just a reminder, they will ******* kill you

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Yep, that’s weird. They are always in those closed traffic booths. I never see them actively patrolling. It’s like they only respond and are not proactive.

It gets even better for criminals.

There's a checkpoint on the main highway near my GF's village. It is manned by police in the morning.

At 12 noon, they shut up shop. I've never seen a cop there in the afternoon or evening.

[Liverpool Lou]

Wow, all the IAM-certified drivers, Advanced Police-instructed drivers and general personifications of driving perfection are, once again, out in force.

[Woof999]

1 hour ago, Russell17au said:

There are a lot of comments on here about the lack of action on the roads by the police, well I would like to know how much action you would take as a police officer on the roads if you had to supply and pay for your own uniform, gun, bullets, transport and be paid a low income

I wouldn't have applied for the job in the first place, unless upholding the law wasn't my primary concern, at which point I wouldn't give a monkey's what anyone thought of my performance.

[metisdead]

Some posts in violation of our Community Standards have been removed:

• Please be polite and respectful to others
• Do not flame, troll or stalk other members

[PB172111]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:33 PM, bbko said:

Reminds me of the time when I was riding my motorbike and another motorbike coming from the opposite direction wanted to pass a slow moving car in his lane, so he jumped the yellow line into mine, now we are on a head-to-head trajectory and we almost hit (in my lane) and as we pass, he has the nerve to give me a dirty look as if I should of gotten out of his way.  F these low IQ drivers.

Yes, you should have moved over. This is Thainess, always move over to make room. It is farang who don’t understand this that gets people killed.

[PB172111]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:37 PM, NorthernRyland said:

the look they give you just kills me. In that guys mind he thinks he should be able to do anything he wants and have the world revolve around him. I really struggle to see Thai people as my equal after I have these experiences. That's what racism feels like I don't like it at all.

You are the one being racist

[pacovl46]

It's not a problem unique to Thailand. I see this <deleted> here in Germany as well on a daily basis! Some people just shouldn't drive! 

 

[Irish star]

On 9/28/2023 at 12:56 PM, NorthernRyland said:

The reason Thailand is not now or ever probably going to be an England or Japan is because the people are not "engaged" properly in society, to put it broadly.

 

Notice how they behave with each other at an intersection with no light. Do these look like people who could work together and be productive? Watch how people dodge soi dogs that the owner won't keep in their yard. Not only are the owners oblivious to their fellow citizen but the people are indifferent and uninterested in fixing the problem. The list goes on and on.

 

Adults talk out their problems and find solutions but I all too often see them pushing and shoving their way through things without fully engaging. Not communicating, cutting corners (figuratively and literally), ignore problems instead of confronting them etc.. etc...

Until they can sort those cultural issues out it won't matter how many fancy iPhone they import or how big and shiny their malls are because they're all window dressing over the real nature of the people. 

 

(respect for building the malls though even if they were taught by foreigners initially)

And now allowed to bring into The Stores , Ridiculous 

[bangkok19]

Swim in shark infested waters, get bitten. The universe is trying to tell you something, best listen up.

 

stupid comment

NOT STUPID AT ALL!

Common sense is the key word here.

It's quite legal and logical(?) to walk along the Klong Toei waterfront at 2am with 50K Baht hanging out your back pocket... 

BUT YOU JUST DON'T DO IT.

Cycling on Thai Highways and Roads = Deathwish.

[bangkok19]

On 9/28/2023 at 10:14 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Wow, all the IAM-certified drivers, Advanced Police-instructed drivers and general personifications of driving perfection are, once again, out in force.

If you're talking about most of the other people's comments on this thread then we can give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you're exercising your extreme sarcasm..   OR, you've just got no common sense (much like anybody that would be silly enough to ride a bicycle on a Thai highway!

[quake]

They have a selfish nature,

And it manifests 10 fold when they ride or drive.

All you can do,  is stay on ultra high alert at all times.

and hope they don't get you.

TIT. 

 

 

 

 

[NONG CHOK]

On 9/27/2023 at 10:04 PM, Hummin said:

They are still not used to traffic faster than 40km/h 

I've lived in Pattaya for the past 20 years. I walk 90 minutes every morning, starting at 6 am. I've never yet seen a Thai make a correct right turn. Most veer to the wrong side of the road and cut the corner, returning to the correct side after straightening up. They haven't a clue what's coming the other way including tour buses in the Wong Amat Beach area. They totally ignore all the many speed restriction signs and park where there's no parking due to the double lines. As soon as they leave the main road they are flat to the board in their pick ups with black exhaust belching out of the back.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, bangkok19 said:

If you're talking about most of the other people's comments on this thread then we can give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you're exercising your extreme sarcasm..   OR, you've just got no common sense (much like anybody that would be silly enough to ride a bicycle on a Thai highway!

