jlaaway Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Whenever walking, or riding a motor bike, I always pretend I am invisable. That way, I can depend on not being seen. As such, I never assume a car will stop for me while walking across the street. When riding a bike, I just assume that a car will cut me off and be ready for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverdie Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Whenever walking, or riding a motor bike, I always pretend I am invisable. That way, I can depend on not being seen. As such, I never assume a car will stop for me while walking across the street. When riding a bike, I just assume that a car will cut me off and be ready for it. Yes, GOOD Idea. Its actually a good idea to head out with the thought that EVERYBODY is trying to kill you. You have to act defensively everytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portpower Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Yesterday in Bangkok I twice used a zebra crossing; one of the newer ones with traffic lights. When the lights changed some of the traffic did not even bother to stop, in fact one black Vios increased its speed past an already dangerous velocity to beat me attempting to cross the road, and in doing so almost hit me.Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian. I would go as far as a little regard for life in many cases..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portpower Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Whenever walking, or riding a motor bike, I always pretend I am invisable. That way, I can depend on not being seen. As such, I never assume a car will stop for me while walking across the street. When riding a bike, I just assume that a car will cut me off and be ready for it. Yes, GOOD Idea. Its actually a good idea to head out with the thought that EVERYBODY is trying to kill you. You have to act defensively everytime. Yes and another good idea is when you hear a fireworks or a car backfire .Always assume its a Gun and keep low......... Merry Xmas.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portpower Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I live close to a Thai high school, every morning hundreds of kids arrive on motorbikes.Most don't wear helmets. Few would be old enough to have the appropriate licence. Often there are 3 or 4 kids on one bike. All seem to have no regard for road rules. All seem to be oblivious to any danger. This all takes place in front of police, teachers, parents and community leaders. And these kids are the next generation of car drivers! NEXT GENERATION THATS IF THEY MAKE IT ???......Remember look mum no hands .look mum no teeth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caf Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Whenever walking, or riding a motor bike, I always pretend I am invisable. That way, I can depend on not being seen. As such, I never assume a car will stop for me while walking across the street. When riding a bike, I just assume that a car will cut me off and be ready for it. Yes, GOOD Idea. Its actually a good idea to head out with the thought that EVERYBODY is trying to kill you. You have to act defensively everytime. Seconded. Unfortunately few Thais drive defensively because they were not taught that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainmon Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 (edited) In my experience Thai drivers have no respect what so ever of anything on the road. Ive seen drivers purposely aim for dogs, drive carelessly close to the bumper of the car in front, try to ram other cars out the way. I consider myself a good careful driver, but when driving here in Thailand my nerves and wits are tested to the fullest! I guess they all think there invulnerable and good old Buddha will take care of them because they got that special amulet given to them by the monk who said if you wear this you can never die! could easily be a Farlang driver, last year in Pattaya I saw a Farlang pickup truck driver hit 2-3 cars and 5 or 6 motor bikes speeding down 3rd road on the wrong side of the street near the intersection of South Pattaya road in front of Tonys Resort Spa, he would have kept going but the engine was damaged and the tires went flat. There were 3 guys in the pickup truck and would not get out for about 30 minutes while the police and everyone was standing there waiting, finally the radiator burst and the vehicle caught fire they busted out the rear window and jumped out, all 3 totally drunk (the doors were smashed in and would not open). Fortunately no one died, later I heard they got off with a fine, not sure how much... Wow , must have been up all night dreaming that concoction up , all that damage to the pick-up , then the rad burst and it caught fire , did anybody call the fire chief ? Dude this was no dream (more like a nightmare). My friend and I saw the whole thing and we were part of the group standing there waiting for these drunk farlangs to get out of the truck, what is your point? Edited December 23, 2009 by Rainmon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project504naha Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Good idea.....infact what they could do it to move the BIB to locations nearer the crossings......killing (excuse