14 hours ago, Lancashirelad said:

This is what a lot of farangs, including several in this thread, misinterpret to be an overall give way to the left rule. There is no such rule. It only applies in these specific circumstances.

Exactly, in general the give way is to the right, it has to be.

 

16 hours ago, Lancashirelad said:

This is what a lot of farangs, including several in this thread, misinterpret to be an overall give way to the left rule. There is no such rule. It only applies in these specific circumstances.

General rule is: give way to the left. The only exception to that is if the road you're travelling on is of less importance than the road you're approaching. So the way you're formulating it is correct but will be misinterpreted, see post #151.

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

Exactly, in general the give way is to the right, it has to be.

 

No, general rule is give way to the left.

22 hours ago, Mattd said:

It is impossible to give way to traffic on the left when driving on the left side of the road, it would be total carnage if this was actually the case!

Every single junction would have constant accidents, I know bikes come out of junctions on to a road without stopping, but given the misconception that officially Thailand gives way to the left, then cars should do the same at every junction, as the oncoming traffic is on their right and the they are on the left of the oncoming traffic...................

The RTA here actually means that if you are turning right at a junction, then you should give way to somebody turning left at the same junction, this would not differ in the UK.

In my home country, Denmark, where we drive on the right side of the road, the rule is to give way to traffic coming from the right. (I would assume that the same is true for other countries where they drive on the right side of the road.)

 

I've never heard of anyone having a problem with that, so I don't see why it should be "impossible to give way to traffic on the left when driving on the left side of the road".

8 minutes ago, nrasmussen said:

In my home country, Denmark, where we drive on the right side of the road, the rule is to give way to traffic coming from the right. (I would assume that the same is true for other countries where they drive on the right side of the road.)

 

I've never heard of anyone having a problem with that, so I don't see why it should be "impossible to give way to traffic on the left when driving on the left side of the road".

The only country afaik where they deviate is the UK: drive on the left, give way to the right. Everywhere else it is either 'drive left, give way to left' or drive right, give way to right'. But probably there are 1-2 other deviations.

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

No, general rule is give way to the left.

maybe, if you have a motorcycle gutter crawling up alongside of your Left door...

 

The only country I could imagine having to Give Way to a vehicle on the Left, when driving with roads carrying generally Right Hand Drive cars would be over there in Burma! 

 

 

14 minutes ago, stevenl said:

The only country afaik where they deviate is the UK: drive on the left, give way to the right. Everywhere else it is either 'drive left, give way to left' or drive right, give way to right'. But probably there are 1-2 other deviations.

Well coming from the UK it makes perfect sense to me that you give way to traffic coming from your right at junctions as there should not be traffic coming from your left..( here in Thailand there often is ie: they are driving on the wrong side of the road )

It makes no sense to me to give way to the left when there is no traffic to give way to !!  even less sense to be giving way to anyone just willy nilly  turning out in front of you from the left ( side roads) again I know the bikes will often do it and sometimes cars/trucks too.

 

13 minutes ago, stevenl said:

The only country afaik where they deviate is the UK: drive on the left, give way to the right. Everywhere else it is either 'drive left, give way to left' or drive right, give way to right'. But probably there are 1-2 other deviations.

Hm, interesting about the UK. So I guess the posters arguing that you should be giving way to traffic from the right in Thailand, are UK drivers.

27 minutes ago, johng said:

 

Well coming from the UK it makes perfect sense to me that you give way to traffic coming from your right at junctions as there should not be traffic coming from your left..( here in Thailand there often is ie: they are driving on the wrong side of the road )

It makes no sense to me to give way to the left when there is no traffic to give way to !!  even less sense to be giving way to anyone just willy nilly  turning out in front of you from the left ( side roads) again I know the bikes will often do it and sometimes cars/trucks too.

 

Huh? Why should there no traffic be coming from the left at an intersection?

6 hours ago, stevenl said:

No, general rule is give way to the left.

Where does it say that?  I was having a drink with a policeman earlier today and he says the opposite.  But considering the general knowledge of the police, regarding traffic laws he's not necessarily correct!

 

 

5 minutes ago, HHTel said:

Where does it say that?  I was having a drink with a policeman earlier today and he says the opposite.  But considering the general knowledge of the police, regarding traffic laws he's not necessarily correct!

 

 

See link in Thai Traffic Law given earlier.

 

Section 71 (500B)
[If, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there's a designation of "principle roadway" in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]
 

9 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Huh? Why should there no traffic be coming from the left at an intersection?

I'm going to have to draw a picture ?  any traffic coming from the left should be on the other side of the road..even if they are turning right into the road you are coming out of they should not be on your left and as they are crossing the dividing line they have to wait anyway.

41 minutes ago, stevenl said:

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way

At a JUNCTION....... at the SAME TIME...... when both roads are EQUAL (i.e. neither road has priority)

 

So, again, where does it say that as a general rule you give way to the left?

39 minutes ago, HHTel said:

At a JUNCTION....... at the SAME TIME...... when both roads are EQUAL (i.e. neither road has priority)

 

So, again, where does it say that as a general rule you give way to the left?

You are right. It does not say that.

 

It says that whoever gets there first has the right of way, with the special case of both arriving at the same time, the one on the left has the right of way.

