I'm a bit hot headed and lose my cool sometimes. Driving near chonburi yesterday I was in the left lane traveling around 60mph and noticed a space in the right lane. I was moving over and all of a sudden the driver sped up fast and I nearly crashed into him. It was a close call. I beeped the horn a lot and then got behind him and flashed the lights. He then drove extremely fast away from me and his car emitted black smoke everywhere. 

 

The wife was saying to me I should be careful as I could get physically beaten up if our cars pull up. 

 

Is it inadvisable to beep the horn even when some dhead drives like an idiot. I find it hard to refrain as thats the way we do it back home

 

If you don't want shooting it would be advisable not to sound your horn, I am not being flippant. Oh if I can just add, the middle finger is a no no too.

1 minute ago, vogie said:

If you don't want shooting it would be advisable not to sound your horn, I am not being flippant.

are you serious?

Just now, bbabythai said:

are you serious?

There's only one way to find out, fill yer boots. ???

are you serious?

He is serious, but after stopping you in the middle of the street, instead of shooting you, the other driver might use his machete to hack you apart... Watch Thai news, such incidents are daily occurrences.

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But it's okay for thai's to middle finger us and sound there horns, Thai's couldn't care less about the police and consequences of attacking someone!

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Always remember the old saying:

In England (could be apply in lots of places) you blow the horn when somebody has done something stupid, in Thailand you blow the horn when you are about to do something stupid!!

6 minutes ago, Badrabbit said:

But it's okay for thai's to middle finger us and sound there horns, Thai's couldn't care less about the police and consequences of attacking someone!

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Didn't take long to turn it around to Thai bash, well done.

Didn't take long to turn it around to Thai bash, well done.

Hardly bashing as its very true! Oh and I love Thai people but know not to get on the wrong side of them in any situation!

 

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39 minutes ago, bbabythai said:

Is it inadvisable to beep the horn even when some dhead drives like an idiot. I find it hard to refrain as thats the way we do it back home

Instead of beeping horn or flashing lights...concentrate instead on manoeuvring your vehicle safely away from the idiot, a lot of them carry weapons of various sorts  including guns and swords and seem itching for a a showdown.

Instead of beeping horn or flashing lights...concentrate instead on manoeuvring your vehicle safely away from the idiot, a lot of them carry weapons of various sorts  including guns and swords and seem itching for a a showdown.

Careful you don't get accused of Thai bashing even though what you say is true!

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You just need to follow the Thai rules of the road.

 

Section 101 Thai Byelaws for Safety on the Roads - 1984 Edition (Last update)

 

Drivers are permitted to sound their horn under the following circumstance's only:

 

1. Your car is imported and the person being beeped at has a Thai built car

2. If both cars are imported, then the white one has priority to sound the horn

3. If both cars are locally built, then the Fortuna (there's always one is every beeping incident) has priority for horn usage

4. All cars can sound their horns at motorcycles, but you then forfeit your door mirrors

 

41 minutes ago, bbabythai said:

are you serious?

Two people shot dead at traffic lights in our area for over zealous use of the horn! ...Seriously!

 

I press the horn for a fraction of a second to politely remind people that are daydreaming that I am letting them out, letting them cross etc but never ever a hand on the horn frustrated blast that is clearly a sign of rage. One day you will encounter a drunk driver or passenger that will get out the car and show you who is boss. Listen to your wife.

 

You described this situation:

 

49 minutes ago, bbabythai said:

I beeped the horn a lot and then got behind him and flashed the lights. He then drove extremely fast away from me and his car emitted black smoke everywhere.

It is you that is driving like a nut also. Why get up close behind him and flash the lights? What are you trying to achieve? Make yourself feel better for 10 seconds and then have to organize the funeral of your wife/kids because the bullet hits them or the guy in front gets rage as well, slams his brakes on and you both cause a pile up? You need to destress. Drive defensively and when people on bikes cut across in front of you and turn right at traffic lights or drive stupid/fast, just get out of their way and let them get on the inevitable journey to their own funeral but at least with out you and your family. Just actively ignore them

and only ever drive out here in a style that takes care of you and your family.

 

18 minutes ago, Badrabbit said:

But it's okay for thai's to middle finger us and sound there horns, Thai's couldn't care less about the police and consequences of attacking someone!

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No it's not OK but you could always carry your own gun and try shooting them instead, though I don't fancy your chances much of living the dream for long without getting a long stay in an overcrowded room with bars for walls. I say again...listen to your wife ?  Good luck.

Bad enough to get you killed.

Well OP i do not know how long you have been here or why you are here but a few things you should consider.

Are you retired here?If yes ,why the hurry?

You are in Thailand now and not back home anymore!!

You do not only need to chance your behaviour but also your attitude,

if you don't do that you will never be happy here.

I said it once before,people overhere who drive like idiots often have a gun in the car to defend themselves from people who not agree with their driving style.(and also carry a gun to defend themselves from idiot drivers who do not like being honked at)

Bad enough to get you killed.

I had a coach inches from my bumper a few yrs ago, he tried to overtake me with no where to go as I was following a line of cars, he forced me to take drastic action to avoid being run over so I sounded my horn, he swerved to force me into the side of the road, he ran out of his coach carrying a large wrench, I had my 12 yr old daughter on the bike, to save us both I drove off, the guy was a lunatic!!!

Waste of time hoping for police help, he would of attacked us and not cared one bit!!

