On 2/10/2019 at 3:36 PM, colinneil said:

Lacessit if they required intelligence tests from us farangs most of us would fail, as we all left our brains behind when we came here.

 

On 2/10/2019 at 4:41 PM, 473geo said:

One day perhaps you will explain why pedestrians and cyclists manage quite well to share the same space, but throw motorists into the equation..... words such as inconsiderate, selfish, thoughtless, idiots, morons, suddenly become frequently used.....????

 

 

I've wondered about that too. 

I think the difference is that pedestrians and most cyclists are simply enjoying their perambulations and taking in the scenery. 

Motorists of any style here are always in a heated rush to get somewhere and with an engine pushing them they can indulge in a petty power trip with no real effort. If the car were human - powered a lot less people would die on the roads here I'll tell you for sure. ????

 

I've also marveled that Thai people, naturally laid-back and docile, turn into raging and heedless speed demons when they get together with an engine (the louder the better); it seems an intrinsic culture clash. Time seems suddenly of ultimate importance to them: Me First attitude rules the roads. 

 

For Americans, and I think most western countries, when we start driving and get a license (no connection between those two in Thailand) we are drilled about the sanctity of human life. Pedestrians ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE have right of way under ANY circumstances. That concept simply does not prevail here. 

 

Power and size are the dominate factors here. I hate my GF's huge Chevy 4-door pickup truck. It's like manuevering the Queen Mary. BUT, I am impressed with the way other drivers here respect its presence on the road. I absolutely bask in the glow of security it gives me.

 

Nonetheless, there are drivers of larger vehicles on the roads here who will gladly indulge in an experiment of will and momentum, consequences be damned. 

 

My mantra: Keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel if you want to survive, and always be ready to yield way to other less conscious folks. 

On 2/10/2019 at 3:49 PM, KhunBENQ said:

I am also confused.

And if a pedestrian did he have his own traffic light? VERY unlikely.

Not all are so smart to watch the countdown timers etc. before doing the rabbit run across.

 

Some cross walks have pedestrian lights

On 2/19/2019 at 1:20 PM, RocketDog said:

I've wondered about that too. 

I think the difference is that pedestrians and most cyclists are simply enjoying their perambulations and taking in the scenery. 

Motorists of any style here are always in a heated rush to get somewhere and with an engine pushing them they can indulge in a petty power trip with no real effort. If the car were human - powered a lot less people would die on the roads here I'll tell you for sure. ????

 

I've also marveled that Thai people, naturally laid-back and docile, turn into raging and heedless speed demons when they get together with an engine (the louder the better); it seems an intrinsic culture clash. Time seems suddenly of ultimate importance to them: Me First attitude rules the roads. 

 

For Americans, and I think most western countries, when we start driving and get a license (no connection between those two in Thailand) we are drilled about the sanctity of human life. Pedestrians ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE have right of way under ANY circumstances. That concept simply does not prevail here. 

 

Power and size are the dominate factors here. I hate my GF's huge Chevy 4-door pickup truck. It's like manuevering the Queen Mary. BUT, I am impressed with the way other drivers here respect its presence on the road. I absolutely bask in the glow of security it gives me.

 

Nonetheless, there are drivers of larger vehicles on the roads here who will gladly indulge in an experiment of will and momentum, consequences be damned. 

 

My mantra: Keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel if you want to survive, and always be ready to yield way to other less conscious folks. 

Well.at least we have gotten away from the pathetic Thai Stockholm syndromisn (dotty western geriatrics) and got to the real deal of 65 million (actual or potential) homicidal and suicidal drivers..

10 minutes ago, Fred white said:

Some cross walks have pedestrian lights

And the cars dont stop when the light changes to red

There needs to be a mandatory stupid test before boarding the plane. That would thin out 90% of the foreigners arriving here. More air and room for those that deserve to be here including expats. I just avoid foreigners altogether and find my life from less stressful and happier. Tired of having to save foreigners that have the brain power of a common rock.

the title of this thread cries out for a haiku:

 

"stupid farangs" is

an oxymoron in search

of semantic meat

On 2/19/2019 at 7:19 AM, RocketDog said:

 

But you came to Thailand because it failed.

20 hours ago, ravip said:

But you came to Thailand because it failed.

Maybe. We will see.

 

After two years it still seems like one of my better decisions. 

 

So far I like shoveling sunshine off the porch on my way to the beach a lot better than shoveling snow off the porch and then scraping ice off the car windshield before playing bumper car on black ice with 100,000 other folks going to work on the freeway. 

 
"You're a farang too" ????

Reminds me of an Ian Dury song

"After all is said and done you're a blockhead too"

On 2/10/2019 at 6:36 PM, colinneil said:

Lacessit if they required intelligence tests from us farangs most of us would fail, as we all left our brains behind when we came here.

Or fried em on dope and or alcohol