Newbies Guide to Surviving Thai Driving Style

[freedomnow]

Has any thread like this been done ?

It is obvious that there is a 'certain way' that we learn first-hand on Thai roads to be mentally prepared for that the FOBs don't know who end up mangled in hospital after renting scooters who assume they drive same as back home.

 

As in...all the quirks/crazy habits that occur on the roads...

A top 20 (or 50 !) things to watch out for here....if it can save one life it would be worth it !

[Skallywag]

You can just go with the flow, yet expect the unexpected mergers, lane changes, pedestrians, or food carts appearing at any time or place while driving. 

The higher volume of scooters, vehicles, and people on the roads here just means a lot more crazy situations you will encounter IMHO.   

 

 

[RotBenz8888]

1. Read the news for a few days, there will be a few articles per day about the road carnage, then you'll realize that you shouldn't rent that scooter in the first place.

2. If you still believe you're a skilled rider, please remember that 99% of the drivers around you are not.....

[Damrongsak]

3 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

1. Read the news for a few days, there will be a few articles per day about the road carnage, then you'll realize that you shouldn't rent that scooter in the first place.

2. If you still believe you're a skilled rider, please remember that 99% of the drivers around you are not.....

41 years ago I went over the bars by hitting two stupid kids who ran an intersection on a scooter outside town. There was virtually no traffic back then in Loei.  I wasn't exactly a newbie.  I did my best Superman impression and flew through the air.  The locals were so impressed that they straightened out a couple bent parts of my bike and gave me a push start toward town.

[RotBenz8888]

1 minute ago, Damrongsak said:

41 years ago I went over the bars by hitting two stupid kids who ran an intersection on a scooter outside town. There was virtually no traffic back then in Loei.  I wasn't exactly a newbie.  I did my best Superman impression and flew through the air.  The locals were so impressed that they straightened out a couple bent parts of my bike and gave me a push start toward town.

And then you became a stuntman?

[Damrongsak]

2 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

And then you became a stuntman?

No, I went home and nursed every part of my body that got sprained that day.  If I'd had video of me flying off the bike down into the ditch by the side of the road and getting up, I'd be an internet sensation.  And that shit happened about 100 yards from a police checkpoint. Help? Who? What?  Nah ...  And I was carrying a big bag of charcoal on the back of the bike for my mother-in-law.

[wgdanson]

What's an FOB please? I'm English.

[RotBenz8888]

5 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

If I'd had video of me flying off the bike down into the ditch by the side of the road and getting up, I'd be an internet sensation.

Not like now days when there are cameras basically everywhere you go.

5 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

Help? Who? What?  Nah ... 

That part has however not changed....

[Lacessit]

8 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

What's an FOB please? I'm English.

F&&&wit On Board?

[NCC1701A]

1 hour ago, freedomnow said:

It is obvious that there is a 'certain way' that we learn first-hand on Thai roads

just remember every day is a new day. you never suddenly become so experienced to overcome the constant barrage of Thai drivers.

 

The best way to think of it is they are actually trying to kill you. Good luck.

 

 

 

 

[Sophon]

10 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

What's an FOB please? I'm English.

Fresh Off the Boat.

 

Sophon

[wgdanson]

2 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

F&&&wit On Board?

I'm English. What's a F&&&wit please?     LOL

[PatOngo]

Wear an amulet, hang another from your rear view mirror, the flowers you buy at roadside stalls hanging from the mirror help also.

[Damrongsak]

10 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

... That part has however not changed....

The villagers jumped into action, like a pit stop in an F1 or Nascar race.   The Cops did not.  No change, as you say.

[Lacessit]

10 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

I'm English. What's a F&&&wit please?     LOL

You're just trying to get me banned.

[Lacessit]

I drive slowly, 40 km/hr max. Stay on the left, give way to everything, use my mirrors, in a constant state of threat assessment.

[robblok]

I have been riding a motorbike and car and I feel its worth it. That being said its risky but if you yourself take good care you eliminate a lot of risks. Of course you can't eliminate all risk and you have to think if it is worth it or not. 

 

You cannot avoid certain things, i read of trucks crashing into cars at traffic lights and crashing into motorbikes. Those things happen and cannot be avoided. Thankfully it does not happen that much.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, freedomnow said:

Has any thread like this been done ?

Been done to death and back. ????

