Discourtesy On The Road

[qwertyuiop]

Personally I do not see the situation here as any worse than in many other countries. For the farang it is a question of getting to know the rules of the game as in many aspects of life.

Yes I find drivers here to be unpredicatable, and not willing to give way etc but on the other hand I see them as being much more understanding of driver errors, which in the west can lead to road rage.

I have never been the 'victim' of abuse from fellow drivers here.

Heck the list of countries where driving is hazardous to your health would really be a long one. Is Thailand any worse in this regard?

The law of the jungle often takes precendence over the rules of the road

From the pedestrians viewpoint all drivers here are a danger with pedestrian crossings perhaps being the worst danger zone.

For me the answers lie somewhat in the class system here as in many countries.

If you are very poor you walk, a little money you take the bus , then motorcycle, pick-up, car, luxury car. Metod of transport correlates somewhat to social standing. So imo if you drive around in a top of the line merc I do not think that the boys at the DMV are going to create too much of a problem when a licence is requested.

If you are in the merc and I am walking my social position is obviously lower than your so i must get out of the way. Heck you even see it amongst pedestrians if I am perceived as having alower social position then it is I who must get out of the way

Money being paid to avoid tests for licences. Well this must be the only country in the world where that exists. I think not.

Go back to a similar stage in the history of the motor vehicle in the west and the situation was probaly not much different not that i can offer any proof.

Over time the situation here will change.

As for the number of road deaths quoted in several posts, certainly it is far too high. I would be interested in seing a breakdown of the reasons behind them.

My guess would be than many involve drunk driving. Again the West never had a problem with this lol.

I believe that the rules will eventually be tightened up and certainly banning the sale of alcohol at every service station would not be a bad move in my opinion.

Another major factor I would think is that many deaths involve motorcycles and the the non-wearing of helmets often in conjunction with alcohol abuse.

It should be relatively easy to bring down the death total with a few initiatives and certainly over the last year I have seen an effort to ensure motorcycle drivers wear helmets.

What would i like to see? Well strict enforcement of the wearing of seat belts for one especially as regards to children. I would be very interested to see the percentage of those deaths that were children.

I rarely see a baby in a baby seat instead they are more often held by the front seat passengers who of course do not use a seat belt. Older kids appear to be allowed to use the car as some form of play gym.

So finally after my ramble to answer the OP yes Thai drivers often discourteous but in different ways to the westerners. Change will happen.

Question for those driving here

Do you have a valid licence?

Do you always wear a helmet/seat belt?

Do you drink and drive?

Would your answers/actions be identical if posed concerning your home country?

[Jockstar]

  Why, when a Thai gets behind the wheel of a car, does he become the most inconsiderate person ever. He will stop anywhere, causing a traffic jam, and doesn't bat an eye. If you leave a sensible gap between you and the vehicle ahead, someone will jump into it. He will drive at a snails pace in the fast lane. One would have to be clairvoyant to anticipate what they are going to do next. I've even seen them give a left hand signal when turning right. Motorcycles are a whole new topic. Mosquitos on wheels.  Have I missed anything? 

You have just given an exact description of kiwidrivers!

This is so true. Kiwis are crazy drivers. Overtaking on the left hand side. Not indicating and generally driving very bad. Many of my Kiwi mates agree with me.

[Ajarn]

See my previous post...

here

Thai driving isn't that bad...if you want to live here, try to fit in. You will never change it so live with it.

Just do the best you can, make sure your baby is strapped in, make sure you wear your seatbelt etc.

Your in Thailand now, and let me tell you, the driving style here is so much better than elsewhere.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

20 years, 100's of thousands of Kilometers driven all over the country. Never an accident, bar a little fender-bender a couple of nights ago...

Fact is, the vast majority of drivers drive just fine. Go out and count the percentages someday while you're driving. Some idiot drivers everywhere, but not ALL anywhere. Some stupid driving by both Farang and Thai...

Cay yen yen is the main idea. So many farangs get so upset at driving here, and even let tiny annoyances drive them crazy, like someone cutting into a space you left open for them. That's the style here, so if you want to control more than just the space you occupy, then don't leave enough room...Or, give then more space to be safer and let them go on their merry way... What's so difficult about that? Don't let your ego do your driving for you. Might is Right. That's the way it is here, and I follow that, too. It would be unsafe to do otherwise. If someone does something stupid, just give them the space to do it and let them get far away from you- don't play road rage games. Nobody wants to have an accident, but many here are aggressive drivers, so one must be a defensive driver to remain safe.

I'm much more afraid of the farang driver than most any Thai driver, since so many farangs drive by some perceived legal 'rights'. Thai drivers are much more pragmatic, in my experience. Pretty much like Thai society. I think the 'Might is Right' is a great common sense idea for driving- if everyone accepts that and plays the game by those rules. Most Thai drivers do, many farang drivers don't, ime.

