Reshape Your Next Holiday

[goji]

SO, basically you weren't covered then either to drive in Thailand nor insured .

1 This should be future tense, as I've neither driven a car nor hired a motorcycle in Thailand (so far).
The electric motorcycle was in Myanmar. Mostly off road, but quite possibly illegal.

2 Checking what I can do in the UK, with my provisional entitlement:

"Car driving test passed before 1 February 2001
You can ride a moped (max 50cc) without L plates.
If you want to ride a motorcycle over 50cc and up to 125cc, you will need to take CBT.
Once you have a valid CBT certificate, you can ride a 125cc with L plates.
If you want to remove the L plates or ride a more powerful machine, you will need to take the relevant practical tests."

So I need a CBT certificate (Compulsory Basic Training) in order to legally ride a bike in the UK. I think there might be a 2 year limit on that.

Now, if I got that certificate, I'm legal to ride in the UK with L plates. I don't have it yet, but there are plenty of providers near me & I guess it could be done before the next trip. If it makes any difference.

The next question is once I can legally ride a bike in the UK, is this also legal in Thailand ?
ie What are Thai rules for overseas provisional licenses ?
I suspect this is going to fall somewhere between not properly defined anywhere and not legal. So no point in rushing out to get UK CBT before the next trip. [google is not helpful on this topic]

I also had a quick look at getting a Thai motorcycle license, however, that starts off with a "proof of residency" requirement. Also takes quite a few weeks.

I CAN legally ride a 50cc moped with my UK license, but a quick look on google doesn't show anyone renting such things out in Thailand.

So it looks like it may be advisable to stick with fully legal car hire, for short periods during the trip.

[Dodger]

1 This should be future tense, as I've neither driven a car nor hired a motorcycle in Thailand (so far).
The electric motorcycle was in Myanmar. Mostly off road, but quite possibly illegal.

2 Checking what I can do in the UK, with my provisional entitlement:

"Car driving test passed before 1 February 2001
You can ride a moped (max 50cc) without L plates.
If you want to ride a motorcycle over 50cc and up to 125cc, you will need to take CBT.
Once you have a valid CBT certificate, you can ride a 125cc with L plates.
If you want to remove the L plates or ride a more powerful machine, you will need to take the relevant practical tests."

So I need a CBT certificate (Compulsory Basic Training) in order to legally ride a bike in the UK. I think there might be a 2 year limit on that.

Now, if I got that certificate, I'm legal to ride in the UK with L plates. I don't have it yet, but there are plenty of providers near me & I guess it could be done before the next trip. If it makes any difference.

The next question is once I can legally ride a bike in the UK, is this also legal in Thailand ?
ie What are Thai rules for overseas provisional licenses ?
I suspect this is going to fall somewhere between not properly defined anywhere and not legal. So no point in rushing out to get UK CBT before the next trip. [google is not helpful on this topic]

I also had a quick look at getting a Thai motorcycle license, however, that starts off with a "proof of residency" requirement. Also takes quite a few weeks.

I CAN legally ride a 50cc moped with my UK license, but a quick look on google doesn't show anyone renting such things out in Thailand.

So it looks like it may be advisable to stick with fully legal car hire, for short periods during the trip.

Sounds waaaaaaaay too confusing in the UK.

It sounds like you're trying to get a license to fly a NASA Space Vehicle to Mars.

[gerefan2]

When you get stopped by police the following happens:
1. Hand over your UK Licence and International Driving Permit.
2. He probably will not speak English, let alone read it. He will have no real idea what he is looking at. He certainly will not know about a CBT,!
3. Hand over small “gift” if you have broken the law. If a regular stop just sit and let him look at it.
4. You will be on your way in minutes.

After a few days you will know where the check points are and it is easy to avoid them. They are always in the same place.

The boys have an app that shows which check points are active and where they are. They sometimes check before leaving a bar.

Regarding insurance...if you fall off and are unfortunate enough to damage yourself how is the insurance company to know you didn’t trip over the pavement, the stairs, or any other similar accident?!

Get on your bike!

[Manforallseasons]

Regarding insurance...if you fall off and are unfortunate enough to damage yourself how is the insurance company to know you didn’t trip over the pavement, the stairs, or any other similar accident?!