[Pilotman]

40 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

No, I went home and nursed every part of my body that got sprained that day.  If I'd had video of me flying off the bike down into the ditch by the side of the road and getting up, I'd be an internet sensation.  And that shit happened about 100 yards from a police checkpoint. Help? Who? What?  Nah ...  And I was carrying a big bag of charcoal on the back of the bike for my mother-in-law.

were you going to cremate her? 

[OneMoreFarang]

A few suggestions:

- Use motorcycle taxis as much as you can. Observe how they ride and learn from it. Do this at least for a couple of month.

- Many vehicles have no mirrors or nobody looks in the mirror. Don't expect that someone looked in the mirror.

- If there are a couple of lanes going left and right. Don't follow the white lines! Just go straight like everybody else.

- The rider/driver with the bigger vehicle has the right of way. Pedestrians are ignored.

- Don't use your horn or bad sign language or shout at another driver. Maybe he has a gun or at least a big knife.

- Green does not mean you can start. Look left, right, front, rear and better check the sky as well.

- The police is not there to regulate the traffic or help you. They work to make money.

- One way streets and other regulations are suggestions. Don't expect that people follow these suggestions.

- Don't give a police officer cash while everybody is watching. Do it behind a building or put the case inside some documents.

- Rain is dangerous. It seems nobody told Thai drivers that braking on wet roads is different.

 

[ballpoint]

32 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

were you going to cremate her? 

Sounds like a good swap to me, a sack of charcoal for your mother in law.

[SkyNets]

From reading the daily news over the last 10 years or so and driving in/out of Bangkok every day for work, I try to follow these 

 

1. Avid renting/riding motor bikes at all cost, even the taxis.

2. Try not to drive between 10pm - 4am.

3. Try not to drive during holidays/long weekends.

4. Always carry your license and a copy of passport/work permit.

5. Try not to get angry. The way I think about it is that you wouldn't get angry if a disabled person walked into you, Thais don't know any better and you cant help them change.

6. If 5 didn't work, don't get out of the car, most have a gun and short temper.

7. When turning left or right always look around, don't reply on mirrors.

8. Always be ready for a person or dog to jump out.

9. Stop at a zebra crossing at your own risk, 50/50 the car behind will drive into you.

10. If you brake down, leave the car and stand on the path if possible.

11. The last few cars at the red traffic light will jump it, so wait a little when green.

 

Edit= aww sorry you're just wondering about bikes, see 1 ????

 

 

[Jonah Tenner]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

 

The best way to think of it is they are actually trying to kill you. Good luck.

That is the only way to survive on a motorcycle anywhere in the world.

I have had this attitude since some blind moron killed a friend of mine 52 years ago, by running a red light.

[papa al]

6 hours ago, wgdanson said:

I'm English. What's a F&&&wit please?     LOL

coitis-wit

[papa al]

Best way to learn is to follow mocy taxis.

Once that level is mastered,

follow pizza delivery guy.

[wgdanson]

5 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I drive slowly, 40 km/hr max. Stay on the left, give way to everything, use my mirrors, in a constant state of threat assessment.

Driving THAT slowly is very dangerous as Thai farmers in their Issan Cadillacs will try to overtake you causing even more danger.

[PatOngo]

22 hours ago, wgdanson said:

I'm English. What's a F&&&wit please?     LOL

It's the same as a Prawit!

[onlycw]

So glad that their driving is not as bad  as in Vietnam, YMMV.

...

Be prepared for recless disregard ofyour and others' lives when there might be the opportunity to save a few seconds. Running red lights, overtaking into oncoming traffic. (Near PAI, I once had just 1 second to avoid a head-on collision with a pickup truck who pulled into my lane).

 

Dogs, cats, kids, obstacles, buffalo on a leash spanning half the lane... Riding fast is not a good idea, period. 

 

U-turns into oncoming traffic!

 

Passive-aggressive behavior. Creeping into a busy lane.

 

Not stepping on it, not accellerating hard. Many "THINK" for long seconds after joining a busy road.

[aremesal]

 
Not stepping on it, not accellerating hard. Many "THINK" for long seconds after joining a busy road.

That drives me crazy. Why the hell don't they accelerate after joining?

And the opposite too: if doing a 90° turn in a corner, or (trying to) park, or entering the 7-11 area... why is it needed to reduce and drive 15km/h for 500 meters before?

[JimmyJ]

Although I have yet to drive in Thailand and plan to avoid it if possible - If I did drive a car,  I would definitely get a front and rear dashcam recorder.