The worst thing I see on Thai roads

[NorthernRyland]

Of all the terrible behavior I see on roads in Thailand I think this one is the worst. Doesn't matter how safe you are, this one is totally out of your hands.

 

A car will pass another car and take up the other lane pushing motorbikes off to the side. As you can see in this video the motorbike gets swiped and crashes. I've seen other videos of head on collisions where cars get hit too, likely killing both parties.

 

 

 

The things I see are unbelievable. I wish I had a camera on my bike so I could record some of these incidents.  For example this blind curve goes up to 14% grade just around the corner there. I've seen multiple times trucks pass me going up and occupy the entire other lane going around the turn. There's zero chance you could react in time or even stop because the road is so steep, so if by chance another car was coming it would be a head on collision. There are kids on motorbikes coming home from school and even larger trailers carrying rocks and such. Mostly it's speeding pickup trucks hauling produce from the mountains.

 

This problem isn't even on people radars. This is such an obvious way to get people killed, even children, yet no one seems to care. The question for me is, why these otherwise decent people have no concern for safety and just accept their fates at the hands of other drivers. It might as well be murder but this doesn't seem to register with them.

 

Lesson for us is, you use the roads at your own risk. No one is coming to save you and if you die it would have been preventable but no one will care. It's bleak but the hard truth of sharing the roads with Thai people.

 

[it is what it is]

 

you could always go home

 

[NorthernRyland]

Just now, it is what it is said:

 

you could always go home

 

 

Nice try. Tell that to the kid in the video that got hit. 

[NorthernRyland]

3 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

 

you could always go home

 

 

 

To head off the "go home if you don't like it people" let's do another one.

 

You think people are driving too fast and recklessly? You should go home because that's how we do things here in Thailand!

 

Tell that to Thai person driving that car. Maybe they should have more respect for Thai culture and stop complaining then move if they don't like it how it is.

 

 

 

 

[Cameroni]

I almost had an accident on the 11 Motorway. It passes by this side street. This idiot woman came out with half her car IN the motorway. Only by the grace of God and my superhuman reflexes was I able to brake on time. 

 

I beeped her and gesticulated so angrily  she meekly withdrew in her lane. Close one.

[still kicking]

8 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

 

you could always go home

 

What a stupid remark 

[NorthernRyland]

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

I almost had an accident on the 11 Motorway. It passes by this side street. This idiot woman came out with half her car IN the motorway. Only by the grace of God and my superhuman reflexes was I able to brake on time. 

 

I beeped her and gesticulated so angrily  she meekly withdrew in her lane. Close one.

 

not so uncommon.

[Magictoad]

24 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Of all the terrible behavior I see on roads in Thailand I think this one is the worst. Doesn't matter how safe you are, this one is totally out of your hands.

 

A car will pass another car and take up the other lane pushing motorbikes off to the side. As you can see in this video the motorbike gets swiped and crashes. I've seen other videos of head on collisions where cars get hit too, likely killing both parties.

 

 

 

The things I see are unbelievable. I wish I had a camera on my bike so I could record some of these incidents.  For example this blind curve goes up to 14% grade just around the corner there. I've seen multiple times trucks pass me going up and occupy the entire other lane going around the turn. There's zero chance you could react in time or even stop because the road is so steep, so if by chance another car was coming it would be a head on collision. There are kids on motorbikes coming home from school and even larger trailers carrying rocks and such. Mostly it's speeding pickup trucks hauling produce from the mountains.

 

This problem isn't even on people radars. This is such an obvious way to get people killed, even children, yet no one seems to care. The question for me is, why these otherwise decent people have no concern for safety and just accept their fates at the hands of other drivers. It might as well be murder but this doesn't seem to register with them.

 

Lesson for us is, you use the roads at your own risk. No one is coming to save you and if you die it would have been preventable but no one will care. It's bleak but the hard truth of sharing the roads with Thai people.

 

I think similar things happen all around the world to be honest- where ever you have poor quality roads. I have seen similar all over the world including America, Serbia, India, Britain, Italy. My recent visitors from the UK, both in their 70s couldn't believe how CALM the traffic was in Pattaya compared to Manchester! They described it like a "gentle shoal of fish".

