The Most Annoying Behaviour On Thai Roads

[dotcom]

O you mean you don't do a looping right hander to get set up for the left hand turn?

It is you who have not learned how to drive like a Thai.

[LivinLOS]

there are or were a few things that annoyed me. 1st when driving a car and I signal my intention to turn left and have to wait for all the the motor bikes to pass me on the left because they apparently have no idea what a left hand turn signal means or they can't figure out how to pass you on the right...

If you are turning left and there is enough room on the left of your car for motorcycles to pass, you are doing something wrong.

Ahh grasshopper...

There is ALWAYS enough room for a Thai on a motorcycle.. Everywhere, at all times..

[BigSnake]

Number one annoying behaviour are the young kids(13 or 14 years old) cutting in front of you and when you honk the horn to remind them they look like, who me, what's your problem Farang(?) Number two are those darn whistleblowers at Lotus, Marko, Central, Big C, where ever, forgive LORD, but I would like to take those DARN Whistles and put them where the sun don't shine.

[adjan jb]

Some put on their right indicator and turn...right.

[sibeymai]

Doing the New Year tour of Isaan from BKK. Every day so far several people, including myself, could have been killed by the senseless actions of some brain dead Thai driver or rider. Every year is the same.

The Most Annoying Behaviour on Thai Roads ? That Thais are allowed on them in the first place. Honestly, what is it in the Thai mentality which allows them to freely go about committing attempted murder ? This is no exaggeration. Surely when someone aims a vehicle at you at 100km/h forcing evasive action to avoid death have they not attempted to kill you ?

The one redeeming factor is that since your safety requires your complete and undivided attention (perhaps more so than in a western country) driving in Thailand heightens your reflexes and anticipation so that you become a much safer driver than before. But apparently this only happens if you start with basic road safety knowledge. Thais who witness road accidents won't even think about what caused it or how they might learn to avoid a similar accident themselves. A work colleague dies this New Year because she wasn't wearing a set belt, yet the following day I have to remind passenger's to put on their seat belts. Maybe Thais are cognitively deficient or lack the self-preservation instinct.

Nikster is right, you can't change 30 million Thais, only your own driving.

I wonder how many accidents Thais had when they drove buffaloes.

[dotcom]

Number one annoying behaviour are the young kids(13 or 14 years old) cutting in front of you and when you honk the horn to remind them they look like, who me, what's your problem Farang(?)

When I'm driving my car & that happens I speed up to leave about a 1 meter gap. I make sure their girlfriends can hear my engine at high revs. I have a bull bar on front so I don't scratch my paint.

[neverdie]

Number one annoying behaviour are the young kids(13 or 14 years old) cutting in front of you and when you honk the horn to remind them they look like, who me, what's your problem Farang(?)

When I'm driving my car & that happens I speed up to leave about a 1 meter gap. I make sure their girlfriends can hear my engine at high revs. I have a bull bar on front so I don't scratch my paint.

Well thats very dangerous for you to follow at such a close distance, what if one of those riders has a problem & falls of the bike, you will go right over the top of them ....its not a joking matter....again you should give yourself an uppercut dotcom. Its all fun and games until you've killed someone & your at the police station in handcuffs before being made someons b#tch in the slammer!

Healthy people should keep a minimum of a 2 second gap.....some geriatrics like dotcom should allow at least a 3 second gap. Just to help you dotcom, a 3 second gap at 60km/h would be the same as 50 metres!

[nikster]

Nikster is right, you can't change 30 million Thais, only your own driving.

I am happy some people agree

I didn't want my statement restricted to Thais though, it's the same back home. I mean, if you have ever caught yourself saying "what the F**** is this guy doing there on my road doing stuff I don't want him to be doing".... then think again. It's not them, it's you. You will never know what they were doing - maybe they had a reason you can't think of (likely), maybe not (possible). Either way, you can't do anything about it, only your reaction, and your precautions leading to the situation. Complaining isn't going to help anyone, it's merely non-acceptance of the facts. "It's not the way it should be, in my opinion". Yes. Now get over it and start driving

Yes I have gone around corners too fast but at least I know that was stupid and I shouldn't have

[bob6023]

How about driving down the highway, you check your mirrors , no cars behind you, you relax just a bit carry on a few kilos, when out of the blue zoom shorty passes you hel_l bent for leather. Where the <deleted>> did he come from you ask yourself. Happens all the time. then a few kilos down he'll signal a turn and be gone again.

How about the crazy ass bus drivers who come flying down a hill passing a string of vehicles, flashing brights at you. You crowed the left of the roadway and hope he makes it past you safely.

The buses scare me more then any of the other fools.

[dotcom]

Neverdie.

I would like to request a favor from you.

Kindly stop replying to my posts. You don't like me? I don't give a toss.

I have placed you on ignore. Kindly return the favor.

You have decided to get personal with another member Dave Boo as well as me.

