Suggestion To Make Yourself Scarce

[tijnebijn]

I think in Los Angeles if you are a passenger in a Taxi you are held legally responsible for any thing that happens. the logic goes that the Taxi has been hired by you so therefore the driver has become your employee.

Do not know if this would play in LOS but a falang passenger might be seen as fair game.

What nonsense

I was told this by a US marine sergeant stationed in L.A. he also said that the way to avoid liability was to keep enough money in your hand to cover payment and drop the money on the seat if there was an accident. This was back in 1980 and I know him a lot better than I know you.

It is nonsense . The driver is driving (the owner in fact is ) , so responsible . So when a bus or airplane is crashing , we the passengers should pay as well ? This is such nonsense , can't believe people can be so naive to believe what 'some people' told them ........

[Jimmyd]

I think in Los Angeles if you are a passenger in a Taxi you are held legally responsible for any thing that happens. the logic goes that the Taxi has been hired by you so therefore the driver has become your employee.

Do not know if this would play in LOS but a falang passenger might be seen as fair game.

What nonsense

I was told this by a US marine sergeant stationed in L.A. he also said that the way to avoid liability was to keep enough money in your hand to cover payment and drop the money on the seat if there was an accident. This was back in 1980 and I know him a lot better than I know you.

It is nonsense . The driver is driving (the owner in fact is ) , so responsible . So when a bus or airplane is crashing , we the passengers should pay as well ? This is such nonsense , can't believe people can be so naive to believe what 'some people' told them ........

The original poster admitted his mistake already. Why don't you follow his good example?

[canuckamuck]

Run, pay if you like, but then run. What could you possibly contribute that would make it worthwhile to stay (apart from first aid perhaps). Fault will be determined later, after the quality of bribes and political afiliations are considered. What a farang has to say about it matters very little.

The low chance that someone will take it out on you, dissappears completley when you are ought of sight.

[jdinasia]

Run, pay if you like, but then run. What could you possibly contribute that would make it worthwhile to stay (apart from first aid perhaps). Fault will be determined later, after the quality of bribes and political afiliations are considered. What a farang has to say about it matters very little.

The low chance that someone will take it out on you, dissappears completley when you are ought of sight.

you mean the zero chance that someone will take it out on you?

as for 'bribes and political affiliations' .... lol ... think ... after the insurance companies rep's arrive on ther motorcycles instead!

[Jimjim]

I knew a Brit in Bangkok who told me about his time in the Middle East. I can't remember which country. He was in a bad accident while riding in a taxi. Luckily, he was pretty much fine but the driver was pretty bad off he said. He decided there wasn't much he could do as a crowd was gathering so he started walking away. Someone grabbed him on the shoulder so he turned around as he struck the hand of whoever was there. He came face to face with a police officer and then held out his hand in apology. When he did that, the officer took his hand and quickly pinned his arm behind his back and put him on the ground. He was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident, which was a serious offence there. He also was put in a bogus charge of "fighting with police." He ended up 3 days in jail and almost lost his cushy expat job. I wasn't too impressed with his decision to walk away but perhaps there wasn't much he could do, although he did have a good knowledge of the language.

Anyway, I suppose that doesn't happen in Thailand, but if someone is seriously hurt, the least you could do is try to see that they get help.

[patongpanda]

This DOES happen in Patong. Some friends of mine were in a tuk-tuk the drunken driver crashed and demanded payment from them with menaces. They negotiated the figure down and paid just to get out of there.

Edited June 23, 2007 by patongpanda

[canuckamuck]

Run, pay if you like, but then run. What could you possibly contribute that would make it worthwhile to stay (apart from first aid perhaps). Fault will be determined later, after the quality of bribes and political afiliations are considered. What a farang has to say about it matters very little.

The low chance that someone will take it out on you, dissappears completley when you are ought of sight.

you mean the zero chance that someone will take it out on you?

as for 'bribes and political affiliations' .... lol ... think ... after the insurance companies rep's arrive on ther motorcycles instead!

