Are Asians In General The Worlds Worst Drivers?

[cmbe]

Not if you have ever been to Italy or France.

Special in Sicily, I don't say that they are bad driver but just difference from Thais, they can drive very good (when they grive are very fast, talk and explain with 2 hands while driving the car, try to be polite to keep looking most of the time when talk with other who sit behind,...) I think they are special same Thais peoples too. But when I drive they could sleep behind with sweet dream

[Taijitu]

India?.............take a look at this! 

IndiaBestDrivers.wmv

[thaimate]

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.

my wife reverses perfectly well thank you.

and doesnt always need to hit the car behind to stop

[Shotime]

What is wrong with the name Michael Hunt, Ben Dover, or the Ria sisters (Gahna and Dyha). I remember as a kid when the lady in school would broadcast (M__e Hunt, please report to the office. Pretty funny.

[bonobo]

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

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?

Happens all the time here, although the culprit may not be that old. Just had a driver in a Mercedes do this a little while ago.

The US is actually a rather safe place to drive, and the drivers are much better than here in Thailand. I have also been quite impressed with the Germans.

While Thailand is pretty bad, in my experience, Egypt, India, and Greece are worse. Far worse.

[Lilyjade]

Besides everything mentioned.

It is the lack of respect for the human life.

Not all but many of them would:

If they could save time by going faster and

killing some people

on the way and not get punished for it,

they would do it.

If they got 100baht /person they kill on the road

and if they could blame it all on the (non friend)farang passenger

and have him executed for causing all the deaths.

They would do it, they would kill thousands of people.

In real life what they do is quite similar, they take chances

in a certain situation there is a 30% chance(they dont know the %)

they could kill someone doing a certain maneuver, and they still do it.

Same with motorbikes, there could be a 30%chance of dying doing a

certain maneuver but they still take the chance.

Children are often unable to properly calculate risks.

They are also often unable to understand the consequences of their actions

and happily blame anyone nearby.

Many drivers are like children in a killingmachine.

[toybits]

I did for 3 years (1997 -99) and found it to be most liberating. My commuting time was cut from 1.5 hours to 25 minutes. If I lived in Bkk, I would still bicycle around town.

I just did a road trip on a Harley through the States for charity from Austin Texas through to LA and found the yanks to be very good drivers. I would never ever consider riding a bike in Bangkok.....NEVER!

[toybits]

Actually, those "Asians" you are talking about are probably Asian-Americans. So while their ethnicity might be Asian, they are in fact already Americans. So why emphasize their ethnic origin when they are already Americans?

Or is it a habit of Americans to highlight a person's ethnic background - like Barack Obama is Black (oh and half white - but who the he-l cares about his being half white).

[toybits]

So the proper way to refer to an American, Brit, French, Belgian, Dutch or other light skin colored person would be Caucasian? It is like asking if Causacians students are the worst mass murderers of fellow students (Columbine, Red Lake, Littleton, Jokela (Finland))?

vs. one perpetrated by an Asian (Korean) - American in Virginia Tech...

The OP just made such a gross generalization...

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 ?

[Maigo6]

United States -

The death toll on our highways makes driving the number one cause of death and injury for young people ages 5 to 27. Highway crashes cause 94 percent of all transportation fatalities and 99 percent of all transportation injuries, yet traffic safety programs receive only one percent of the funding of the U.S. DOT budget. The staggering loss of life and the incidence of life-threatening injuries occurring each year is best described as a public health crisis. According to a WHO report, "The Injury Pyramid," for every motor vehicle injury resulting in death in the US, 13 people sustain injuries severe enough to require hospitalization.

In the US DOT publication "The Economic Costs Of Motor Vehicle Crashes," NHTSA investigator Lawrence J. Blincoe reports that in 1994, motor vehicle crashes accounted for 40,676 fatalites, and 4,100,000 injuries (of which 533,000 or 13% were serious). The total lifetime cost to the US economy for automobile accidents that occured in 1994 was $150.5 billion. The 1996 NHTSA report "1996 Traffic Safety Facts" (pdf) came up with similar though somewhat improved statistics: 41,907 fatalities and 3,511,000 injuries, 456,430 of them serious. The 1997 NHTSA report "Traffic Safety Facts 1997" reports 41,967 fatalities and 3,399,000 injuries, 441,870 of them serious. The 1998 NHTSA report "Traffic Safety Facts 1998 Annual Report" reports 41,471 fatalities and 3,192,000 injuries, 414,960 of them serious.

Yep, if only those Asians were as good as the drivers in USA.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Maigo6

[h90]

Not if you have ever been to Italy or France.

I have, and always thought they had some sense of where the road was, but here,I am new to Thailand, but i already know that I have to look 4 ways on a one way street before crossing it.

Rome is comparable with Thailand. A bit more structure but double the speed.

[Lopburi99]

Can't say about other Asian drivers, but I think Thais are excellent drivers (here in Thailand). Cooperative, careful, with the almost complete absense of anger. Bangkok drivers may be a bit less cooperative but I could understand why with the frustrations of the insane congestion problem. One possible exception: motorcyclists on freeways - I've seen too many of them being scraped off the pavement.

