onsdag den 23. marts 2016

Immortal tourist !

From my posts on LinkedIn.

How can it be that normal European lowers their attitude to safety when they go on holiday - especially in areas where safety is not such a priority. I just be in Thailand and really wondered much about the way European tourists behaves. Sometimes you would think that they had an invisible shield with the inscription (immortal) - And written on the back (Incredibly stupid).
 
In Thailand, the traffic is somewhat chaotic and traffic rules are more indicative. The standard of their cars is low and there are a myriad of small motorcycles everywhere. Then add that they drive on the left side of the road and road conditions are often poor. Here you have a dangerous cocktail. If you read the small print in the welcome books on the hotel or tourist guide on the internet, both warns you against driving in traffic.
 
But ..... Anyway I saw so many Europeans who ran 2-3 people on small motor-cycles. Almost everyone in shorts and bare feet - and almost all without a helmet. (I even saw some with children standing on the platform just behind the handlebars – Also without helmet) Is it a death wish or is it just a Turk belief that they are either immortal or that it is always the others who are injured.
 
Later I was with a Thai long boat out in the region of the island of Phuket. I was impressed’ s of the safety on departure from the port. Everyone had to wear life jackets. Later we were all ordered to take them off, as it was only a show off for the local Harbor Police and that we should not use them on the rest of the trip.
 
Never less – The lifejackets had probably not saved anyone - They were old - They had not print with the weight to fit the person - Some could not close on the front and no one had the band to go between the legs to fix the lift jacket on the body. Precisely this band is the difference between the lifejacket save or kill you.
 
But .... There was not a single passenger on the boat who questioned this low level of safety. We got no information about how we should deal with fire onboard - Man overboard - or other accidents. Or if there was a qualified First Aider on board. ( And we were more than 1 hours sailing from the shore )
 
Why do we as tourists act so irresponsible? This is definitely the same people who will shake there head if they see a motorcyclist in their home country without a helmet. Or an local fisherman go on a boat without a life jacket.
 
Do you see the same? - Do you know why we act so stupid?

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