Crossing the street. Look both ways? NEVER!!!!!!!

[Iamfalang]

It blows my mind how many people simply walk in traffic and have absolutely NO concept that a vehicle might be approaching.

 

In the many years here, I've probably scared about 100 people.   I'm never going faster than 40 kph, but that's fast enough.   The funny part?  It's almost always my fault.   Main road, lady and kid starts from the other side of the road (my right hand side).   Oh, I see what they will do.  They get to the yellow line, NEVER ONCE looking.....they keep walking.  Of course now I'm going like 15 kph but I don't want to stop and be hit  by the truck behind me.   I give a light beep.  OMG...they scream at me!!!! Ladies on the side of the road, yell!!!!

 

kids, old people, police, middle aged people, everyone................

 

once they get on a road they imagine there are no cars!!!!

 

Parents must have never taught this.   

 

In my house, in a much less populated place than say BKK.....................this rule was the BIBLE.

 

here......................walk anywhere, never look, maybe get hit and try to sue???????????  I have no idea.  

[KhunLA]

Yea ... agree 100%

 

Crossing the street, and not getting run over is easy enough, if using simple common sense.  Having the 'law' on your side, 'stop at crosswalks', isn't going to help as you're rushed to the hospital.

 

Of course 'victim blaming' is not allowed, as I found out, and spanked for ...  rightfully so of course.

 

But stepping off that curb, without looking ... ????

 

 

[Iamfalang]

Even when I was a teacher, there are ROADS where cars drive.   90% or 95% of the kids walk on this road diagonally (longer time in the road) and NEVER think to look if a car or motorbike is coming.

 

OK, they may not die; however, build some good habits!!!!! life-saving habits!!!!

 

I'm posting today because I scared a cop walking across the street looking at his phone.  It was a left hand turn, 90 degrees, I was going slow .... under 15 kph.... but I was moving and I saw him the entire way.   He looked up VERY late and jumped back......There was no chance I was going to hit him, but come on......................pay attention!!!!!  I couldn't see him before I entered the turn, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO he should think, "Hey, a car might be coming......they can't see me!!"

 

nah 

[scubascuba3]

Happens daily, this morning a thai tradesman walks across Thepraya without looking right, in my path, luckily i expected it

[Crossy]

Yup ^^^, and smart-phones just make things worse.

 

Do not get me started on the motorcyclists and bicyclists!

 

I've only actually hit one cyclist (going the wrong way, in the dark, no lights), but I've scared myself way too often coming up behind motorcycles in the dark, dressed all in black without even a functional reflector, bumbling along at 20kph in the centre of the lane. It's almost as if they want to be hit.

 

 

[Gottfrid]

33 minutes ago, Iamfalang said:

I give a light beep.  OMG...they scream at me!!!! Ladies on the side of the road, yell!!!!

Nice of you to have such irritating hobby

[proton]

At Victory monument on Sat, nice bridge to get you across the road, mrs insists as usual in risking life and limb crossing the road right next to it!

[Iamfalang]

48 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Nice of you to have such irritating hobby

warning a mother and child that cars and trucks are approaching. 

 

this is irritating to you????????  wow  send them a post card instead???/

[CharlieH]

Oversized text removed.

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, Iamfalang said:

warning a mother and child that cars and trucks are approaching. 

 

this is irritating to you????????  wow  send them a post card instead???/

Sorry, I do not have such problems driving in Thailand, as I adjust to how people live, behave and do things in the country I chose to live in. It´s just as easy as look when you drive and stop for people crossing the street. Neither do I have such irritating hobbies to honk the horn just to scare people, I guess I am not in such hurry as you are. Probably also have a better kind of self-control, and not get so upset about stuff I can´t change.

[MrJ2U]

2 hours ago, Iamfalang said:

warning a mother and child that cars and trucks are approaching. 

 

this is irritating to you????????  wow  send them a post card instead???/

.... Or a get well card

 

[Gottfrid]

5 hours ago, proton said:

At Victory monument on Sat, nice bridge to get you across the road, mrs insists as usual in risking life and limb crossing the road right next to it!

I guess you are the smartest in the family them. Congratulations!

[GammaGlobulin]

My advice to anyone, any farang, I mean, who chooses to live in Thailand:

 

In order to avoid as much stress as possible, and to enjoy this paradise to the max, then...

 

aa. Never drive. Period.

 

I never drive.  I always use either Grab or my own driver.  In my opinion, Thai drivers, the good ones, are excellent.

 

I never, ever, drive in Thailand.  The reasons for not driving oneself are almost infinite.

 

bb.  Always be celibate in Thailand.

 

Never drive in Thailand, and always be chaste, without exception.

 

You would not believe how many problems and how much needless risk I have avoided just by steering clear of driving and steering clear of screwing for screwing's sake, without true love.

 

Let this be a lesson to you, as well.

 

Am I joking?

NO!

[Sparktrader]

The world is full of self absorbed people. Roads prove most people have little between the ears.

[Denim]

Thais.

 

 

Spatial awareness

 

 

 

 

Don't have any.

 

 

 

 

[markclover]

Being able to plan multiple steps ahead shows the level of intelligence of an animal.  Some people just don't have it.  Cross the road and don't look.  Throw the car door open and kill someone on a motorcycle.  Carry a child and knock its head on the door frame.  Throw a door open and hit someone on the other side.

