Thai motorcyclist, tourist fight over use of pavement

[anon789561]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

I have added to and amended my earlier post. Too late to edit it, so will post it in the revised and more complete state.

 

It is never a good idea to engage in a fight with a Thai person. Never. Only under the most extreme circumstances, when your life is being threatened. You never win. If you kick their ass you lose, if they kick your ass you lose. Just refrain. I get infuriated from time to time. But, I have learned to not mouth off, and I attempt to show respect. The bottom line is that there are traffic laws here, but they are never enforced by the toy police. So, there is no deterrent. Everyone does as they like. Of course, a tourist would not know that. There should be a set of printed rules, and advice given out by the TAT, to every tourist when they enter Thailand for the first time. Here are some of my suggestions.

 

1. There is very little common sense or reason practiced here in Thailand. If it is employed, you will never be able to interpret it as the kind of common sense, and reason you are accustomed to.

 

2. Thailand is not a foreign country. It is a distant planet. Always keep that in mind. On so many levels, this place does is not familiar. That is one of the things I like most about living here. But, it takes some time to get used to, and I have to remind myself alot, of that reality. Perspective on the place helps alot. 

 

3. Most Thais are kind hearted, and decent people. Just show some respect. It is their country after all. Do not expect them to behave like you do. Kindness and respect toward the locals goes a long way toward making your stay here really pleasant, and can defuse, or prevent alot of hostile situations.

 

4. Thailand is a very foreign culture. They are one or two generations removed from a nearly total tribal existence. So, alot of traditional values still exist. Expect that. Most are very conventional people, and most live in very small boxes, in terms of lifestyle. 

 

5. The police are not here to protect you. They do not care one iota about your well being, your safety, or traffic safety. Expect that. Do not employ them, unless absolutely necessary. They operate franchises, and are completely immune to oversight or prosecution. So expect corruption from them, and expect a fleecing, if you give them the slightest opportunity. They are best avoided. Always remember. In Thailand the police do not engage in law enforcement. All they do is revenue collection. 

 

6. Face can be a real obstacle here. In my opinion, it is the single greatest weakness of the Thai people. They are pathologically afraid of losing face. Personally, I despise this practice of face. It prevents the society from maturing and progressing, on so many levels. Get used to it. If you confront a Thai, they will engage in fierce denial, and most will absolutely refuse to take responsibility for their actions, or admit, and own the problems they have caused, on any level. 

 

7. If you are going to get involved with a Thai woman, take into account the fact that most are immature and emotionally undeveloped. I highly recommend looking for a woman who is the eldest child in the family. They are given far more responsibility growing up, and it shows. And remember, you are no longer in the West, which means you do not have to check your cajones at the door. Do not behave like you behaved back there. If you do that, she will take over. And take your time. Time is your ally. If it is good, it is only going to get better. If there are real issues, they will reveal themselves over time. Do not allow a woman to push the agenda. Be a man. Push back. Be strong. Do as Bond would do. 

 

8. If driving, especially on a motorbike, treat the activity as an act of war, in a sense that you may be mowed down or killed at any moment. 

Maintain eyes in the back of your head. Watch everyone. Expect craziness, insanity, lack of reason, and a complete lack of courtesy and respect on the roads, at all times. 

Expect cars and trucks to be coming at you in the wrong lane. Expect people to overtake you with the slimmest of margins.

Expect trucks to be driving very slowly in the fast lane of a highway. 

If riding a motorbike, only do so if you have many years of experience. Especially on the southern islands, where huge numbers of foreigners leave Thailand in a wooden box. Wear the best helmet you can afford. And drive like a grandmother. This applies to ex-pats too. Bring along an international drivers license. This helps you to avoid being fleeced by the local police franchisee.

 

well you had me the 1st time but i'm not reading all that this time ; )

[spidermike007]

Just now, Happy enough said:

well you had me the 1st time but i'm not reading all that this time ; )

if you wanted to, you only have to read 5 and 7. all the rest is about the same. thanks for reading! 

