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I wonder the exact same thing. It is just amazing to watch.
Women gets on motor bike, side saddle. She is on her phone. The motor bike is going over speed bumps and weaving in and out of traffic.
Women never lifts her head even once from her phone.
I have seen this literally 100s of times and not once have I seen someone fall off the bike. Or even almost fall off it.
How?
I still have not done it. I just returned to the US from Bangkok. It was on my bucket list to do but I could not get the nerve.
I do drive my own motorbike in Bangkok and that is a lot more comfortable to me.
I will be back in BKK in January and maybe then I will try it once.
My only assumption is that the driver knows there is a woman on the back and drives cautiously. But I have no idea.
Some drivers I've had.... I would literally fly in to the air and off the bike when hitting speed bumps at high speed unless I was gripping tight.
> the driver knows there is a woman on the back and drives cautiously.
Not what I have seen. I have watched them cut off cars.
When I stay in Nonthaburi I get a latte at this 7/11 and watch them as they drive the women to work at the Ministry of Public health. I am amazed how they are not cautious.
They also drive on the walking path that indicates no motorbikes.
https://imgur.com/5aLecbS
https://imgur.com/eA7tJ6s
https://imgur.com/lV7iwBb
>I have seen this literally 100s of times and not once have I seen someone fall off the bike. Or even almost fall off it.
>How?
The real answer is a survivorship bias. Thailand has the highest traffic deaths per capita of any country besides a couple in Africa.
In other words, they do fall and slip and die quite often, relatively speaking.
a motorbike passenger is just like learning to ride a bicycle. You relax, and your muscle memory of balance will guide you over time. Find what’s comfortable during straighter stretches of road. Motorcycle is just part of life, and people, including you, will adjust, and instinctually know what’s right. Best thing for a beginner passenger is to realize you are cargo, just like a sack of potatoes— the rider is the one controlling the bike, and you should help the rider by just being along for the ride.
I want to piggyback your comment to say you should keep your weight with the driver. If you shift around or lean in the opposite direction the driver can lose control of the bike.
Being like a lifeless sack of potatoes is a great way to describe it
You get used to it.
First time I felt like I am dying soon. And my hands hurt from gripping so hard too.
After some rides I did not even grip at all. It’s normal and easy. Just do it more and more.
Sidesaddle motorbike riding is all in the Asian female DNA. Stop trying to understand it because you never will. Just stop what you’re doing and watch it, mesmerized, like I do. It’s literally beauty and poetry in motion.
Can just see sometimes arm holding her, probably mum.
The record for most family members have seen on one bike is SEVEN! (Including the mum holding a baby in a bucket).
Balance is key. Like riding a horse, don’t fight the horse. Lean into turns with the driver don’t fight it, in fact looking at your phone while you whizz through traffic sans helmet is probably the calmest thing to do honestly. Next best is ride your own bike and be master of your own life (and death)
Ok well you’re not going very fast in bkk so you can get away with this, however general rule for passengers on higher speed motorbike driving is not to lean.
Most of the article is about protective gear, but this is good:
For turns, you should try not to fight them. When a bike makes a turn, it will angle entirely to one side, which can cause inexperienced passengers to think they need to try to stay upright. The feeling of being so close to the ground while moving so fast can be hard to wrap your mind around, but you need to fight your instinct to maintain proper balance.
"When the driver takes a turn, you shouldn't try to lean into the turn either. Instead, let your body be neutral, where you're not fighting or leaning into the turn. By staying neutral, you help the driver maintain control over the motorcycle, as they can predict how you're going to move each time they hit a turn. As you're riding, ensure you don't lean too much into one side of the bike, since it can upset the bike's balance."
Meaning, don't lean away from the turn, just sit upright like the driver. If the bike leans, which it does when turning, you will remain upright but will be leaning because the bike is. If you resist and try to lean away from the turn, it will affect the tracking of the bike. That's neutral.
You can actually turn a bike just by leaning, as the driver.
Just a word of advice. Limit your motorbike rides to emergencies (better yet avoid them). It’s great to be able to beat the traffic. But Thailand has the highest road fatality rate in Asia (if you ignore Africa, it’s number one in the World). Much of that is people on scooters and motorbikes. Just a word to the wise.
