Land Of Smiles?

[intoxicajun]

...to the land of MOTORCYCLES. LOM. I mean, I have recently rented a Toyota Fortuner, and I actually had nearly 5 wrecks with motorcycles. What is it about the law that these drivers are failing to be taught. Who enforces this? And should we all just drive as they do? It seems to me that in a 4 wheel vehicle, you are more of a threat and people on motorcycles should be a bit cautious, but here in the LOM....

No kidding... I was driving out of Chalong Circle, headed towards RaiWai, when the two occupants on the bike infront and just ahead of me, I kid you not, attempted to switch places while in motion approx: 50 KPH, but failed the attempt, and nearly were nearly run over by my vehicle. A flash went through my head as I imagined what would happen, I mean, from that moment, what would be my fate? My A** is still puckered and it took me an hour to remove my undershorts.... nevermind all that. I love living here because it affords me a nice peaceful relaxing life while on days off, I am buying the Fortuner, and I am going to play the radio loud enough that if I do encounter any obtrusions, I will not hear them as they pass.

Ofcourse this is a joke and I would never hurt anyone. (disclaimer for allthose who were just offended!)

I actually rented the truck inorder to decide if it would be the right option for me and my family. I rather enjoy the truck. It is perfect for the island, and I would recommend one to anyone that cares for the life of their family. (Toyota neither endorses nor agrees with the opinions therein.)

Paid for by Toyota Fortuner. May all your "bumps" be small ones.

love and kisses to all!!!!

Especially Gerd. I love Gerd!

tox

[chinthee]

I've had VERY bad luck with motorbikes running into me. In Kamala, I was driving my Ford Everest and was slowing down, almost stopped making a right turn against traffic on the main road WITH my turn signal on. As opposing traffic cleared, I started turning right after checking mirrors. Not quick enough. A 15 year old kid absolutely blasted around me as I was turning and smacked into the right rear door as I was turning. Loaded him into the SUV and took him to Patong Hospital. Look bad, but nothing serious. His mother was really mad at him as he evidently already had a history of wrecking the motorbike. They are very poor and I paid the hospital as well as repair of the motorbike, but only because I felt sorry for the mother.

About a year later, I was turning onto the airport road at that last t-junction. Again, checked both ways, started to proceed, and again, a lady smacked into the passenger door again as I entered the intersection. Again, no real injuries, she just rammed her stomach into the handle bars. a very large crowd seemingly came out of nowhere, and I let my Thai better half handle the situation with the police and potentially explosive locals. But, she was a local village lady and if you get my drift my wife had to meet with her family and make a (relatively small) payment, even though the cop admitted it was her fault.

Be careful in Phuket. They don't look when merging into traffic, and do just about every other bad thing you can do on two wheels.

[Who, me ?]

whatever they do, they will always be right against car drivers ! If they are not too much injured, you can walk away after having paid 500 baht ! I was involved once, with a light damage on my car. A cop arrived, and I started to think that all was going to be OK....He strongly recommended to pull a 500 baht note for the motocy driver, and to leave ! So I did ! And I paid an extra 2,000 to fix my door !!

[thaigerd]

[LivinginKata]

I've been driving both 2 wheel & 4 wheel vehicles here for almost 11 years now, and I have had hundreds of near things, one bad smack, and a couple of light skirmishes = scrapes.

The worst I can remember was coming into Nanai Road on the rise just at the Le Jardin. There is a motor bike stand there and one guy on bike just flew off at high speed along the wrong side of the road, straight at my car as I crested the rise. Only because I was not driving fast was I able to get out of his way. No doubt if we had collided I might have killed him, been arrested, had to post bail (200,00 baht), pay family blood money, be tried, found guilt, and liable for deportation. It's a risky out buiness being a (rich) Farang drivin in Thailand.

[Entrep]

I prefer driving a scooter as opposed to a car...

In the car I am stressed out as 6 bikes are constantly all around the car within inches of hitting it, and it's hard to know where everyone on the bikes are.

On the scooter I just look out for me

[lazeeboy]

I prefer driving a scooter as opposed to a car...

In the car I am stressed out as 6 bikes are constantly all around the car within inches of hitting it, and it's hard to know where everyone on the bikes are.

On the scooter I just look out for me

the thai's do as they please ,in there minds its there country and if we wer;nt here they would'nt have had the accident

[jts-khorat]

whatever they do, they will always be right against car drivers !

This statement definitely would have been true 10 years ago on Phuket, but times have changed here; I had quite a number of accidents and scrapes on my car (good luck in bad, I was never at fault) and in all cases where the Thai did not flee the scene actually got right by the police.

It will help a lot to be completely calm and be fluent in Thai of course. As rude and obnoxious as the Thai party in the accident might be...

[Sir Burr]

The Thais have had their cars and motor-bikes blessed by the monks at the temple, so, it's impossible that they will have an accident and end up dead.

[Thumchok]

I was driving in bangkok and cautiously going through one of those red flashing light intersections . A bike ran straight into the back of the car and put a dent in the Bumper bar , rear quarter panel , and smashed the tail light lense .

We pulled off the road and the police came up and said he was unsure who's fault it was .

The guy was a little injured ( Bit of skin off his knuckles ) but didn't want any problem , had wife and kids to feed etc.

We decided to let him off and he was full of wais and gave the wife some mangoes he was carting around with him .

I paid around 1000baht for the tail light and the rest of the damage was fixed next time the wife had a scrape .

Everything is not so bad here

[g00dgirl]

The Thais have had their cars and motor-bikes blessed by the monks at the temple, so, it's impossible that they will have an accident and end up dead.

That's right, and we had our Hilux VIGO blessed right on the first day after taking it from Toyota and so far no motorbikes ever ran into our car ... there you go.

[qualtrough]

Came very close to wiping out a boy and a girl on a MC when they boy put their lives entirely in my hands. Turning right in the outside lane of a 2 lane U-turn lane in the middle of the day. Checked my inside mirror as I was beginning the turn and just caught a glimpse of a MC cutting inside at high speed. I hit the brakes just as he came so close that I expected to find some of his clothes on my fender. I actually heard the girl scream in terror as they went past millimeters away. If I had not stopped when I did there is absolutely no question that they would both be either dead or severely injured. Unbelievable idiocy, even by local standards.

[teddy_bare]

Devoted belief in reincarnation combined with lack of road safety training and 2 wheel speed machines seems to be a recipe for trouble.

Saying that, i have ridden 2 years in Phuket, 1 in Bkk and driven all over Thailand. The only accident i had was on Nani on a corner after they had dumped building sand on my usual route home. Had many near misses but other cars and motocide to blames. I drive agressively and defensively depending of the road conditions, the area and who is around me.

My observations are: Dont follow closely to 3 Wheelers as they will and do stop and turn without warning. Indicators are just lights that flash, not an indicator of intention.

Undertake on dual carriageways, the truck cant be bothered to switch lanes. Lots of full beam as you pass will alert their sleepy heads to your intention.

Buses are gods, respect and curse them as appropiate.

Taxis are taxis and will cut in, cut you up, u turn, switch lane, fight you. Observe laugh and stay away from them (difficult in Bangers).

Motorbikes fall into many catorgories:

Older lady going about business

Young lads showing off to girls or friends

Police man (helmet optional, and forage caps very strong apparently)

Very old man

Delivery drivers (read speed freaks)

Motorbike Taxis (some very good, most very bad, yet nice enough people)

12 year olds

Drunk drivers

All to be treated differently. All i can say is mirrors, mirrors and more mirrors. Use them and be aware of who is around you.

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