[anon789561]

7 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

if you wanted to, you only have to read 5 and 7. all the rest is about the same. thanks for reading! 

ok then i'll read it 55

number 5 i have to say is pretty much correct

number 7? not so and speaking as a guy who's been married to a younger sister for 18/19 years i guess. she's not as you describe. so what can i say?

we all generalize and that's normal

**not my younger sister 5555. you know what i mean

Edited March 21, 2018 by Happy enough
**edit edit!! 555

[Rally123]

20 hours ago, Get Real said:

Why do we have to see theese moronic tourists coming here almost everyday? Can´t they just stay home and look Tv-series or something?

He may well be the same as many posters and actually lives here long term. Or has PR. You judge him as a tourist cuz the report says so. How gullible some people are.

 

20 hours ago, Thian said:

I also don't step aside for motocy's on the sidewalk but to me they won't start a fight. so strange.

Same goes for me when out on the bicycle and a motorcycle, or car, comes down on the wrong side of the road. Why should I have to pass them on the right and risk getting hit from behind? Same for the farang in the vid. Why should he step into the road?

[XGM]

Yes, it's really irritating they drive on the sidewalk, so..? are you now going to fight every motorcyclist who does it with the hope of changing anything?

 

Well, if you do, at least don't fight like a girl.. :-)

[Rally123]

2 minutes ago, XGM said:

Yes, it's really irritating they drive on the sidewalk, so..?

So............ It's illegal.

Edited March 21, 2018 by Rally123

[XGM]

2 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

So............ It's illegal.

And so... call the police? these guys get away with it because the boys in brown don't give a damn. 

Edited March 21, 2018 by XGM

[TKDfella]

Not going to debate the rights & wrongs here but if one is a tourist then it is just plain common sense not to do this. The foreigner is 'lightly' dressed and could be seen not to be harboring a weapon whereas the motorcyclist is fully dressed. The m/c could have a weapon under his garments or even on the bike. There is right time to confront m/c on the pavement but I don't think this was it.

[seancbk]

7 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

He may well be the same as many posters and actually lives here long term. Or has PR. You judge him as a tourist cuz the report says so. How gullible some people are.

 

Same goes for me when out on the bicycle and a motorcycle, or car, comes down on the wrong side of the road. Why should I have to pass them on the right and risk getting hit from behind? Same for the farang in the vid. Why should he step into the road?

 

He was fat, but not so fat that the clear pavement was too narrow for him.   No way would he have needed to step into the road.



 

[seancbk]

Most of the time when I see scooters riding on the pavement they are moving slower than I walk.   

 

[thaiguzzi]

That's called a fight?

I've seen better stuff in a kindergarten playground.

Another waste of 60 seconds of my life watching that drivel.

Kudos to the Thai guy for staying calm.

[Rally123]

10 minutes ago, XGM said:

And so... call the police?

  

[reargunnerph3]

59 minutes ago, carmine said:

Having misunderstood my post so easily i presumed you'd had quite a few already.

Not yet! But it's on the cards!

[idannyb]

Just back from Siagon... It seems that there 3 times as many motorbikes there (at least per square Kilometer) vs. BKK and the so called sidewalks (ha!) ... Keep your head on a swivel cause the bikes roar down the Ho Chi Minh City sidewalks with impunity. Not sayin' it's right ... it's not. But sometimes you have to realize this is just (their) reality and stay vigilant. And keep your wallet/purse and cell phone secure too, as thieves on motorbikes will use sidewalks for their 'snatch and go' enterprise.

[Baerboxer]

17 hours ago, Ramdas said:

This isn’t a game silly girl ? 

You should live in a civilised country for awhile ( good luck on finding your rich fat old man 555 ) Only then you will learn how bad motorists are in Thailand, it’s no wonder why Thailand amongst the other things is famous to be the worst country to drive In the world ??‍♂️

 

Riding motor vehicles on the pavements is against the law. The police supposedly are clamping down on this and offer a reward if you photograph someone doing it and send it to them.

 

Annoying but not an excuse to start violence. The motor cyclist handled the old farang's tantrum very well. He didn't try and kick seven shades out of him. Had he done so, some of those hovering around would most likely have jumped in, and not on the farang's side. 

