Are Asians In General The Worlds Worst Drivers?

[aehn]

I think they drive very well here actually.

It is how they choose to follow the rules that can vary a lot.

But as drivers, I think they are quite good.

PS. By asking if the Asians are.............is kind of general isnt it? Quite a few countries/nationalities included.

Most people around here does not have a problem with talking about Asians as one group of people, as long as we talk about Asians and not about brits or french people, now that is a totally different thing.

And then we dont even talk about a continent, but a single country, but still we are constantly reminded that not all are like that from that specific country.

[Bangyai]

So the general poll in America is that Asians are the worst drivers in the world.I have seen driving in India and its not better than here in Thailand, but thailand is really bad (I am sure we can fill countless pages of posts about thai driving).Can some one shed light into this? How is china? Do you really think Asians in general are the worst drivers??

Thanks

BK

If you're more used to driving on the right it probably seems worse than it is. I thought the driving in Rome was not much different to Bangkok...although to be fair...most big city centres are a bit frantic. Try crossing the road in Phnom Penh in the rush hour.Not for the faint hearted. Best to make out a will before you attempt it.

[MrHammer]

Short answer: YES

Long answer: Thais are not that bad compared to other countries, for one no road rage and horn hooting.

[b19bry]

Absolutely not. You've obviously never experienced the driving in the Middle East, here the drivers are the most aggressive and downright dangerous on the planet

Driving in Thailand is a doddle by comparison .

[faranglandoz]

You are quite right about, no road rage. Also most people will let you filter into their lane. Everybody does it all the time. Nobody tries to conform to any road rules, and overtaking in any lane seems to be the order of the day.

One thing lady Thai drivers seem very good at is reversing. They reverse into spaces all the time at shopping centres, where in Australia most people do not reverse into parking spaces.

Faranglandoz

[Thai at Heart]

You are quite right about, no road rage. Also most people will let you filter into their lane. Everybody does it all the time. Nobody tries to conform to any road rules, and overtaking in any lane seems to be the order of the day.

One thing lady Thai drivers seem very good at is reversing. They reverse into spaces all the time at shopping centres, where in Australia most people do not reverse into parking spaces.

Faranglandoz

Amazing what radars and blokes with whistles can help drivers to achieve. Anyone seen a Thai parallel park. I once sat for 10 minutes watching someone parallel parking a Yaris in a space twice the length of the car. Laugh of the day.

[IMA_FARANG]

So the general poll in America is that Asians are the worst drivers in the world.I have seen driving in India and its not better than here in Thailand, but thailand is really bad (I am sure we can fill countless pages of posts about thai driving).Can some one shed light into this? How is china? Do you really think Asians in general are the worst drivers??

Thanks

BK

Are you kidding? I spent 1977 to 1983 working in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis I saw then driving were the worst drivers in the world.

True story:

My friend Mike was driving on a 6 lame road with a grass divider in the middle. Off in the desert he saw a cloud of dust approaching at a high rate of speed. It turned out to be a Saudi teenager in a Datsun pickup truck. Mike realised that the driver intended to come on to the highway. Mike was doing about 100Km an hour, so he began to slow down, not sure what the Saudi was intending to do. The Saudi drove up on to the opposite side of the highway, came straight across the grass devider (bouncing into the air as he crossed it) and turned on the opposite side of the road to come at Mike, against the flow of traffic. Mike had slowed down enough to make a quick turn off the road into a filling station and come to a stop. The Saudi came across the highway, entering into the exit road. The Saudi then pulled up to the pumps, and ran into the front end of Mike's parked car before he came to a stop.

Our company had a Saudi interpreter we employed to talk to the Saudi police in the event of traffic accidents. The Saudi police interviewed both Mike and the Saudi driver about the accident. In the official accident report the Saudi teenager told the police that he was sorry he was going so fast, and that was why he couldn't stop before he hit Mike's parked car. He admitted to driving across the center devider and going the wrong direction on the road. The reason for all that was, according to the Saudi teenager, that his pickup trunk was almost out of gas, and he had to drive recklessly and at a high rate of speed to get to the filling station before he ran out of gas.