 

They are good for war though.  Just tell them to kill people they have never met and they will march.

[The Hammer2021]

Another superior foreigner tells the locals how to behave. He can afford  to drive  a car in their  country, they are pedestrians and probably  can't. The safe driving  speed  is 20 KPH. Is it my imagination or is someone  boasting about frightening  women and children by endangering their lives?

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

Thais.

 

 

Spatial awareness

 

 

 

 

Don't have any.

 

 

 

 

As I am sure you know, spatial awareness, and awareness of judging distance is environment dependent.

 

For example, those that grow up in the jungle, I mean the close jungle, at least initially, when they are exposed to a different environment, do exhibit relatively less spatial awareness for distance perception.  And this includes those who have not, from early childhood, had the experience of riding in a car, from the age of two.

 

I have no time to google/search the references which I once read many years ago.

 

However, this does not apply to any "particular" country or people, but only to those who have not had the opportunity to ride in cars, and in traffic, from an early age.

 

Just a thought, for what it might or might not be worth.

 

 

 

[NoshowJones]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:31 AM, Crossy said:

Yup ^^^, and smart-phones just make things worse.

 

Do not get me started on the motorcyclists and bicyclists!

 

I've only actually hit one cyclist (going the wrong way, in the dark, no lights), but I've scared myself way too often coming up behind motorcycles in the dark, dressed all in black without even a functional reflector, bumbling along at 20kph in the centre of the lane. It's almost as if they want to be hit.

 

 

I go out on my bike, pushbike, every day for exercise and nearly every day I have to avoid motorcyclists riding up the wrong side of the road, pulling out in front of me without looking etc. The thing is when I shout at them they are that stupid they don't realise that they are in the wrong and they shout back with their faces twisted in anger.

The daily amount of motorcyclist deaths and injuries on the road backs me up when I go on about the stupidity of the majority of Thai people, and yes, I mean the majority.

[NoshowJones]

On 8/12/2022 at 9:19 PM, Sparktrader said:

The world is full of self absorbed people. Roads prove most people have little between the ears.

I believe you are talking about Thai people, so yes! You are 100% right.

[richard_smith237]

I do agree that there is an almost absent minded approach to self preservation of many on and around Thailands roads.

I too have seen pedestrians walk out into the road without looking, crossing without looking both ways..... and the most common, people walking down the road without a care as to what is behind them....  

This same absent minded approach to self preservation can be applied to many of the nations motorcyclists.

 

I suspect its borne somewhat of innocence whereby children and youngsters are simply not taught to consider consequences.

 

-------

 

There is another facet of this story I want to address.

 

The Op papping his horn at people crossing the road in front him. 

That is a very quick way to anger people. I’m sure there are many on this forum who if ‘papped at’ while crossing the road are inclined to places a nice big dent on the bonnet (hood) of the offending vehicle.... or if its a motorcyclist tip ‘em over...  

...  in this scenario pressing the horn is somewhat aggressive and offensive..... 

 

I’m not surprised both those crossing and bystanders started shouting - had it been a male the situation may well have escalated. 

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I go out on my bike, pushbike, every day for exercise and nearly every day I have to avoid motorcyclists riding up the wrong side of the road, pulling out in front of me without looking etc. The thing is when I shout at them they are that stupid they don't realise that they are in the wrong and they shout back with their faces twisted in anger.

The daily amount of motorcyclist deaths and injuries on the road backs me up when I go on about the stupidity of the majority of Thai people, and yes, I mean the majority.

I think a lot of this is just face...   i.e. the person refuse to even entertain the possibility that they could be the ones doing something wrong...  

 

I’ve seen it so many times: Someone turning out of side soi without looking... IF I stop and shout, they look at me with a degree of incredulity that I’d some how be upset with them.... in turn they become upset with me... its just not worth it.. its just different here and we can’t change that, we just have to look out for it and be careful (as the Op did in this case when he was aware they were probably going to cross in front of him without looking)

 

I’ve been in the car stationary at a T-junction.. my car turning left into the main road. A car turning right cuts the corner but is forced to stop as they were going to drive into me...  their look implies I am wrong... 

 

The amusing part of all this for me is the idiots who pull these stunts are so cock-sure I have to double check that I haven't stuffed up, am in a one-way street or something similar !!.. 

 

[richard_smith237]

On 8/12/2022 at 6:06 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

Another superior foreigner tells the locals how to behave.

Yawn... the ‘gone native’ reply defending any perceived sleight against Thailand is getting boring... 

 

Do you try and virtue signal against Thai’s who have the same criticisms ????

 

 

On 8/12/2022 at 6:06 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

He can afford  to drive  a car in their  country, they are pedestrians and probably  can't.

Utterly irrelevant and dumb response...  what has this go to do with people crossing the road without looking ???  

 

On 8/12/2022 at 6:06 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

The safe driving  speed  is 20 KPH. Is it my imagination or is someone  boasting about frightening  women and children by endangering their lives?

Its your imagination... The op clearly highlighted that the woman was endangering the her life and those of the children by crossing without looking.

 

[2009]

For the majority of the population, there was little parenting in their childhood at all.