I live in Bangkok but come to Chiang Mai every once in awhile.  I like being able to ride my scooter around town, as I feel riding in Bangkok is just too dangerous.  

 

Among the many dangers and annoyances in Chiang Mai, one thing I've noticed is that when someone is driving much too close to me its very often a Fortuner and very often that Fortuner is white!  Anyone else experience this?  They seem desperate to pass me, even if it's only so they can then tailgate the car in front of me.  

 

I forgive everyone, the young morons on scooters, the service people in their trucks, the red truck drivers who operate free from legal penalties, and the folks who just plain never learned how to drive safely, all of who come close to killing me on a daily basis.  But what the hell is up with those feckless twits in their white Fortuners?

 

And while I'm rambling, what is the deal with no stop signs at the four way intersections on the sois off of Nimmanhaemin ?

 

And how about when the traffic coming from the moat by Chiang Mai Ram and going straight onto Hussadhisawee is guided directly into oncoming traffic after the traffic light without any signs to merge.?

 

 

I am more annoyed by speeding Toyota Vios and Honda City cars (usually black ones, often with ridiculous spoilers)

I have experienced both ?

Even more annoying is the idiots in the fast lane doing 30 and don't even start me on why they don't use indicators  ?

1 minute ago, BobBKK said:

Even more annoying is the idiots in the fast lane doing 30 and don't even start me on why they don't use indicators  ?

maybe they've given up on Blinkers;

after spending small fortune on the fault they only work for half the time?

rick I guess you will be stayin in Bangkok since it is so dangerous to ride here

There is a pecking order here, even among Fortuner owners. 

 

#1 is Pearl White color, because it's more expensive.

#2.  Regular White.

#3.  * Black (see below).

 

We've got a 2013 black in color Fortuner, only because I don't like regular white, and there was a very long waiting list for Pearl White, which is what we deserve because my wife is Thai Chinese and has 2 masters degrees in papaya pounding technology, which makes me Hi-So by mere association and exchange of bodily fluids.

 

To get around that racist color rule, I'm still rockin' the red plates 5-years on.  It's a *special caveat* in the Hi-So rule book that puts me above a regular white Fortuner, but I must still defer to the Pearl White members instantly, without need of them flashing their high beams, or mouthing an expletive at me through their front windscreen, "Get out of my way you bleepity bleep darkie!", or words to that effect.

 

Otherwise, all lesser vehicles must give way to US.   Fortuner drivers are only required to move left for a BMW or Merc. 

 

FYI, if you get cocky and think you're going to teach us a lesson by touching your brakes, and we smash into your rear bumper, YOU are at fault, and every Thai policeman will agree.  Clearly, if you hadn't been in our way in the first place, the accident wouldn't have happened.  Simple.

 

So that's the inside track on how things work here.  You don't have to like it and as a matter of fact, it's a lot more fun for us if you don't. 

I think it’s the same car every time... you’re being followed.

I think it’s the same car every time... you’re being followed.

You may need right...... That would explain it.


Sent from my SM-J710F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

It's me - get out of the way !

Thai people can be very considerate, until they get behind a wheel, then they become total a holes.  If you have time to flash lights and hit the horn, you also have time to adjust your speed and let other people out.

 

And pointless tail-gating when there's nowhere to go is a national sport.  They've earned their 'most dangerous roads in the World' award though exceptional effort.

 

I ride daily in Bangkok, and would rank silver Mercedes just above white Fortunas on the a hole scale.  But that's excluding red bus drivers who must be bonused on the number of accidents they can cause.

4 hours ago, 55Jay said:

... my wife is Thai Chinese and has 2 masters degrees in papaya pounding technology...

Is she a member of the Som Tam Honor Society?

The loftier the diver the more reckless in my view I'm bigger than you its my red light syndrome. 

Every time I get cut up, tailgated or witness a traffic infringement it is not by some white fortuner, but usually by some idiot sporting a fish motif on the rear of their car is this some sort of award given to idiot drivers or some dark secretive sect?

From the replies it looks like you all need a faster car.