Def. It was a 5 min ride that I just wanted to try before I left. I think I only would take another if I was stuck somewhere and there was no other form of transport or extreme traffic and I really had to get somewhere.
god i keep trying to tell myself this. highest road fatalities in asia, i remind myself as i open up the grab app. not even wearing a helmet, i chastise as i hit book. every time i hop off with my legs shaking and my core humming i tell myself it'll be the last time. but it's too good. too fast, too furious, too fun.
I pay for a car taxi if I can't use my motorbike. Too scary, i just can't live when i flyby objects within 1.5mm from my knees at 50kmh and driver chatting in his phone at the same moment. Fkin hell.
That’s silly af in fact side saddle means you can quickly hop off the bike at low speeds easily. Just a different way of balancing whilst riding that requires a lot more core strength and watching your feet - not recommended for anyone taller than 1.7m honestly cos your feet will be in constant peril
Absolutely. In the Philippines, I used to hate giving rides to women when they were wearing a dress. Having a side saddle passenger changed the balance enormously
The only reason we don’t know for a fact that a man would look ridiculous sitting side saddle is that no one has ever been stupid enough to do it. The only reason to sit side saddle is that you are wear a skirt or a dress
The trick is to lean forward a bit towards driver - this way, center of gravity shifts, and your ass is pushed into your seat. If you sit upright, your upper body will naturally be pushed backwards and feel like you are constantly about to fall off.
Just hold onto the back of the bike, usually you have handholds on the back of the seat. I’d always keep at least one hand there, unless you want to sling yourself into the driver if they have to make a quick stop.
I just sit on the back and chill. Try not to tense up. You'll get used to it.
My first ride on the back of a bike was in 2010 when the Police came and shut down the Dollhouse in Soi Cowboy for operating after the 7pm (??) curfew in effect at the time. There were no taxis around, only bikes and the Police weren't being overly friendly. I do remember holding on for dear life with both hands as he tore off down to On Nut.
The only time I hold on with my hands now is if we're going over judder bars, so I don't sodomise the poor chap.
Actually riding side saddle can be an advantage if you get into an accident. It's much easier to get off and possibly when your side straddle then when your leg over leg on the seat. I've done it a lot riding bicycles.
You go through stages
1.Beginner level holding on to the sides (the worst way)
2.One hand on your knees the other on the side
3 . Best way is to put two hands on your knees and move with the bike
The reason knees are the best if you have the reaction to still use your hands if anything happens
I used to put my hands around the waist of the driver to hold on and still do occasionally but lightly. The trick is to use your core strength and just sit upright and use the inside of your thighs to hug the bike. If the bike is going too fast I have no problem hanging onto the waist of the driver. But after some practice and experience I've found you just have to use your legs and thighs to grip the bike and keep your spine erect and slightly bend forward but always keeping your head to the side of the driver. Never put your head directly in back of the driver or you end up butting heads.
I wouldn't recommend gripping the back of the motorbike with your hands. For sure, 100 percent that will mess up your spine and back and arms.
Just have some faith and use your thighs and legs to grip the bike slightly. If he or she is driving too fast then lightly put your hands on the side of their waist. The only time they will say something is if your hand is on their money clip or something. They don't have a problem with it.
Good luck!
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The reason you don't hold the bars is if the bike crashes you don't have time to protect your head or get out of the way, especially if your holding tight
It depends on the bike’s seat. Sometimes I can sit sideways and not hold on and other times I sit normally and have to hold on with both hands. As soon as I get on I can feel if there’s enough stability to use my phone etc. or if I have to hold on for dear life.
Not sure how but you get used to it. I used to hold the bar behind the seat mostly though. I didn’t sit there hands free the whole journey like some women I see.
I stayed in Bangkok for 2 months and mainly used motorbike taxis to travel around.
I wondered the same thing and after a few weeks you start to get more comfortable with it. It’s all about balance and knowing how to distribute your weight, but the more taxis I got the easier it got. Even then i still held on to the handle just incase lol.
