“Our Can-Am Spyder roadster is the next dimension in open-road riding. A true paradigm shift, the Spyder roadster offers a balance of performance and peace of mind with features like the Vehicle Stability System (VSS), engineered in conjunction with Bosch, which includes anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control systems,” said José Boisjoli, president and CEO, BRP. Probably he is correct in some sense, but I think everyone should look at the “original” three wheeled vehicles available in Asia.

Doing a similar job to the taxi, the three wheeled vehicles are “Autos” in Delhi, “Bajaj” in Indonesia, “Baby Taxi” in Dhaka and larger vehicles like “Jeepneys” in Manila, “Tempos” in Indian cities, and “Bemo” in Surabaya are locally manufactured. Even though these vehicles do not meet safety or environmental standards, yet they meet the mobility needs of the urban residents which have not been met by the formal public transport system.

Known as “Tuk-Tuk” in Thailand, it was named because of the sound of their engine; these are motorized rickshaws and are popular amongst tourists for their novelty value. They are occasionally faster than taxis in heavy traffic as weaving in and out is easier, but generally about the same or slower. Without any luggage, 3 people can fit into one fairly comfortably - it’s possible to fit more in but it gets a bit cramped.

Fares always have to be bargained for, and it is sometimes possible to bargain tuk-tuk drivers down to less than the taxi flag fall of 35 Thai Baht (USD 1.01 / EUR 0.75) when they make good value. Most times, they offer no savings over a taxi except perhaps if you’re good at bargaining and can speak good Thai. The initial price they quote is likely to be well over the going rate, but it’s easy to bargain it down to a more reasonable one if you know roughly the equivalent taxi fare.

It’s essential to bargain the price with tuk-tuks before getting in. If you only ask after the ride, it’s likely to end in a request for a ridiculous fare which can obviously lead to an unpleasant situation.

Just like taxi drivers, the tuk-tuk drivers mostly come from the rural northeast of Thailand and don’t have to undergo any training (some will not even have passed a driving test), so don’t be surprised if they sometimes have no idea where your destination is. A subtle point to remember when in one is not to rest your feet on the rail near the drivers head, as doing so is extremely disrespectful towards the driver.

As tuk-tuks are open-ended, they expose passengers to the high pollution levels in the middle of Bangkok’s roads and offer almost no protection in case of an accident. There is theoretically a ban on new tuk-tuks as they are so noisy and polluting, but it doesn’t really seem to be being enforced at present. Nevertheless, many of the local residents are not too enamored with tuk-tuks nowadays and, were it not for their popularity with tourists, the days of the tuk-tuk on the streets of Bangkok would surely be numbered.

Newbie, short cut all the unnecessary struggles. I recommend Atomic Blogging