Psycho Fast Taxi

[RueFang]

I got a taxi from Sathorn Road to Suvanabhumi Airport on Wednesday afternoon at 4.20pm and arrived at the airport at about 4.37pm. Is this some kind of record or nothing special at all?? I just ask because I was seriously fearing for my life travelling at 140 km/hr in semi heavy traffic, ducking and weaving, going up the outside non-lane. I actually told him that I would give him a bigger tip if he slowed down and he said with a big smile looking at me in the rear view mirror whilst not slowing down "oh, mai me pen ha"..he had to get the car back to his 'friend' before 5 pm which was obviously way more important then getting a big tip and living! I'm not new to Thailand so I know bus/taxi/minivan drivers can be insane drivers but this was the first time in over 3 years that I have literally feared for my life enough to ask him (bribe him!) to slow down. Scary stuff!

[tw25rw]

I got a taxi from Sathorn Road to Suvanabhumi Airport on Wednesday afternoon at 4.20pm and arrived at the airport at about 4.37pm. Is this some kind of record or nothing special at all?? I just ask because I was seriously fearing for my life travelling at 140 km/hr in semi heavy traffic, ducking and weaving, going up the outside non-lane. I actually told him that I would give him a bigger tip if he slowed down and he said with a big smile looking at me in the rear view mirror whilst not slowing down "oh, mai me pen ha"..he had to get the car back to his 'friend' before 5 pm which was obviously way more important then getting a big tip and living! I'm not new to Thailand so I know bus/taxi/minivan drivers can be insane drivers but this was the first time in over 3 years that I have literally feared for my life enough to ask him (bribe him!) to slow down. Scary stuff!

Had one like that from Don Mueang to Suk Soi 4 recently.. No more than 20 mins.. Talked on the phone for half of it. Was glad to get out alive, but at least it was a short trip..

[cmsally]

If bribery doesn't work, I would tell them you are recovering from brain surgery and travelling at high speeds is not allowed makes you incredibly sick and you will definitely throw up all over the taxi, not to mention you might become incredibly ill and might need to be hospitalised.

Normally I don't lie but if my life is in danger I can become incredibly good at it.

[bulmercke]

There are no excuses.

Any taxi driver who behaves like this - where you are 'forced' to sit there and take one's life in one's hands - is a wanke_r.

[RueFang]

I was surprised he didn't even care about the money offer to slow down, so much for money talking in Thailand! I imagine whoever he had rented/borrowed the taxi from had threatened to do him damage if he didn't have it back on time, is the impression I got.

[vegas]

I assume he took the expressway?

[Heng]

This is the kind of experience that one should reflect on (other versions involve: rain slicked streets, Red Bull, and fidgety 'on yaa baa' type behaviour by the taxi driver... sometimes all at the same time), when you hear folks say "why would you want to have your own car in Bangkok?"

[bulmercke]

I was surprised he didn't even care about the money offer to slow down, so much for money talking in Thailand! I imagine whoever he had rented/borrowed the taxi from had threatened to do him damage if he didn't have it back on time, is the impression I got.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience RueFang. This would have - undoubtedly - upset me.

In fact - I have experienced the same on several ocassions before.

I'm waiting for a poster to suggest that you should have - indeed - got out of the taxi and got another - but if truth be told - under the circumstances - it is usually more convenient and easier to simply just sit there and grin and bear it - and put it down to bad luck.

Better luck next time!

[RueFang]

I assume he took the expressway?

Yep, that's the only time he was forced to slow down to pay the tolls

I'm waiting for a poster to suggest that you should have - indeed - got out of the taxi and got another - but if truth be told - under the circumstances - it is usually more convenient and easier to simply just sit there and grin and bear it - and put it down to bad luck.

It actually wasn't possible to get out of the taxi as I don't think anything would have made him pull over at the speeds he was going. I should mention my Thai husband was also in the taxi being quite embarrassed by my vocal behaviour and by me telling him to put his seat belt on (even though you can't clasp them) at least half way over you is better then nothing. I'm very laid back usually but this was a pretty full on experience. Why don't Thais freak out about dying in car accidents (husband was chilled as a cucumber, only upset by MY reactions !)

