The worst thing I see on Thai roads

[daveAustin]

The oncoming vehicle into your lane is annoying, but reckon the most infuriating move is being overtaken only for the driver or rider to then slow and turn off, cutting you off in the process. It is probably the dumbest move here (not being able to preempt their move and slow down instead of the passing the vehicle), but also happens ALL the time. 

That said, still prefer to drive here than in the over-regulated boring West. Hopefully that will assuage the ‘if you don’t like it go home’ numpties. 

[FolkGuitar]

I ride a motorbike every day. And at least 2-3 times a week I just barely manage to stay alive because car and truck drivers are passing on blind curves, passing at the crest of a hill, and generally driving like dicks!

 

Anyone on the Thai roads today will realize there are no cops patrolling the roads looking for unsafe driving. There are no cops at intersections stopping drivers from jumping red lights or making left turns from the right lane. There are no cops at the fresh markets in your neighborhood, where there is ALWAYS a traffic jam because of double and triple parking. There are few cops on the roads working to keep people safe. Just road blocks set up to collect helmet money.

 

Many wonder why?

[Cameroni]

8 hours ago, KhunLA said:

hat'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

 

I will definitely use the middle lane where I see side streets going forward and slow down.

 

You of course live in a low population place, so driving must be nice. I'm in Chiang Mai, which is not as bad as Bangkok but can get busy and crazy at times. But I've driven for 2 years now and no asccident. I actually like driving here as well. You adjust to the crazy.

 

 

[NorthernRyland]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

extreme low speed turning left

 

 

even my wife honks at people for doing this. It's so slow you'd think they were playing games with you.

[NorthernRyland]

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

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. 

 

 

You're been in Thailand too long I guess. The idea is that you need to pay attention at all times and negotiate cars in your lane going at high speeds. If this doesn't work out for some reason then you die and it's your fault. Lovely system and it keeps the traffic going.

[Hummin]

11 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

 

11 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

 

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.

 

 

If a truck passes you in a 14% hill, you need a bigger bike

 

keep traffic behind you eliminating one problem. I sold my big bikes and from now we transports the dirt bikes on our pick up, and ride dirt roads mainly. So many spectacular routes all over thailand to choose from, and can go for days without hitting heavy trafficked roads, especially in north

[NorthernRyland]

55 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

I ride a motorbike every day. And at least 2-3 times a week I just barely manage to stay alive because car and truck drivers are passing on blind curves, passing at the crest of a hill, and generally driving like dicks!

 

 

 

Like this? I saw this and I know exactly where it is, road to Pai filled with minivans. Driver passes and fills the other lane, the other van  is cresting a hill, swerves a little, loses control and hits the minivan in the opposite lane.  

 

@SAFETY FIRSTHere's an example of that clever driving technique where you pass and make the other vehicles  move out of your way for you. yeah it works until it doesn't and then people die. 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorthernRyland]

6 minutes ago, Hummin said:

If a truck passes you in a 14% hill, you need a bigger bike

 

keep traffic behind you eliminating one problem. I sold my big bikes and from now we transports the dirt bikes on our pick up, and ride dirt roads mainly. So many spectacular routes all over thailand to choose from, and can go for days without hitting heavy trafficked roads, especially in north

 

 

This is a bicycle. Yeah there are other roads with basically no traffic but realistically you're going to be on both. Look, this road is already very remote but the drivers here are uniquely dangerous. 

 

Here's the location of that bend in the first post.

 

 

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

I will definitely use the middle lane where I see side streets going forward and slow down.

 

You of course live in a low population place, so driving must be nice. I'm in Chiang Mai, which is not as bad as Bangkok but can get busy and crazy at times. But I've driven for 2 years now and no asccident. I actually like driving here as well. You adjust to the crazy.

I did live in Amphur Muang, Udon Thani, along with exploring the whole country, more than a few times.   10 yrs running UT to Phuket, 2X a year.

 

From the dashcam ...

... If they are not trying to kill you .... 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hummin]

2 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

 

This is a bicycle. Yeah there are other roads with basically no traffic but realistically you're going to be on both. Look, this road is already very remote but the drivers here are uniquely dangerous. 

 

Here's the location of that bend in the first post.

 

 

Oh, we all choose our challenges and risks, bicycle is nothing I would risk my life for in Thailand. To risky

[seajae]

11 hours 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."

This happens all the time but they usually flash their lights to let you know to slow down and move off the road as they will not let you stay on the road while they pass the parked car and will not slow down or stop. The other one that happens all the time is they move to your side of the road on right hand turns in the road, rather than stay on their side they cut the corner because its easier for them, I have had to swerve several times over the years to avoid a head on, they will use the other lane(s) on roads to cut corners rather than slow down even on multi lane highways. They also do this if there is a puddle of water on their side of the road, they just swerve to your side to go around it with no indicator or slowing down, lost a mirror to one that did it, they just kept driving and never stopped, the thai mentallity is  they can do what ever they please on the roads and everyone else has to let them, even motor bike riders have the same mind set but this is Thailand so its to be expected another reason my wife drives most times

[realfunster]

25 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

even my wife honks at people for doing this. It's so slow you'd think they were playing games with you.