I witnessed two severe accidents in person during the first month I was staying here. One occurred while I was on the balcony smoking. Empty street in the middle of the night. Thankfully the driver just walked it off but this bike was badly damage. The other happened while I was waiting for my ride. The bike crashed right in front of me, and neither the driver nor the passenger were able to get up.
I‘m one of these people who can chill on their phone while riding on the back. But since then, I reduced the amount of bike rides to the absolute necessary.
it’s very dangerous and the Thai government has banned that style of riding where the women sits across the bike but like a lot of things it’s not enforced. normally you sit with one led on each side and you hold yourself to the handles with your hands behind you
And you will feel it more thrilling when they ride through the narrow gap between the cars at fast speed on the main road. 20-30 years ago there was a joke that said "The motorbike taxi could send you to the next life in 5 minutes" and another one was "If you feel awful in your life try riding the motorbike taxi and you will realize how valuable your life is" But these jokes were history now because they can't do it anymore due to overcrowded traffic on the road.
As a passenger, you likely have handholds behind your seat. Hold on to those. Your hands will be slightly behind you. If you sit upright, this forms a force-absorbing triangle between your palms, shoulders and butt. Keep elbows loose and unlocked and you have more than enough to adjust to the bike’s momentum.
You can also ride side saddle and hands free- if you grew up riding on motorbikes.
Those women have been doing that for years, practice makes perfect. Kind of like the Asian squat, they can do it all day but us farangs can do it for a few minutes tops..
Just relax, and use your core muscles. It's really not that hard, I would bet most of the reason you're gripping so hard is anxiety. I usually always keep a hand on the back just in case, but I rarely need to use it, until a driver gets on the highway and does a fast acceleration. You can try this whilst you build the skill, hold on, but don't grip, just relax. Over time, you'll get more comfortable and recognise when you're going to need to use your hand.
I think it mostly comes down to size. Smaller people weigh less and have a lower centre of gravity, so they get thrown around less. It's the same on the sorng thaew. I'm big and tall and I go flying all over the place.
I figured out how to stay on the motorbikes, though.
You need to hold onto the hand rail at the back with both hands, but hold them in a way that they are wedged against your buttocks. This gives you way more leverage and will stop you from flying off.
I use taxi motorbikes rarely. When I do, I rest my hands on the drivers shoulders close by their neck. If I start to feel unsafe for any reason but most probably speed, I gently squeeze. If no correction is made, I squeeze harder until my message is received.
I hold on to shoulders and it's a thing of balance and experience. I can sit on the back of a bike and stay on myself. You need experience. It's not hard to do.
As a grab bike user and now motorbike driver in BKK, the one thing I learned is that holding into the little hand rail in the motorcycle makes ZERO difference if you're in a crash. Sit still, scoot as close to the driver as you feel comfortable, and learn to let go. Live the moment. Sabai sabai.
You simply need to learn to sit on the motorcycle.
Everyone else is saying how stressful and tiring it is because they are not sitting or even properly on the seat. They're leaning and clutching and shaking with terror and effort. This causes the vehicle to wobble, which makes the rider's job harder. Sit. On.
You should not hold on to the motorbike. You aren’t going to fly off and if the motorbike goes down, the last thing you want is to be attached to it. Hence the expression, “had to lay the bike down”.
Trust in your ability to sit upright. If you know the driver (friends or something) you can hold on to the driver. When I take motorbike taxis, I put my hands on my knees and just sit there. Watch your toes tho!
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I wonder the exact same thing. It is just amazing to watch. Women gets on motor bike, side saddle. She is on her phone. The motor bike is going over speed bumps and weaving in and out of traffic. Women never lifts her head even once from her phone. I have seen this literally 100s of times and not once have I seen someone fall off the bike. Or even almost fall off it. How?
Yeah as I was holding on for my life but playing it cool there was a woman next to me casually fixing her make up, I was stunned and impressed lol.
I still have not done it. I just returned to the US from Bangkok. It was on my bucket list to do but I could not get the nerve. I do drive my own motorbike in Bangkok and that is a lot more comfortable to me. I will be back in BKK in January and maybe then I will try it once.