[connda]

One of my favorite: 
You're driving down the road.  A car is parked in the opposite lane.  An oncoming car traveling in that lane pulls into your lane to pass the parked car with the intention that you'll get out of your lane, the you'll pull of onto the shoulder, or if there isn't enough room, you'll drive your car into the ditch to let him by - or else - he'll ram you head on.  It's suicidal but it happens all of the time.  A typical Western reaction is to slow down behind the parked car, allow the oncoming car to pass, and then pass the parked car when the opposite lane is clear.  That just doesn't happen here.  The fools will pull right into your lane to pass the parked car in their own lane and they are willing to smash into you in a head-on collision if you don't get out of their way.

Well - there is a reason why Thailand routinely is labeled as having "The Most Dangerous Roads In The World."

[NorthernRyland]

7 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

I think similar things happen all around the world to be honest- where ever you have poor quality roads. I have seen similar all over the world including America, Serbia, India, Britain, Italy. My recent visitors from the UK, both in their 70s couldn't believe how CALM the traffic was in Pattaya compared to Manchester! They described it like a "gentle shoal of fish".

 

sure, but it's endemic in Thailand. The difference is Thailand makes literally zero effort to enforce driving rules. After decades of driving they still don't have even the most basic of enforcement in place and let dangerous drivers do as they please.

 

 

[Furioso]

When I got to Thailand I was pretty happy they made me go through a pretty rigorous process to get a motobike license. The 50 question test was a little challenging, a couple of people I knew didn't pass it the first time. 

 

And then, once I got my motorbike license I find out that the police are nowhere to be found. They DO NOT enforce the rules no wonder everybody breaks every rule. What's the pushishment for driving down the wrong lane? What's the punishment for swiping your mirror? What's the punishment for not even wearing a helmet? 

 

It's a dang white line nightmare!

[still kicking]

18 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

I think similar things happen all around the world to be honest- where ever you have poor quality roads. I have seen similar all over the world including America, Serbia, India, Britain, Italy. My recent visitors from the UK, both in their 70s couldn't believe how CALM the traffic was in Pattaya compared to Manchester! They described it like a "gentle shoal of fish".

Thailand

Asia

32.2

  

Australia

Oceania

4.54

[NorthernRyland]

29 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

I almost had an accident on the 11 Motorway. It passes by this side street. This idiot woman came out with half her car IN the motorway. Only by the grace of God and my superhuman reflexes was I able to brake on time. 

 

I beeped her and gesticulated so angrily  she meekly withdrew in her lane. Close one.

 

This is so common I opened a crash compilation and found one within seconds. 

 

This truck got out across the road but the other car had to swerve to avoid it and crashed head on with another car. Possible fatalities.

 

Their idea seems to be once they get out in the road it's your duty to avoid them.

 

 

 

[NorthernRyland]

1 minute ago, still kicking said:

Thailand

Asia

32.2

  

Australia

Oceania

4.54

 

No one should need to see stats to know there's a serious problem happening here. Even stats don't tell the full story. These are usually not even accidents but gross negligence, like passing around a blind turn going up a steep hill. If it was once and while it would be another matter but it's every day.

 

[Cameroni]

40 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

not so uncommon.

 

And I was going 80, motorway speed, but suddenly half this car emerges in the road. You have to really know the roads and then slow down accordingly where you know these side roads are. I take the middle lane when I pass by there.

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

And I was going 80, motorway speed, but suddenly half this car emerges in the road. You have to really know the roads and then slow down accordingly where you know these side roads are. I take the middle lane when I pass by there.

Oh the 11 is the "super highway". I had to look it up. Yeah people pulling out into that is crazy but of course it does happen. Thai's tend to move like schools of fish to weave around the cars pulling out. Probably why so many people go in the right lane even when they're driving slow because they're sick of weaving around and just want to drive straight.

[Furioso]

Just try to stay far left and keep it under 40kmph. Survival NOT guaranteed. 

[Cameroni]

1 minute ago, NorthernRyland said:

Oh the 11 is the "super highway". I had to look it up. Yeah people pulling out into that is crazy but of course it does happen. Thai's tend to move like schools of fish to weave around the cars pulling out. Probably why so many people go in the right lane even when they're driving slow because they're sick of weaving around and just want to drive straight.

 

That's one of the things that really annoys me actually. It doesn't just happen on the motorway, also in normal roads these cars think it's okay to just half park on the road they're  merging onto.

 

Obviously they think that will get them out faster. They don't understand they can cause major accidents.