Interpret my comment whichever way you want. 

I will add, though, that there are some gratuitously misguided "experts" on this forum who assert themselves to be more "expert" at anything at all than any Thai person, whatever activity is being considered, just because those "experts" are from 'the west'.  

 

I notice that you said that "we can give you the benefit of the doubt", who are the "we"?  You can't be so pompous that you seriously think that you represent anyone apart from yourself, do you?

Edited September 30, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[SiSePuede419]

On 9/27/2023 at 8:54 PM, NorthernRyland said:

road cyclists and motorcyclist in Chiang Mai with over 15 years experience riding the roads here so I've seen just about everything.

So, you're admitting that you've spent 15 years watching how Thai people drive and you still are riding a motorcycle instead of driving a car, which is ten times safer. ????

 

That's the definition of crazy, doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. ✅

 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by SiSePuede419

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

That's the definition of crazy, doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. ✅

Well... I've been riding a motorcycle in Thailand over and over and never had an accident....  Should I expect different results, or is that the definition of crazy ???? 

 

------

 

Of course, motorcycling comes with elevated risks compared to a car, but, the risk to us (sensible riders) is not as elevated as it is to those who speed, ride drunk, at night, without a helmet or gear etc...  

Nothing is perfectly safe, but for sensible riders, riding motorcycle in Thailand is not quite the 'death sentence' the aggregate stats suggest - that does not mean its safe, just not as un-safe as some believe. 

 

 

 

 

[radiochaser]

I know this is about Thailand, but I need to have a short rant about a bicyclist here in the U.S. of A.  

I made a right hand turn at an intersection onto the center lane of a street.   A man riding a bike against the traffic, with almost no space for cars side by side, much less space for a bike lane, was so close to the front end of my truck I could not see the wheels of his bike, just him.   I could have run over him if I had turned into the lane next to the curb.   

Riding against traffic in the U.S. of A. and not being seen by the driver of a car who is turning right, the driver not expecting a vehicle coming from the wrong direction when turning, is the reason the traffic laws requires bicyclists to ride bikes in the same direction as the traffic flow. 

U.S. of A. rant over.   

 

[mrwebb8825]

On 9/27/2023 at 8:54 AM, NorthernRyland said:

Anyways the point I wanted to get off my chest is that these <removed>will absolutely get you killed out of sheer stupidity and selfishness and the sad part is they're <removed>to even understand what they're doing.

would seem the same could be said about you. not your country but your arrogance and assumed self worth puts you in the superior position and them below you for not bending and complying to you. see many Thais riding mountain bikes on the main roadways through the mountains? maybe ask yourself why?

[NorthernRyland]

56 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

would seem the same could be said about you. not your country but your arrogance and assumed self worth puts you in the superior position and them below you for not bending and complying to you. see many Thais riding mountain bikes on the main roadways through the mountains? maybe ask yourself why?

by far the stupidest comment. Yeah I think I'm superior for wanting basic road safety. No Thai people want this, only arrogant farangs. How dare we.

[Ben Zioner]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:01 PM, Middle Aged Grouch said:

Not to mention the <removed> Thai Police all over the place from Bangkok to Hua Hin to Pattaya to Phuket. They just love to stop farangs and take money. Of course there are also many farangs who do not respect the laws and think they can do what they like in Thailand.

 

We also have our friends the driving licence people at the DLT who in many cities will make it a point to make a fuss on driver foreigner driver licence conversion and many offices have rude staff who just love hushing foreigners away and find some excuse not to do the foreign licence conversion for Thailand.

A picnic compared to living with 15km of the Gaza strip.

[Middle Aged Grouch]

12 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

A picnic compared to living with 15km of the Gaza strip.

Their country, their problem. This is Asean now...not Israel Now.

[Ben Zioner]

9 minutes ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

Their country, their problem. This is Asean now...not Israel Now.

Yeah.. I can see what your problem is, maybe with a blue pill tonight it's gonna be better. 

 

P.S. Thought the topic was about mindless violence.

[mrwebb8825]

22 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

by far the stupidest comment. Yeah I think I'm superior for wanting basic road safety. No Thai people want this, only arrogant farangs. How dare we.

you're the one that insists Thais and Thailand do things YOUR way. That's pretty arrogant to expect an entire country to change because YOU decided to move here. the empire is dead, get used to it or move back home.

[NorthernRyland]

55 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

you're the one that insists Thais and Thailand do things YOUR way. That's pretty arrogant to expect an entire country to change because YOU decided to move here. the empire is dead, get used to it or move back home.

So you're publicly on the record siding with all the dangerous <deleted> drivers that get people killed? 🤦

 

Here's a better idea if you want to cuck out and be the white savior for Thai people why not take their side on something honorable instead.

 

https://www.health.com/mind-body/health-diversity-inclusion/white-savior-complex#:~:text=The White savior complex%2C also,of color—community or person.