In the States, I would say the worse drivers by far are Indian women (not Native-American Indians). They don't have a clue.

In their native country, I would say the Italians with their hot tempers and total disregard for traffic rules. I've driven in most European countries. The French take honorable mention.

Never driven in the Mid East or Africa.

[Heng]

I know for myself, it's easy to let one's guard done when going from driving in Bangkok (when driving myself) to driving in Austin. Here there are multiple motorcycles, buses, own-the-road BMW/Mercedes, crossing the road Frogger type obstacles... whereas back home it's a 3 second interval/closing distance between cars most of the time, and you don't have to worry about hitting an actual person unless they are in the zebra stripe-barcode area on the street. It's easy to let one's mind wander and to focus on the coed in tied down t-shirt, ballcap, and Umbros driving her top down Jeep in the next lane....

Edited October 19, 2008 by Heng

[MKAsok]

What is it with these monkey avatars? On this page alone there are 3 different monkeys. Sorry, completely off topic...

[Groongthep]

United States -

The death toll on our highways makes driving the number one cause of death and injury for young people ages 5 to 27. Highway crashes cause 94 percent of all transportation fatalities and 99 percent of all transportation injuries, yet traffic safety programs receive only one percent of the funding of the U.S. DOT budget. The staggering loss of life and the incidence of life-threatening injuries occurring each year is best described as a public health crisis. According to a WHO report, "The Injury Pyramid," for every motor vehicle injury resulting in death in the US, 13 people sustain injuries severe enough to require hospitalization.

In the US DOT publication "The Economic Costs Of Motor Vehicle Crashes," NHTSA investigator Lawrence J. Blincoe reports that in 1994, motor vehicle crashes accounted for 40,676 fatalites, and 4,100,000 injuries (of which 533,000 or 13% were serious). The total lifetime cost to the US economy for automobile accidents that occured in 1994 was $150.5 billion. The 1996 NHTSA report "1996 Traffic Safety Facts" (pdf) came up with similar though somewhat improved statistics: 41,907 fatalities and 3,511,000 injuries, 456,430 of them serious. The 1997 NHTSA report "Traffic Safety Facts 1997" reports 41,967 fatalities and 3,399,000 injuries, 441,870 of them serious. The 1998 NHTSA report "Traffic Safety Facts 1998 Annual Report" reports 41,471 fatalities and 3,192,000 injuries, 414,960 of them serious.

Yep, if only those Asians were as good as the drivers in USA.

A little fast with your sarcasm I'm afraid. Pull out a calculator and 41,471 fatalities out of a population of 325,000,000 in 1998 comes out to 1 automobile fatality for every 7,836 people per year in a country where the average person drives or rides in an automobile far more often than the average person in Asia. As sad as it is that 41, 471 people died on the US roads and highways ten years ago in 1998 I'm sure on a per mile (kilo) driven per person basis that is much better than in most Asian countries with the possible exception of Japan and Singapore. To imply that it is safer to drive in Thailand as compared to the US is ludicrous.

[sassienie]

I have found that over the last 20 years, driving standards in Thailand has vastly improved; well, speaking from experience in Chiang Mai that is, not sure about other areas.

Just before leaving the UK, driving there had become more aggressive and was warned to keep car doors locked when driving at night.

In Thailand these days most road users are curious and do follow some sort of Highway Code, even if it’s not all that`s written in the book.

[hullmonkey1]

I have been working in India for nearly 3 years and compared to India, thai driving standards are very good.

[DavidOxon]

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

Lived outside Carcasonne for 6 years, traffic? No problem!

Drove to Mayanmar yesterday, ouch . . . nightmare only one near

miss that would have been fatal for the motorcyclist! Do they NEVER look

to see if there's other traffic on the road? Luckily for him, my skid took me to the

otherside of the road where he had just come from, and not into him!

Fortunately, nothing coming on the other side (except him in the worng direction!)

David

[DavidOxon]

What is it with these monkey avatars? On this page alone there are 3 different monkeys. Sorry, completely off topic...

What monkeys? I see two chimps and an Orang Utan, no monkeys at all

David

Edited October 19, 2008 by DavidOxon

[toybits]

Funny, but I hardly see Thais (Southeast Asian) motorists in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai shout at each other. I hardly see them roll down their window and jab their middle finger into the air shouting colorful words at each other.

[Heng]

Funny, but I hardly see Thais (Southeast Asian) motorists in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai shout at each other. I hardly see them roll down their window and jab their middle finger into the air shouting colorful words at each other.

Mostly because they don't know if the other guy is going to go Thaipost and shoot them because he is more connected or has nothing to lose.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Heng

[toybits]

Ha ha... And you think Thais (Southeast Asians) invented the word ROAD RAGE???

Funny, but I hardly see Thais (Southeast Asian) motorists in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai shout at each other. I hardly see them roll down their window and jab their middle finger into the air shouting colorful words at each other.

Mostly because they don't know if the other guy is going to go Thaipost and shoot them because he is more connected or has nothing to lose.

