Driving in Florida worse than Thailand?

[rgraham]

That post is a satirical piece usually appearing online in Florida when the snowbirds first arrive from the north; NYC, Canada, Chicago, New Jersey, etc. I live in Florida and the traffic is nothing like Thailand!

 

[ericthai]

7 hours ago, RocketDog said:

I rapidly scanned the post and a few replies; no need to go deeper.

I've driven all over the USA, Canada, and Mexico as well as a few European countries and South America.

 

It is ludicrous and severely disengenuous to compare drivers anywhere in the world to Thai drivers.

 

I've driven for 55 years and it took less than two years here to fully grasp the clear and present danger of not only driving on but indeed even being proximate to a road/path /trail /sidewalk in Thailand. Not a single day or even an hour passes without witnessing the utter lack of reason and care for human life that drivers here shamelessly exhibit.

Domestic animals are given more consideration than humans.

I will graciously assume this isn't a troll post. The sooner the OP discards his notion the longer he will stay alive here.

When was the last time you drove in Fla?  I grew up just a little north of Tampa.  Driving around here was great 10-15 years ago. However, all of Florida is growing so fast with last the estimate just under a 1000 people a day moving to Florida, that I think they cant hire enough police to keep up.

 

My wife and I are currently in Florida. We got here right before the whole covid thing and decided to ride things out here. Well, in the past 2 years the traffic is just crazy anymore. My wife just said the other day drivers here are as bad if not worse than Thai drivers. Just in the past month I've seen trucks and cars use a turn lane to pass another car, get in a turn lane but go strait, turn signals I think they are all broke,  speed limit is 45mph everyone is doing 60+ and never see a cop pulling anyone over.  If the speed limit is 70 you better do 80+ or they are on your bumper. People on their phones driving down the rode doing 25-30 in a 50.

As one person said in the article, you have people that dont stop for schools buses, or pull over for an ambulance or running red lights.  Motorcycles are doing wheelies and speed all the time as the police have a policy of no high speed pursuits. So they know police wont chase after them. So many motorcycle accidents here. I believe mainly because the elderly population cant see good, slow reactions etc. 

 

[Gold Star]

8 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

I reckon those U-turns (in place of intersections) are a great idea. Not only are they safer, but they drastically cut the number of traffic lights needed on highways. 

It sure is a good place to check your brakes and maneuverability skills when someone bigger than you pulls out in front of you on the highway to do a U-turn. My friend wasn't so lucky as I have been so far. RIP 

[Skeptic7]

Not even close. Much worse here in Thailand. Thailand and India are the worst I've ever encountered. At least in The States, EU, UK, Japan, etc...lane lines, one-way, red light, Yield & STOP all have meaning. And sidewalks are not motorcycle lanes.  

[Hummin]

11 hours ago, KP67 said:

This is facebook meme circulating, but as a Florida native who has also lived in Thailand, I think it is hilarious.  When I started driving in Thailand, my friends told me the four rules for Thai driving- 

First one there wins,

 

There are two speeds on Thai roads - wide open and stop,

 

If it happens on the road in front of you it is your problem, if it happens behind you it is their problem - if someone swerves in front of you, deal with it, but if you cut off 4 lanes of traffic, its ok because that is for the car behind you to deal with,

 

If your car will physically fit in any space then it is ok for it to be there - that is why there are 6 lanes of traffic on a 3 lane road.

 

The fifth unwritten rule is that if there is an accident and you are not Thai, it is your fault.

 

I am now in houston, and after driving here i prefer driving in Thailand.  Houstonians drive like either they are the only ones on the road or they are in second place on the last lap at Talladega.

It is only one rule in Thailand, there is no rules, anything that can happen will happen, deal with it. 

 

 

[Hummin]

Speeding in Florida on motorbike the police pulled a gun at me. Speeding in Thailand, the police wanted a selfie with me!

