NAME: Brian Amer

LOCATION: Bangkok, Thailand

OCCUPATION: Buyer

Where do you live & what’s it like riding in your city?

I live in Bangkok, Thailand. I love riding here. Many people think I’m crazy to ride a bicycle in Bangkok due to the traffic. However, since there are so many vehicles and other things on the road, the drivers are used to looking for everything. I mean, when you know you are going to encounter motorcycles, buses, tuk-tuks, carts of smoking meat, dogs, etc., on the road a bicycle isn’t going to phase you. In my time bicycling here, I have yet to be honked at in anger, which happens all the time in the USA. One night I did a 30 km ride with a group of locals through the city. In that whole ride, only one driver was rude to us.

What’s your favorite city to ride in, and why?

I’ll say Bangkok or Chiang Mai, Thailand. Where else could you ride past temples, restaurants, shops, and street vendors selling pretty much anything? And no snow to worry about!

Why do you love riding in the city?

Bangkok traffic is notoriously bad. But while riding, that’s not really a problem. You can go pretty much anywhere around the city on a bicycle. Plus, it’s the best way to feel like a part of Bangkok. Many foreigners who live here ride around all the time in the back of air-conditioned cars. But that’s just a way to look at the city, as opposed to being a part of it.

Check out 350.org