I think everyone would appreciate it if you will somehow try & discuss motorcycles. Otherwise take a hike. Thanks in advance.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

Driving both a car as well as a bike in Bangkok i am used to many many things unthinkable in the west - not m,uch that annoys me anymore. But one thing that annoys me the most is the following:

Rush hour (24/7 in some areas!), everything solidly jammed. No problem, roads are wide enough to allow three cars and an additional three motorbikes side-by-side. BUT - why on earth do car drivers always have to coordinate their current spot in the jam in such a way that their mirror lines up with the mirror of the car beside, even they have another 3 meters of space in front of them?? Is that done only to stop motorbikes from going thru between??

Or, alternative, why not stay nicely one behind another but "park" semi-zig-zag? I guess THAT is to force motorbikes to snake between the cars and maybe touch them, causing a scratch so money can be extorted on the spot.

Same with buses. They can't, for life of it, stay behind another. And three buses side-by-side on Sukhumvit make any passing impossible for bikes as there are mere centimeters left between them. Also, if there is just no space on the left lane, buses stop right on the middle or even the right lanes (!) to let out passengers, who walk across the rest of the road as a further hazard.

Heck, we motorcylists breathe the pollution just to have a speed advantage over the cars in traffic jams, does it NEED to be taken away from us??

Another one, although i see that lightly (because i can!) is the car that just wants to overtake no-matter-what, just to be in front, no other reason. Why not go with the flow at 90-100 km/h on open roads, they HAVE to overtake only to fall back to that speed anyway (specially taxis do that). However it's fun keeping up with them - if the bike, like mine, is able to do so and the traffic situation allows. You can FEEL the cab driver getting angry, pushing the pedal deeper and deeper and STILL not passing my lousy motorbike. usually at 150 or so km/h they give up and fall behind again. Or, like last night where another taxi got rude and started to push into my line when i played that game with him, just shift a couple of gears down at 120 and scream off, leaving him in a cloud of blue two-stroke smoke to choke on

Best regards......

Thanh

[Guest Bellini]

O you mean you don't do a looping right hander to get set up for the left hand turn?

Only when driving a long vehicle, eg a lorry with trailer.

[RusticCharm]

It's not them, it's you.

Right, right. I've read your posts.

A pickup swung across 3 lanes straight infront of me forcing me to emergency brake onto the hard shoulder. It's okay though. It's..ME! 

[Lancelot]

Actually some faranges here are the worst drivers I've ever had the misfortune to experience:

1 Farang on motorbike gets a call on his mobile and almost wipes out four other bikers answering it...

2. Last night I saw a farang on a motorbike speeding down the wrong side of Nerplubwan (towards the temple.) Must of had a death wish, he even rode head on towards a pickup then swerved left at the last moment. Total moron!

[sendbaht]

Splitting lanes on a motorcycle, something that is legal in Los Angeles, done it for years. So many times my fellow Americans will move over my way to make it harder for me to pass, those mofos.

Here in Thailand they seem to move over to let me make the pass, give me more room if needed, really appreciate the Thai drivers for that...but....the thing that drives me crazy is when a ambulance with siren blaring, red lights flashing and NO ONE IS MOVING OVER...that's drives me crazy.

[12DrinkMore]

Another one, although i see that lightly (because i can!) is the car that just wants to overtake no-matter-what, just to be in front, no other reason. Why not go with the flow at 90-100 km/h on open roads, they HAVE to overtake only to fall back to that speed anyway (specially taxis do that). However it's fun keeping up with them - if the bike, like mine, is able to do so and the traffic situation allows. You can FEEL the cab driver getting angry, pushing the pedal deeper and deeper and STILL not passing my lousy motorbike. usually at 150 or so km/h they give up and fall behind again. Or, like last night where another taxi got rude and started to push into my line when i played that game with him, just shift a couple of gears down at 120 and scream off, leaving him in a cloud of blue two-stroke smoke to choke on

And the opposite game where they are driving at maybe 80-90 kms/hours and see me on a bike coming up behind, suddenly we are both travelling at 130 kms/hkms/hr.

[wrathfultalon]

the fact that these cars slow to nearly a stop to turn, onto a one lane road on dry road.... I mean if I feel safe to take it at 20k on a scooter why cant you in your stickered up honda?!

[dotcom]

...but....the thing that drives me crazy is when a ambulance with siren blaring, red lights flashing and NO ONE IS MOVING OVER...that's drives me crazy.

Here you are very close to the root cause of frustration.

99.xx% of our hosts have never had any formal training to operate a motor vehicle.

I can bet that 96 out of a 100 could not pass a test of parallel parking at DLT using cones.

I can also bet that moving over for an emergency vehicle is probably NOT A LAW.

(Ignore that any vehicle with lights & siren will use them while going to lunch or picking up the kids from school).

Add to that; if you are a pedestrian in a MARKED cross-walk you are taking your life in your hands. Many of these clowns will speed up when they see you there.

Unwritten rule #1 in Thailand:

Pedestrians give way to cars. (That's because only upper class people can afford a car).

If you run a Benz - lay on the horn & drive anywhere you dam well please.