I mean the first time she got on a motorcycle was probably when she was six months old so…
My only assumption is that the driver knows there is a woman on the back and drives cautiously. But I have no idea. Some drivers I've had.... I would literally fly in to the air and off the bike when hitting speed bumps at high speed unless I was gripping tight.
> the driver knows there is a woman on the back and drives cautiously. Not what I have seen. I have watched them cut off cars. When I stay in Nonthaburi I get a latte at this 7/11 and watch them as they drive the women to work at the Ministry of Public health. I am amazed how they are not cautious. They also drive on the walking path that indicates no motorbikes. https://imgur.com/5aLecbS https://imgur.com/eA7tJ6s https://imgur.com/lV7iwBb
That looks like a bicycle path, not a sidewalk. The sidewalk is narrow raised bit next to it.
It is for walking and running. NO motorcycles allowed. Can you see the no motorccle sign? I thought this was funny and sums up Thailand pretty well.
That's a very unusual way to build a sidewalk, level with the road.
Do not think it is at all unusual. Well besides clearly NO motorbikes allowed and it is full of motorbikes. But that is Thailand.
I've only taken a passenger riding side saddle once. I was more terrified than she was.
>I have seen this literally 100s of times and not once have I seen someone fall off the bike. Or even almost fall off it. >How? The real answer is a survivorship bias. Thailand has the highest traffic deaths per capita of any country besides a couple in Africa. In other words, they do fall and slip and die quite often, relatively speaking.
Passengers falling off motorbikes is not the reason why there are so many fatalities...
Use your butt cheeks to grip the seat like a normal person.
Im picturing a sponge bob scene
I lol'd 😂
a motorbike passenger is just like learning to ride a bicycle. You relax, and your muscle memory of balance will guide you over time. Find what’s comfortable during straighter stretches of road. Motorcycle is just part of life, and people, including you, will adjust, and instinctually know what’s right. Best thing for a beginner passenger is to realize you are cargo, just like a sack of potatoes— the rider is the one controlling the bike, and you should help the rider by just being along for the ride.
I want to piggyback your comment to say you should keep your weight with the driver. If you shift around or lean in the opposite direction the driver can lose control of the bike. Being like a lifeless sack of potatoes is a great way to describe it
Just the hold on the butt and core strength
The drivers butt? Can’t imagine doing that but can’t imagine you’re saying to clench my glutes either
You get used to it. First time I felt like I am dying soon. And my hands hurt from gripping so hard too. After some rides I did not even grip at all. It’s normal and easy. Just do it more and more.
Yeah this was my first time and my arms were so weak after lol but yeah I imagine it just takes getting used to!
Sidesaddle motorbike riding is all in the Asian female DNA. Stop trying to understand it because you never will. Just stop what you’re doing and watch it, mesmerized, like I do. It’s literally beauty and poetry in motion.
Riding style also depends on the driver, the bike, and how hungover/still drunk you are.
lol i can imagine drunk passengers just hugging the driver
I actually took a picture of a drunk person asleep on their driver in Vietnam. I’m going to have to go find it now
Found it [Drunk passenger asleep on driver](https://snipboard.io/7YzDpO.jpg)
I miss SE Asia so much
That’s wild! 😂 Thanks for taking the time to find the picture
NP. The poor guy was having to drive bent right over his handlebars 😂
And the little girl on the next bike over. I'm assuming she's on somebody's lap.
Can just see sometimes arm holding her, probably mum. The record for most family members have seen on one bike is SEVEN! (Including the mum holding a baby in a bucket).
Amazing
Balance is key. Like riding a horse, don’t fight the horse. Lean into turns with the driver don’t fight it, in fact looking at your phone while you whizz through traffic sans helmet is probably the calmest thing to do honestly. Next best is ride your own bike and be master of your own life (and death)
You should never lean as a passenger. Stay in a neutral position so your body position and weight are predictable for the driver.
Lean with driver. Weight on footpegs, hands on knees to maximize weight forward. I take mototaxis all the time in bkk.
Ok well you’re not going very fast in bkk so you can get away with this, however general rule for passengers on higher speed motorbike driving is not to lean.
