Yesterday, my family and I were returning to Issan from a holiday visit to Sukhothai. After a long drive we entered into the regions where 'Issan road rules' take over and the usually, unaware and careless, Thai driving style turns to plain <deleted> stupid, aggressive and deadly. Just out of Kalasin, on one of the south eastern routes, there's a series of roadworks that requires a merge of traffic from two lanes to one and I found myself merging and braking into these works. A nice new, red plate honda driver decided he wasn't happy with being held up for a couple of kilometres on his maiden voyage, so this fool decided to aggressively accelerate and drop back, swerve side to side and then accelerate to within dangerous range again and again. Somthai obviously thought he was master of the road and needed the occupants of the vehicle in front to know who he is or wants to be....

I know there are masses of pseudo alpha males here, I have dealt with thesw <deleted>heads for years (many of us have) and understand I to have tolerate some of their <deleted>, but putting my family into real danger, for their ego's sake is something I will not tolerate, so, (despite Mrs Rasi squealing re- guns and Thainess), called his bluff by braking hard and slowing to a crawl to engage him. Young Somthai pulled alongside yelling abuse so I opened my window, presented him with my farang face, some verbal abuse back and my middle finger which miraculously changed everything. Oh what a contrast followed - the cunning little stunt suddenly decided to drop behind, drive very well for the next short while, overtake where appropriate and move ahead until traffic lights gave him the opportunity to stop on the other side of an intersection where he exited his vehicle and was seen to be posturing while making a phone call. Mrs Rasi suggested he was calling the police, about what I'm unsure but I hope he did - it would be great to take to court with the footage ????. I'll admit though, I thought for a little bit that I might have to run him over if he did draw a firearm. In the end, the little barsteward watched the 60+ second countdown on the opposite red lights, jumped in with time to spare and drove off at speed. 

Can't wait for our next family driving holidays here. ????????

Personally I think what you did put your family in more danger.

 

Why not simply pull over and let the idiot go, end of story.

What you did, in my opinion was dangerous and foolhardy. It could have ended very badly for all of you.

 

But hey, I wasnt there, and each to his own, but what you did is not something I would to do or recommend to others.

 

1 minute ago, CharlieH said:

Personally I think what you did put your family in more danger.

 

Why not simply pull over and let the idiot go, end of story.

What you did, in my opinion was dangerous and foolhardy. It could have ended very badly for all of you.

 

But hey, I wasnt there, and each to his own, but what you did is not something I would to do or recommend to others.

Agreed. Some of the Thais carry knives, iron bars and even guns. It does not take much to get one of them fired up either.

 

So I spend a lot of time avoiding these idiots on the road, but there is a limit to ones patience.

13 minutes ago, RasiMike said:

presented him with my farang face, some verbal abuse back and my middle finger

What not to do to a Thai male.

 

Chapters 1 to 56. 

A German or Dutch guy was shot in the face for doing that up in the North a few years ago.

 

Not sure if they lowered it for the cremation or left it standing. 

1 minute ago, CharlieH said:

Personally I think what you did put your family in more danger.

 

Why not simply pull over and let the idiot go, end of story.

What you did, in my opinion was dangerous and foolhardy. It could have ended very badly for all of you.

 

But hey, I wasnt there, and each to his own, but what you did is not something I would to do or recommend to others.

 

I know what you are saying, I would have preferred to just do the usual avoidance driving technique usually employed but this person seriously endangered my family and wanted to use his car as a weapon. I avoid starting fights but this particular case had me thinking I was going to need to take the lead. For most of my experience on Thailand it has been obvious that many people here think they're bullies if given the opportunity. Most of the time I couldn't give a <removed>.  Comprising my family's safety is a very different situation.

14 minutes ago, RasiMike said:

for their ego's sake is something I will not tolerate

For ‘who's’ ego’s sake ????

 

This is where you went wrong - Your ego took control over your intelligence and you responded, in doing so unnecessarily placing yourself and your family in danger.

 

Its easier just not to get involved. 

 

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, RasiMike said:

was seen to be posturing while making a phone call

Maybe calling friends...  he didn’t want to get into a one on one confrontation with someone bigger !

 

3 minutes ago, RasiMike said:

I know what you are saying, I would have preferred to just do the usual avoidance driving technique usually employed but this person seriously endangered my family and wanted to use his car as a weapon. I avoid starting fights but this particular case had me thinking I was going to need to take the lead. For most of my experience on Thailand it has been obvious that many people here think they're bullies if given the opportunity. Most of the time I couldn't give a <removed>.  Comprising my family's safety is a very different situation.

" Comprising my family's safety is a very different situation"

 

But isnt that exactly what you did ?  had you been on your own, your call do as you wish, but with the family on board, I would have definitely NOT engaged in that manner, for them if nothing else.

