Dangers of driving here and being a pedestrian. I nearly got hit on a zebra crossing

[FruitPudding]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

Another one, my outer circle Thai family. None of them stop at zebra crossings for the same  reason:   "I don't agree with that law so I don't stop!"

 

They just have no respect for absolutely anything. 😕 

[J Branche]

Some tips I've seen that may help.  Indicate with your hand up, maybe moving it around, look for a lighted part to cross, obvious but cross with others. Go during daytime.

All the rest of the 11 point checklist before crossing the road.

 

If it was like someplaces this holiday weekend is it better to order Grab, Bolt, Lineman or do it another day.

 

Agreed we start anticipating what drivers will do and let our guard down some.  You only need to be wrong one time.

[ignore it]

[orchidfan]

5 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

My wife was speechless when I took her to the UK and usually the first, always no more than the second, car stopped for her. You First instead of Me First.

Same reaction when I first took my Thai wife to the UK (I'm from Oz).

We stayed in Paddington and the first experience at a crosswalk (no trafficlights) she couldn't believe that cars ALWAYS stopped and let you cross. Just as I had assured her that they would.

Education and rules drummed into you from a young age.

We now spend a lot of the year living in Hong Kong.....ex British colony,  so same rules apply and obeyed.

[The Theory]

The point is this a road for cars, take your chance. Zebra or no zebra, the fact is "they don't care". Hit you on zebra if your family get lucky driver pays for funeral. 

[orchidfan]

I think that the burning, unanswered question is......What is the mad rush when locals get in a car or on a

motorbike ?

 

For a people who do pretty much everything# else VERY slowly, why the sudden mad rush? (except when they are selling you goods or services.)

 

It burns up way more petrol and brake linings....when a lot of the same people are eating sausages on a stick from a roadside vendor.

 

I think for many it's a "buzz" that's missing in their everyday, boring lives.

 

Hard one to answer or rationalize.

[The Old Bull]

You know you are in Thailand when you sneak through on an orange light and look in the mirror and see four cars come through behind you. By then it's red of course.

[newbee2022]

On 12/30/2023 at 6:16 PM, lungbing said:

I slow down but I have stopped stopping at crossings because the cars behind me just overtake, and the bikes go round me. It's more dangerous for the pedestrian.

So you don't behave better than all these described Thai drivers????😳

[FruitPudding]

1 hour ago, orchidfan said:

I think that the burning, unanswered question is......What is the mad rush when locals get in a car or on a

motorbike ?

 

For a people who do pretty much everything# else VERY slowly, why the sudden mad rush? (except when they are selling you goods or services.)

 

It burns up way more petrol and brake linings....when a lot of the same people are eating sausages on a stick from a roadside vendor.

 

I think for many it's a "buzz" that's missing in their everyday, boring lives.

 

Hard one to answer or rationalize.

 

They are just pudding-brained savages.

[Paris333]

I come from Greece -Athens but in Bulgaria Sofia I realized from the car drivers when they saw the pedestrian's foot stepping even one foot on the road they stopped the car to a standstill.
I did the check myself and found out that as soon as I moved off the pavement to step on the road, all the cars came to a standstill. 

Congratulation to Bulgarian drivers!

I am sure the key measures is Bangkok Governor or Mayor to implement 30 km/hour for all the car in Bangkok in order to avoid drivers fatal injuries or......pedistrians.......This measure imply in Amsterdam from 8-12-2023

On Friday 8 December, the speed limit on most roads in Amsterdam will be lowered to a maximum of 30 kilometres per hour (km/h).

80% of the roads in Amsterdam will have a speed limit of 30km/h. The maximum speed will be clearly indicated on each street with the familiar traffic signs. For more information about where the new speed limit applies, check amsterdam.nl/30km (page in Dutch) or look at the map.

Source:

https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/news/speed-limit-30-km/

 

Joe Dassin "Salut", 1979

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3 by Paris333

[SiSePuede419]

Concrete isn't black, its grey color.

Learn how to speak English, Limies.

"Crosswalk ". 😄

Edited January 3 by SiSePuede419

[Eaglekott]

I am usually very good to stop at Zebra crossings to let pedestrians cross. One thing I have noticed is that many times i have stopped to let people cross, they just stand on the side and its look like they are waiting for a car to pick them up and many times when I have stopped bikes do not, not even slow down.

