On 1/15/2022 at 7:39 AM, Saanim said:

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. 

 

Not so sure about your comments.

My wife and several of her friends have gone to driving school. I dont think driving schools would exist if what you say is true. 

You do know any Thai that gets a driving license has to take a class and pass a test on the rules of the road.

 

Now what they do after they learn this, well that's another thing!

22 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.

 

 

Of for goodness sake. The biggest trucks and SUV's are driven by the smallest women, sitting on a couple of cushions so they can see over the dashboard.

 

........they are the worst lol

1 hour ago, ericthai said:

 

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.

The police was yelling to us full of adrenalin, and asked for the license, and the license was in the back pocket.  Quicker than Lucky Luke i picked up, and hold it up to show. We did exactly what they told us to do ???? 

Edited January 16, 20224 yr by Hummin

11 hours ago, ericthai said:

Not so sure about your comments.

My wife and several of her friends have gone to driving school. I dont think driving schools would exist if what you say is true. 

You do know any Thai that gets a driving license has to take a class and pass a test on the rules of the road.

 

Now what they do after they learn this, well that's another thing!

Agree.  I've dated several Thai women who told me they had to attend driving school before even applying for a driver's license.  Mr. Saanim is telling a fib. 

On 1/15/2022 at 11:57 PM, 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.

 

 

Yes...but you can shoot at them if they get too close

10 hours ago, Hummin said:

The police was yelling to us full of adrenalin, and asked for the license, and the license was in the back pocket.

 

They probably thought you were muscle for one of those violent Nordic gangs invading our shores in the 90's, pedaling their highly-addictive seafood products?

 

"Say hello to my little salmon".

 

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

They probably thought you were muscle for one of those violent Nordic gangs invading our shores in the 90's, pedaling their highly-addictive seafood products?

 

"Say hello to my little salmon".

 

 

 

 

I think I scared them with my viking smile and no fear for police and a bit adrenalin/ADHD symptoms. I was young fresh and naive when it came to police and life itself. Police In Norway is different than Highway police in Florida, And with respect for them, I later understood how <deleted>  my action was. Next time I was stopped, I kept my hand on the handlebar and waited for them to tell me what to do. Simple as that

 

 

Edited January 17, 20224 yr by Hummin

12 hours ago, ericthai said:

Not so sure about your comments.

My wife and several of her friends have gone to driving school. I dont think driving schools would exist if what you say is true. 

You do know any Thai that gets a driving license has to take a class and pass a test on the rules of the road.

 

Now what they do after they learn this, well that's another thing!

So, your wife and her friends are an exception. I know so many Thai drivers who never get in any driving school. And the test on the computer for the licence issue? That a joke. Do you know anybody who did not pass?

 

That's quite different from schooling in other countries, test drive before licence issue, there are many who have to repeat, taking additional lessons (not so cheap), new testing theoretical, test drives, being desperate, I had known many.

 

Nevertheless, despite these poor Thai conditions - never seen any programs in Thai TV helping with driving education, nor for kids in Thai schools -  at the end of the day, it's not so bad, it could be worse. 

    

1 hour ago, Berkshire said:

Agree.  I've dated several Thai women who told me they had to attend driving school before even applying for a driver's license.  Mr. Saanim is telling a fib. 

Surely you believe the Thai women you dated what they tell you, same as you believe Thai govt... 

6 minutes ago, Saanim said:

Surely you believe the Thai women you dated what they tell you, same as you believe Thai govt... 

5555....Thai women may lie about certain things, but not this.  I don't know where you got that "almost none of Thai drivers has ever attended a driving school".....perhaps you're just saying that to prove a point.  Ironically, I never attended driving school before I started driving in the USA.  I don't recall any of my friends or family attending either.  So not sure why you even brought it up in the first place.

1 hour ago, Berkshire said:

5555....Thai women may lie about certain things, but not this.  I don't know where you got that "almost none of Thai drivers has ever attended a driving school".....perhaps you're just saying that to prove a point.  Ironically, I never attended driving school before I started driving in the USA.  I don't recall any of my friends or family attending either.  So not sure why you even brought it up in the first place.

There are also other countries in the world, other than USA. And there the driving schooling and testing is not so easy and not so cheap. However, when stopped and checked by police the situation is hardly so critical (and sometimes tragical) as described above...