 

I know several major junctions where motor cycle/scooter riders, especially taxis, regularly ride on the pavement to avoid delays at the lights. Easy for the police to catch them, as some junctions even have a police box! But starting an altercation when the police don't want to know isn't going to end well, when you are the foreigner.

 

If you don't like that you should go home and enjoy your land of law and order.

[idannyb]

21 hours ago, Birdbrain said:

Cool Thai 1  Cocky Farang 0

After watching the video... my immediate reaction is why do so many fools bite off more than they can chew? The Farang is lucky he did not get his block knocked off and stomped. As you said "cool Thai" who seemed to be the primary  peacemaker (albeit we did not see what ensued before the Farang escalated to a 'punch and push' fest) ... Learned a lesson long ago ... Never start something you're not fully prepared/able to finish. In other words, keep a cool head and never take it to violence unless it's unavoidable or justified ... and these situations (unavoidable or justified) are rare circumstances. 

[Get Real]

39 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

He may well be the same as many posters and actually lives here long term. Or has PR. You judge him as a tourist cuz the report says so. How gullible some people are.

 

Same goes for me when out on the bicycle and a motorcycle, or car, comes down on the wrong side of the road. Why should I have to pass them on the right and risk getting hit from behind? Same for the farang in the vid. Why should he step into the road?

I didn´t judge him as a tourist, I used the information in the news as base for my comment. Hoever, I can not care less if he lives here or have a PR. He is still far from knowing how to act in situation regarding to thai culture. That makes him a moron. If it would be that he lives here or are a permanent resident, just makes it worse, right? Or do you have a wierd opinion on that too? 

[Psimbo]

Not just Thais- I deliberately get in the way of silly old farang farts driving down the sidewalk and then having the temerity to 'beep' me.

 

They get short shrift (this is the polite version).

[Rally123]

5 minutes ago, Get Real said:

He is still far from knowing how to act in situation regarding to thai culture.

Riding a motorcycle on the pavement is not 'Thai culture'.

[torrzent]

Next up for the old bald farang is brawl on walking street with multiple attackers.  He will have to learn of to lift his leg off the ground if he wants to throw kicks though, and more advisably run like hell!  He is an "accident" waiting to happen!

[Get Real]

2 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

Riding a motorcycle on the pavement is not 'Thai culture'.

I was almost sure that you wouldn´t understand what I meant. Once again, you do not come to Thailand and react like you do in your culture in home. You do not use bad manner. You try to understand people and have oversight with what you decide as very irritating and wrong. If not, then you can stay at home a fight outside the after work bar every tuesday.

If you not get it now, then you can stay in your little bubble. With a vision like that, it will burst sooner or later. Good Luck!

[torrzent]

40 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

That's called a fight?

I've seen better stuff in a kindergarten playground.

Another waste of 60 seconds of my life watching that drivel.

Kudos to the Thai guy for staying calm.

It was a scene from "Handbags at Dawn Warrior", the latest game offering on Playstation

[jenny2017]

 

    Where were the Thai guy's friends? 

 

        

[Acemaker]

21 hours ago, Ramdas said:

Tourists should learn and adapt to the fact that there aren’t any traffic road rules and relgulations in Thailand, which means pedestrians are just mobile pawns at risk of being run over whether on the side walk or on the pedestrian’s zebra crossing, you are at risk of being injured at any given moment especially in Bangkok !

In this instance, the fat lump who tried to impose himself on the Thai guy miserably failed, although needless to say the police aren’t there to prevent this clash from escalating as it did considering that in the end the Thai guy would have got away with it in spite of the fact that he’s not supposed to ride on the pavement..Sadly, a foreigner is always a target in Thailand, I very much doubt he would’ve won a court cause in an orderly manner   ?

 

Why did you have to call him a Fat Lump? what purpose does that serve, the guy is clearly getting on in years and is no match for the Thai Guy, alot of Guys who come here have never been further than the Corner Shop before and have no idea what to expect here in Amazing Thailand, there not worldly know all Travellers like you, so they need time time adapt and understand and accept the fact that this is the Third World, yes, i said it, this is the Third World and you just have to go with the flow, like it or not.

