While riding on the sub-soi...  I ride down the middle of my lane...  so I have an option to move left or right, as needed, when there are drains etc... or protect myself if a vehicle appears as though it will pull out from the left... 

 

But...  Some fool will always pull out from a side street right next to me and nearly hit me, as they think two bikes riding next to each other per one lane is perfectly fine....  (its not when one needs to take evasive action).

 

 

Another, while I was turning right (from a T-junction) a kid on a bike tried to time it so he could pull out, turning right behind me (from the road I was turning into).

He timed it poorly and hit my numberplate.  He stopped, apologised, he was about 12 or 13...  no real damage to my my bike, just a bent number plate that he caught his foot on (I could bend the number plate back).

Very doubtful he would have learned a think from the minor incident. 

I learned that riders here will just pull out into you - but I knew that anyway !.

 

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Agree with BritMan....don't ever do that again.

 

Get a camera, front and rear...essential.

 

Drive like they will do that all the time. On long stretches I drive behind a vehicle doing a decent speed and sit there...... better they have a head on than me.

 

I drive about 10 mins a day and have four near misses a week.

 

Is there a traffic light yet in the daeng? 😁

8 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

I drive about 10 mins a day and have four near misses a week.

Take a driving course, then, appears that you need it.

 

No he doesn't....  It just appears that he drives on roads where there are plenty of other vehicles which are ridden or driven recklessly.

 

Every time I drive down my soi I can say I have a near-miss....  (narrow soi, one lane in each direction), cars are sometimes caught up in traffic... motorcycles trying to overtake....   When I'm heading out in the opposite direction the motorcycles will just drive straight towards me - almost as if they are playing chicken, forcing me to brake so the can slot back.... almost each time, if I haven't applied the brakes and come to a near stop to give them space, I would have clipped them with my front right side... (while they are on my side of the road).....  they really don't care - but I would call each one of those a near miss.

On 7/4/2025 at 8:33 AM, watgate said:

...My question is what experience or situation did anyone have which required drastic evasive measures or skill to avoid becoming another victim or statistic because of a blooming idiot who had no business being behind the  wheel of a vehicle?

 

This is quite common in Thailand.  Nothing writing home about.

On 7/4/2025 at 2:43 AM, richard_smith237 said:

 

I was minding my own business the other day driving about... and this crazy foreigner came speeding up the street and tried to drive into me... 

.... Then he followed for a bit while belting his horn...        utter loon !!! 

 

I've no idea what was wrong with him.....  

 

 

Probably an accurate replay from a Thai's point of view. This is simply the Thai way of driving. They don't stop and look, they simply turn left regardless. Even if they did look to see traffic they still pull out.

 

This happens multiple times daily driving here.

 

 

That style of pulling out without looking is by far the norm. I notice when someone actually looks first, it is so rare. Just always be prepared. Look both ways even on a one way street or lane on the highway. People will forgo going to the turn-around 1 klm down the road and go in the opposite lane to reach their destination. 

On 7/4/2025 at 1:33 PM, watgate said:

I was driving on a main road when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a driver pulled out of a side road, not stopping to look both ways to see if their was any cars coming from both directions. Luckily I was able to drastically swerve to the right side of the main road that I was driving on and just barely avoided from crashing into the imbecile who had pulled out without not looking before the driver entered the main road. I was livid and beeped my horn as the driver tried to speed away. I caught up to this car and was beeping my horn and the car was trying to make a fast get away. At some point I turned off and just muttered something about driving in Thailand amongst blithering idiots who should not be allowed to drive in Thailand. 

     My question is what experience or situation did anyone have which required drastic evasive measures or skill to avoid becoming another victim or statistic because of a blooming idiot who had no business being behind the  wheel of a vehicle?

Control yourself, man!!

On 7/4/2025 at 8:36 AM, BritManToo said:

Lucky for you he didn't jump out and shoot you in the head.

It's just not worth showing your white anger in SEA.

LOL! Correct! This could have ended BADLY!! 😆

How was driving in London?

On 7/4/2025 at 4:36 PM, BritManToo said:

Lucky for you he didn't jump out and shoot you in the head.

It's just not worth showing your white anger in SEA.