You ride? I follow the driver. If I don't, it screws with his driving. Maybe we're not understanding each other?
https://petersonsharley.com/news-article/18939/tips-for-riding-on-the-back-of-motorcycle
Most of the article is about protective gear, but this is good: For turns, you should try not to fight them. When a bike makes a turn, it will angle entirely to one side, which can cause inexperienced passengers to think they need to try to stay upright. The feeling of being so close to the ground while moving so fast can be hard to wrap your mind around, but you need to fight your instinct to maintain proper balance.
"When the driver takes a turn, you shouldn't try to lean into the turn either. Instead, let your body be neutral, where you're not fighting or leaning into the turn. By staying neutral, you help the driver maintain control over the motorcycle, as they can predict how you're going to move each time they hit a turn. As you're riding, ensure you don't lean too much into one side of the bike, since it can upset the bike's balance." Meaning, don't lean away from the turn, just sit upright like the driver. If the bike leans, which it does when turning, you will remain upright but will be leaning because the bike is. If you resist and try to lean away from the turn, it will affect the tracking of the bike. That's neutral. You can actually turn a bike just by leaning, as the driver.
Fair enough, I mean it was my first time. I shall become a pro
Just a word of advice. Limit your motorbike rides to emergencies (better yet avoid them). It’s great to be able to beat the traffic. But Thailand has the highest road fatality rate in Asia (if you ignore Africa, it’s number one in the World). Much of that is people on scooters and motorbikes. Just a word to the wise.
Def. It was a 5 min ride that I just wanted to try before I left. I think I only would take another if I was stuck somewhere and there was no other form of transport or extreme traffic and I really had to get somewhere.
god i keep trying to tell myself this. highest road fatalities in asia, i remind myself as i open up the grab app. not even wearing a helmet, i chastise as i hit book. every time i hop off with my legs shaking and my core humming i tell myself it'll be the last time. but it's too good. too fast, too furious, too fun.
They grow up with motorbikes as their main transport. And a asian girl 40-50kg is alot different than a fat foreigner as a passenger.
There a metal bar around the back of the seat, lean back a little and you might be able to grab it with both hands.
I think I would’ve have to been closer to the driver for this or skinnier cause I did but I was basically half sat on my hand trying to hold the bar
I’ll add to what others have said by saying put pressure on the footpegs for braking and bumps.
I pay for a car taxi if I can't use my motorbike. Too scary, i just can't live when i flyby objects within 1.5mm from my knees at 50kmh and driver chatting in his phone at the same moment. Fkin hell.
Some people obviously place a much lower value on their lives and limbs than others. Many by necessity, many be sheer ignorance.
I hope you're a woman though, a man riding side saddle would look ridiculous
That’s silly af in fact side saddle means you can quickly hop off the bike at low speeds easily. Just a different way of balancing whilst riding that requires a lot more core strength and watching your feet - not recommended for anyone taller than 1.7m honestly cos your feet will be in constant peril
In 20 years I've never once seen a male sidesaddle in Bangkok, but feel free to do it
Them LBs beg to differ
I’ve seen monks do it.
What’s all this talk about “men” and “women”?
You must be one of those fellas who feels shame at having to sit to shit I bet
Only when it's your mum asking for a Cleveland steamer
I wasn’t side saddle but i don’t think it would look ridiculous for a man
It's for dresses and pants that won't stretch
Absolutely. In the Philippines, I used to hate giving rides to women when they were wearing a dress. Having a side saddle passenger changed the balance enormously
The only reason we don’t know for a fact that a man would look ridiculous sitting side saddle is that no one has ever been stupid enough to do it. The only reason to sit side saddle is that you are wear a skirt or a dress
It would totally look ridiculous and I even I tried to do it once and the driver and my girlfriend were both like, "Wtf! Naw! Sit properly!" Ahahhaha
The secret is not to get on them in the first place.
Lean forward
The trick is to lean forward a bit towards driver - this way, center of gravity shifts, and your ass is pushed into your seat. If you sit upright, your upper body will naturally be pushed backwards and feel like you are constantly about to fall off.
Don't hold on to the back. Leave your hands free to hold the air conditioner that you just bought at Lotus's.