I watched a friend of mine have her car get hit by another car while she was sitting still waiting to make a right turn. This lady is a 20 plus year veteran of Thailand and the accident happened right where she works so she had numerous fluent Thai speakers there on her behalf. The lady from the other car admitted to seeing the my freinds vehicle, and the fact it was signaling, but she claimed that she beleived she was signaling right but intending to go left . She expected the car to move before she got there and that is why she hit it while tring to pass it on the right. It was the stupidest story imaginable. But, the policeman they phoned to take care of it was their personal friend and he said my freind was at fault and had to pay all the damages.

No insurance reps arrived, it was a Sunday. Farang is the cause of the accident, If she had not come to Thailand there would have been no accident. End of story.

My rule, avoid any conflict in which you are defenseless.

Edited June 23, 2007 by canuckamuck

[jdinasia]

1) we are discussing being a passenger in a taxi

2) You get hit, you call your insurance company. You hit someone else, you call your insurance company. They are available 24/7

3) your advice to flee the scene of an accident, in the case of your longtermer friend WOULD have been a crime

For 20+ years in Thailand she sure was silly!

[canuckamuck]

1) we are discussing being a passenger in a taxi

2) You get hit, you call your insurance company. You hit someone else, you call your insurance company. They are available 24/7

3) your advice to flee the scene of an accident, in the case of your longtermer friend WOULD have been a crime

For 20+ years in Thailand she sure was silly!

My example was to back up the point about bribes and knowing the right people. I am sorry I don’t have a taxi story.

The insurance companies were phoned, theirs didn’t show up neither did my friends’.

How was my friend silly, she never left the scene? When you are the driver you don’t leave the scene. Pretty hard to argue about the accident when your not there.

I say if you are a passenger in cab where you have no liability, keep your life simple, slip out the back jack.

[jdinasia]

1) we are discussing being a passenger in a taxi

2) You get hit, you call your insurance company. You hit someone else, you call your insurance company. They are available 24/7

3) your advice to flee the scene of an accident, in the case of your longtermer friend WOULD have been a crime

For 20+ years in Thailand she sure was silly!

My example was to back up the point about bribes and knowing the right people. I am sorry I don’t have a taxi story.

The insurance companies were phoned, theirs didn’t show up neither did my friends’.

How was my friend silly, she never left the scene? When you are the driver you don’t leave the scene. Pretty hard to argue about the accident when your not there.

I say if you are a passenger in cab where you have no liability, keep your life simple, slip out the back jack.

I must have completely misunderstood the following post

Run, pay if you like, but then run. What could you possibly contribute that would make it worthwhile to stay (apart from first aid perhaps). Fault will be determined later, after the quality of bribes and political afiliations are considered. What a farang has to say about it matters very little.

The low chance that someone will take it out on you, dissappears completley when you are ought of sight.

I hope your silly friend changed insurance companies! We were dinged (not me driving) in Pattaya at 2am and the insurance company was there in 20 minutes!

[liketobe]

assssident? I no seeeeuum we getuum taxi no?

[canuckamuck]

I hope your silly friend changed insurance companies! We were dinged (not me driving) in Pattaya at 2am and the insurance company was there in 20 minutes!

Wow how thick can someone be?

First, my friend was in her car, sitting still, and she was hit from behind by someone. She phoned the insurance company, they didn’t come. What part of that is silly?

Second. My earlier post, which you are now quoting, was speaking specifically to the OP. It was in my next post where I brought up the example of my friend’s accident. To dispute your claim “as for 'bribes and political affiliations' .... lol ... think ... after the insurance companies rep's arrive on ther motorcycles instead!”

If you read it again, I am sure you will put it all together.

[jdinasia]

Oh ... I get it .. the bribes and the political affiliations had nothing to do with getting in an accident whilst a passenger of a taxi! LOL I guess if the comment had been on topic I would not have gotten it wrong ... as for the 'story'? LOL

[Jimjim]

This DOES happen in Patong. Some friends of mine were in a tuk-tuk the drunken driver crashed and demanded payment from them with menaces. They negotiated the figure down and paid just to get out of there.