[seajae]

20 hours ago, DavisH said:

I juch prefer driving in Thailand than Australia. Whenever I'm there I'm constantly looking at the speedo.  A few km/h over the limit then a big fine follows. Over 20 yrs I've learned to predict the habits of Thai drivers, so have no problems here. 

hahahaha, yes not following the driving laws/regulations is way better for Thailand, maybe thats why Australias road deaths are so much lower than they are here. My wife couldnt believe how much better drivers were in Australia, the road courtesy etc and the fact that the drivers follow the road laws as well as seeing police patrolling the roads that are well maintained. Really have to wonder at your driving ability if you had to watch your speedo all the time, maybe the problem was your need to drive like thais, in all the years(40) I drove there I never had a problem sticking to the speed limit same as it is here, when I was a young hoon I would speed but that stopped as I got older and had more common sense, anyone saying driving is better in Thailand needs a dose of reality

[mtls2005]

16 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

For all I know that area could be a mixture of various central Americans, Mexicans, Cubans and Haitians. 

Sure, glad you went there.

 

For all I know, which is darn little about Florida's demographics, these folks could all be third-generation AMERICANS.

 

 

16 hours ago, swm59nj said:

I have rarely met anyone living in Florida that was originally from Florida.

They are usually referred to as "Florida man..."

 

 

Visibility limited in vehicles so festooned...owner born in Brooklyn, NY, new serving twenty years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brianthainess]

USA 2020, 1.37 road deaths per Capita (100), Thailand 33.333 !    I'll let you be the judge on that one.

[Hummin]

Just now, brianthainess said:

USA 2020, 1.37 road deaths per Capita (100), Thailand 33.333 !    I'll let you be the judge on that one.

So guns helps? ????

[brianthainess]

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

So guns helps? ????

Where USA or Thailand ? yes the gun culture here is awful as well.

Edited January 15, 2022 by brianthainess

[Hummin]

Just now, brianthainess said:

Where USA or Thailand ? yes the gun culture here is awful as well.

I replied earlier the difference being stopped by a police in Florida and Thailand speeding! 

 

My own experience i faced a gun in Florida, but Thai police smiled and laughed and wanted to take selfie with me. 

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, Bassosa said:

Driving in South FL is bliss compared to Thailand. 

 

Cannot compare the two

I have driven over a lot of America, never a problem, and would go as far as to say it has been the best driving experience of my life.

I have never driven, or even been to Florida though.

[mtls2005]

18 minutes ago, Hummin said:

My own experience i faced a gun in Florida

 

Yea, calling BS on this one without the dashcam video.

 

 

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, DavisH said:

I juch prefer driving in Thailand than Australia. Whenever I'm there I'm constantly looking at the speedo.  A few km/h over the limit then a big fine follows. Over 20 yrs I've learned to predict the habits of Thai drivers, so have no problems here. 

I have driven, rode motorbikes and bicycles all over Thailand in the 14 years I have been here, and never had an accident, but what I see regularly really disgusts me, and says an awful lot about the mentality of most Thai people.

[KhunLA]

19 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I have driven, rode motorbikes and bicycles all over Thailand in the 14 years I have been here, and never had an accident, but what I see regularly really disgusts me, and says an awful lot about the mentality of most Thai people.

Ditto, out & about quite a bit, and only 1 small ding of an accident (my fault).

 

Overall feel safe driving here, many quite courteous, many with 'coming thru, my life is more important', and way too many "W T F, are you crazy, nobody is that stupid" dangerously entertaining moments.

[Hummin]

25 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Yea, calling BS on this one without the dashcam video.

 

 

No dash cam back then

 

It is not important to me what you believe, your choice ????

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, alex8912 said:

I've been to South Florida five times in the last fourteen months and rented a car each time. Great highways, 70mph most places, no tolls on 95 and easy to navigate.  Sure avoid rush hour if you can ( isn't that the same everywhere?) I don't find highways around Bangkok and to Pattaya or Hua Hin really that bad either. Maybe the crazy drivers are mainly in Isarn. 

"Maybe the crazy drivers are mainly in Isarn." I agree with you, but why just mention Issan? It's the same everywhere upcountry? Underage motorbike riders, riding on the wrong side of the road, speeding car and truck drivers, overtaking you then forcing you to brake as they make a left hand turn, I could go on and on.

[mtls2005]

5 minutes ago, Hummin said:

No dash cam back then

No dash either, apparently.

 

Can't tell if there was a mullet involved though? Or is that you at the trunk of the Caddy?

 

 

[NoshowJones]

15 hours ago, Berkshire said:

Riding a motorcycle is light years different than driving a car or truck in Thailand.  I feel for you guys.  I can't talk about riding bikes because I've never done it in Thailand....well, not on a regular basis.  My understanding is that the high fatality rates is mostly motorcycles....something like 80% of fatalities.  That's what happens when you mix motorcycles and all manner of other vehicles.   