Very good point and so many carry knives in their car or bike these days. you've just got to bite your tongue and suck it up.

Yes, like others have mentioned here, happens every time you drive a few km's. But this morning it was a little different for me. I went to the bank and just as I turned into the entrance a m/b driven by a non-thai and young lady sitting behind  (no helmets). I wasn't about to back up as the main road was thick with traffic and not only that the exit was just a few meters away. Fortunately, a Thai bank guard came out of the toilet (on the left of m/b) and gestured the bike rider to use the exit. The bike rider gave me the 'v' sign as the guard waved me through. How pleasant, I thought.

On 7/4/2025 at 1:33 PM, watgate said:

I was driving on a main road when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a driver pulled out of a side road, not stopping to look both ways to see if their was any cars coming from both directions. Luckily I was able to drastically swerve to the right side of the main road that I was driving on and just barely avoided from crashing into the imbecile who had pulled out without not looking before the driver entered the main road. I was livid and beeped my horn as the driver tried to speed away. I caught up to this car and was beeping my horn and the car was trying to make a fast get away. At some point I turned off and just muttered something about driving in Thailand amongst blithering idiots who should not be allowed to drive in Thailand. 

     My question is what experience or situation did anyone have which required drastic evasive measures or skill to avoid becoming another victim or statistic because of a blooming idiot who had no business being behind the  wheel of a vehicle?

Personally, one bad incident in over 60 years.

This is a normal experience here.Yes I feel angry, my Thai partner gets more angry than me even. But I won't seek a confrontation, maybe her righteous anger helps me diffuse mine!

 

I also drove for 13 years in the UAE and found that useless Indian drivers were actually more dangerous than the crazy locals. Anticipation is the key. Try not to get involved in deep conversations with your passengers too, keep most of your brain on the road ahead. 😊

 

My father was a British School of Motoring driving instructor 60 years ago and he instilled road awareness in my before I even a teenager. I don't find myself being in close shaves very often but its impossible to avoid 100pct IMO. 

4 hours ago, wavodavo said:

Very good point and so many carry knives in their car or bike these days. you've just got to bite your tongue and suck it up.

From what me Thai friends say very few drivers will be carrying a gun but too many have one at home which they will retrieve if they have the chance.

Just now, Speedhump said:

From what me Thai friends say very few drivers will be carrying a gun but too many have one at home which they will retrieve if they have the chance.

from my experience a few do carry guns... but machetes are more common.

On 7/7/2025 at 6:45 AM, EVENKEEL said:

This is simply the Thai way of driving. They don't stop and look, they simply turn left regardless. Even if they did look to see traffic they still pull out.

A Thai friend does this while driving, and doesn't bother to look at all when crossing the road on foot. He says it's other people's responsibility to look out for him.

1 hour ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

A Thai friend does this while driving, and doesn't bother to look at all when crossing the road on foot. He says it's other people's responsibility to look out for him

Yes this applies also to roundabouts where many Thais just stop on the roundabout when they see a car approaching from the next entrance. My Thai lady says they just don't understand how roundabouts work,  partly true maybe and could cause them to be rear-ended elsewhere in the world but its cause is being wary of the unexpected from other drivers (drivers like your friend). You need to remain aware that Thais drive this way (in fact any and every way!) and you shouldn't have a lot of collisions. 🙏🏽

On 7/4/2025 at 1:33 PM, watgate said:

I was driving on a main road when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a driver pulled out of a side road, not stopping to look both ways to see if their was any cars coming from both directions. Luckily I was able to drastically swerve to the right side of the main road that I was driving on and just barely avoided from crashing into the imbecile who had pulled out without not looking before the driver entered the main road. I was livid and beeped my horn as the driver tried to speed away. I caught up to this car and was beeping my horn and the car was trying to make a fast get away. At some point I turned off and just muttered something about driving in Thailand amongst blithering idiots who should not be allowed to drive in Thailand. 

     My question is what experience or situation did anyone have which required drastic evasive measures or skill to avoid becoming another victim or statistic because of a blooming idiot who had no business being behind the  wheel of a vehicle?

Luck, some good reflexive action - unknown source! 

A wing and prayer and sheer good fortune + the knowledge that it will happen time and time again, as it has in the past 20 years!