolled several times before landing in the tall grass. I recall thinking - I hope there are no snakes in this long grass.

Stay safe out there, especially in and around hospitals !! 

It does seem common that while you're flying through the air you have so many things going through your mind.
We should both stick to cycling in Bangkok as it's 'Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city'  

[Thommo]

Unbelievable BS, my interruption of a good city to ride a bicycle in  means you can ride without too much concern my being hit by a vehicle any within a city!

When living in Shanghai I would ride  often, from Hongqiao area into the Bung etc.  never had a close call. Good place to cycle.

In Bangkok I feel if I rode a bike into my soi I live in between Thonglor and Ekamai  I would be leaving this earth sooner then I would have hoped.

How BKK can be even on this list makes it completely an irrelevant one!

[Bluesofa]

38 minutes ago, Thommo said:

Unbelievable BS, my interruption of a good city to ride a bicycle in  means you can ride without too much concern my being hit by a vehicle any within a city!

When living in Shanghai I would ride  often, from Hongqiao area into the Bung etc.  never had a close call. Good place to cycle.

In Bangkok I feel if I rode a bike into my soi I live in between Thonglor and Ekamai  I would be leaving this earth sooner then I would have hoped.

How BKK can be even on this list makes it completely an irrelevant one!

Shurely shome mishtake.
Has this perhaps been written the UK Independent newspaper‘s apprentice journalist with no experience of anything to do with cycling?

[JamesR]

I would not cycle or ride a motorbike on any main road in Thailand, perhaps in a village off the beaten track maybe.

The only place I cycle is around the Bang Wad reservoir in Phuket, it has a two way asphalt road with markings for bikes and walkers.

It has a car park at the start of the circuit, where I unload my bike. 

There are some vehicles using the road but only by the few locals living there so you might be passed by a car once every ten minutes or so but they drive very slowly and take a wide berth around walkers/joggers/cyclists.

It is a very popular place at around 5pm, most people using the circuit are Thai with a sprinkle of us farangs. 

It is about 8kms in length and mostly shaded by overhanging trees on both sides of the road, a nice place to walk/cycle on a daily basis.

We start at 4pm and finish around 6pm before the mozzies are out in force to get us. 

[JamesR]

10 hours ago, Soidog said:

Wow! That makes my accident trivial. You were indeed lucky to be alive or not find yourself in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. 
 

All I recall with my incident is going flying off the left side of the bike and thinking this is going to hurt. I hit the road and rolled several times before landing in the tall grass. I recall thinking - I hope there are no snakes in this long grass. I could hear a woman shouting something which I couldn’t make out and a couple of men then picked me; good job my back wasn’t injured. Once on my feet the woman spoke in English and said she was sorry but had got too close before changing lanes and hit me! I had some bad cuts and grazes but nothing else. I told the woman I would go to hospital to have things checked and called a friend with a pickup to come get me. As I wasn’t badly hurt and my bike looked in one piece I wasn’t pushing for any cost of repair to me or the bike. It was at this point she said she would make a call to “Her hospital”. I asked what she meant and that’s when she declared she was a doctor at the hospital . My friend arrived. Bike in the back and me inside bleeding a little on his car seats. A few hours later, it was just a good story to tell in the bar. Her call certainly helped, as there was no bill to pay after receiving several stitches and the usual bag of tablets to take away. Again, a very lucky escape and fortunately I also had head protection. 
 

Stay safe out there, especially in and around hospitals !! 

Phew, that was a lucky escape.

[Poolie]

Thank heavens there's no danger in the local swimming pool. Best exercise safely, that's my motto.

[Leo]

Another BS survey written by people who never lived in the top cities they are surveying, but who most likely compiled some info from Google. I'm sure they meant "cycling in the parks", because if you venture off the parks, then the travel, medical and life insurance, much talked about in other threads, comes in real handy.

[Soidog]

4 hours ago, JamesR said:

The only place I cycle is around the Bang Wad reservoir in Phuket, it has a two way asphalt road with markings for bikes and walkers.

And I bet all the walkers stick religiously to the walkway and the cyclists observe the correct direction of travel  

[Marc26]

Sifting trying to think of even one area of Bangkok, even a park, that would be food for cycling and I got nothing 

[Bluesofa]

17 hours ago, Poolie said:

Thank heavens there's no danger in the local swimming pool. Best exercise safely, that's my motto.

Apart from the risk of electrocution from faultily installed underwater lighting, as happened a few months ago.

[Khunmark]

4 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Sifting trying to think of even one area of Bangkok, even a park, that would be food for cycling and I got nothing 

As far as I know the place for a decent uninterrupted ride is the bicycle track that runs around around the perimeter of Suvhanbhumi Airport. As opposed to Chiangmai, where there are numerous internationally recognised great rides depending on your needs.

[JamesR]

22 hours ago, Poolie said:

Thank heavens there's no danger in the local swimming pool. Best exercise safely, that's my motto.

What about the little kids peeing in the pool all day long? 

[JamesR]

19 hours ago, Soidog said:

And I bet all the walkers stick religiously to the walkway and the cyclists observe the correct direction of travel  

They seem to, it all works very well, polite people smiling and saying hello or sawadee clap etc, very pleasant. 

Maybe it attracts a certain type of person, you have to drive there as it is away from the main road, it is not something the public would stumble across. 

You have to commit yourself to a one to two hour walk as you will find yourself in the Grand Old Duke of York scenario.

[Poolie]

6 minutes ago, JamesR said:

What about the little kids peeing in the pool all day long? 

Preferable to getting squashed by an 18-wheeler, surely? Added to which one pee vs a swimming pool is pretty uneven.