Not having a go at you mate , just an opinion.

12 minutes ago, RasiMike said:

I know what you are saying, I would have preferred to just do the usual avoidance driving technique usually employed but this person seriously endangered my family and wanted to use his car as a weapon. I avoid starting fights but this particular case had me thinking I was going to need to take the lead. For most of my experience on Thailand it has been obvious that many people here think they're bullies if given the opportunity. Most of the time I couldn't give a <removed>.  Comprising my family's safety is a very different situation.

 

Understood, I’ve once been in a similar situation where another driver perceived slight after he dangerously cut me up (on dual carriageway) and I used my horn. 

The other driver drove incredibly erratically for the next 5km, dropping to 10kmh, speeding up, switching lanes, not letting me past him (when he was going slowly), slamming on his brakes from 50kmh to zero... all I could do was just sit behind and wait for him to get bored. 

 

I had my Wife and Son in the car, I was calm but started considering how this would play out. 

I started imagining what could happen next... i.e. If he had stopped and approached me with a weapon would I have to run him over? some times extreme situations require an extreme response. 

 

In the end he just got bored trying to wind me up and escalate the situation and he drove off. 

The situation could have been much worse... Its still difficult to avoid the idiots on the roads, but when they do impact my ‘comfort zone’ I don’t react. 

 

(My comfort zone is Thailand is quite extreme, I’m used to the daftest things happening right next to me without reacting, getting emotional or upset, but even so on 1 in 10 road journeys someone will top the fvckwittery charts)

 

 

The concerns raised by the responders to my post mirror my wife's concerns. But I will always have to look after my family she knows this and is well aware of what I will do if required. This particular guy was trying to be a bully...if he was intent on causing harm it would've escalated and I would responded as appropriate. IMHO Thailand is full of these types and often they're not anywhere as dangerous when confronted. 

26 minutes ago, Happy Grumpy said:

What not to do to a Thai male.

 

Chapters 1 to 56. 

I've got and encyclopaedia set with covering 'face'. ????I understand and thank you for your input.

31 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Agreed. Some of the Thais carry knives, iron bars and even guns. It does not take much to get one of them fired up either.

 

So I spend a lot of time avoiding these idiots on the road, but there is a limit to ones patience.

Some of the farang I've met are easy to upset also ????. 

I agree with your take on patience and it's limits.

I've my own way to deal with this kind of events.

 

I use my finger... to show the dash cam recording the scene... strangely these bxxtxrds become, suddenly, very calm lol

30 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Maybe calling friends...  he didn’t want to get into a one on one confrontation with someone bigger !

 

I was thinking this could be the case....either uniformed or multiple friends. Fortunately, so far no one met us on the road or has arrived at our door so I guess my original evaluation was close to the mark. Little Prince syndrome.

3 minutes ago, Fab5BKK said:

I've my own way to deal with this kind of events.

 

I use my finger... to show the dash cam recording the scene... strangely these bxxtxrds become, suddenly, very calm lol

On the rest of our journey home my sons and I had a giggle about getting home and watching a ' bad farang report' and accompanying video on the news. ???? 

 

Wow, the OP's not only incredibly stupid, endangering wife and kids, but then, having luckily got away with it, comes on TV to brag about how he got one over Somchai.

 

Jeez, sometimes you just gotta shake your head and wonder.

57 minutes ago, Fab5BKK said:

I've my own way to deal with this kind of events.

 

I use my finger... to show the dash cam recording the scene... strangely these bxxtxrds become, suddenly, very calm lol

Which brings me to the question.... which dash cam to buy?

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Maybe calling friends...  he didn’t want to get into a one on one confrontation with someone bigger !

 

Yes, that´s how it usually works. They never fight one against one. And perhaps he had no gun in his car and called a friend who owns a gun. Luck for RasiMike that the guy didn´t find someone so quick.

1 hour ago, RasiMike said:

I was thinking this could be the case....either uniformed or multiple friends. Fortunately, so far no one met us on the road or has arrived at our door so I guess my original evaluation was close to the mark. Little Prince syndrome.

Yet......presumably he could see your number plate?

 

Pride goes before a fall.

........and people actually want to live in this country

2 minutes ago, Chivas said:

........and people actually want to live in this country

What are you doing on this forum then? Got kicked off ThaiLovelinks? 

7 hours ago, RasiMike said:

But I will always have to look after my family she knows this and is well aware of what I will do if required.

If this is true you would have let him have the road

but you did not, so it can not be

32 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

If this is true you would have let him have the road

but you did not, so it can not be

Wasn't an option, roadworks caused a bottle neck and I found myself stuck with an a_sehole who was unhappy to be driving behind me for a while.

7 hours ago, Why Me said:

Wow, the OP's not only incredibly stupid, endangering wife and kids, but then, having luckily got away with it, comes on TV to brag about how he got one over Somchai.

 

Jeez, sometimes you just gotta shake your head and wonder.

I found myself in a situation where, a guy decided to drive his car at us, using it as a weapon. I really do believe that if required, one should be ok with standing up and defend their loved ones when put in that position. Losing my cool is not something I do regularly and I agree it may seem stupid to you, but sometimes, where my loved ones have been threatened, I have. Shake your head all you like, I'm not sure if you have a family but I hope if you do, you'd be willing to defend them should you find yourself in that position. ????

5 hours ago, RasiMike said:

I found myself in a situation where, a guy decided to drive his car at us, using it as a weapon. I really do believe that if required, one should be ok with standing up and defend their loved ones when put in that position. Losing my cool is not something I do regularly and I agree it may seem stupid to you, but sometimes, where my loved ones have been threatened, I have. Shake your head all you like, I'm not sure if you have a family but I hope if you do, you'd be willing to defend them should you find yourself in that position. ????

"I found myself in a situation where, a guy decided to drive his car at us, using it as a weapon."

If this is true that even while traveling in the same direction he was attacking your vehicle in a manner that could not have been put an end to by simply pulling over for a minute, then you have my sincere apologies. You were cornered and had every right to defend yourself.

 

However, if this not be the case and you indeed had means to disengage from a looming confrontation with an unknown and evidently irrational person, then I stand by my earlier criticism.

 

And I would add too that you set a lousy example for your son, an undoubtedly bright but impressionable boy, by showing him the "virtue" of recklessness vs. thoughtfulness.

1 hour ago, Why Me said:

"I found myself in a situation where, a guy decided to drive his car at us, using it as a weapon."

If this is true that even while traveling in the same direction he was attacking your vehicle in a manner that could not have been put an end to by simply pulling over for a minute, then you have my sincere apologies. You were cornered and had every right to defend yourself.

 

However, if this not be the case and you indeed had means to disengage from a looming confrontation with an unknown and evidently irrational person, then I stand by my earlier criticism.

 

And I would add too that you set a lousy example for your son, an undoubtedly bright but impressionable boy, by showing him the "virtue" of recklessness vs. thoughtfulness.

My wife and sons are constantly reminded of the reckless nature of many individuals here, both on the roads and in general life. They've been very lucky to have the experience of observation from lives lived in different cultures - I believe and trust they're mature enough to learn, make comparisons and to come to their own conclusions from both positive and negative experiences. We often share a laugh and the same sense of wonder while traveling in the car in Thailand. In fact, it is one of our family pastimes while driving anywhere, from a trip to Big C or across the country to run a commentary, laugh and take the p_ss, while observing the antics of the large percentage of unlicensed, untrained and foolish drivers/riders/buffalo herders. I'd been avoiding potential confrontation and carnage for about 9 hours by the time, for whatever reason, this Honda driver decided to let loose in an aggressive way that could have hurt my loved ones.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on what my kids need as far as examples and life lessons go - I believe we're probably on very different planes on this and a miriad more subjects. ????

Thanks for your input.

 

sometime maybe best to adopt an old Vietnamese thinking:

 

 

 'Yield and Forgive' 

18 hours ago, RasiMike said:

I...called his bluff by braking hard and slowing to a crawl to engage him. Young Somthai pulled alongside yelling abuse so I opened my window, presented him with my farang face, some verbal abuse back and my middle finger which miraculously changed everything. Oh what a contrast followed - the cunning little stunt suddenly decided to drop behind, drive very well for the next short while, overtake where appropriate and move ahead until traffic lights gave him the opportunity to stop on the other side of an intersection where he exited his vehicle and was seen to be posturing while making a phone call. Mrs Rasi suggested he was calling the police, about what I'm unsure but I hope he did - it would be great to take to court with the footage

Your reaction was as bad as his.  What gives you the right to brake hard and drive at a crawl as a punishment to him, inconveniencing everyone else on that road, while you think he doesn't have the right to act just as irresponsibly?

 

"Mrs Rasi suggested he was calling the police, about what I'm unsure"

Probably your driving.  It would be great if he had footage of your deliberately bad driving also.

17 hours ago, RasiMike said:

I know what you are saying, I would have preferred to just do the usual avoidance driving technique usually employed but this person seriously endangered my family and wanted to use his car as a weapon.

He was behind you, not affecting you at all!  He was not using his car as a weapon against you but you were using yours against him!  He did not "seriously endanger your family", unless you've missed out something.