 

True but to be fair the left turners are often facing unseen to us hazards when entering the side road, double parked cars, food carts, packs of dogs and random motorbikes etc.

 

On a similar note, one of my faves is the car drivers (using the term loosely) who swing out right a few feet to do their left turn, it's a classic. Especially appreciated on dual carriageways when you are bombing along at 80kmph in outer lane. 

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Oh, we all choose our challenges and risks, bicycle is nothing I would risk my life for in Thailand. To risky

 

That one road really is too dangerous. I try to avoid it as well as cycling less anywhere in the city now. I survived for 20 years already but still that one particular bend really makes me nervous.

[Andre0720]

12 hours ago, it is what it is said:

 

you could always go home

 

The problem with your comment is that 'If someone goes home, it would not stop the carnage on the roads here'.

Perhaps you could rephrase to remove the fallacy.......

[NorthernRyland]

16 minutes ago, seajae said:

This happens all the time but they usually flash their lights to let you know to slow down and move off the road as they will not let you stay on the road while they pass the parked car and will not slow down or stop.

 

It's the driving equivalent of being pushed out of the way. Reminds me of this classic Simpsons scene too. 😂

 

 

[hotsun]

The worst part being that here its sometimes completely out of your control. I will never get on a motorbike again

[NorthernRyland]

22 minutes ago, seajae said:

the thai mentallity is  they can do what ever they please on the roads and everyone else has to let them

 

 

 

Indeed, this is the essence of the "pass and push" move they love so much. Why wait in traffic when you can pass all the drives in the other lane and push the other people off the road maybe killing them (like in the clip above).

 

These are nice people, land of smiles etc... but they need help with manors on  the road.

 

 

[alien365]

The worst thing I see is motorbike riders with a baby in hand or a very young child. It terrifies me to think what would happen if they crashed into me. 

[henryford1958]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

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

 

A lot of those things are just common sense, you don't need training. Hard to believe what they are thinking, oh drive through a red light no problem !

[FolkGuitar]

I will not drive down in East Thailand any longer. The drivers passing all the cane trucks simply don't give a damn if anyone is coming in the other lane. They are going to pass the cane truck regardless! I was forced onto the shoulder (thank God there was one!) at least 4 times in less than two hours by 'strings' of cars passing the cane trucks. They just don't care, or perhaps even realize they are going to die too.

[PJ71]

Why don't you do something about it if you're so concerned?

 

Start preaching at schools / offices / hospitals?

 

Or do nothing and continue to moan about it, like you're doing.

[FolkGuitar]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

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

I see every day:

,,,,,,, sniped only for brevity.

 

While I agree there is virtually no 'good' driver training going on,
it's 'my' opinion that most of these driving infractions would be significantly reduced if police were on the roads giving on-the-spot fines (so the drivers KNOW why they are paying) for these offences, and vehicles impounded for recurrences.
Thailand: It's time to sh!t or get off the pot. You aren't saving lives by letting people drive dangerously.

[stupidfarang]

Thais like to take short cuts on the road, example crossing the yellow line on a corner, or coming over into your lane right next to you as you both go around a bend. It is crazy here yet if you live here long enough you know how it is and what to expect.

 

I do remember traveling in India, the rule was if the vehicle is bigger than you, they have the right of way. On an 14hour bus journey, the driver would stop every so often, jump out at a roadside shrine and do a prayer, while I was in the back of the bus doing a prayer to every god under the sun.

[garygooner]

So many terrible & dangerous sights on Thai roads. For example: 

Thai family all on a motorbike, two kids not wearing helmets.

Motorbike or car driver using their phone.

Cars & motorbikes overtaking on the inside lane.

A car stops for a pedestrian on a crossing, but other vehicles don't stop. 

 

[Ralf001]

Anyone understand what the issue is that the OP is trying to explain ?

[NorthernRyland]

7 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Anyone understand what the issue is that the OP is trying to explain ?

 

I posted a video and followed it up with even more videos later. What's more to explain? 

 

All I'm saying is it's bad and can get you killed, even if you're careful at all times.

[NorthernRyland]

8 hours ago, PJ71 said:

Why don't you do something about it if you're so concerned?

 

Start preaching at schools / offices / hospitals?

 

Or do nothing and continue to moan about it, like you're doing.

 

I'm sure that would go over well. I'm entirely sure they do not care or are helpless to solve it and would be none too pleased having some pesky foreigner show up in their public meetings and complain.

 

In fact last year I actually had a talk with Thai guy about a public meeting for the district and I told him my complaints about road safety. He actually told me so much, yeah they don't talk about that kind of thing. It would be interesting to go and see what kinds of things are on their agenda. Probably how to spend the tax money is my guess.

 

Point of the post is too highlight how this can get you killed and have video examples even of when it goes wrong. Just sharing is all.