Edited February 22, 2008 by RueFang

[sbk]

Your story reminds me of the time my husband and I took a taxi to Don Muang. He was going about 160 on Vipavadee-Rangsit Road, not the expressway. Fortunately it was about 4am so the traffic wasn't too heavy. My husband didn't say anything either. Mainly, he told me later, because he didn't want to distract the guy's attention from the road, figured if the guy got distracted the result could be very bad.

[DragonQuest]

I have experienced this, and I nearly had a heart attack myself, the meter hit 91 Baht, he turned it off and said"You Give Me 100 Baht" I said ok as long as I got out quickly" .

[gunnyd]

I have had more "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" style trip in the metered taxis in BKK than I would like. It seems that there are 2 kinds of trips in a taxi: Totally Psychotic or Snail Crawl. I am just happy they maintain the roads. The taxi drivers in The Philippines drive like it's a NASCAR race (F1 for the OZs and Brits) on roads that are more pothole than pavement, little to no signals or signage. Tinted windscreens, no headlights, various improvised vehicles and pedestrians on the road make BKK seem like a quiet country drive. GunnyD

[dee123]

....... ....could of been worse,....could of been a lady driver

[dee123]

.......or hurtling round the hills of chaing mai on a nightbus with a drunk copper siting on your arm rest with his gun pointing at your crut ch...

[Tony Clifton]

I drive.

No one else drives me.

Not even my wife.

What's wrong with ordering the taxi to "stop here!" and getting out?

[Mossfinn]

Been there RueFang and it is scary.

If going on a longer journey always tell the guy before you start, that you want a safe journey, not a Scalextric one, usually works, but I have a strange feeling, this just wouldn't have worked on this occasion.

Moss

[Khun Jean]

I always pick the 'old guys', but not too old.

Most of the time they drive normal and careful.

[dee123]

.....same same Khun Jean,.....great minds think alike......

[LaoPo]

Your story reminds me of the time my husband and I took a taxi to Don Muang. He was going about 160 on Vipavadee-Rangsit Road, not the expressway. Fortunately it was about 4am so the traffic wasn't too heavy. My husband didn't say anything either. Mainly, he told me later, because he didn't want to distract the guy's attention from the road, figured if the guy got distracted the result could be very bad.

I had exactly the same FAST trip but this time on the expressway and it was around 01.00 AM; she was a very good but VERY fast driver and I already saw the neon-signs 'Don Muang International Airport'.......

I shouted at her because she didn't notice -yet- the accident just some 60-70 meters in front of us......she just missed the truck on it's side by a couple of cms....

Happy I'm able to tell the story...but I never called her again....

LaoPo

[chiang mai]

Wheee, another taxi thread and just in time, I was getting withdrawal symptoms.

[Ta22]

Love story of insane driver ,

i for myself come across a few special driver myself ,

i once board a Evo 8 Modify race Taxi . Is a real EVo 8 . With enough Neon light in it with large speedometer , from . Defi , and shining mag , i did not really notice till i board the taxi near Pharam 9 . heading to Shukumvit -soi 100 +

Is about 11 pm and you can feel the cars zooming nad you can't help to hold the handle on the roof .

That is the coolest ride i got ..

i once board a WRX in taiwan also ..

----------------------------------

recently i been doing survey on LPG >. so i enjoying talking to taxi driver about their feedback on LPG .. usually this slow their cars down cos there need to repy you and give out technical stuff or near history stuff..

one fine there i was doing my Survey again .. while i board from pharam 9 heading to Future rangist . on the highway .

i was asking how the perfoamance of the Car .. - and he is happily smiling and .. say he will show me ..

i got no idea he is .. boosting his car up to 160-170km ..whahahahahhahaha

man i got my balls hanging my wife is with me .. on the taxi .. so i keep .. saying is ok you no need to show me i get your point ..

i do enjoy driving fast . but the feeling of not being the driver really give you a balls tingering feeling

[Briggsy]

Most taxis drive carelessly, a minority drive dangerously. and I've had a handful out of thousands that could be charged under some equivalent of the English offence, "wanton and furious driving". I've noticed this driving is often accompanied by strange behaviour and conversation. I've suspected that these very crazy drivers may have taken amphetamines.