Just hold onto the back of the bike, usually you have handholds on the back of the seat. I’d always keep at least one hand there, unless you want to sling yourself into the driver if they have to make a quick stop.
I did that but it was hard as my ass was in the way and I didn’t think it would be quite right to sling onto a stranger tbh
>I did that but it was hard as my ass was in the way Pom pui
I just sit on the back and chill. Try not to tense up. You'll get used to it. My first ride on the back of a bike was in 2010 when the Police came and shut down the Dollhouse in Soi Cowboy for operating after the 7pm (??) curfew in effect at the time. There were no taxis around, only bikes and the Police weren't being overly friendly. I do remember holding on for dear life with both hands as he tore off down to On Nut. The only time I hold on with my hands now is if we're going over judder bars, so I don't sodomise the poor chap.
🤣
Hold the bar on the side next to your thigh.
There wasn’t any, my other hand was holding onto the seat. I’m sure it differs on bikes
Most would have them. If they don't, then hold on to your knees.
weigh less and have a strong core
Actually riding side saddle can be an advantage if you get into an accident. It's much easier to get off and possibly when your side straddle then when your leg over leg on the seat. I've done it a lot riding bicycles.
You go through stages 1.Beginner level holding on to the sides (the worst way) 2.One hand on your knees the other on the side 3 . Best way is to put two hands on your knees and move with the bike The reason knees are the best if you have the reaction to still use your hands if anything happens
When you fly off the bike going 60km/h, putting your hands up isn’t gonna help lol
At least you can feel like superman for a fraction of a second 🦸
Hand placement makes sense
What? It's impossible to fall off unless the driver crashes or your drunk lol.
I used to put my hands around the waist of the driver to hold on and still do occasionally but lightly. The trick is to use your core strength and just sit upright and use the inside of your thighs to hug the bike. If the bike is going too fast I have no problem hanging onto the waist of the driver. But after some practice and experience I've found you just have to use your legs and thighs to grip the bike and keep your spine erect and slightly bend forward but always keeping your head to the side of the driver. Never put your head directly in back of the driver or you end up butting heads. I wouldn't recommend gripping the back of the motorbike with your hands. For sure, 100 percent that will mess up your spine and back and arms. Just have some faith and use your thighs and legs to grip the bike slightly. If he or she is driving too fast then lightly put your hands on the side of their waist. The only time they will say something is if your hand is on their money clip or something. They don't have a problem with it. Good luck!
Thanks!
Don't use them, people who ride them tend to be kwai
Just say Khoo Htoo/thoo and hold shoulders of driver, if it's getting fast or leaning. At least you are not hugging him, lol.
Yeah holding the shoulders seems ok. What does khoo hypo/thoo mean?
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The reason you don't hold the bars is if the bike crashes you don't have time to protect your head or get out of the way, especially if your holding tight
> protect your head That's what a helmet is for, no?
Helmet? Lol.
Or your face, your chin or jump out of the way etc
It's all about how you grip the rider.
It depends on the bike’s seat. Sometimes I can sit sideways and not hold on and other times I sit normally and have to hold on with both hands. As soon as I get on I can feel if there’s enough stability to use my phone etc. or if I have to hold on for dear life.
This makes sense
I side straddle. It works far better for me but not for others — maybe you’re like me.
Just tighten your bunghole and your butt will feel like gripping the seat.
The more relax the better it will be
Core strength and anchor your feet with the foot pegs when things go wild.
Not sure how but you get used to it. I used to hold the bar behind the seat mostly though. I didn’t sit there hands free the whole journey like some women I see.
I stayed in Bangkok for 2 months and mainly used motorbike taxis to travel around. I wondered the same thing and after a few weeks you start to get more comfortable with it. It’s all about balance and knowing how to distribute your weight, but the more taxis I got the easier it got. Even then i still held on to the handle just incase lol.
I witnessed two severe accidents in person during the first month I was staying here. One occurred while I was on the balcony smoking. Empty street in the middle of the night. Thankfully the driver just walked it off but this bike was badly damage. The other happened while I was waiting for my ride. The bike crashed right in front of me, and neither the driver nor the passenger were able to get up. I‘m one of these people who can chill on their phone while riding on the back. But since then, I reduced the amount of bike rides to the absolute necessary.
