American Driver Arrested after Road Rage Incident in Wichit

[webfact]

Wichit-On Thursday (August 29th), an American driver was arrested following a road rage incident in Wichit.

According to Ms. Sand (alias), a 26-year-old, she was driving on the Bypass Road toward a shopping mall when a car abruptly overtook her twice without signaling. She assumed the other driver was in a hurry.

At the red light near the Darasamut Intersection, the same car stopped next to hers. The angry driver exited his vehicle and attempted to open her locked door, causing her considerable fear.

 

The police traced the foreign driver through his car’s license plate. The car owner, identified only as Mr. Sunny, a 44-year-old American national, was summoned to the Wichit Police Station. He holds an international driver’s license.

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2024-08-30

 

 

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[2baht]

.......and then????

[OneMoreFarang]

Do only Americans behave like that? 

Or is that normal behaviors for Thais so there is no reason to complain if a Thai behaves "normal"?

[gargamon]

I wonder what she did to make him that angry?

[JoePai]

a car abruptly overtook her twice

 

So she had to overtake the offending car once ?

[Tropicalevo]

37 minutes ago, gargamon said:

I wonder what she did to make him that angry?

That information is in the link to the original report.

[lordgrinz]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do only Americans behave like that? 

Or is that normal behaviors for Thais so there is no reason to complain if a Thai behaves "normal"?

 

Police in America are super strict on road rules, he wouldn't make it a Month in my home state without losing his license. So, not sure where he is from (wild guess NYC), but driving like an idiot in the USA will get you serious points ($$$$) on your license/Insurance, and with repeat offenses he could end up with suspension or revocation.

[Patong2021]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do only Americans behave like that? 

Or is that normal behaviors for Thais so there is no reason to complain if a Thai behaves "normal"?

 

I suggest you have a good look at the  vehicle  recordings from Russia, Canada, South Africa, Iraq and you will see similar behavior. Oh, and don't forget Thailand.

[ravip]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do only Americans behave like that? 

Or is that normal behaviors for Thais so there is no reason to complain if a Thai behaves "normal"?

Mr. Sunny explained to the police that he was rushing to take his wife to see a doctor due to a medical emergency. He claimed that the other car suddenly stopped, forcing him to brake abruptly, resulting in his wife bumping inside their vehicle. In anger, he got out of his car to confront the other driver.

 

Despite his explanation, Mr. Sunny was charged with causing property damage and threatening behavior. He has admitted to these charges.

 

Other car suddenly stopped.... 'nuff said.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

when a car abruptly overtook her twice without signaling.

Just driving like a Thai then.  This doesn't make sense to me, so he overtook her, then she must have overtook him, in  anger and then stopped suddenly, no wonder he was pissed, trying to take his sick wife to see a Doctor in an emergency. 

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do only Americans behave like that? 

Or is that normal behaviors for Thais so there is no reason to complain if a Thai behaves "normal"?

Why do you need to ask that?

We hear about one American here. As I know it´s not many times you read about same nationality doing this exact thing.

After that, we have you question if it´s normal behavior from Thai´s. As the woman just took it easy and thought he was in a hurry, one might assume it´s normal. However, what is not normal behavior is road rage. Therefore that is something you read about both when Thai´s do it and when foreigners do it.

 

45 minutes ago, ravip said:

Other car suddenly stopped.... 'nuff said.

No it´s not enough! Have you thought they looked at CCTV, before fining him? If not, maybe there were witnesses. However, do you consider it right to jump out of a car at a red light and in a fit of rage try and open another drivers door? To do what? Or, should he take the license plate and report a problem he had?



After that, we have this from the article in Phuket Express: He claimed that the other car suddenly stopped, forcing him to brake abruptly, resulting in his wife bumping inside their vehicle. In anger, he got out of his car to confront the other driver.

 

As he also stated he was driving his wife to hospital and it was an emergency, I just ask if the stated emergency, just went on a break as he he time to stop go out of car and try forcing himself into another car. If he had managed to open the door, wonder how long time it would have taken? Maybe long enough for an emergency to change to death or severe threat to life?

When we sum this story up, with overtaking 2 times without signaling, stating an emergency, as well as in a fit of rage don´t give a rats arse about any emergency. Yeah, it fits the profile of a very unstable man. That was probably why the police fined him.

[ravip]

3 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Why do you need to ask that?

We hear about one American here. As I know it´s not many times you read about same nationality doing this exact thing.

After that, we have you question if it´s normal behavior from Thai´s. As the woman just took it easy and thought he was in a hurry, one might assume it´s normal. However, what is not normal behavior is road rage. Therefore that is something you read about both when Thai´s do it and when foreigners do it.

 

No it´s not enough! Have you thought they looked at CCTV, before fining him? If not, maybe there were witnesses. However, do you consider it right to jump out of a car at a red light and in a fit of rage try and open another drivers door? To do what? Or, should he take the license plate and report a problem he had?



After that, we have this from the article in Phuket Express: He claimed that the other car suddenly stopped, forcing him to brake abruptly, resulting in his wife bumping inside their vehicle. In anger, he got out of his car to confront the other driver.