IMO upcountry, most motorbike riders do not even have a licence. Many are also underage.

[pseudorabies]

I grew up in the NYC area, lived in the SF bay area for nearly 20 years and southern Florida for 3 years.  Driving in southern Florida reminded me of driving in the SF bay area but with less traffic.  In other words, the senile senior drivers were very similar to drivers of a particular Asian origin country that are prevalent, sometimes a majority, in SF Bay area towns.  Thai drivers are nothing like those from the Asian country I'm thinking of.

 

But Florida lacks the reckless, suicidal scooters that are practically everywhere in Thailand and really define the driving experience.  So, no, I don't think driving in Florida is similar to Thailand.

[Hummin]

31 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

No dash either, apparently.

 

Can't tell if there was a mullet involved though? Or is that you at the trunk of the Caddy?

 

 

I didn't even see the mullet before now ???? He was not involved and we where stopped at the highway. Had  recently been some shoot outs in the area with Cubans, and the police was on their toes. My English was not so good back then, and me used to Norwegian polite police officers, I was shocked by the experience from such treatment from some officials.

 

My biggest culture shock ever, was living some few seasons in USA, mostly due to my expectations was so far from reality!

 

More than any other place, even France. Russia was a shock in 1990'ies of course, but still, the land of freedom disappointed me most!

[mtls2005]

8 minutes ago, Hummin said:

He was not involved and we where stopped at the highway.

 

So were you stopped by Officer Sonny Crockett? Or Officer Mike Lowrey?

 

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

 

Same scooter I had, 900cc, very nice. No windshield ... too whimpy

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 1/14/2022 at 11:37 AM, DavisH said:

I juch prefer driving in Thailand than Australia. Whenever I'm there I'm constantly looking at the speedo.  A few km/h over the limit then a big fine follows. Over 20 yrs I've learned to predict the habits of Thai drivers, so have no problems here. 

Bloody oath. 

Always on edge in Oz. 

Cops hiding, wanting to give you a ticket. 

 

It's not healthy, I reckon a lot of stomach ulcers are due to traffic cops.

Australia's stupid rules and regulations. 

 

Driving on Thai roads is the healthy option, just need to adjust, learn the different driving habits etc 

 

 

[Saanim]

There is one aspect about Thai driving to be considered: almost none of Thai drivers has ever attended a driving school, never studied rules about traffic signs and behaviour in traffic. And they are actually driving on roads where many traffic signs are missing (e.g. intersection with right of way). 

 

The same can be said about Thai traffic policemen. 

 

Considering all of this, kudos have to be given to Thai drivers, it could have been much worse. 

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by Saanim

[bendejo]

Two pages of comments and no mention of California?

If you use your horn you can expect some form of road rage.

And then there's pickup trucks: the bigger the truck, the more aggressive driving.

 

 

[Berkshire]

6 hours ago, bendejo said:

Two pages of comments and no mention of California?

If you use your horn you can expect some form of road rage.

And then there's pickup trucks: the bigger the truck, the more aggressive driving.

 

 

5555....funny.  I used to get the road rage something fierce driving in southern Cal.  I've since mellowed out....:-)

[sirineou]

On 1/14/2022 at 10:50 AM, Berkshire said:

Never use your turn signals.

I leave mine on all the time 'couse I am driving around the world, 

To the right. 

On 1/14/2022 at 10:50 AM, Berkshire said:

honk your horn if the car in front of you hesitates for a millisecond.

You are confusing FL with New York. 

[ericthai]

 

On 1/14/2022 at 10:42 PM, Hummin said:

I didn't even see the mullet before now ???? He was not involved and we where stopped at the highway. Had  recently been some shoot outs in the area with Cubans, and the police was on their toes. My English was not so good back then, and me used to Norwegian polite police officers, I was shocked by the experience from such treatment from some officials.

 

My biggest culture shock ever, was living some few seasons in USA, mostly due to my expectations was so far from reality!

 

More than any other place, even France. Russia was a shock in 1990'ies of course, but still, the land of freedom disappointed me most!

and there is the rest of the story. The police were looking for someone. 

I assure you it is not normal for the police in the USA to pull a gun for speeding (I unless you are not complying with their directions) Never had a gun pulled on me by the police in the USA. Cops in Thailand, well we all know what they are like.