49 minutes ago, HHTel said:

At a JUNCTION....... at the SAME TIME...... when both roads are EQUAL (i.e. neither road has priority)

 

So, again, where does it say that as a general rule you give way to the left?

In that sentence you quoted. As a general rule 'give way to the left' unless stated otherwise 'priority road, arriving before the other car' etc.

Want to talk road rules or comprehensive reading?

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there's a designation of "principle roadway" in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

 

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

In that sentence you quoted. As a general rule 'give way to the left' unless stated otherwise 'priority road, arriving before the other car' etc.

Want to talk road rules or comprehensive reading?

My reading comprehension is fine thanks.  My question was where in the 'Highway Code' does it say "As a general rule, give way to the left".

The rule quoted applies only to junctions and then only regarding two vehicles arriving at the junction at the same time when neither road has priority. That appears to describe a very specific scenario. Hardly "As a general rule, give way to the left".

Spot on HH. As I said, many mistinterpret the rule or fail to understand it.

It's well know that most drivers think they are better than they actually are. In truth many here will never have had their driving looked at since the day they past their test. They will be doing many things wrong and have many bad habits but not know it.

7 hours ago, stevenl said:

The only country afaik where they deviate is the UK: drive on the left, give way to the right. Everywhere else it is either 'drive left, give way to left' or drive right, give way to right'. But probably there are 1-2 other deviations.

Australia is the same as the UK - drive on the left, give way to the right....which is the oppoiste of Thailand, so it takes a bit of getting used to for some. I didn't know the difference for years; yet still never managed to hit anyone or have anyone hit me. That just shows how much the rules are actually followed here. 

Rule #1 - there are no rules.

Can I just clarify that those who are saying that in Thailand you should give way to vehicles on your left - are talking specifically about some strange rule regarding unmarked junctions between a major and minor ?

 

If not, then I really don't understand what you are talking about. Thailand drives on the left (note: not left hand drive) it is then quite normal that at a junction or roundabout you would give way to vehicles on your right as is the norm in all countries that drive on the left. Why? Because at a junction that is the first traffic you will encounter and on a roundabout, its the only traffic you should encounter (I say should because we are talking about Thailand here ????).

 

Why anybody would want to give way to the left is beyond me.

Yea!! I actually agree with you for once.  I did say as much in #166.

14 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Can I just clarify that those who are saying that in Thailand you should give way to vehicles on your left - are talking specifically about some strange rule regarding unmarked junctions between a major and minor ?

 

If not, then I really don't understand what you are talking about. Thailand drives on the left (note: not left hand drive) it is then quite normal that at a junction or roundabout you would give way to vehicles on your right as is the norm in all countries that drive on the left. Why? Because at a junction that is the first traffic you will encounter and on a roundabout, its the only traffic you should encounter (I say should because we are talking about Thailand here ????).

 

Why anybody would want to give way to the left is beyond me.

"Why anybody would want to give way to the left is beyond me."

Because that is the rule: on roads of equal importance traffic from the left has right of way.

 

"it is then quite normal that at a junction or roundabout you would give way to vehicles on your right as is the norm in all countries that drive on the left."

In all countries that drive on the right you give way to vehicles on your right. Therefor it makes sense to give way to vehicles coming from the left in countries that drive on the left.

39 minutes ago, stevenl said:

"Why anybody would want to give way to the left is beyond me."

Because that is the rule: on roads of equal importance traffic from the left has right of way.

Only if two vehicles arrive at the junction AT THE SAME TIME. Otherwise it's the first vehicle there that has the right of way.

1 hour ago, HHTel said:

Only if two vehicles arrive at the junction AT THE SAME TIME. Otherwise it's the first vehicle there that has the right of way.

Of course, is one of there before the other it will be driving on the junction/intersection before the other car arrives.

 

It is really easy for everybody except for Brits it seems.

You will notice that it's the Brits that are giving clarification.  So many posters on here appear very confused.  The whole traffic system here is based upon UK rules so it's hardly difficult for 'us Brits' to understand.

Now if you'd said Americans, then that's another story!

5 minutes ago, HHTel said:

You will notice that it's the Brits that are giving clarification.  So many posters on here appear very confused.  The whole traffic system here is based upon UK rules so it's hardly difficult for 'us Brits' to understand.

Now if you'd said Americans, then that's another story!

It is anybody that can not accept that here one has to give way to traffic from the left.

At the risk of repeating myself, that law is very specific and aimed at a particular scenario.  It is not a general rule to give way to the left.

Here is the picture...you give way to the traffic coming from the right, in this case the orange car gives way to the blue car.

there is no traffic coming from the left to give way to  unless its someone driving on the wrong side of the road !!!

similarly the blue car does not give way to the orange car emerging from its left.

2 minutes ago, johng said:

Here is the picture...you give way to the traffic coming from the right, in this case the red car gives way to the blue car.

there is no traffic coming from the left to give way to  unless its someone driving on the wrong side of the road !!!

similarly the blue car does not give way the red car emerging from its left.

Yes, correct since there is a stop sign and stop line for the red car. Without those signs (so on equal roads) blue car gives way. to the red car.

 

 

Title 6: Driving through Junctions or Circles

Section 71 (500B)
[If, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there’s a designation of “principle roadway” in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

 

http://driving-in-thailand.com/land-traffic-act/