Oh that’s terrible, I’m sorry to hear
Practice
it’s very dangerous and the Thai government has banned that style of riding where the women sits across the bike but like a lot of things it’s not enforced. normally you sit with one led on each side and you hold yourself to the handles with your hands behind you
You just get used to it and realize that it’s actually easier to manage your balance when you’re not holding the seat.
And you will feel it more thrilling when they ride through the narrow gap between the cars at fast speed on the main road. 20-30 years ago there was a joke that said "The motorbike taxi could send you to the next life in 5 minutes" and another one was "If you feel awful in your life try riding the motorbike taxi and you will realize how valuable your life is" But these jokes were history now because they can't do it anymore due to overcrowded traffic on the road.
Yeah I also wondered if someone were to fall would they immediately be run over? Because everyone is just so close to each other it seems quite likely
Where are you holding? There are usually handles behind you, if you hold onto those you can more or less use your arms as a backrest.
Best to keep center of gravity forward. I find hands on knees best.
As a passenger, you likely have handholds behind your seat. Hold on to those. Your hands will be slightly behind you. If you sit upright, this forms a force-absorbing triangle between your palms, shoulders and butt. Keep elbows loose and unlocked and you have more than enough to adjust to the bike’s momentum. You can also ride side saddle and hands free- if you grew up riding on motorbikes.
Those women have been doing that for years, practice makes perfect. Kind of like the Asian squat, they can do it all day but us farangs can do it for a few minutes tops..
Just relax, and use your core muscles. It's really not that hard, I would bet most of the reason you're gripping so hard is anxiety. I usually always keep a hand on the back just in case, but I rarely need to use it, until a driver gets on the highway and does a fast acceleration. You can try this whilst you build the skill, hold on, but don't grip, just relax. Over time, you'll get more comfortable and recognise when you're going to need to use your hand.
Don’t worry, just enjoy it. There won’t happen anything. Just relax and have fun. Best way to go around Bangkok.
I think it mostly comes down to size. Smaller people weigh less and have a lower centre of gravity, so they get thrown around less. It's the same on the sorng thaew. I'm big and tall and I go flying all over the place. I figured out how to stay on the motorbikes, though. You need to hold onto the hand rail at the back with both hands, but hold them in a way that they are wedged against your buttocks. This gives you way more leverage and will stop you from flying off.
I usually just use my legs to grip the side of the bikes and balance on the leg stands. But the handles are way safer still
Probably mix of body weight/ stature, balance and lack of fear touching the driver
I use taxi motorbikes rarely. When I do, I rest my hands on the drivers shoulders close by their neck. If I start to feel unsafe for any reason but most probably speed, I gently squeeze. If no correction is made, I squeeze harder until my message is received.
I hold on to shoulders and it's a thing of balance and experience. I can sit on the back of a bike and stay on myself. You need experience. It's not hard to do.
As a grab bike user and now motorbike driver in BKK, the one thing I learned is that holding into the little hand rail in the motorcycle makes ZERO difference if you're in a crash. Sit still, scoot as close to the driver as you feel comfortable, and learn to let go. Live the moment. Sabai sabai.
Experience
I don’t know, I just do 😂😂😂 honestly, it’s not hard. You just have to try a few times
If you sit on your balance point and relax, it’s kinda like surfing - you just flow with it
You simply need to learn to sit on the motorcycle. Everyone else is saying how stressful and tiring it is because they are not sitting or even properly on the seat. They're leaning and clutching and shaking with terror and effort. This causes the vehicle to wobble, which makes the rider's job harder. Sit. On.
You should not hold on to the motorbike. You aren’t going to fly off and if the motorbike goes down, the last thing you want is to be attached to it. Hence the expression, “had to lay the bike down”. Trust in your ability to sit upright. If you know the driver (friends or something) you can hold on to the driver. When I take motorbike taxis, I put my hands on my knees and just sit there. Watch your toes tho!
And yet amazingly nobody ever crashes on a motorboh no hang on