 

In my area they have put up a few zebra crossings with red lights and there is a few issues with them. First issue is that after one has pressed the button to cross it takes to long time, maybe a minute, for the lamps to turn red for traffic and green for the pedestrian, so many times the pedestrian has already crossed the road when the color change. Another issue is that not all cars cares about the red light and virtually no bikes. If a car stops to let a pedestrian cross as soon as he has passed they run the red light. Also pedestrians cross the road where they are, they do not walk the extra 10 meters to a zebra crossing if they are crossing the road straight over. Same where there is a bridge over the road, they do not walk up the stairs to cross the road to walk down on the other side. Crossing on the road is easier.

 

This is not related to Zebra crossings but is a little on the same theme. When I drive home I in most cases have to turn right into our Moo Ban, and the road has quite a lot of traffic. many times the traffic on the road is crawling or standing still. Even if the head on coming lane is virtual still and I'm standing still blinking right to turn many of the head on cars don't give space to turn but have to stop blocking the from turning, also some times some is kind enough to stop to let me turn even if the traffic is moving, and so many times when a car or van has stopped a MC is overtaking the car that has stopped to let me turn on the cars left side, and they do not stop to let me turn. Some years ago a bike even drowe in to the rear end of my car and when I stopped to se how the bike driver was he had already taken off on his bike.

[RocketDog]

On 12/30/2023 at 5:13 PM, advancebooking said:

I used to drive fast here when there was no traffic on the road but now keep under the limit as Thai drivers a unpredictable. 

 

Recently I was nearly killed walking fast across a zebra crossing. It was a small crossing really close to my kids school. Actually a car on the left side was trying to turn right and I walked fast across the zebra crossing behind that car. Suddenly a pickup truck was speeding very fast and I nearly accidentally walked in front of it. It could have been a school kid killed. The idiot was driving so fast. 

 

I just read on the news re a Brit who was hit by a motorcycle on the road in Pats. 

 

This can happen to any of us. Its very important to be careful walking on the roads in Thailand. 

 

Happy new yr to you all.  

How can you make such outrageous claims?

 

It's universally agreed among both tourists and expats here that the roads are as safe as the nurseries in the Kingdom, especially in family-friendly Pattaya.

 

Seriously though, thanks. You made me chuckle.

 

In other breaking news, the sun will go down tonight but come back tomorrow morning. During this crucial time driving without lights make the roads slightly more dangerous.

[StayinThailand2much]

On 12/30/2023 at 5:13 PM, advancebooking said:

Recently I was nearly killed walking fast across a zebra crossing. It was a small crossing really close to my kids school. Actually a car on the left side was trying to turn right and I walked fast across the zebra crossing behind that car. Suddenly a pickup truck was speeding very fast and I nearly accidentally walked in front of it. It could have been a school kid killed. The idiot was driving so fast. 

 

It has been reported (and experienced by myself) that zebra crossings, perversely, are the least safe places to cross a road in Thailand. As you mentioned, vehicles, instead of slowing down and stopping, frequently continue at the same speed over zebra crossings, even when pedestrians use them. Also, I have never seen as many traffic accidents as near schools in Thailand, mostly caused by vehicles that have no connection whatsoever with the schools (i.e. not by students, parents, or teachers)...

Edited January 4 by StayinThailand2much

[stoner]

On 1/3/2024 at 12:58 PM, spidermike007 said:

Many Thais seem like really decent, kind-hearted people, but you put them behind a wheel and they just turn into crazed maniacs

seem like. true characters come out when behind the wheel. 

[StreetCowboy]

On 12/30/2023 at 6:13 PM, advancebooking said:

I used to drive fast here when there was no traffic on the road but now keep under the limit as Thai drivers a unpredictable. 

 

Recently I was nearly killed walking fast across a zebra crossing. It was a small crossing really close to my kids school. Actually a car on the left side was trying to turn right and I walked fast across the zebra crossing behind that car. Suddenly a pickup truck was speeding very fast and I nearly accidentally walked in front of it. It could have been a school kid killed. The idiot was driving so fast. 

 

I just read on the news re a Brit who was hit by a motorcycle on the road in Pats. 

 

This can happen to any of us. Its very important to be careful walking on the roads in Thailand. 

 

Happy new yr to you all.  

People get killed in road accidents all over the world.
The risks are higher in some places than in others, and at some junctions than others.
I don't want to sound Woke, but its always good to look both ways.

[still kicking]

On 12/30/2023 at 6:19 PM, CharlieH said:

The mistake most westerners make is they assume a certain behaviour and standard that simply does not exist here.

 

Don't agree with you, why call out westerners? I have been to China and Russia and I never seen anybody racing through a red lite