 

As he also stated he was driving his wife to hospital and it was an emergency, I just ask if the stated emergency, just went on a break as he he time to stop go out of car and try forcing himself into another car. If he had managed to open the door, wonder how long time it would have taken? Maybe long enough for an emergency to change to death or severe threat to life?

When we sum this story up, with overtaking 2 times without signaling, stating an emergency, as well as in a fit of rage don´t give a rats arse about any emergency. Yeah, it fits the profile of a very unstable man. That was probably why the police fined him.

 However, do you consider it right to jump out of a car at a red light and in a fit of rage try and open another drivers door? 

 

I guess you misunderstood me - NO, I was not justifying the morons behavior and I agree 100% when you say "... stating an emergency, as well as in a fit of rage don´t give a rats arse".

 

Just wanted to high light how this is justified by some because the locals display road rage.

 

[lordgrinz]

6 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Why do you need to ask that?

We hear about one American here. As I know it´s not many times you read about same nationality doing this exact thing.

After that, we have you question if it´s normal behavior from Thai´s. As the woman just took it easy and thought he was in a hurry, one might assume it´s normal. However, what is not normal behavior is road rage. Therefore that is something you read about both when Thai´s do it and when foreigners do it.

 

No it´s not enough! Have you thought they looked at CCTV, before fining him? If not, maybe there were witnesses. However, do you consider it right to jump out of a car at a red light and in a fit of rage try and open another drivers door? To do what? Or, should he take the license plate and report a problem he had?



After that, we have this from the article in Phuket Express: He claimed that the other car suddenly stopped, forcing him to brake abruptly, resulting in his wife bumping inside their vehicle. In anger, he got out of his car to confront the other driver.

 

As he also stated he was driving his wife to hospital and it was an emergency, I just ask if the stated emergency, just went on a break as he he time to stop go out of car and try forcing himself into another car. If he had managed to open the door, wonder how long time it would have taken? Maybe long enough for an emergency to change to death or severe threat to life?

When we sum this story up, with overtaking 2 times without signaling, stating an emergency, as well as in a fit of rage don´t give a rats arse about any emergency. Yeah, it fits the profile of a very unstable man. That was probably why the police fined him.

 

Keep in mind, the women turned her car sideways across traffic to block him in at one point, which in my country is illegal (false imprisonment). She is not a police officer, both of these idiots should have been arrested.

[richard_smith237]

So... 

 

1) American Man (Mr Sunny) driving his wife to hospital in a huge hurry due to a medical emergency. 

2) Overtakes vehicles (he's in a hurry, its medical emergency).

3) Thai Lady (Ms Sand) doesn't like being overtaken (abruptly) and tries to take back 'her place'

4) This forced Mr Sunny to brake hard and his unwell wife 'bumped' inside their vehicle. 

5) Enraged, the medical emergency suddenly became less important than teaching another driver a lesson and Mr Sunny attempted to confront Ms Sand.

 

 

Now: Where is the property damage ? Did Mr Sunny get out and hit and damage the car physically ?

 

 

**on this, I've been in a situation whereby I had to rush my Wife to Hospital in Bangkok traffic... 

'Hazard lights on'...  flashing main lights repeatedly, I pushed through traffic, went through red-lights (cautiously - slow moving traffic anyway)...   arrived at the ER.... grabbed the porter, bundled my wife into a wheel chair... took my son out of his car seat and followed my Wife into ER..  

Forgetting about the car, my keys were brought to me about 10mins later (the staff had parked it for me).... 

- In this situation the last thing on my mind was getting out and confronting someone and wasting valuable time...   

 

This guy [Mr Sunny] may be quite a loose cannon - but it would also appear that Ms Sand is a clearly terrible driver and seemed to deliberately impede someone who was clearly in a hurry - did she see him hustling to get through traffic an 'brake test' him ? thus angering him ?

 

Either way, getting out of a car and attempting to confront or attack another driver is a toolish thing to do.... but so is deliberately impeding someone (if thats what she was doing...  its also possible she was simply oblivious to the world around and driving as if she were the only person in the world, which can also be infuriating for nearby road users).

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

28 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

Keep in mind, the women turned her car sideways across traffic to block him in at one point, which in my country is illegal (false imprisonment). She is not a police officer, both of these idiots should have been arrested.

 

Where did you get that information from ?

 

Because, IF the the Thai Driver [Ms Sand] pulled the car across and deliberately blocked the road, that significantly changes the optics - but I don't ready anywhere (in the Op or linked article) that this is the case... 

 

It does appear that she was irritated by the American Driver [Mr Sunny] forcing his way through traffic (in an emergency) and it appears she fought for position in a 'tit-for-tat' manner that some juvenile drivers attempt when they are pasted or someone has nudged / pushed out in front of them in heavy traffic.

 

[NorthernRyland]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do only Americans behave like that? 

