Comments on: In Chiang Mai, Social Attitudes Crush Bicycling Prospects

By: Linda Sahotell

Linda Sahotell — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:35:04 +0000

I’d just like to say that Thailand is amazing to say the least, I loved each minute of it. I went having a few close friends on a trip. It was perfect for us, and I can honestly say it would be perfect for your experienced travelers… or unexperienced. So you should go to Thailand!

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:53:01 +0000

I could not disagree more with this article. I accept that Thai’s have a hieratical structure to just about everything and that having a car is regarded as high status. However I have been riding around Chiang Mai on a mountain bike for over two years and feel far safer here than anywhere in the UK.

I find that generally at junctions where no one has right of way I get even lorries giving way to me. If you assert yourself and providing you’re visible then I find motorists seem courteous towards cyclists. The only exception, which is a universal phenomenon, is women drivers who have no awareness of what’s going on around them and will open doors on you or pull out without looking. But that is going to happen anywhere!

By: Forget Sky-high Gas Prices, Biking Beats Them All! : EcoWorldly

Forget Sky-high Gas Prices, Biking Beats Them All! : EcoWorldly — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:47:45 +0000

[...] In Chiang Mai, Social Attitudes Crush Bicycling Prospects by Masimba Biriwasha [...]

By: Chiang Mai Trad

Chiang Mai Trad — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 07:10:25 +0000

I completely agree with your article, I often tell the member of my family (they are Thai) they should just walk to the market (around 300 meters from home), but they say they would feel ashamed if they walk to the market or use a bicycle as it would make them look poor.
It would be very difficult to change people’s minds, at least for adults.

By: Vernon Cooke

Vernon Cooke — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:11:41 +0000

I came across this article doing research on the subject of bad societal and social type attitudes and this article has really enlighted me a little bit on what goes on in this world. I don’t want to put my finger on Chiang Mai as having to deal with negative social attitudes is just as bad in the United States if not worse and you have to deal with them in one form or another anywhere you go.

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Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:20:24 +0000

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Sun, 15 Jun 2008 23:18:14 +0000

[...] In Chiang Mai, Social Attitudes Crush Bicycling Prospects by Masimba Biriwasha [...]

By: Godsway Shumba

Godsway Shumba — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:44:38 +0000

Bicycling can be a death trap, and I can assure you that Im so afraid to ride the streets of Chiang Mai.

By: steph

steph — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:26:53 +0000

It can be done! I lived in Chiang Mai for a year and a half (I just left in April), and bicycling was my main form of transportation.If I were still there, it would continue to be my transportation.

Yes, things could be done to make it safer. Yes, at times it was frightening. Yes, sometimes I had to go to work drenched and/or sweaty. But these are problems motorbikes face too.

Don’t give up on it. The more people (other than tourists) that are cycling, the more visible the need for change will be.

By: Mon

Mon — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:56:36 +0000

In my opinion I think people will start to use bicycle more and more because of gas price increased.

By the way, worth to read it. Thank you.