[designersing]

the most annoying behaviour on thai roads? Oh thats easy! heres a few from my own personal observations:

people without licenses

people without helmets

people without proper driving skills

people driving towards me on the wrong side of the road

people driving towards me on the wrong side of the road (at night with no lights)

people driving on the pavement

people waiting on the roundabout for oncoming cars

people who carry their baby on the motorbike

people with dogs on the motorbike

people who fine me for having my lights on

people who think they can fine me for any reason whatsoever and I must respect them

but the most annoying in terms of it being a wasted life:

people on the roads at intersections with white blankets over their dead bodies because they should have learnt proper driving and got a licence and worn their helmet.

[dotcom]

AMEN

[designersing]

oh I forgot one annoying factor on the roads:

foreigners riding motorbikes with NO helmet, please dont copy the locals, a helmet saves lifes. The ignorance on thai roads here is astounding. From my observations here in Rayong its mostly older farang guys too, why dont they put a helmet on? Its like 400b to save your brains...

[loong]

oh I forgot one annoying factor on the roads:

foreigners riding motorbikes with NO helmet, please dont copy the locals, a helmet saves lifes. The ignorance on thai roads here is astounding. From my observations here in Rayong its mostly older farang guys too, why dont they put a helmet on? Its like 400b to save your brains...

Brains????? what Brains?

[barky]

What I particularly HATE is the brain dead, self-centred motorcyclists who ride along merrily on the small strip that runs parallel to the road that the "peasants" use (footpath in case you hadn't guessed). I resist the temptation to push them all over as they speed by.

[loong]

Barky - Are you referring to the Motorcycle Lane ?

[dotcom]

oh I forgot one annoying factor on the roads:

foreigners riding motorbikes with NO helmet, please dont copy the locals, a helmet saves lifes. The ignorance on thai roads here is astounding. From my observations here in Rayong its mostly older farang guys too, why dont they put a helmet on? Its like 400b to save your brains...

I used to get quite a chuckle out of the no helmet nazi's out in California.

It threw together 2 unlikely groups. The hel_l's Angels & the Sikh's.

I used to think about the Sikh's - if you don't want to wear a helmet - due to your religious convictions - no problem - ride the bus. !!!!!!!!

I don't care if you are Paul Sr. on American Chopper - riding with no helmet is STOOOOOPID.

[Gravelrash]

I also ride and drive, so see things from both sides, and both sides do idiot things. I do think though that riding a bike also increases your road awareness considerably and actually males you a more alert car driver.

Agree, everyday there is some mad moment on the roads but after a while you just accept, and expect it as the norm. As we all know you can adjust to driving here but sharp reflexes are not a disadvantage. A few favorites though:

In night driving outside built up areas with street lights I use the oncoming car headlights to give me the direction of the road. So nothing like two motorbikes riding side by side oncoming on the wrong side of the road to throw you off your line.

Intersections: So the light changes and cars pull into the oncoming lane and floor it in an attempt to overtake cars in front and then turn right. Bad luck if you have just turned left off the crossroad to confront a mass of speeding cars coming directly at you in your lane. This can be quite a shock the first time.

One more for the road. Driving back from Laos one night halfway back to Chiang Mai going through a mountainous area with obviously hilly, bendy roads. A bus coming the other way flashes his lights, I think odd, nothing seems amiss, but slowed down. Came over a rise to be confronted with a small bush on the road then almost immediately my lights hit the truck parked without any lights in the middle of my single lane. If the bus hadn't flashed and I slowed down I would probably have gone straight into him as because of the rise there was no time to see him. Despite all the idiot bus drivers endangering the open road with their speeding and overtaking, one considerate one may have saved my life.

[blackcountryboing]

I love the ability to join a main road and not even look down the road to see what is coming, just pull right out and keep driving especially on a motor bike.

Many many more things send me crazy but they just carry on as if nothing has happend...

[brahmburgers]

When driving up here in C.Rai, I often find myself humming an obscure tune by John Lennon, the middle 16 bars go like:

"I don't expect you / to understand / after you've caused / so much pain.

'Cause after all / you're not to blame / you're just a human / a victim of the in-sane."

[RusticCharm]

What I particularly HATE is the brain dead, self-centred motorcyclists who ride along merrily on the small strip that runs parallel to the road that the "peasants" use (footpath in case you hadn't guessed). I resist the temptation to push them all over as they speed by.

Strangely enough, under Thai law, motorcycles are allowed on the footpaths. 

[LivinLOS]

oh I forgot one annoying factor on the roads:

foreigners riding motorbikes with NO helmet, please dont copy the locals, a helmet saves lifes. The ignorance on thai roads here is astounding. From my observations here in Rayong its mostly older farang guys too, why dont they put a helmet on? Its like 400b to save your brains...

I used to get quite a chuckle out of the no helmet nazi's out in California.

It threw together 2 unlikely groups. The hel_l's Angels & the Sikh's.

I used to think about the Sikh's - if you don't want to wear a helmet - due to your religious convictions - no problem - ride the bus. !!!!!!!!

I don't care if you are Paul Sr. on American Chopper - riding with no helmet is STOOOOOPID.

It may be stupid. But I dont see why its annoying of someone else does it.. I mean it not my head, hes the one killing himself..

And I have to admit I often ride a scoot helmetless.. Tho when I do its going at fast pushbike speeds, sure I can get hit by a car, but so can I walking and I dont walk around with one on.

Never on a real bike without one tho.