I'd say so. I'm particularly afraid of Basketball Americans when they get angry driving. Even though Thais are more dangerous they will very rarely exit their car to start fights. There's entire road rage channels on YouTube with nothing but fights breaking out over driving which is commonplace in Thailand.

[lordgrinz]

18 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Where did you get that information from ?

 

Because, IF the the Thai Driver [Ms Sand] pulled the car across and deliberately blocked the road, that significantly changes the optics - but I don't ready anywhere (in the Op or linked article) that this is the case... 

 

It does appear that she was irritated by the American Driver [Mr Sunny] forcing his way through traffic (in an emergency) and it appears she fought for position in a 'tit-for-tat' manner that some juvenile drivers attempt when they are pasted or someone has nudged / pushed out in front of them in heavy traffic.

 

 

I saw a video of it yesterday, showing him getting out of his car when she pulled sideways across the road.

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/foreign-driver-damages-thai-womans-car-during-dispute-video

[richard_smith237]

Just now, lordgrinz said:

I saw a video of it yesterday, showing him getting out of his car when she pulled sideways across the road.

 

Thanks - that significantly changes things... 

 

He's trying to get his wife to hospital and another person 'insulted' (angry) by his forceful driving blocks the whole road... 

 

 ... I think it would take a great deal or resolve not to 'get out of the car' and tell the other person to get out of the way...   In that case one would be tempted to 'drive and push the other car out of the way (if the emergency was severe and potentially life and death).

 

And, in that case, the woman should also be charged with 'dangerous driving' blocking the road etc.

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

I saw a video of it yesterday, showing him getting out of his car when she pulled sideways across the road.

 

Any link to the vid ?

[lordgrinz]

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Any link to the vid ?

 

Added it above 😉

[josephbloggs]

4 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

He doesn’t look American to me.

What?????

[lordgrinz]

5 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

What?????

 

Yeah, I always wonder about people who make that claim, America is one of the most diverse societies in existence, "He doesn't look American" is kind of ridiculous.

[Dan O]

2 hours ago, ravip said:

Mr. Sunny explained to the police that he was rushing to take his wife to see a doctor due to a medical emergency. He claimed that the other car suddenly stopped, forcing him to brake abruptly, resulting in his wife bumping inside their vehicle. In anger, he got out of his car to confront the other driver.

 

Despite his explanation, Mr. Sunny was charged with causing property damage and threatening behavior. He has admitted to these charges.

 

Other car suddenly stopped.... 'nuff said.

theres usually more the these stories on both sides. I havent seen the video and it would only tell part of the story

 

[brianthainess]

7 minutes ago, Dan O said:

theres usually more the these stories on both sides. I havent seen the video and it would only tell part of the story

 

Well watch the Vid it's 

 

28 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Any link to the vid ?

It's in 3 posts above yours by lordgrinz

[KannikaP]

In the OP it says He holds an international driver’s license.''

 

When will they ever learn...............?

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

34 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Any link to the vid ?

It's in 3 posts above yours by lordgrinz

 

Yup - he'd added it after I'd posted asking if there was a link. 

 

This doesn't exactly exonerate the American... 

Neither does it paint the Thai lady in a favourable light...

 

She was deliberately blocking him...  He still has space to go around her, but instead chose escalation instead of getting on with his emergency journey. 

 

In short - both appear to be juvenile triggered tools....  ... and, as someone else mentioned, it was red light ahead, so he wasn't getting very far, but that little stop 'cost him' a few positions when the cars on the inside (left) were still moving... 

 

His anger became a greater priority than the emergency.

Her anger became a greater priority than being a reasonable human being.

 

 

BUT - the American was charged for damage - What damage ????

Why wasn't she charged with deliberately blocking traffic ???

 

 

[Dan O]

12 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Well watch the Vid it's 

 

It's in 3 posts above yours by lordgrinz

No interest in watching it. It wont show the whole situation from beginning to end so you'll never have the full story of what happened

[brianthainess]

4 minutes ago, Dan O said:

No interest in watching it. It wont show the whole situation from beginning to end so you'll never have the full story of what happened

Well you will never know then, ignorance is bliss.

[Celsius]

It is time for Thailand to get cultural enrichers 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

Female asian driver driving her car with no idea the havoc she is causing all around her - because in Thailand they do not display anger towards people being an idiot when driving. Maybe she will now be more careful about what she is doing when driving. I often think that Thais should display their anger towards an idiot by blasting their horns when someone drives badly, otherwise what is there to tell them they are being unacceptable - there aint no police around. But I understand Thai social rules and that loss of face is a huge thing here - so just like all the Thais I just stay calm and ignore all the idiots.

 

Although - there was one Thai one day who was extremely annoying and dangerous to me and other drivers. I drove up fast next to him and blasted my horn at him for about 20 seconds while I swerved towards him and back and towards.  He was totally shocked and freaked out - I have black out windows but he had none - it was amazing watching him react. He actually pulled over and stopped and I could see his head shaking and jerking, while I kept going. When I told the wife she was apoplectic - and I promised never to do it again.  We dont drive much - but we did not drive for about a week - and then did not drive on that road for a month or so.