[NorthernRyland]

3 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

That's one of the things that really annoys me actually. It doesn't just happen on the motorway, also in normal roads these cars think it's okay to just half park on the road they're  merging onto.

 

Obviously they think that will get them out faster. They don't understand they can cause major accidents.

 

Honestly this probably one of the most common ways to get hurt for newcomers. If you were to simply think you had right of way and drove straight in the left lane you will have a crash in no time.

 

The speed limits (not that they're followed anyways) are often 90k even on roads with side roads. You better be prepared to swerve around cars nudging out into the road because that's guaranteed to happen. This would be such an easy thing to give people tickets for but of course that's never going to happen.

[Cameroni]

6 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

Honestly this probably one of the most common ways to get hurt for newcomers. If you were to simply think you had right of way and drove straight in the left lane you will have a crash in no time.

 

The speed limits (not that they're followed anyways) are often 90k even on roads with side roads. You better be prepared to swerve around cars nudging out into the road because that's guaranteed to happen. This would be such an easy thing to give people tickets for but of course that's never going to happen.

 

If you're going at a good speed and suddenly this car emerges half in the road it's a very dangerous situation. I think when some of these Thais drive extra slow, they must have experience and a reason for doing so. The slower you go the lower that risk.

[NorthernRyland]

6 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Honestly this probably one of the most common ways to get hurt for newcomers. If you were to simply think you had right of way and drove straight in the left lane you will have a crash in no time.

 

 

 

 

Found another one. Cars pull out in front of the trailer so the truck doesn't see them in time, gets hit and loses control and hits a motorbike. Very common thing to be on the lookout for.

[riclag]

1 hour ago, connda said:

One of my favorite: 
You're driving down the road.  A car is parked in the opposite lane.  An oncoming car traveling in that lane pulls into your lane to pass the parked car with the intention that you'll get out of your lane, the you'll pull of onto the shoulder, or if there isn't enough room, you'll drive your car into the ditch to let him by - or else - he'll ram you head on.  It's suicidal but it happens all of the time.  A typical Western reaction is to slow down behind the parked car, allow the oncoming car to pass, and then pass the parked car when the opposite lane is clear.  That just doesn't happen here.  The fools will pull right into your lane to pass the parked car in their own lane and they are willing to smash into you in a head-on collision if you don't get out of their way.

Well - there is a reason why Thailand routinely is labeled as having "The Most Dangerous Roads In The World."

Some Thai’s are selfish when driving!

 

[riclag]

I was parked at Robinson’s with my car in between two cars one in front & one behind!

I watched this  pedestrian walking towards my  parking area ! My first thought was , I bet he’s gonna walk behind my car as Im backing up to get space in front of me so I can pull out!

Yup!

 

Ya have to be  one step ahead of idiots!

[proton]

I refuse to drive here, I let the Mrs do it

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, Cameroni said:

I almost had an accident on the 11 Motorway. It passes by this side street. This idiot woman came out with half her car IN the motorway. Only by the grace of God and my superhuman reflexes was I able to brake on time. 

 

I beeped her and gesticulated so angrily  she meekly withdrew in her lane. Close one.

That's why Thais avoid driving in the left lane on motorways.

 

I actually enjoy driving here, more than back in the USA.  Only real oops I had, as my fault, last year.  Been driving here for 25 years.

 

Can't say I've only been in one oops in the USA in 27 yrs of driving there.  Was in at least 2, where people pulled out in front of me, and my car got totaled both times, as did theirs.

 

I even got hit hard in a damn parking lot, while parked.  Been rear ended 3 times ... and not in a good way 

[Nemises]

6 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

Lesson for us is,

Do not ride motorcycles in Thailand. 

[scubascuba3]

I put it down to little to no training at the beginning. 

I see every day:

Overtaking on bends

 

pulling out without looking

 

pulling out at low speed 

 

not indicating

 

indicating a second before turning 

 

extreme low speed turning left

 

undertaking 

 

going through red lights

 

drunk driving

 

list goes on and on

[SAFETY FIRST]

7 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

A car will pass another car and take up the other lane pushing motorbikes off to the side. 

This was happening before you arrived, it's a good system 

 

It works if the motorbike is paying attention. 

The motorbike sees the oncoming car and pulls over to the left. 

It's not just on busy roads, soi Buakhou, baht buses are always stopped, only way for traffic to flow is overtake, I'm always pulling over for oncoming vehicles.