Don't be too polite and English. If you don't like it, just say "JORT" which means 'pull over'. It does not come naturally to me to shout instructions to people but it has to be done on rare occasions. I've done it on the 15m high elevated road coming out of Suvannaphum. Another taxi came along soon enough. He didn't even ask why I was waiting for a taxi in a most unusual location.

[girlx]

i have had so many crazy drivers on that trip to the airport that i now try to take the airport express bus as much as i can. even if it isn't much safer, if i sit in the back i can't tell how fast we are going/can't see the road. i also have had drivers going 160k laugh at me when i ask them to slow down. hate them, and i suggest reporting them. i was lucky the last time i had to get a taxi because i arrived at the aiport too late for the express bus- the man spoke good english and talked the whole ride about how irresponsible and unsafe most taxi drivers are. he stayed at a reasonable 80k the entire way. i gave him an extra big tip.

[TokyoT]

Actually this sounds like my kind of taxi driver. Many times I tell the driver I will tip more the faster they can get me to the airport. Rarely do I find one with the balls to take it up over 140 – still searching for one that can get it up over 160 consistently.

I did find one in Kaohsiung (that kept it up near 160) – but not yet in Thailand.

[Crossy]

I got one exactly the opposite a couple of years back, thank goodness Swampy wasn't open then or we'd still be en-route.

Mid evening arrival (so it's dark) from a meeting in Chiang Mai at Don Muang. Usual negotiation with the taxi lady finally got 'meter' to Pathum Thani (Bangkadi), she selected a suitable driver and off we went.

The old fellow looked ready to drop, his cab was almost as bad, seriously I don't think we got out of 2nd gear all the way, headlights on high pointed at the ground about 6 feet in front, I swear they pointed backwards on dip.

We went a most odd way, through various 'short-cuts' in parts of town I'd never been before (or since), finally got to somewhere I knew so I could direct him. Unfortunately the route involved doing a u-turn on Tiwanon road (3 very fast lanes each way), he chose to pull a yewie next to a sign with a big crossed out 'U' (the proper u turn is another 500m up the road), the resulting headlights, tyre smoke and air horns seemed to jolt him back to planet earth and we completed our trip in 4th gear.

When I paid him (meter plus a small tip) I noticed that his glasses were, erm, somewhat thick and one eye was off at an angle (possibly this compensated for the interesting headlamp alignment) I left him fumbling his way out of the moo bahn against the one-way system. He was a nice old chap, hope he lives to retire

[thaigerd]

Here are some pictures from my"personal taxi experience" some years ago in BKK.

As you can see it was a taxi from THAI LIMOUSINE SERVICE, hired at Don Mueang. The journey took only 20 minutes until it happened.

I was sitting on a backseat ........luckily with saftybelts on.

Police report later said: Reckless driving speeding etc, we took this company to the court, now after more than 6 years we are in the final stage to win our compensation for that accident

Gerd

[Who, me ?]

Just hope that this accident put an end to his driver career ! A way or another......... I am always amazed at how stupid those "drivers" can be...They should be at least more concerned than "average" drivers. This stands for bus, lorries "drivers" as well....Those "professional" are really the biggest risk on the road ....

[Heng]

I bet you could get some press coverage if it's a decent compensation... might make the roads a little safer.

[threelegcowboy]

A few years ago in Phuket from the airport to Patong I had a new Benz limo driver. He was driving so fast I just had to look and see how fast. 160KPH thats 100 miles an hour! I sat back and just thought how this was gonna read in the papers. LLL killed in Benz crash in Phuket. I did not say a word to him. We made it but......

[RueFang]

Wow Gerd, 6 years for compo! Hope it all goes your way and lucky you lived to tell the tale!