12 hours ago, moe666 said:

rick I guess you will be stayin in Bangkok since it is so dangerous to ride here

Cool!  A deviation from the "go back to your home country" theme. 

 

Maybe now more cranks will just tell people to stay away from friendly CM. 

Dementia is clearly on the rise.

In all fairness to the OP I think he is partially correct in his observations, 4tuna and Hillux drivers can often appear entitled and pushy on the roads, even ones that are painted colours other than black or white. I drive a black Vigo 4 door and I know I often get frustrated sat behind a little old lady/man in the fast lane who is crawling along way below the speed limit - Teanna driving old ladies with bouffant hairdo's are my pet peeve. And on those occasions that somebody tries to intimidate me by driving far too close to my rear bumper, I'm not against testing their braking abilities which is usually very effective but can be risky - in those scenarios it's likely to be almost any kind of vehicle and not just another Vigo or a 4tuna. 

47 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

.....somebody tries to intimidate me by driving far too close to my rear bumper, I'm not against testing their braking abilities which is usually very effective but can be risky

I know the feeling but it is very risky and pointless.

 

People who tailgate at highway speed are not the type to learn quickly - or at all. 

1 minute ago, amexpat said:

I know the feeling but it is very risky and pointless.

 

People who tailgate at highway speed are not the type to learn quickly - or at all. 

Indeed, although occasionally that momentary look of, oh sh*t on the drivers face make it seem worthwhile.

16 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Even more annoying is the idiots in the fast lane doing 30 and don't even start me on why they don't use indicators  ?

 

555 - around here they mostly use indicators - only not necessarily the correct one!

 

They don't seem to know the difference between right and left!

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

 And on those occasions that somebody tries to intimidate me by driving far too close to my rear bumper, I'm not against testing their braking abilities which is usually very effective but can be risky

The intimidation is in your head.

Why would you put yourself and those riding with you - as well as other road users - at risk by pulling such a bonehead maneuver ?

4 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

The intimidation is in your head.

Why would you put yourself and those riding with you - as well as other road users - at risk by pulling such a bonehead maneuver ?

Watching in my rearview mirror as some cretin comes screaming out of the distance and plonks himself four feet from my rear bumper at 100 km/h, whilst I have nowhere else to go, is hardly in my head, can't go left, can't go right, can't speed up and since I can't fly, that leaves only one option - and before you go there, doing nothing is not an option in that all too common scenario, others may, however, chose to handle the situation differently which is their prerogative.

Any Thai who buys a white Fortuner is by default a tailgater. 

16 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Even more annoying is the idiots in the fast lane doing 30 and don't even start me on why they don't use indicators  ?

A Thai friend suggested not using indicators because if they know what you want to do they will just try to block you. From my experience that comment was absolutely true

27 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

The intimidation is in your head.

Why would you put yourself and those riding with you - as well as other road users - at risk by pulling such a bonehead maneuver ?

The intimidation is absolutely NOT in his head. It’s very real and can be witnessed all too often. When it’s done to me I put my hazard lights on, it usually works and the idiot pulls back. An alternative is to just slow down until they get pissed off and undertake 

This is funny - I used to do a routine about a Black Fortuner tailgating me on the highway well south of CM... I used to claim it was always the same guy as it was always a Black Fortuner... 

15 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

A Thai friend suggested not using indicators because if they know what you want to do they will just try to block you.

An interesting idea. However, I don't think  it orginated from a Thai.

I have a black Vigo with oversize tires and 3 inch lift.  My wife has a modest white Honda City.  When I drive my truck around, traffic yields to me and avoids me, like Moses parting the Red Sea.  When I drive my wife's car, other traffic seems to not even notice I'm there.  They will pull in front of me, tailgate, cut me off, etc...  Things they would never do if I were in my truck.  I find it both interesting and funny, but I have real issues to deal with so I don't let it bother me.

I hate all tailgaters equally in thailand....I don't want to give Thai apologists a say that I discriminate against Thais....

 

where is the remark that tailgating happens globally?

 

But never add that the frequency is off the charts here...hence why this a sore point and the most serious driving problem in thailand!