Thai Motor Car Driver

[Tony Clifton]

I do not think the driving is bad in thailand. Those who have problems must have very bad driving skills. I don't blame them though. They just have been over protected for too long.

When was the last time you saw an ophthalmologist?

[xyborg]

<br />

<br />this topic has been done to death..................<br />

<br /><br /><br /><br />It may have been done to death but new members arrive every day and some leave if all the old left what would they talk about. Just dont reply or read if you're not interetsed.<br />

<br /><br />But the OP isn't a new member ............<br /><br />so your point is?<br />

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Blimey do i really have to spell it out????

[Plus]

I think driving here reflects the general state of the society. No more no less.

[dominique355]

if you are in Rome, live like a Roman.....

so, if you are in Thailand, drive like a thai

I have been driving in Rome, and believe me, it's much less stubborn than here.

<br />this topic has been done to death..................<br />

<br /><br /><br />

It may have been done to death but new members arrive every day and some leave if all the old left what would they talk about. Just dont reply or read if you're not interetsed.

But the OP isn't a new member ............

so your point is?

The point I was trying to make was not such much the driving style per se, but rather the difference of behavior of these people when out of the car and when inside the car.

In Rome, in and out of the car the Italians are still the same, but the Thai is a totally different person. This, i don't understand.

[a2396]

Driving here is not that bad at all. Get used to it or take the train.

I don't know what planet you are on. Driving here in Thailand is, in one word, atrocious. I spent 25 years in law enforcement, the majority on the Highway Patrol and I would descibe the driving of quite a lot of Thai's as a 'pursuit gone crazy' particularly their driving after dark. I have lost count of the number of stupid and dangerous things I have encountered on the roads here, so much so that it is with trepidation that we ever venture out after midnight.

Whilst there are some courteous Thai drivers with reasonable ability to control a motor vehicle, unfortunately they are in the minority.

I don't agree, unless you are talking about Bangkok, which is like any other overcrowded city with an inadequade street network. I drive a motorcycle in KK, where I live and find the drivers mostly polite and civil compared to back home. I would never consider riding a motorcycle in USA. If you want to see rude, nasty and dangerous drivers go to Florida or Arizona. Hit & run has got to be a sport there. I used to see accidents every day and ususally got "flipped off" at least once a day by some impatient tailgater. Never has happened to me in 3 years in Thailand.

[Kinter]

After 5 years of driving both motorbikes and cars here, I agree that the standard of driving is awful (mainly due to absolutely no training or instruction), but I would have to say the old Jeckle an' Hyde thing happens just about everywhere. On the other side of the coin, there are plenty of relaxed bad drivers here too!

[wadsy]

Driving here is not that bad at all. Get used to it or take the train.

I don't know what planet you are on. Driving here in Thailand is, in one word, atrocious. I spent 25 years in law enforcement, the majority on the Highway Patrol and I would descibe the driving of quite a lot of Thai's as a 'pursuit gone crazy' particularly their driving after dark. I have lost count of the number of stupid and dangerous things I have encountered on the roads here, so much so that it is with trepidation that we ever venture out after midnight.

Whilst there are some courteous Thai drivers with reasonable ability to control a motor vehicle, unfortunately they are in the minority.

wow, a real traffic cop. cool. and he's afraid to go out at night.

Driving here is not that bad at all. Get used to it or take the train.

I don't know what planet you are on. Driving here in Thailand is, in one word, atrocious. I spent 25 years in law enforcement, the majority on the Highway Patrol and I would descibe the driving of quite a lot of Thai's as a 'pursuit gone crazy' particularly their driving after dark. I have lost count of the number of stupid and dangerous things I have encountered on the roads here, so much so that it is with trepidation that we ever venture out after midnight.

Whilst there are some courteous Thai drivers with reasonable ability to control a motor vehicle, unfortunately they are in the minority.

wow, a real traffic cop. cool. and he's afraid to go out at night.

Do you think hes lost his flashlight maybe ?

Driving here is not that bad at all. Get used to it or take the train.

I don't know what planet you are on. Driving here in Thailand is, in one word, atrocious. I spent 25 years in law enforcement, the majority on the Highway Patrol and I would descibe the driving of quite a lot of Thai's as a 'pursuit gone crazy' particularly their driving after dark. I have lost count of the number of stupid and dangerous things I have encountered on the roads here, so much so that it is with trepidation that we ever venture out after midnight.

Whilst there are some courteous Thai drivers with reasonable ability to control a motor vehicle, unfortunately they are in the minority.