 

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Sounding your horn? flashing your lights?

 

Do you have some sort of death wish?  Seriously.....

 

Not Thai-bashing, but some (many) Thai men seem to have very fragile egos, especially in a confrontational situation with a foreigner.

 

Many years ago, I was driving on the motorway outside Chonburi in the middle lane.  A Thai driver on the inside lane who wanted to reach the right hand lane simply pointed a revolver at me through his car window, to encourage me to move out of the way.

 

I'm a bit hot headed and lose my cool sometimes.

 

If you want a long life, you're living in the wrong country with those personality traits....

Not advisable.  Try to think it through and resist being a simpleton emotional reactionary.  Which is what the White is Right superior farangs typically chastise Thai males for.  So are you one of them?  Or are you an educated, sensible adult farang who's in control of his faculties and emotions?

 

Extrapolate a likely scenario where you wind up nose to nose on the side of the road with the other party you beeped.  Are you going to go all the way?   Maybe you punch him, break his nose or glasses and cause serious, irreversible eye injury.  Or he falls and smacks his melon on the curb.  Imagine that bucket of cold water feeling you'll have in that moment, and for a long time to come. 

 

Or it could go the other way.  Guy is a Muay Thai kick boxer and knocks the snot out of YOU in T minus 4 seconds.   You go down, hit your head on the curb and wind up in the A&E.  Or you die and it won't matter, except for your wife and kids if you have them, or family back home.  Boy, I'll bet they'll be proud of your legacy. 

 

That silly Thai cliche, "Jai Yen Yen".  Easier said than done sometimes, as we all know, of course. 

A long, aggressive blast of the horn is a different proposition to a couple of short beeps. If I'm driving in a narrow sol with sharp bends and high walls then I always give a couple of friendly beeps as I approach a bend to let anyone coming the other way know that I'm present.
Also there are certain situations, for example overtaking another vehicle on a single lane road where it is a legal requirement on Thai roads that either beep you horn (and/or flash your lights) So that the car being overtaken is aware of your intentions.


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Of course you can horn on Thai roads and nobody will shoot at you....but only if you are driving this type of vehicle that seems the safest to use on Thai highways !

Just pretend they're all 4 years old or have learning difficulties, so you can pity them rather than get angry.

1 hour ago, vogie said:

If you don't want shooting it would be advisable not to sound your horn, I am not being flippant. Oh if I can just add, the middle finger is a no no too.

 

Road rage was almost unheard until a few years ago but is now common in LOS.

 

There's also the factor of loss of face, toot at someone and they may well consierd you have forced them to lose face. Where this is the scenarios revenge is common. 

 

45 minutes ago, Badrabbit said:

But it's okay for thai's to middle finger us and sound there horns, Thai's couldn't care less about the police and consequences of attacking someone!

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Consequences ?  In Thai there doesn't seem to be such a thing.

OP, chai yen yen, stay cool, no beeping, no middle finger if you want to avoid trouble.

 

This loss of face is the most stupid thing I have ever come across, I also believe it to be a get out clause for the most part.
How anyone can be that humiliated by someone beeping a horn at them is ludicrous, the attacks that happen in any manner are dumbed down by this statement. It's an easy excuse and is also easy for the police to deal with with the minimum of exertion. A few quid passes hands and everybody walks away....

Anyway dont beep your horn, it's rude...

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The Op states "I'm a bit hot headed"

 

My response..temporary visitor soon deceased-stupid is as stupid does.

1 minute ago, Anythingleft? said:

This loss of face is the most stupid thing I have ever come across, I also believe it to be a get out clause for the most part.
How anyone can be that humiliated by someone beeping a horn at them is ludicrous, the attacks that happen in any manner are dumbed down by this statement. It's an easy excuse and is also easy for the police to deal with with the minimum of exertion. A few quid passes hands and everybody walks away...

All true! BUT........the fact is, it is a real phenomena and people will shoot you or beat you up no matter how stupid or ridiculous you think it is.

Lots of overdone reactions here IMO. If you use the horn to avoid danger is necessary, do so, that is what it is meant for. But beeping the horn to vent anger I would not recommend, although I must admit I do so myself sometimes.

4 minutes ago, Anythingleft? said:

This loss of face is the most stupid thing I have ever come across, I also believe it to be a get out clause for the most part.
How anyone can be that humiliated by someone beeping a horn at them is ludicrous, the attacks that happen in any manner are dumbed down by this statement. It's an easy excuse and is also easy for the police to deal with with the minimum of exertion. A few quid passes hands and everybody walks away....

Anyway dont beep your horn, it's rude...

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Very low self esteem that causes excessive ego to develop with a lack to deal with one's emotions and calls to carry a weapon as the sole means of being heard or imposing one'sauthority .........add it to corrupt criminal justice system where impunity is for sale over the counter for a few thousand THB, shake well and serve chilled....and you have your deadly cocktail.

as per your own admittance you tried to cut him off,

he had the right of way since he was already in that lane,

yet you tried to squeeze in and signaled aggressively

and provocative as if you intended to use force to cut him off.

 

19 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Lots of overdone reactions here IMO. If you use the horn to avoid danger is necessary, do so, that is what it is meant for. But beeping the horn to vent anger I would not recommend, although I must admit I do so myself sometimes.

I agree. Im surprised by the number of comments suggesting shooting. It has to be rare cases I think. 

 

But I will change my behaviour now just in case- or try to