Ya I could believe it with tuk-tuk drivers there.

I think if you're in a taxi that crashes you should pay up to where it took you at least. It's the least you can do, especially if it's not their fault. But if they're drunk, not so sure about that.

Avoid drunk taxi drivers.

[canuckamuck]

Oh ... I get it .. the bribes and the political affiliations had nothing to do with getting in an accident whilst a passenger of a taxi! LOL I guess if the comment had been on topic I would not have gotten it wrong ... as for the 'story'? LOL

My first comment was directly in response to the OP and totally on topic.

You disputed a portion of it. regarding accidents.

I responded with an example of an actual accident. I did not feel it needed to be a taxi specific accident as we were now discussing, the process of determing liability

You made some comments that made no sense

And I got sucked into explaining it twice. Thailand has made me too patient it seems.

[Lost in LOS]

when i was in the military here in 68 they told us if we were in an accident in a taxi throw money on the front seat and get out of there. it will be considered your fault since if you didnt hire him and tell him where to go he wouldnt have been there to be in the accident. true or not i dont know but that is what the higher ups told us back then......

[jdinasia]

when i was in the military here in 68 they told us if we were in an accident in a taxi throw money on the front seat and get out of there. it will be considered your fault since if you didnt hire him and tell him where to go he wouldnt have been there to be in the accident. true or not i dont know but that is what the higher ups told us back then......

and what else has changed in 40 years???

[CarlBkk]

1) we are discussing being a passenger in a taxi

2) You get hit, you call your insurance company. You hit someone else, you call your insurance company. They are available 24/7

3) your advice to flee the scene of an accident, in the case of your longtermer friend WOULD have been a crime

For 20+ years in Thailand she sure was silly!

My example was to back up the point about bribes and knowing the right people. I am sorry I don’t have a taxi story.

The insurance companies were phoned, theirs didn’t show up neither did my friends’.

How was my friend silly, she never left the scene? When you are the driver you don’t leave the scene. Pretty hard to argue about the accident when your not there.

I say if you are a passenger in cab where you have no liability, keep your life simple, slip out the back jack.

Your friend was "silly" because it sounds from your story like she accepted being at fault quickly because the other driver "knew" a policeman. After 20+ years in Thailand I would imagine her to have a little more assertiveness and either NOT accept this verdict or contact "some police friends" of her own to get a second verdict. Farangs that pay up too quickly without being at fault encourage other farangs to be taken for fools. Before long it will become an undocumented law.

[farang prince]

when i was in the military here in 68 they told us if we were in an accident in a taxi throw money on the front seat and get out of there. it will be considered your fault since if you didnt hire him and tell him where to go he wouldnt have been there to be in the accident. true or not i dont know but that is what the higher ups told us back then......

Just one more thing the "higher ups" lied about back in 68.

[britmaveric]

Pay for what? - if you aren't driving the taxi I think you'd be stupid to pay anything.

[Rumpole]

I knew a Brit in Bangkok who told me about his time in the Middle East. I can't remember which country. He was in a bad accident while riding in a taxi. Luckily, he was pretty much fine but the driver was pretty bad off he said. He decided there wasn't much he could do as a crowd was gathering so he started walking away. Someone grabbed him on the shoulder so he turned around as he struck the hand of whoever was there. He came face to face with a police officer and then held out his hand in apology. When he did that, the officer took his hand and quickly pinned his arm behind his back and put him on the ground. He was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident, which was a serious offence there. He also was put in a bogus charge of "fighting with police." He ended up 3 days in jail and almost lost his cushy expat job. I wasn't too impressed with his decision to walk away but perhaps there wasn't much he could do, although he did have a good knowledge of the language.

Anyway, I suppose that doesn't happen in Thailand, but if someone is seriously hurt, the least you could do is try to see that they get help.