I don't agree, unless you are talking about Bangkok, which is like any other overcrowded city with an inadequade street network. I drive a motorcycle in KK, where I live and find the drivers mostly polite and civil compared to back home. I would never consider riding a motorcycle in USA. If you want to see rude, nasty and dangerous drivers go to Florida or Arizona. Hit & run has got to be a sport there. I used to see accidents every day and ususally got "flipped off" at least once a day by some impatient tailgater. Never has happened to me in 3 years in Thailand.

I'll take ur comments tongue in cheek as I asume it was meant to be. You will note on the OP the word 'we' - when I said its with intrepidation that 'we' ever venture out at night - by this I'm talking about my family, young children in the car. Not a case of losing a flashlight or afraid to go out a night but I do not like to place my family in jepody if I can help it.

I don't know about KK or other country areas but I live in Chiang Mai and am talking about driver behaviour there. I have been to Bangkok and see the same attitude there as well. 'Never has happened to me in 3 years in Thailand.' - come visit CM and see what I'm talking about.

[intumult]

There are idiots and road rage the world over.

Personally I think it is great fun to drive in Thailand

[meemiathai]

I do not think the driving is bad in thailand. Those who have problems must have very bad driving skills. I don't blame them though. They just have been over protected for too long.

When was the last time you saw an ophthalmologist?

Oops sorry. I forgot there were people who find walking on uneven pavements dangerous.

Let me put my seat belts on first. Sitting in front of computers could get dangerous sometimes.

[technocracy]

The point I was trying to make was not such much the driving style per se, but rather the difference of behavior of these people when out of the car and when inside the car.

In Rome, in and out of the car the Italians are still the same, but the Thai is a totally different person. This, i don't understand.

Yep - I think may people are missing the point entirely!

My wife is the same - she's as timid and friendly easy going person you could ever meet - but put her behind the wheel of a car . . . the red mist decends and all hel_l breaks loose!

I haven't quite work it out - I have to keep telling her to relax and just go with the flow a bit more, yes sometimes agressive/defensive driving is required just not all the time she's behind the wheel!

But more often than not though it just seems to be sheer ignorance of the fact that there is other road users (how dare they indeed!) - they don't think first, just do - without a glance or a look towards the mirror . . . and regularly die for it!

At least the wife does look and is actually a safe driver - just the red mist decends and a strings of abusive regularly get aimed at someone on the road . . . with the window open!

[torrenova]

They don't know how to drive nor do they possess the grey matter to learn.

They have no concept of spacial awareness, they do not know how to "read" the road, they have no ability to judge speed and mirrors are just a waste of time.

An example from today. I am at a traffic light on a Soi off Sukhumvit waiting to go left. There is traffic so I cannot just go out when it is red. I am indicating left. A girl on her bike, no helmet, no indicators is stationary on my left. I slowly go forward and to the left. She wants to go straight, there is no right available so she drives into my truck. Luckily I am aware to the situation and manage to stop, beep the horn and she wakes up. I could just as easily have crushed her and if I had been Thai, that is exactly what would have happened.

[mikethevigoman]

The point I was trying to make was not such much the driving style per se, but rather the difference of behavior of these people when out of the car and when inside the car.

In Rome, in and out of the car the Italians are still the same, but the Thai is a totally different person. This, i don't understand.

Yep - I think may people are missing the point entirely!

My wife is the same - she's as timid and friendly easy going person you could ever meet - but put her behind the wheel of a car . . . the red mist decends and all hel_l breaks loose!

I haven't quite work it out - I have to keep telling her to relax and just go with the flow a bit more, yes sometimes agressive/defensive driving is required just not all the time she's behind the wheel!

But more often than not though it just seems to be sheer ignorance of the fact that there is other road users (how dare they indeed!) - they don't think first, just do - without a glance or a look towards the mirror . . . and regularly die for it!

At least the wife does look and is actually a safe driver - just the red mist decends and a strings of abusive regularly get aimed at someone on the road . . . with the window open!

I was shouting obscenities today at a guy on a bike that rode straight at me on the wrong side of the road, my 5 year old daughter says " daddy ,why are you shouting at that man, hes a long way away now and he cant hear you " ,.mmm.she must get it off her mothers side !

[onnut]

driving is fun over here, just need to concentrate on what you are doing.

the thing I dont like though are the tw-ts in the big four wheel drive vehcles that think they can intimidate other drivers in smaller cars to move over.

I give way to all sensible drivers, the di-kheads can wait. someone tailgating me really annoys me also, I normally stay put, sometimes slam on brakes to wake em up then drive off fast so I dont get shot

I drive home late friday nights often once off work and that is the worst time to drive in BKK, you see many drunks driving, more on bikes, that I dont like so drive very carefully.