I had a photocopy of the official accident report and an English translation of the Arabic for a few years until I somehow lost it in my travels around the world.

Believe me, the Saudi drivers then were far worse than I have ever seen since in Thailand.

[petitechevre]

My dad told me when i was 4 to watch out for asians and women

12 years later i got my liscence, everytime i visited the liscence office, it would be 80% filled with asian.. and keep in mind that they had an office around the asian districts.. yet the non-asian districts were still packed with them (went there at least 35times in my life)

same goes for advanced math classes..

cant have everything in your genes

[Mr Jones]

I live in India at the moment, the driving test consists of, for a motorbike/scooter do a figure of eight without putting your foot down, answer 3 questions on the highway code + Rs500.

For a car, a hill start and reverse around a corner three questions on the highway code + Rs500

no Rs500 no pass

Edited August 25, 2008 by Mr Jones

[lioness]

I don't think Asians are the worst, try driving in Sri Lanka....

[silverhawk_usa]

I have to agree that driving in Thailand is pretty bad. BUT, I must also say that as a whole they exhibit considerable restraint considering (in the North) traffic enforcement of moving violations is non-existent. If you are not stopped for something at a checkpoint, you are not stopped! At night time there is NO policing outside the city and seldom any in the city, except again for the occasional helmet checkpoints. Why obey the speed limit? Why stop for a red light or wait for a green? Why not drive wherever you like? The police aren't there!

If you pulled the police off the streets at night in my home country it would be chaos and mayhem. I do give the Thais credit for that.

[dumball]

My impression over 5 years is a total lack of teaching when new to the road,and i also think the typical bad thai driver is very lazy and expects everybody to move away from his erratic driving.Without knocking thais in general but the best drivers i have seen here in Pattaya are some of my friends gf/wives who have been taught by the guys.

Maybe that will tell a story of how to be a decent driver.I am amazed how many thais cannot reverse too.

Personaly i think it is more a lack of concern for others , Thais tend to be ignorant of any form of ethicate , some of them just plain bloody ignorant , things like staring straight at you as you walk towards them , then stepping out right in front of you , blocking aisles and doorways in stores , pushing in front of you at the check-out , pure and simple ignorance . Bad drivers teaching others to (try) drive produces even worse drivers , add to this the Thai attitude of "I know , i know " and this should give you some sort of an answer .

[dumball]

Please drive in Houston before you come to the conclusion about Asians. In Houston a turn signal mean speed up and drive next to me so i cannot get over. I have to put on my right turn signal to merge left because the traffic will move to the right and block me when they see my blinker. As well drive in Japan where no matter how congested traffic is they allow you to merge that the whole of traffic moves more efficient. Incredibly courteous drivers in Japan that makes even the most congested traffic bearable and complete anarchy and chaos in Houston, so I don't agree.

I think you need a little driving instruction yourself , the use of a blinker/flasher does not give you the right to just cut in front of traffic because you ARE IN THE INCORRECT LANE TO TURN .

[Nignoy]

Worlds worst drivers are definitely the Swiss!!! and especially the drivers in the french speaking part of switzerland round Neuchatel, after driving there. anywhere in Asia especially Thailand is a doddle,even my english wife has no qualms about driving in thailand and malaysia,but the area round the lake at Neuchatel no way!!, impatient ,drunk, driving on the wrong side of the road, speeding, driving without lights and multivehicle pileups and that was I kid you not just the Police!!!I,m glad we were there in October and not in high tourist season, not a lot of tourists about, we got some great piccies of a police car stuck in the side of a parked bus,and a police booze bus on its side behind it , luckily no body was injured, this was slapbang in the town centre 9am in the morning, driving in thailand is entertaining to say the least but driving in switzerland never again!!