Get on your bike!

What happens if you hit another or are hit by a motorbike or car or if you hit a pedestrian?
1.You are fucked

[gerefan2]

What happens if you hit another or are hit by a motorbike or car or if you hit a pedestrian?
1.You are fucked

Agreed...but I did carefully say “if you fall off” which in my experience is far more likely!

[goji]

After reading earlier posts, I've re-checked the insurance policy.

The exclusion clause that probably invalidates cover is:
"15 Any Claim arising from You being involved in any criminal act"

Incidentally, I guess that clause also invalidates cover if anyone has a heart attack whilst ****ing a prostitute, since prostitution is illegal in Thailand.
Having lectured me earlier, I'm sure N Irish has never broken the law here either.

[arsenal]

I have to disagree with much of the above.

I've never been stopped by a policeman who didn't speak pretty good English.

The checkpoints move about.

As it stands your standard IDP allows you to drive a minibus full of schoolchildren on the motorway but not a 125cc Honda Click to Carrefour. Go figure.

I've never been asked for money by a policeman if I wasn't going anything wrong and by wrong I mean no helmet. I always insist on a ticket and go to the station to pay it. Why reward the guy who stops you.

I got stopped at midnight once for not wearing a helmet and the policeman soo wanted me to give him the money. I refused and he reluctantly wrote out a ticket. One, it was not an official helmet checkpoint...they stop at about 11.00pm. Two, next time he sees me he won't bother.

After 11.00pm it's only drink driving they're interested in.

[Oliver2]

I've never rented a motor-cy but i can understand why some people like them.

For fifteen or so years, i hired a car for my travels in northern and southern Thailand. I found that the scenic roads and lack of traffic were a delight. Despite taking out enhanced insurance, I was aware that the implications of being involved in an accident, particularly if a resident was hurt, were serious.

I did the same in Bali twice when I visited alone back in the 90s. Lonely Planet had warned that any accident would probably involve a night in a cell while financial matters were attended to. I was younger and braver then.

In Thailand we now use taxis. This is at the behest of P who fusses about what would happen if we were in an accident so much that he has worn me down.

Like others, I miss the freedom and independence of self-drive and have never felt nervous about driving. I find the standards, at least in rural areas, perfectly safe.

As for The Fuzz, only once have we been stopped; this was at a permanent checkpoint north of Chiang Rai on the Golden Triangle Road. P was was given a pee test while I was allowed to sit in the car, fretting. He didn't care.

[Nirish guy]

When you get stopped by police the following happens:
1. Hand over your UK Licence and International Driving Permit. 2. He probably will not speak English, let alone read it. He will have no real idea what he is looking at. He certainly will not know about a CBT,! !

Sorry but that wasn't my experience - i fact it was the exact opposite - the policeman who pulled me for no helmet outside Tok com knew EXACTLY about the CBT requirement and UK citizens being required to have to have a full UK bike licence and international licence ( I had the second part but not the first) and he was also able to point out to me how that licence addition would have been shown via a motorbike pic on the back of my licence and he pointed out how mine WASNT there.

So it was him who actually informed ME of all of that as until that moment I genuinely wasn't aware of it all at the time (quite thankfully) as because of that I argued so strongly with him that he just rolled his eyes gave up - but I KNEW instantly he knew what he was talking about and had given up more just as he couldn't be bothered arguing with me more than anything else I suspect and he'd already got his helmet "fine" from me anyhow by that point.

So we shouldn't always assume the average Thai policeman is just green as we first think perhaps and I'm guessing that if HE knew that info then that same info must have had been passed around their various police tea rooms so others could benefit from using it when needed.

Just on Olivers comment re Bali I can confirm the police work EXACTLY the same "fine" system as the pattaya police when they can too.

[arsenal]

In addition to the above.

Previously the plods would keep the licence and you'd go and pay it at the station, either there and then or the next day. The 400 baht never bothers me.

But the last time there was none of that, they kept the bike and I had to trunk off to plodville on the back of a taxi, pay the fine and then trunk back again. Both taxi riders wete fat and not sexy. Next time I'm sticking 400 baht in the inside cover of the licence and replacing as required.