None of the Gear any of the time

[Barry]

I’m just back from a holiday in Rhodes one of the Greek islands. There were huge numbers on bikes and scooters on the roads. Mostly scooters but a fair number of bigger bikes including HD’s and the odd sports bike. Typical of the eastern Mediterranean there was almost a complete absence of protective gear being worn, just flip flops, tee shirts and shorts. Perhaps  1 in 10 wore a helmet. The odd helmet was as far as it went though, not once did I see anyone wearing gloves or any other specific items of protective gear including a complete absence of Hi Vis.  It was all very idyllic and I was tempted to hire a bike or scooter but from a western perspective we think of it as an accident waiting to happen with the outcome being the rider looking like a peeled grape.

I did hire a car and didn’t think the driving standards were that bad other than 20 Km/Hr above the speed limit being the minimum needed not to be constantly causing a hold up.  I was curious enough to check out the accident statistics and sure enough Greece regularly tops the table for the worst accident records in Europe. What absolutely staggered me was that helmets are actually compulsory by law .  One commentator summed it up by noting Greece as a member of the EU has the much the same  traffic laws as the rest of Europe but you would never believe from observation because of the complete absence of enforcement. In an attempt to improve the situation they recently introduced draconian new fines (which completely misses the point).  I wonder who they will target first, the locals or the tourists who copy the locals behaviour.   A 700 Euro fine for a minor traffic violation would sure have spoilt my holiday.

[Lucky_Lou]

Seems typical of the attitude most of Europe take to regulations.. are we the only ones who take note of Eu laws, the French have been hammering British bikers coming off ferries with no hi vis etc yet the locals seem untroubled, the sooner we are out of the Eu the better.
Lou
Ps Trucks overtaking in the fast lane at 80 mph on I45 near Houston is up there with a drive around the Perephique Paris
 Â http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulevard_P%C3%A9riph%C3%A9rique
Wiki says its a 30 minute drive round................only in a helicopter

[Barry]

Seems typical of the attitude most of Europe take to regulations.. are we the only ones who take note of Eu laws, the French have been hammering British bikers coming off ferries with no hi vis etc yet the locals seem untroubled, the sooner we are out of the Eu the better.

It seems ironic given that France introduced the HI Vis requirements because of the way their own citizens drive\ride not the the way it's visitors do.

I'm not a fan of the EU and if we stay in at all it has to be with a drastic cut in the level of bureaucracy.  Can't see that happening so if it comes to a vote I think we'll be out.

Joining the EU didn't do a lot for Greece either !

[MichaelSydney]

Your Greek experience is typical of many warm and sunny holiday destinations. Holiday island Bali has a horrific rate of deaths amongst foreign tourists who copy the local riding safety attitudes. The Indonesian authorities seem to shrug and ignore it.

I often drive a car in Thailand and have been involved in several bike/car accidents where the bike rider has simply collided with my car, even when I was stopped, typically by traveling on the wrong side of the road. Helmet wear is not well policed and "imitation" helmets are cheaply available to avoid detection.

Phuket in the south of Thailand, is infested with holiday makers on rented bikes wearing little or no safety gear on less than perfect roads.

"Up to 26,000 people are killed in road accidents every year in Thailand, which puts the country in the 6th spot in terms of road casualties. Of those killed, up to 70 or 80 per cent are motorcyclists or their passengers.  Last year's survey showed that only about 28 per cent of teenage motorcyclists and about 49 per cent of adults wore helmets."  (nationmultimedia.com)

[marcmax]

I live at exit 1 on I95 on the Georgia side of the Florida/Georgia but work in Florida. Georgia has a mandatory helmet law, Florida does not. Everyday, going to work I see people riding out of Georgia cross the state line, pull off on the shoulder of the road and take off their helmet and tie it on the seat or luggage rack. I just don't understand it.

[MichaelSydney]

In the Philippines a city BANNED helmet wearing to combat bag snatchers and robberies. You get fined (or worse) if you wear one.

[montmil]

In the Philippines a city BANNED helmet wearing to combat bag snatchers and robberies. You get fined (or worse) if you wear one.

So the bad guys wear helmets to conceal their identity?

[Julio A.]

Riding in tandem crimes is retardedly common here right now. Grandstanding lawmakers who does not have any idea on what they're talking about, proposed the helmet ban. But It was only implemented on a far away province. What they did implement in the Metro Manila area is banning backriding unless the backride is either a female or a child. You can however, bring a birth certificate, or something that proves that your backride is a family relative, and they can let you go. If you get flagged down in a checkpoint.

The people who made these laws need a high five.
To the face.
With a shovel.

Just by actually enforcing the street laws, and penalizing people who don't wear helmets and proper riding gear would be enough to drastically reduce riding in tandem crimes here.

So the bad guys wear helmets to conceal their identity?  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JENmZXwo-Hg

Yes they do.

[MichaelSydney]

I lost my bag with laptop and passport to a "backrider" bag snatch in Makati Avenue, the main drag of Manila CBD. Not exactly the quietest or darkest of streets!

Good to see an R65 rider in Manila! I don't recall ever seeing one on the road there.

[Lucky_Lou]

We are a bit more civilized here....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oo2qIpTyY
Lou

[balibeemer]

Your Greek experience is typical of many warm and sunny holiday destinations. Holiday island Bali has a horrific rate of deaths amongst foreign tourists who copy the local riding safety attitudes. The Indonesian authorities seem to shrug and ignore it.

I often drive a car in Thailand and have been involved in several bike/car accidents where the bike rider has simply collided with my car, even when I was stopped, typically by traveling on the wrong side of the road. Helmet wear is not well policed and "imitation" helmets are cheaply available to avoid detection.

Phuket in the south of Thailand, is infested with holiday makers on rented bikes wearing little or no safety gear on less than perfect roads.

"Up to 26,000 people are killed in road accidents every year in Thailand, which puts the country in the 6th spot in terms of road casualties. Of those killed, up to 70 or 80 per cent are motorcyclists or their passengers.  Last year's survey showed that only about 28 per cent of teenage motorcyclists and about 49 per cent of adults wore helmets."  (nationmultimedia.com)

So true. Here on Bali, most of the victims of traffic accidents tend to be from the lower income groups. ( Except the tourists!) however, now that we have the upper income groups splurging their cast on Beemers, Triumphs, Husqvarnas etc., without any real riding skills, we are getting more big bikes involved in accidents. The butchers bill is currently running at 5 fatalities per day - and the population only stands at 4 million.

[Barry]

One  thing I should say about the Greeks in Rhodes is they are nice people. Very Friendly and if you ignore traffic laws the crime rate is exceptionally low.

Rhodes was as safe a place to take a holiday as anywhere I've ever been.

[Barry]

We are a bit more civilized here....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oo2qIpTyY
Lou

She was an exceptionally brave lady and the would be crooks were just muppets who hadn't done their homework.

[Lucky_Lou]

She was an exceptionally brave lady and the would be crooks were just muppets who hadn't done their homework.

I cannot help wondering why the financial crooks who manipulated LIBOR and there employers have been given anonymity despite being charged ?.
Lou

[clonmore1]

Same reason Sir (!) Cliff Richard has a super injunction out on the media....

More news on that one when he is gone!

Powerful friends in high places allows you to get away with pretty much anything, always easier to hit the lower classes, small companies and the non-celebs.

We exist only to be harvested for tax and cash for the corporate world, rich, famous and whatever Government is in power at the time.

People just don't think today, they let the media do it for them :-/

I have little or no sympathy with those who follow the herd