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by NorthernRyland

[BigStar]

On 9/27/2023 at 8:54 PM, NorthernRyland said:

I felt the need to rant after the sad story of the forum member being killed on his bike today and it was not appropriate to post it there.

 

But did you confirm that "they" killed him? I don't recall reading any details of the accident for our Accident Investigators to chew over. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'd say that if "they" killed him, it would DEFINITELY have been reported to generate an easy 100 pages of Thai bashing clicks.  The probability seems to favor driver error on the member's part. We strongly resist finding fault with any of our "lads," however. If necessary, we resort to the old "dodged a pothole or dog" excuse. Hence your post makes no acknowledgement of any such fault ever happening. But they certainly do.

 

So your rant may be based on a false premise, to enjoy ranting?

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, BigStar said:

So your rant may be based on a false premise, to enjoy ranting?

We don't know what happened to him, may have been his fault. The point of the rant was to remind people how dangerous the roads are here as it was salient to do so

[BE88]

Yes, it's like Russian roulette, the pleasure of risk wherever you put it, you take the risk but you take the risk anyway.

The same comparison as climbing a mountain, everyone is well aware that a fall can be fatal but the taste for risk is stronger.

I have a car that I rarely use because I prefer the motorbike, and I am aware of the risk but I love the freedom of moving more freely with the motorbike in narrow streets in the city where many cars close the road, overtaking them makes me feel freer to move than to 'be locked in a metal box.

If I had a serious accident I would change my view maybe or maybe it's too later.

I fervently believe that a life without risk is not a life worth living.

[mrwebb8825]

52 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

So you're publicly on the record siding with all the dangerous <deleted> drivers that get people killed? 🤦

 

Here's a better idea if you want to cuck out and be the white savior for Thai people why not take their side on something honorable instead.

 

https://www.health.com/mind-body/health-diversity-inclusion/white-savior-complex#:~:text=The White savior complex%2C also,of color—community or person.

 

never said I was in favor of anyone killing anyone but I do side with Thais right to do things in Thailand the way they choose. pretty sure they didn't invite YOU over saying "please help us, we're so lost without British rules and opinions." "How else may we serve thee oh high and mighty one?"

I DO, however notice the few happy posters on here are the ones that moved here and learned how to live within the culture.

[connda]

I'll be really honest.  I rode a bicycle daily for 2 1/2 years during university as it was my only transportation.  I clocked a lot of miles and had thighs like rocks.
You'd think I'd be pro-bicyclist.  Nope. I find them to be some of the most arrogant people on this planet. 
"I have a RIGHT to this road too!!!  Arrrrgghhh."

Here's my philosophy regard bicycle and motorcycle driving.  It's very simple:  a car, pickup, bus, or truck outweighs me by magnitudes of pounds-kgs.  I understand physics.  The odds are stacked up against two-wheelers.  You are smaller, magnitudes lighter, and quite often difficult to see, especially at night.  If I hit them, or they hit me -  then I'm the one who will be hurt regardless of 'who's at fault.'  So?  I ride my bike / MC accordingly.  My goal?  Not to be in an accident, period.

I've seen too many arrogant "I have a right to be on the road and you cars, pickups, buses, and trucks need to respect me - or else" do some of the stupidest maneuvers on the roads - Thailand and in the West, especially in the West.  Deliberately putting themselves in dangerous positions, "Because I have the right dammit!"  It's an attitude that will get you killed or injured, especially here in Thailand. 

I personally have respect for the traffic around me.  Not like "the traffic is superior" respect, but respect like, "Any one of those cars, pickups, buses, or truck could easily kill me," kind of respect.  It a self-survival kind of respect.  My bicycle was my transportation.  It wasn't a hobby.  Maybe that was the difference.  I never was a hobby rider who thought of themselves like the Spandex Gods Of The Road.  I've never even worn Spandex.  I rode in shorts and shirt unless it was cold.  Then it was jeans, a shirt and and jacket.

If you're on two wheels and have an attitude?  Eventually it will get the best of you. 

Edited November 3, 2023 by connda

[NorthernRyland]

9 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

never said I was in favor of anyone killing anyone but I do side with Thais right to do things in Thailand the way they choose. pretty sure they didn't invite YOU over saying "please help us, we're so lost without British rules and opinions." "How else may we serve thee oh high and mighty one?"

good then we agree. Actually if you ask people what they think about replacing Thai police with Japanese or British you'd be surprised that people may agree with you. Many Thai people know they have problems with road safety and police not doing their job.

[NorthernRyland]

5 minutes ago, connda said:

If you're on two wheels and have an attitude?  Eventually it will get the best of you. 

100% I come from a town with lots of cyclists and there is serious attitude with those people. I don't blame anyone to be honest. Sharing the roads sucks.