[fuzedcon]

Nothing worse than Dutch and Brits crossing the Alps.

[Spee]

So the general poll in America is that Asians are the worst drivers in the world.

Americans tend to be narrow-focused and inward looking and base their answers on limited experience. Some of the worst drivers in America are the old gits, who don't have to get retested. I think some Asians have trouble driving in America because they tend to be raised with a structured mentality and American roads are anything but structured and orderly. People generally don't obey the rules of the road and go where they want to go. I don't fault the Asians so much as I fault a culture that tolerates and accepts drivers that don't obey the rules of the road.

I think in general Americans are quick to rush to judgment and assign blame. Also, in America, driving is viewed as a right rather than a privilege. That fact combined with lack of regular re-testing, uninsured motorists, and massive influx of unlicensed illegal aliens are pushing the typical American road trip into a roll of the dice, in terms of safety and risk.

Only in America does one read stories of 90-year old geezers hitting the gas instead of the brake and plowing into pedestrians. How many stories have there been over the last 10-15 years where geezers have plowed into bus stops and killed people?

I've traveled to, worked in and driven many 10's of thousands of miles in many countries around the northern hemisphere, on both sides of the road, and with the steering wheel on either side of the car. My experiences reflect these views:

- US: say no more, see above; generally below par relative to many other countries; anything can and probably will happen at some point.

- Japan, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg: generally good to very good drivers (with the exception of some crazy two wheelers who choose to white-line on the motorways)

- Italy, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Romania, Thailand: What rules of the road? What lines on the road? Anything goes. The "wild, wild west" of driving in the civilized world.

The latter category reminds me of a taxi trip to the airport in Riyadh. The driver is speeding along the motorway at about 75mph, about 10-15 above the limit if I recall correctly. The traffic is fairly heavy. And along comes this guy doing about 90mph, flying past everyone on the HARD SHOULDER. I make a comment and the taxi driver smiles and says "We call that the 'Allah lane'." So I ask what do you mean by that? The driver says only by the grace of Allah shall one return from it.

[roamer]

I don't think Asians are the worst, try driving in Sri Lanka....

Hate to say this but last time I looked Sri Lanka was in Asia ?

[mikehunt]

East Europeans are worse then useless, the combination of drink driving and speeding in their shiney new BMW or Merc soon slows them down though.

A 10 GBP bribe is enough to pay the plod out there if caught.

The most dangerous place to cross the road on the entire planet has to be the intersection next to the entrance of Soi Cowboy, have they finished building the walkover yet????

[stander]

I have worked in many countries, but if we are talking continents I would have to say South America is a real scary place to drive, particularly Colombia.

For me Thais are not bad drivers in the actual sense of handling the vehicle they just lack discipline.

I actually enjoy driving here and find that I can predict most moves the locals will try.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

East Europeans are worse then useless, the combination of drink driving and speeding in their shiney new BMW or Merc soon slows them down though.

A 10 GBP bribe is enough to pay the plod out there if caught.

The most dangerous place to cross the road on the entire planet has to be the intersection next to the entrance of Soi Cowboy, have they finished building the walkover yet????

An interesting nickname. Posting rights suspended pending advice of a choice of a different nick.

[Hawkup2000]

Thais are very good drivers. Some of them are so good that they don´t even need driving lights at night.

[gzu88bv]

I cannot speak for Asia, since I do not know, but definitely for the Isaan.

I do not want to generalize, but usually driving up here in certain circumstances is rather dangerous indeed and no wonder, these guys never learned it properly. I f you do not agree then I invite you up here and I will show you what i.e. a driving test it is all about. Or parking a vehicle is not their strength either what you can observe every day.

[grtaylor]

Not if you have ever been to Italy or France.

or Spain . . . .

[tangcoral]

Coming from Los Angeles I actually find it easier to drive in Thailand.