Quote

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today released the Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Half (January-June) of 2021, which shows the largest six-month increase ever recorded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history. An estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021, up 18.4% over 2020. That’s the largest number of projected fatalities in that time period since 2006.

 

“This is a crisis. More than 20,000 people died on U.S. roads in the first six months of 2021, leaving countless loved ones behind. We cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday life in America,” said United States Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Today we are announcing that we will produce the Department’s first ever National Roadway Safety Strategy to identify action steps for everyone working to save lives on the road. No one will accomplish this alone. It will take all levels of government, industries, advocates, engineers, and communities across the country working together toward the day when family members no longer have to say goodbye to loved ones because of a traffic crash.” 

 

In addition to the traffic fatality data, NHTSA also released behavioral research findings from March 2020 through June 2021, indicating that incidents of speeding and traveling without a seatbelt remain higher than during pre-pandemic times. 

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/usdot-releases-new-data-showing-road-fatalities-spiked-first-half-2021

 

12 hours ago, Berkshire said:

Agree.  I've dated several Thai women who told me they had to attend driving school before even applying for a driver's license.  Mr. Saanim is telling a fib. 

I dont think it's required. I tired to teach my wife to drive, but that didn't go too well so she found a school. Actually there were a few schools available. They used an old pickup truck with manual transmission which I thought was good for her. 

14 hours ago, Berkshire said:

Agree.  I've dated several Thai women who told me they had to attend driving school before even applying for a driver's license.  Mr. Saanim is telling a fib. 

There are driving schools in Thailand?

 

Neither me or my wife attended one, if they indeed exist, before showing up for the laughable driving test.

 

Couple of hours and hey presto, we both had drivers licenses

Maybe LOS and Florida are in competition.  Here's this fellow shooting at another car, sort of -- he's doing more shooting than aiming.

https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/new-dashcam-video-shows-car-shot-at-11-times-in-road-rage-incident-on-i-95/

 

 

At least ten years there was no mandatory driving school before the license test

8 minutes ago, bendejo said:

Maybe LOS and Florida are in competition.  Here's this fellow shooting at another car, sort of -- he's doing more shooting than aiming.

https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/new-dashcam-video-shows-car-shot-at-11-times-in-road-rage-incident-on-i-95/

 

 

That is some crazy sht.  Thankfully no one hurt. 

On 1/14/2022 at 6:12 PM, JulesMad said:

It is widely known (at least in Europe) that most americans can't drive; I can only imagine that Florida might be champion in that respect ????

As a Brit, I have driven on the wrong side of the road all over Florida, even in the darkest parts of the Everglades, driving there is a breeze compared to LOS...????

3 minutes ago, transam said:

As a Brit, I have driven on the wrong side of the road all over Florida, even in the darkest parts of the Everglades, driving there is a breeze compared to LOS...????

I find driving in the LOS to be a breeze.  Maybe you're just getting old....just sayin.

1 hour ago, Berkshire said:

I find driving in the LOS to be a breeze.  Maybe you're just getting old....just sayin.

Absolutely, and folk should take that on board....????

On 1/17/2022 at 12:19 PM, Saanim said:

There are also other countries in the world, other than USA.

Yes and it should be in big bold letters as a heading at the top of the forum.????

Edited February 2, 20224 yr by VocalNeal

On 1/18/2022 at 12:02 AM, GinBoy2 said:

There are driving schools in Thailand?

 

Neither me or my wife attended one, if they indeed exist, before showing up for the laughable driving test.

 

Couple of hours and hey presto, we both had drivers licenses

That's why when renting a car in Europe and showing a Thai driving licence it's mainly refused, especially if you are Thai.

Also when changed from Thai licence to European one (once they reside there) they are asked for a complete schooling and testing. 

20 hours ago, Saanim said:

That's why when renting a car in Europe and showing a Thai driving licence it's mainly refused, especially if you are Thai.

Also when changed from Thai licence to European one (once they reside there) they are asked for a complete schooling and testing. 

Never realized that.

 

I've used my Thai license to rent cars in the US, mainly because for some of the 3rd party companies using your Thai address and license gets you a better rate.

 

I was once stopped by the cops in California, and when I showed my Thai license, the cop just laughed and said, "now show me the real one"

Have not driven in Florida for 30 years but road rage was not uncommon even then.