[dingdongrb]

United States -

The death toll on our highways makes driving the number one cause of death and injury for young people ages 5 to 27. Highway crashes cause 94 percent of all transportation fatalities and 99 percent of all transportation injuries, yet traffic safety programs receive only one percent of the funding of the U.S. DOT budget. The staggering loss of life and the incidence of life-threatening injuries occurring each year is best described as a public health crisis. According to a WHO report, "The Injury Pyramid," for every motor vehicle injury resulting in death in the US, 13 people sustain injuries severe enough to require hospitalization.

In the US DOT publication "The Economic Costs Of Motor Vehicle Crashes," NHTSA investigator Lawrence J. Blincoe reports that in 1994, motor vehicle crashes accounted for 40,676 fatalites, and 4,100,000 injuries (of which 533,000 or 13% were serious). The total lifetime cost to the US economy for automobile accidents that occured in 1994 was $150.5 billion. The 1996 NHTSA report "1996 Traffic Safety Facts" (pdf) came up with similar though somewhat improved statistics: 41,907 fatalities and 3,511,000 injuries, 456,430 of them serious. The 1997 NHTSA report "Traffic Safety Facts 1997" reports 41,967 fatalities and 3,399,000 injuries, 441,870 of them serious. The 1998 NHTSA report "Traffic Safety Facts 1998 Annual Report" reports 41,471 fatalities and 3,192,000 injuries, 414,960 of them serious.

Yep, if only those Asians were as good as the drivers in USA.

A little fast with your sarcasm I'm afraid. Pull out a calculator and 41,471 fatalities out of a population of 325,000,000 in 1998 comes out to 1 automobile fatality for every 7,836 people per year in a country where the average person drives or rides in an automobile far more often than the average person in Asia. As sad as it is that 41, 471 people died on the US roads and highways ten years ago in 1998 I'm sure on a per mile (kilo) driven per person basis that is much better than in most Asian countries with the possible exception of Japan and Singapore. To imply that it is safer to drive in Thailand as compared to the US is ludicrous.

I agree and furthermore I am sure that the USA gathers and maintains statistics of this sort much better than most, if not all Asian countries. I wonder what the death toll of highway accidents are during one week of Songkran..........hmmmmmmmm

[dingdongrb]

A little table of stats from our friend Wiki........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...ated_death_rate

[Heng]

Ha ha... And you think Thais (Southeast Asians) invented the word ROAD RAGE???

Funny, but I hardly see Thais (Southeast Asian) motorists in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai shout at each other. I hardly see them roll down their window and jab their middle finger into the air shouting colorful words at each other.

Mostly because they don't know if the other guy is going to go Thaipost and shoot them because he is more connected or has nothing to lose.

Of course not, but I do think you'll find that a higher % are willing to take a fight (even if it's over something as trivial as right of way on the roads) to the death (preferably not one's own). I'm not sure if I'd interpret the lack of yelling on the roads as a higher level of courtesy.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Heng

[bonobo]

What is it with these monkey avatars? On this page alone there are 3 different monkeys. Sorry, completely off topic...

What monkeys? I see two chimps and an Orang Utan, no monkeys at all

David

Well, technically mine is a bonobo (which is sometimes called a pygmy chimpanzee, but is a separate species). But at least you know none of three is a monkey!

[Payboy]

What is it with these monkey avatars? On this page alone there are 3 different monkeys. Sorry, completely off topic...

What monkeys? I see two chimps and an Orang Utan, no monkeys at all

David

Well, technically mine is a bonobo (which is sometimes called a pygmy chimpanzee, but is a separate species). But at least you know none of three is a monkey!

.....in the great ape family, bonobos are the cheeky, easy-going members. not for them the agressive chest-pounding displays of dominance. they are lovers, seldom fighters. in their female-dominated societies, individuals copulate to settle conflicts. bobobos also engage in communal sex to ease strains at a new feeding site.....

source = national geographic.....

[bonobo]

What is it with these monkey avatars? On this page alone there are 3 different monkeys. Sorry, completely off topic...

What monkeys? I see two chimps and an Orang Utan, no monkeys at all

David

Well, technically mine is a bonobo (which is sometimes called a pygmy chimpanzee, but is a separate species). But at least you know none of three is a monkey!

.....in the great ape family, bonobos are the cheeky, easy-going members. not for them the agressive chest-pounding displays of dominance. they are lovers, seldom fighters. in their female-dominated societies, individuals copulate to settle conflicts. bobobos also engage in communal sex to ease strains at a new feeding site.....

source = national geographic.....

And this is exactly why I chose the bonobo as my on-screen identity. Make love, not war!

[toybits]

I would most certainly think so.... If not as a matter of self preservation, or avoidance of confrontation. Asians (the southeastern variety) are said to be averse to confrontation.

Of course not, but I do think you'll find that a higher % are willing to take a fight (even if it's over something as trivial as right of way on the roads) to the death (preferably not one's own). I'm not sure if I'd interpret the lack of yelling on the roads as a higher level of courtesy.

[toybits]

The Orang Utan is a Malay name that means "Man of the Forest" and it belongs to the Great Ape Family. The Orang Utan is not a monkey.

What is it with these monkey avatars? On this page alone there are 3 different monkeys. Sorry, completely off topic...