The "Motorcy"(cles)

It seems to occur to many of us at one point or another, that having a motorcycle/scooter as a secondary method of transportation is potentially a great idea.  For those of us who live in Winnipeg, this idea seems pretty brilliant until we are reminded of a very important part of Winnipeg living: Winter.

In Thailand, winter means slightly less heat (the temperature lowers to about a 27 degree high instead of 37).  With no snow, or other conditions to worry about, the "motorcy" makes a whole lot of sense here for short commutes.  

Motorcycles are everywhere in Thailand.  Most pizza delivery vehicles are motorcycles, motorcycles are available as taxis (as I mentioned in my hospital post), and because they're so cheap to purchase (I saw one in the grocery store for about $2000), and good on gas, many people use them as their primary method of transportation. 

People here get quite efficient at carrying things while driving a motorcycle.

They drive them in the rain.

Unlike in Winnipeg, where it's illegal to ride your bicycle on the sidewalk, in Thailand bicycles and motorcycles seem to have more right to the sidewalk than pedestrians do sometimes.  They weave in and out of traffic on the streets and then in and out of traffic on the sidewalks or in the already narrow aisles of the market.

The most astounding thing about motorcycles here, is the amount of people that can fit onto a single motorcycle.  The most I've ever seen is five:  Mom, Dad and three kids.  The most I've caught in a photo is four (bad shot with the sign in the way.. taking pictures of these guys is hard!  They're pretty speedy!).  

Now when I arrived here, I was pretty surprised to realize that I didn't have a seat belt in the taxi on the way home from the airport.  It was a small but notable difference from back home.  I got used to this in about a week.  Seeing so many children on these motorcycles without helmets or anything holding them in, however, still catches me off guard.  

And for those without kids: