Road rage attempt by Somthai

[Just Weird]

18 hours ago, RasiMike said:

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.

How exactly was he "trying to be a bully" to you?  How does his driving when he is behind you affect you? 

 

It didn't escalate until you started driving dangerously slowly and you were the one that escalated it, unless you've missed out something.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Just Weird

[Just Weird]

16 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

Luck for RasiMike that the guy didn´t find someone so quick.

Lucky for RasiMike that he didn't cause the following car (that was having no detrimental effect on him) to crash into the back of him and his family as a result of the OP's deliberate hard braking and driving at a crawl.

[Just Weird]

16 hours ago, Chivas said:

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

Why shouldn't they?  How does the OP's dreadful driving and response to another road user affect anyone wanting to live here unless they're unfortunate enough to drive behind him?

[Just Weird]

9 hours ago, RasiMike said:

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.

But didn't you slam on your brakes and drive at a crawl to antagonise him and disrupt the travel of everyone else who was behind you also just for the hell of it? 

 

His driving, no matter your opinion of it, wasn't causing you to slow down unnecessarily, neither did it create the risk of his car hitting the back of yours.

[Just Weird]

9 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.

What?  

[Just Weird]

9 hours ago, RasiMike said:

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.

It seems as though he was the one in the position to need to defend his family when you slammed on the anchors right in front of him.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Just Weird

[Just Weird]

As the OP clearly thinks that he was in a position to exact punishment on another road user, I wonder why he didn't just stop him and give him a ticket instead of using his car as a weapon?

[richard_smith237]

25 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

How exactly was he "trying to be a bully" to you?  How does his driving when he is behind you affect you? 

 

It didn't escalate until you started driving dangerously slowly and you were the one that escalated it, unless you've missed out something.

 

When you are in queuing but flowing traffic the driver of the car behind sometimes drives in a manner which is tantamount to ‘bullying’ (no need to get into the semantics of the word bullying)... but these drivers tailgate, sometimes flash their flights and drive in an aggressive manner as if they are trying to get you to move out of their way... 

 

It affects you because it draws your attention to what’s going on behind you... its a concern because if the car in front as to suddenly brake there is a risk the idiot behind will rear-end you. 

 

Of course, there is no need to escalate this situation, but its an uncomfortable situation to be in. 

 

 

 

Quite commonly I find myself in the uncomfortable situation of having the car behind too close to me, either because the drive behind is aggressive, or just ignorant to the dangers. 

I usually ’touch’ my brakes, not to slow down but to illuminate the brake lights and hope that the driver behind backs off a little. 

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by richard_smith237

[sammieuk1]

Your story describes almost perfectly driving off my driveway in a modern inner Moo Ban Soi lately ????

[SteveK]

I think that even the stupidest of Thai males will realise that assaulting a farang, with witnesses in the car plus a dash cam, is probably not the smartest idea they ever had.

[FritsSikkink]

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

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. 

 

 

 

 

He was already involved by the dangerous driving of that guy.

[FritsSikkink]

17 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.

There are some people who don't run away <deleted>scared all their lives.

[Lacessit]

No Thai ever gets the chance with me. I pull  over as far as possible and let them go. They can kill themselves somewhere else.

[CGW]

19 hours ago, CharlieH said:

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

One of the secrets of staying alive on Thai roads, pull over - just let them get on with their nonsense!

[richard_smith237]

20 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

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. 

 

 

 

 

He was already involved by the dangerous driving of that guy.

 

No... he wasn’t involved, he was a witness to some idiot driving close to him. He became involved when he reacted.

 

 

[CharlieH]

Inflammatory comment removed.

[Why Me]

27 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

There are some people who don't run away <deleted>scared all their lives.

Sigh, everyone's a stud on TV.

 

But FS ma man if you got into an altercation with another car and out came a couple of thugs with weapons intent on teaching farang a lesson I wager you would pee your pants faster than you could say yellow river.

 

Discretion is the better part of valor.

[SteveK]

In your own country if someone does stuff like this, it's up to you if you want to follow them, pull them out of the car and assault them. If you get caught, you'll get free food, accommodation, free laundry, an X box and a TV and you won't have to work. You might even be allowed to gain a degree in a western prison.

 

You get caught in Thailand, you're screwed. Which is why you should always walk away from these situations, unless you want to run the gauntlet with the Thai prison service. If this kind of stuff makes you unable to control yourself, you're in the wrong place.

 

"Discretion is the better part of valor" - so true.

Edited January 7, 2020 by SteveK

[DannyCarlton]

19 hours 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.

 

In those situations , I apply just enough pressure to my brake pedal to bring on my brake lights but not slow the car. 90% of the time that's sufficient for the tailgater to back off. If that doesn't work, i wait for a point in the road where it's impossible to overtake and slow down to a crawl. It's far safer to be rear ended by a guy doing 20kph than 80kph.

 

The OPs experience is also concurrent with mine in that once they know that it's a ferang, they back off.

Edited January 7, 2020 by DannyCarlton

[tifino]

just a go slow, (less Accelerator) but in a series of decrements... if someone wants to get past you - they will!     

 

brake lights - doing brake checks - is itself road rage 

 

back when I was young, I was in dad's old Dodge ute. Just gone down the valley slope, in the local big dipper.. anyway in a minute I was almost halfway up the other side of the dipper, and the ute was struggling a little.  

 A big flashy shiny V8 car come roaring up behind, almost up me clacker. He's now doing these big revs, in surges, to use his exhaust note to yell his contempt at me and the farm ute.

 

well, that was enough for me... I floored the accelerator, and like him - in repeated surges...

 

It didn't make me go any faster on that big steep hill (even with a decent 225 Hemi slant six) - but it sure piled a huge cloud of slimy blue oil smoke, all over his shiny car

 

he had to slow... to be able to see

Edited January 7, 2020 by tifino

[RasiMike]

I understand the statements that I was in the wrong by braking hard... dangerous agreed, but far less so than what was occurring. At that point, I had a fool that needed to be confronted and stopped as he WAS targetting my vehicle and very dangerously. It wasn't the everyday, light flashing, tailgating 'me first' driving method that's common here.

For those claiming it WAS usual Thai driving or suggesting I am to blame. I don't agree, it's wrong, a stupid assumption and I hope they don't find themselves in the same situation. 

I've had 3 serious interactions with Thai men in about 17 years, this is the first time in a vehicle. While I do play the usual game when here, I don't have to, nor will I play the 'wai on your knees' game when someone has crossed the line. 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, RasiMike said:

I understand the statements that I was in the wrong by braking hard... dangerous agreed, but far less so than what was occurring. At that point, I had a fool that needed to be confronted and stopped as he WAS targetting my vehicle and very dangerously. It wasn't the everyday, light flashing, tailgating 'me first' driving method that's common here.

For those claiming it WAS usual Thai driving or suggesting I am to blame. I don't agree, it's wrong, a stupid assumption and I hope they don't find themselves in the same situation. 

I've had 3 serious interactions with Thai men in about 17 years, this is the first time in a vehicle. While I do play the usual game when here, I don't have to, nor will I play the 'wai on your knees' game when someone has crossed the line. 

 

But you could have extracted yourself from the situation rather than allow it to escalate. 

 

Thats the point most are making on this forum. I think everyone agrees with your frustration and many (everyone?) would like to find a safe way to teach the other (dangerous) driver a lesson. But, when someone is driving so aggressively there isn’t a safe way to teach the other driver a lesson without increasing the potential for confrontation. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

24 minutes ago, tifino said:

 

brake lights - doing brake checks - is itself road rage 

 

 

No its not... its just ‘touching the brakes’ no rage involved !!! 

 

When a car is too close behind me, I sometimes wash my windscreen.... the spray passes over to their car.

 

Its their fault they are too close, hopefully they get the message which is ‘Please don’t tailgate’ 

 

It's not road rage, it's part of driving defensively. 

 

It could be argued that we can pull over and let the car pass, but in some cases such as when there is a queue of HGV’s rolling along on the left lane leaving little space between them it may not be safe to pull in. Thus, slightly touching the brake pedal, not to slow the car, but to illuminate the brake lights and ‘encourage’ the car behind to leave a little more space is not an aggressive manoeuvre its simply trying to get a message across. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dumbastheycome]

The only  aspect of the OP's post is in the observation that I  can agree with is drivers in Isaan are definitely more erratic and  worse than say west or north Thailand.

But nowhere and at  no time do I ever attempt  to antagonize or retaliate to the often blatant behaviours because I am aware that it is always possible if not probable they are yabba victims and as such are  capable  of  nothing  much that is  reasonable or  rational. I drive to  survive.

 

[rech]

Drive a German car, this kind of idiots do not dare to make any problem to us, people with style and money ❤️

 

 

[canthai55]

7 hours ago, rech said:

 people with style and money

In LOS people who want others to think so ...

A Benz with 4 cylinders 555

[Coremouse]

11 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

No its not... its just ‘touching the brakes’ no rage involved !!! 

 

When a car is too close behind me, I sometimes wash my windscreen.... the spray passes over to their car.

 

Its their fault they are too close, hopefully they get the message which is ‘Please don’t tailgate’ 

 

It's not road rage, it's part of driving defensively. 

 

It could be argued that we can pull over and let the car pass, but in some cases such as when there is a queue of HGV’s rolling along on the left lane leaving little space between them it may not be safe to pull in. Thus, slightly touching the brake pedal, not to slow the car, but to illuminate the brake lights and ‘encourage’ the car behind to leave a little more space is not an aggressive manoeuvre its simply trying to get a message across. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love the water spray method! But in OP's case, deliberately brake when there's no need to - and he's angry(a sane person should not get emotional over driving a car - except those pseudo alpha male with huge ego themselves) - definitely a brake check and grave offense. 

 

The brake check means no traffic to avoid yet intentionally brake, whether stomp or touch. In case there're heavy trucks to avoid should be prepared to brake anyway, but otherwise I think call it "defensively" is just an excuse. 

 

Personally if there's a red plate tailgating me I would just accelarate and left him to dust. Not to mention if there's ever an accident rear car always take more responsibility and damage. 

 

 

[tonray]

On 1/6/2020 at 10:33 PM, RasiMike said:

so, (despite Mrs Rasi squealing re- guns and Thainess), called his bluff by braking hard and slowing to a crawl to engage him.

Very stupid aggressive male behavior......on your part also. You put your own family at risk .....stupid stupid stupid

[Gecko123]

The level of driving aptitude in Thailand is very low. Trying to teach anybody a lesson by retaliating for their poor road etiquette or driving skill is downright foolish and dangerous. The best way to teach better driving skills and manners to others on the road is by setting a good example. BTW, the OP said that his wife was terrorized in the process of his giving an impromptu driving lesson to the other driver. Shouldn't the safety and comfort of one's passengers be priority number one for all drivers?

 

Edit: I'll admit I've done the same thing as the OP in the past. Tapping the brakes to send a signal to a tailgater might be a common tactic elsewhere, but in Thailand people aren't expecting you to do that so there's an increased risk of a serious accident here.

 

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Gecko123

[metempsychotic]

On 1/6/2020 at 10:50 PM, 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.

So how exactly does brake testing another driver become a saftey maneuver?

 

To borrow an acronym from reddit, YTA.