[Howiehotspur]

2 hours ago, davidcc said:

How embarrassing to see what looked like a middle aged or older, supposedly adult human being, make an absolute prat of himself in front of what is probably his wife. Its Thailand, so what if mopeds ride on the sidewalk. Get over it and if you don't like it, go back to cold, grimy UK where you can not fart without being taxed, or arrested, or wherever you come from.  What is it with people who think it is there right to attack people. Why do people fight all the time ? Chill out. Grow up. Get a life.  You are a guest. Back to the school yard.

And how clever are you to know he’s from the UK . ? 

[Acemaker]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

It is never a good idea to engage in a fight with a Thai person. Never. Only under the most extreme circumstances, when your life is being threatened. You never win. If you kick their ass you lose, if they kick your ass you lose. Just refrain. I get infuriated from time to time. But, I have learned to not mouth off, and I attempt to show respect. The bottom line is that there are traffic laws here, but they are never enforced by the toy police. So, there is no deterrent. Everyone does as they like. Of course, a tourist would not know that. There should be a set of printed rules, and advice given out by the TAT, to every tourist when they enter Thailand for the first time. Here are some of my suggestions.

 

1. There is very little common sense or reason practiced here in Thailand. If it is employed, you will never be able to interpret it as the kind of common sense, and reason you are accustomed to.

2. Thailand is not a foreign country. It is a distant planet. Always keep that in mind. On so many levels, this place does is not familiar. That is one of the things I like most about living here. But, it takes some time to get used to, and I have to remind myself alot, of that reality. Perspective on the place helps alot. 

3. Most Thais are kind hearted, and decent people. Just show some respect. It is their country after all. Do not expect them to behave like you do. Kindness and respect toward the locals goes a long way toward making your stay here really pleasant, and can defuse, or prevent alot of hostile situations.

4. Thailand is a very foreign culture. They are one or two generations removed from a nearly total tribal existence. So, alot of traditional values still exist. Expect that. Most are very conventional people, and most live in very small boxes, in terms of lifestyle. 

5. The police are not here to protect you. They do not care one iota about your well being, your safety, or traffic safety. Expect that. Do not employ them, unless absolutely necessary. 

6. If driving, especially on a motorbike, treat the activity as an act of war, in a sense that you may be mowed down or killed at any moment.

Maintain eyes in the back of your head. Watch everyone. Expect craziness, insanity, lack of reason, and a complete lack of courtesy and respect on the roads, at all times. 

Expect cars and trucks to be coming at you in the wrong lane. Expect people to overtake you with the slimmest of margins.

Expect trucks to be driving very slowly in the fast lane of a highway. 

If riding a motorbike, only do so if you have many years of experience. Especially on the southern islands, where huge numbers of foreigners leave Thailand in a wooden box. Wear the best helmet you can afford. And drive like a grandmother. This applies to ex-pats too. Bring along an international drivers license. This helps you to avoid being fleeced by the local police franchisee.

 

 

Such a pleasant Read, why on Earth would anyone want to live anywhere else!   

[Chicken George]

The tourist was up for the fight. He could have just walked away. Thais ride on the pavement. Wrong? Yes but its the norm. He was lucky not to get a good beating.. You cant bring your values here and think you have the right to hit a Thai just hecause you think you are right.

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, possum1931 said:

24 hour crackdown after 24 hour crackdown. This is Thailand.

What aggravates me is they know they are in the wrong, shouldn't be there but insist they have the right and even right of way.

It's like they are out looking for a fight, particularly with a tourist!

[Just Weird]

3 hours ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

You're comment is sad and somewhat unpleasant. Are you bitter and cynical about Thailand? If so best to leave and spread the love elsewhere. 

"You're comment is sad and somewhat unpleasant".

So what?  That's just your view of it which is of no consequence to me. Did you think that I was addressing my remark to a Thai person?

 

And, no, I'm not bitter and cynical about Thailand, been here a long time, love it, won't be going anywhere else.  I do find some of the keyboard hard-mens' comments a bit laughable, though, if that's ok with you.

[sead]

Now find this Thaiguy and give him a reward.....