This is very true in several of the Arabian Gulf States, in particular the UAE. And the story of passengers in a taxi being held responsible for the accident ('reasoning' such as "if you hadn't commissioned the taxi ....." or even "if you hadn't been in the country.." then the accident wouldn't have occurred), also used to be true in some parts of the Gulf. It actually happened to a couple of colleagues of mine. The police also have a nasty habit of arresting anyone in sight - parties, witnesses, and onlookers - and then asking questions at leisure at the police station. Hence the incident described above. Expats are often warned not to stop at the scene of an accident and offer first aid or any other kind of physical assistance to the injured, as if the victim subsequently dies, the person who assisted could be held partially responsible. A friend who worked in the school system of a country neighbouring the UAE was warned never to give the kids an asprin or attempt any kind of first aid, for the same reason.

[jdinasia]

Taxis ... Thailand .....

[soihok]

If you really feel like getting out of it altogether,,take job in central Taiwan.

I did and I felt really out of it.

Nobody asks me anything now

[uptou]

the last bkk taxi ride i had was abit wayward in his directions shall we say.on this occasion,i decided to opt for the mai pen rai attitude,but another time i refused to pay the asking price when he assured me the meter was broken before another overly long journey.i suppose i certainly wouldnt pay for any accident given these experiences.

[qualtrough]

when i was in the military here in 68 they told us if we were in an accident in a taxi throw money on the front seat and get out of there. it will be considered your fault since if you didnt hire him and tell him where to go he wouldnt have been there to be in the accident. true or not i dont know but that is what the higher ups told us back then......

Years ago here I had a friend who used to work for Air America, and I remember him telling me the same thing. It might not have been true, but that advice certainly was out there.

[canuckamuck]

Your friend was "silly" because it sounds from your story like she accepted being at fault quickly because the other driver "knew" a policeman. After 20+ years in Thailand I would imagine her to have a little more assertiveness and either NOT accept this verdict or contact "some police friends" of her own to get a second verdict. Farangs that pay up too quickly without being at fault encourage other farangs to be taken for fools. Before long it will become an undocumented law.

The discussion lasted more than an hour, and she being an honest person just didn't happen to have a corrupt cop to call in an emergency like the other people did. She did have her Thai staff helping with the argument. After 20+ years they have fought other bad judgments at police stations and have learned it to be pointless.

Encourage other farangs to be taken for fools? How does that even make sense? Did someone encourage you to make comments based on guesses?

[vertigobkk]

The guy who posted this thread has gotta be kidding.

Reminds me of a time I was in a Taxi and the driver got fined for driving the wrong way on a street - when we eventually reached my destination the driver expected me to pay for the fine as well. I couldn't help but laugh - I gave him the fare to the exact baht on the meter and got out. Prick.

[OxfordWill]

I take taxis in Bangkok roughly 4 or 5 times a day, and have done so for many days over the past 4/5 years. Ive had all the experiences mentioned in this thread, and it is my personal conclusion that remarkably, some Bangkok taxi drivers are good people and some are bad people. This certainly was a revelation.

One thing I am sure of is that there is no generalisation to be made about anything whatsoever.

[jdinasia]

I take taxis in Bangkok roughly 4 or 5 times a day, and have done so for many days over the past 4/5 years. Ive had all the experiences mentioned in this thread, and it is my personal conclusion that remarkably, some Bangkok taxi drivers are good people and some are bad people. This certainly was a revelation.

One thing I am sure of is that there is no generalisation to be made about anything whatsoever.

You have been determined to be at fault as the passenger?

[OxfordWill]

Yep. Cant remember exactly how much I had to pay, a few thousand and it involved him driving me to an ATM and following me to the ATM. I was scared, paid up, got out of there. He was very intimidating, not afraid to admit I was happy to just survive the experience.

edit: but to reinforce- I wouldnt consider this in any way typical. Ive just been in so many taxis I think I have pushed the probability of finding the bad eggs.

Edited June 24, 2007 by OxfordWill