But, it's also a fact that many many drivers here like to drink and drive, and there is very little proper driver training here. For many newbie drivers they have more experience driving a buffalo. And I've begun to see more 'road rage' happening here, though still nothing like in california but, still, seeing it here more and more...

I'd like to see a professional, well-run government sponsored and required driver training program for ALL drivers in Thailand. I'd like to see police get serious with driving offences, especially drunk drivers. Take them to jail, do not pass go.

I'd like to see lots of things, but until things change, I'll focus on seeing the way things are, and cooperating as much as I can, for my safety, and the safety of others.

Well that's the irony - there's very little (physical) road rage in Thailand, even with all the terrible habits. It's all non-confrontational, which is why people take advantage so much.

I reckon so anyway.

I agree with that, mostly. But, 'taking advantage' here might not be seen in the negative light some others might feel it is.

If you drive here and feel too upset all the time about other drivers, for the safety of everyone around you, stop driving. It's not worth having a stroke over, na'?

http://asian-links.com/larry/motor.html has some info and advice that some might find useful, especially bike riders.

Stay safe

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You make some good points but the fact is the death toll on Thai roads is a national disgrace, over 13,000 per year if I remember correctly.Having read this thread I'm still not really certain why the situation is so dire or more precisely what weighting should be given to the various contributory factor.It may not be the most important factor but I suspect the poor police system has something to do with it.I personally though I think a very experienced driver don't dare venture as a driver outside Bangkok at Songkran

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

13,000...About the same in US gun deaths each year...

Most of these stats involve motorcyclists, and by reports, 2/3 of all injury or death accidents involve alchohol- and all too often, it's the non-drunk innocents who die... I agree that it's terrible. Like you, I believe that lack of police support is a critical factor. Most Thais seem to think little about drinking and driving...They sure don't need to fear the police taking them off the road, or to jail.

If only the police would do their mandated jobs of enforcing current laws, I think a lot of behaviours would change quickly.

[Felt 35]

Why, when a Thai gets behind the wheel of a car, does he become the most inconsiderate person ever. He will stop anywhere, causing a traffic jam, and doesn't bat an eye. If you leave a sensible gap between you and the vehicle ahead, someone will jump into it. He will drive at a snails pace in the fast lane. One would have to be clairvoyant to anticipate what they are going to do next. I've even seen them give a left hand signal when turning right. Motorcycles are a whole new topic. Mosquitos on wheels. Have I missed anything?

Yes, a lot.

Your in Thailand now, and let me tell you, the driving style here is so much better than elsewhere.

tukyleith, a bit early for all this Santa Claus things!

[cojones]

why are you surprised ? you chose to live in a lunatic asylum so you get a bunch of nutters behind the wheel .

[Kiwi_James]

"This is so true. Kiwis are crazy drivers. Overtaking on the left hand side. Not indicating and generally driving very bad. Many of my Kiwi mates agree with me."

Overtaking on the left......

Tried this once here..... a slow truck was overtaking an even slower truck and me being your typical Auckland Kiwi driver who can't wait a few seconds decides to over take both trucks on the left using the shoulder ......... &lt;deleted&gt; are you doing shouts wifey....... well after about an hour of having a lecture about safe driving and don't you love me etc..... I decide that I had better leave those bad driving habits back home in Kiwi land if I want to live a long and happy life here.

[marquess]

I wonder how Thais compare with the drivers in India? I understand that they are quite notrious there.

[Neeranam]

I wonder how Thais compare with the drivers in India? I understand that they are quite notrious there.

In my experience the Indian truck and bus drivers are worse. It is very common to see crashed buses on the Indian country roads. Thailand has better roads and most driver don't overtake on tight corners like in India.

I don't think Thais are as bad as people are making out.

[erasmus]

I wonder how Thais compare with the drivers in India? I understand that they are quite notrious there.

In my experience the Indian truck and bus drivers are worse. It is very common to see crashed buses on the Indian country roads. Thailand has better roads and most driver don't overtake on tight corners like in India.

I don't think Thais are as bad as people are making out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Given the opportunity, everybody is bad in a car, whatever the nationality.

I guess the car gives a feeling of "protection/power", allowing you to do things/behave in a way you would never, ever think to do outside of your car.

Did we say human nature...?

[Felt 35]

rules of the game

Its no rules and it’s no game. But survival after the principle: "the biggest, most brutal and careless win" and it has nothing to do with driving. much more understanding of driver errors

Most people understand others errors when they repeatedly do the same errors themselves.

[Phil Conners]

I find it's not just while driving they're uncourteous - it's everywhere. Walking behind people through a door they will slam it in your face, walk in front of you, etc.