Dear Hillary,
The beautiful girls of Thailand amaze me the way they can sit sideways so gracefully on the rear of a motorcycle. I have even seen one girl calmly drinking a glass of red wine as they threaded their way through the traffic. Do you know when did this custom start and do they fall off?
Side-saddle
Dear Side-saddle,
Traditional Thai dress has included the long wrap skirt for many years and the Thai women have ridden buffaloes, elephants and oxen, long before the invasion of the Japanese motorcycle. Riding side-saddle is an example of Thai practicality. Imagine wearing a tight skirt and trying to throw your leg over the rear of the Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki 125, the ideal motorcycles for a family of five. Impossible! But you can sit sideways. Do they fall off? Yes they do, but only when the rider loses control.