I the US if I were to switch 3 lanes over I would probably take out 3 cars doing so or get cursed til there is no tomorrow.

I Thailand drivers easily react to my every move by either getting out the way by either speeding up, slowing down or synchronized lane switching.

Plus LA they drive way to fast as in Thailand people are bit slower, I'm sure they traffic helps.

Asians aren't bad drivers in fact i think they drive by common sense. You see a car merging in, you stay alert to anticipate each others move.

[Samuian]

For hardcore survival training try Naples, Bari, Rome, Madrid, Algericas, Bordeaux, Carcasonne, Toulon or Cairo, Athens.....at rush hour..

[jdinasia]

Are New Yorkers the most likely to stereotype people?

So the general poll in America is that Asians are the worst drivers in the world.I have seen driving in India and its not better than here in Thailand, but thailand is really bad (I am sure we can fill countless pages of posts about thai driving).Can some one shed light into this? How is china? Do you really think Asians in general are the worst drivers??

Thanks

BK

[sibeymai]

East Europeans are worse then useless, the combination of drink driving and speeding in their shiney new BMW or Merc soon slows them down though.

A 10 GBP bribe is enough to pay the plod out there if caught.

The most dangerous place to cross the road on the entire planet has to be the intersection next to the entrance of Soi Cowboy, have they finished building the walkover yet????

An interesting nickname. Posting rights suspended pending advice of a choice of a different nick.

Or proof that his name is really Mike Hunt ?

[Groongthep]

name='Spee' date='2008-08-25 14:05:12' post='2168137']

I think some Asians have trouble driving in America because they tend to be raised with a structured mentality and American roads are anything but structured and orderly. People generally don't obey the rules of the road and go where they want to go. I don't fault the Asians so much as I fault a culture that tolerates and accepts drivers that don't obey the rules of the road......Also, in America, driving is viewed as a right rather than a privilege. That fact combined with lack of regular re-testing, uninsured motorists, and massive influx of unlicensed illegal aliens are pushing the typical American road trip into a roll of the dice, in terms of safety and risk.

Statistics show that on a per capita basis, the US is one of the safest countries in the world in which to drive. The stories of the old farts running into crowds, while true, are extremely rare. If you read the Thai newspapers you will see that this happens routinely in Thailand and just just by older drivers. Your statement that in America driving is seen as a right and not a priviledge is alsolute nonsense and the driving laws in every state clearly reflect this.

I've traveled to, worked in and driven many 10's of thousands of miles in many countries around the northern hemisphere, on both sides of the road, and with the steering wheel on either side of the car. My experiences reflect these views:

- US: say no more, see above; generally below par relative to many other countries; anything can and probably will happen at some point.

Odd, I too have worked and driven in many countries in both the northern and southern hemispheres and on both sides of the road and my experience is just the opposite. I do agree with bernie66 however that Houston drivers have a terrible habit of unnecessarily blocking the left (passing) lanes of traffic but while this may be frustrating, it is not really a safety concern

Edited August 26, 2008 by Groongthep

[cmbe]

Thais are very good drivers. Some of them are so good that they don´t even need driving lights at night.

Thank you,

[cmbe]

So the general poll in America is that Asians are the worst drivers in the world.I have seen driving in India and its not better than here in Thailand, but thailand is really bad (I am sure we can fill countless pages of posts about thai driving).Can some one shed light into this? How is china? Do you really think Asians in general are the worst drivers??

Thanks

BK

I speak in general, in Thailand they drive follow their habit, many times same they just got license 5 minuites ago (but not exactly important, I drove in Bangkok many years without...)

I can say that it's difficult to drive quiet in Thailand, you have to be ready every moment for some surprise thing happened and also do not think that everybody will respect the rule in Thailand, some of them they turn on left light when they want to turn right, many of them are special can sleep and drive in the same time (my sister in law she was going to the large field when she was tried to be special one too), but when you have had enough experience to drive in Thailand it will be easier.