Stop Signs

[punisher]

Question, if there is a stop sign ahead,that means a vehicle has to stop in any case,or does it matter which side the street comes from?It is a 2way stop,i noticed vehicles what come from the right side never stop,they even honk at me if I go after I was first at the stop sign on the street what comes from the left side.In case everybody has to stop at a stop sign,what is the rule,who can go first,is it like in the USA,who comes first can go first?

[Thaiboxer]

Technically, it should be that way anywhere in the world, but as you see, it can be pretty chaotic here! Sometimes, the "main road" side (bigger road) will consider themselves to have the right of way. Also, the "might is right" rule is always there; the bigger and/or more expensive set of wheels will try to go first and you're usually expected to give way. Motorcyclists often feel as if they own the road and thus will shoot straight out from nearly anywhere without looking. Having driven here for five years, I've seen my share of crazy driving. I'm from South Florida which is not a nice place to drive but it's heaven compared to Bangkok!

[punisher]

Well i agree fully with you,but still think there must be a written rule somewhere,I am very relaxed driver here in Thailand,but that with the ignored stop signs makes me really mad!!!

[Thaiboxer]

Punisher...the ignored stop signs (among other crazy things) is very commonplace here. You'll have to adopt some of the driving techniques here if you want to keep stress away! Many things they do here would get you in big trouble with motorists in the States.

[initiala4]

stop signs here = gooOOOOO! No need to look around!

[xbusman]

What stop signs???? They have stop signs here????

[chavy]

I think you should take the advice of Thaiboxer, adjust for a happier life. You could also post a similar question about "one" way streets. These road signs are largely ignored by the local population & they will take the shortest quickest route possible to get where they're going.

[MarcoH]

What stop signs???? They have stop signs here????

STOP sign? is that with red color octacon sign? what dos that mean=POTS?

Seriously,, in thailand, basically what ever the sign is, especially rural areas,, ppl do not take them as they where ment to be, so just adjust and live happily ever after, If one take up everything seriously here,, you will end it up with Hypetention....just layd back and enjoy,,,and drive safely

[BigSnake]

Slow down, look STOP if nesessary!! No kidding for real friend.

[monty]

I've given up long time ago on things like stop signs. I tend to slow down, but seldom stop altogether, just to be able to avoid accidents, regardless of the situation.

Survival on the Thai roads mainly means to able to see all possible lunatic maneuvers coming from the Thai (and farang!) drivers, and at all times be ready to take avoiding actions!

Biggest difference in driving style between me and my Thai wife is best illustrated by the following:

Whenever I see something slightly out of the ordinary, or some suspect movement happening either in front of me (like several cars in front) or behind me, I tend to slow down to give me that extra bit of reaction time IF they happen to initiate some weird and dangerous maneuver!

Without fail her reaction is "why you slow?".

My answer is "That bloke over there looks like he might suddenly do a U-turn, or some other silly maneuver".

Her answer "but he is not allowed to do that there, so why you slow!"

Well, I don't care he is allowed to do that or not, but I want to be ready if he does! That's how I managed several 100K's over 15 years without 1 single accident in Thailand!!! (apart from being rear ended once, and even that I saw coming, but didn't have any space to take avoiding action!!!

[Cuban]

I can fully understand road rage, comment on another man's choice of girlfriend/wife(partner) and it will be taken in good humor, likewise with his house, but comment on his driving and then it's personal. i think the same might apply when talking about driving as a topic.

My understanding is that to hold a driving licence and drive a car in most countries (western farang countries included) the driver does not have to be able to read or write.

This is one reason that almost all road signs (not direction signs) that relate to road law and warnings are only symbols. The types of road sign are broken down into themes like warning signs are yellow diamonds (curve ahead, beware children or X junction ahead) and speed enforcement are simple white circle with red border and a number.

The 'stop' sign is so important that here and in other countries they use the word, but to allow for those that can not read the word, the sign has it's own special shape the octangle. The idea is that the shape communicates the meaning and it can not be confused with another symbol.

Also the meaning of the sign is that the cars wheels should stop turning, to allow you time to look around the junction as it has been deemed so dangerous that extra care is required.

I wonder if the OP has asked the question based on the introduction of tens of these ignored signs that have popped up along the 'new' bypass road running North - South just to the East of Sukhmivt (sp) in Pattaya. I visted a friend that lives down that way over the weekend, it seems every junction has Stop signs posted on each road joining each junction, no wonder they are ignored.

The Thai driving laws say "Stop" means stop, but the over-riding practical experiance is that larger cars have right of way over motorbikes, as do trucks have right of way over cars, when the driver can see that he/she can get away with it.

As to the letter of the law whether the car on the right or left has priority, it might matter if it were enforced or if the law were enforced across all drivers.

I had a question once about a Thai road sign I had not seen before, I asked the local police about it they did not know, I tried the nearby Traffic Police offices they did not know either. After asking the instructor at the office where my OH got her licence who also had no idea I concluded that the only people that know (maybe)is the office that make road signs, I'll see one being put up one day and ask them.

[Thaiboxer]

It must be fun to be a bus driver in Bangkok; they have virtually no rules. Racing, swerving in/out of lanes and stopping in the middle of the road are commonplace.

The green minibuses are the worst. They often hit the gas hard before passengers have a chance to sit down/hold on which causes lots of people to be thrown towards the back. I've seen many green buses overloaded to the point where the rear end is close to the road and the conductor has to get off the bus and back on again through another door in order to collect fares.

[intumult]

Slow down, look STOP if nesessary!! No kidding for real friend.

Slow down (if you feel like it) Look (???) Stop (mai Khao Jai) !! Sounds more like Thai driving

[Thaiboxer]

I've seen a big increase in the number of stay dogs that have been turned into pizzas on the roads. Cats have quicker reflexes than dogs, but with traffic being as crazy as it is, I would have thought there would be more kitty carcasses around. I guess the cats have adapted a little better than their canine counterparts.

[siamkiwi]

Question, if there is a stop sign ahead,that means a vehicle has to stop in any case,or does it matter which side the street comes from?It is a 2way stop,i noticed vehicles what come from the right side never stop,they even honk at me if I go after I was first at the stop sign on the street what comes from the left side.In case everybody has to stop at a stop sign,what is the rule,who can go first,is it like in the USA,who comes first can go first?

Dude! How long have you been driving in Thailand? Stop signs (depends if you're in Bkk) are optional. The biggest vehicle has the right of way!