[steves_the_1]

<br />this topic has been done to death..................<br />

<br /><br /><br />

It may have been done to death but new members arrive every day and some leave if all the old left what would they talk about. Just dont reply or read if you're not interetsed.

thats all fine and true , but isn't that what the search buttons for

[xyborg]

<br />

<br />this topic has been done to death..................<br />

<br /><br /><br /><br />It may have been done to death but new members arrive every day and some leave if all the old left what would they talk about. Just dont reply or read if you're not interetsed.<br />

<br />thats all fine and true , but isn't that what the search buttons for <img src="style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

Yes, but there are so many buttons, links, ads and sub forums on this site you'd be lucky to find it quickly. I didnt.

You can find virtually all the topics covered here have been mentiond before so if we adopt this "done to death" approach there will be no new posts. Even when its been done to death new points of view from newcomers can be interesting. There are many posts I dont look at rather than post its been done to death.

Now why o why o why do Thais....................................................

[Tony Clifton]

driving is fun over here, just need to concentrate on what you are doing.

the thing I dont like though are the tw-ts in the big four wheel drive vehcles that think they can intimidate other drivers in smaller cars to move over.

I give way to all sensible drivers, the di-kheads can wait. someone tailgating me really annoys me also, I normally stay put, sometimes slam on brakes to wake em up then drive off fast so I dont get shot

I drive home late friday nights often once off work and that is the worst time to drive in BKK, you see many drunks driving, more on bikes, that I dont like so drive very carefully.

I specialize in that one. Had a rehearsal last night. Brings 'em out of their stupor every time.

Once woke up in a Hyundai Accent on the motorway, it was pouring down hard, wife was doing 150 km/h

Let's just say we "had a talk"

[Cuban]

if you are in Thailand, drive like a thai

Some time ago someone said I drive like a Thai, last week I was told I was driving like a crazy Thai - Is this a compliment?

[lazeeboy]

Selfish pricks.

dont talk about me like that

[Tony Clifton]

if you are in Thailand, drive like a thai

Some time ago someone said I drive like a Thai, last week I was told I was driving like a crazy Thai - Is this a compliment?

Do you wait until darkness to turn on the lightsin order to save the battery?

[mikethevigoman]

if you are in Thailand, drive like a thai

Some time ago someone said I drive like a Thai, last week I was told I was driving like a crazy Thai - Is this a compliment?

Yes, you will go unnoticed !

[Cuban]

Do you wait until darkness to turn on the lightsin order to save the battery?

What lights? Do you mean flashing signal lamps when I drive through intersections? :-)

[madjbs]

Yes, driving at night can be scary, especially if you have dark tints on your windows. However I find driving in Bangkok during the day a piece of cake. Cars DO let you into their lanes etc.. all the time (often taxi drivers don’t). Also you are rarely going very fast so a serious accident is unlikely. Motorbikes are another matter all together, even slow speed accidents can be deadly. This is why the road death numbers are so high, there is allot of motorbikes here. If you’re a good driver I can’t see what the fuss is all about. Perhaps if you’re stuck in your western driving ways it’s going to be a big problem but if you drive like everyone else you get used to it very quickly.

BTW for all you that think the driving here is awful but have never actually driven here. I found everything seems much worse when you are standing on a bridge above the road or on the sidewalk. Even being in a taxi feels worse.

Oh and DM in my first post I was saying it wasnt that bad here compared to allot of other places.

Edited October 9, 2007 by madjbs

[DamianMavis]

Ya that's what I hear many times, driving here (although crazy to me) is ten times safer than some other countries heh. The stuff that freaks me out is things like: why are so many drivers not in a lane? Alot of people ride the line and stay in 2 lanes at once, or drive on the shoulder at break neck speeds with almost no room between them and the wall and them and the cars in an actual lane. Lot of lane wandering too, hallf in one lane and half in another, slowly drifitng into one whole lane but THEN... slowly drift back into 2 lanes at once.... this is all REAL dangerous.

Damian Mavis

[madjbs]

Yep you’re probably right. However if you just completely ignore the lanes yourself it all seems much better

On the whole I have found the majority of car drivers are quite alert, they are used to having motorbikes surrounding them. Driving motorbikes in the west can be even worse than here due to the half asleep drivers everywhere (and most bikers in the U.K drive like lunatics anyway). There is always the dangerous dozen though that seem to think they are driving some kind of bat mobile.

Edited October 9, 2007 by madjbs