the pun) two birdies with one stone..........Once word gets around...cars will certainly be more cautious. Until then, Zebra crossings mean absolutely nothing here in Bangkok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeatMan Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Yes Condolences to the Family, always sad to needlessly lose a life. Recently I've needed to drive more in Pattaya, it's a terrible the traffic Police the motorcycles then the Expats and Tourists. Just yesterday near Carrefour an old Farang literally ran in front of my vehicle to cros the road when the traffic was moving!!!, If I didn't lock up my breaks he would have been hit, then he screams profanity at me. Every time I drive in Pattayaa the worst motorcycle drivers ar the Farangs driving what htey think is the Thai Way, they they scream and swear at you when they caused a near miss. I feel bad for the person that was killed. Maybe for the sake of others Farangs should use the common sense that they scream about but don't follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJack Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 [...]Today I had a bike with a male driver a woman on the back and a kid sandwiched between them, cut me off then proceeded to weave in and out to get around the baht bus. 5 times he nearly hit my car. Then finally the woman driver started absusing me for endangering them. Go figure. Car bigger than bike ........ mmmm car hits bike ..... mmmm bike falls over ..... mmmm car does not fall over .... mmmm people on bike get hurt .... mmmm people in car do not get hurt ..... oh but here car pays for stupid bike driver and damage ..... go figure I have the opposite experience - very often cars drive without any regard to bikes, squeezing them, blocking them, the mentality seems to be "if I have to be stuck in traffic in my car the dam_n bikes have to be stuck too!". If you had given him half a meter he could safely have negotiated past you and have been out of your hair in a few seconds. read again weave in and out 5 times he nearly hit me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jontom Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 my condolences to this man's family. " Wow that's a very strong point you have made & I have some sympathy with it ; 8 years ago to this week when I married my Thai wife in the UK ..the only other farang husband present interjected my speech because at the wedding I praised the beauty and friendliness of Thailand etc., - I can't recall his comments now perhaps it was about corruption etc., But with solid experience you do really begin to see some serious weaknesses in their culture . I think the one that struck in my visit last summer down in the Hua Hin area ...was Thais do not read. Further from Hau Hin along the posh coast near Banbury there were scores of Farang reading, books, papers or laptops along the beeches and hotel pools. It struck me you never see a Thai reading - they sit on their bums eating, gossiping and watching but never reading. They are fundamentally a semi-peasant society. Most of the Thai girls back here in UK come for economic reasons - their plan is to amass wealth and send some of it back, they are jealous of one another, they gossip about one another ...rarely do they have true friendships. My wife and a local thai woman fell out over the fact that my wife could n't help this woman with some cooking Thai meals one day ; they have stopped talking to each other since their tiff. Separations and marital strife are very high here as its impossible to argue logically and calmly and I would say to any farang taking a Thai woman ... do not marry here! live with here yes BUT do not marry her ; keep your power because that lovey sweet smiling politeness is a Thai front- inevitably stuck in a semi suburban house in an expensive country like UK they will get painfully restless ; they will urge you to go back to Thailand after a few years and you will sink in your social position by buying some peasant place but you will have a 4 * 4 . If you must buy buy in a farang area. The driving problem in Thailand is a symbol of its fundamental cultural problem - a lack of logic and reason and foresight. One of my Thai, high society, corporate, adult students that I was teaching this morning had written an essay about how polite and friendly Thai people are. I questioned this in connection with this thread and the class all retracted this opinions and instead became rather quiet in an almost embarassed "I've been caught out way." Perhaps they realise that they are polite and friendly when they have nowhere to hide but, encase them in steel with an opportunity not to be seen too much and more importantly with the opportunity to run (drive away) and the true nature of the beast emerges. Actions speak louder than words, if I want to judge people I always try to judge them by their actions, this is very revealing when watching Thai drivers behind the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumball Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 'Rainmon' date='2009-12-23 10:50:59' post='3220799''dumball' post='3219894' date='2009-12-22 20:30:01']'Rainmon' post='3218942' date='2009-12-22 12:30:22']'Viper' post='3218830' date='2009-12-22 11:50:40']In my experience Thai drivers have no respect what so ever of anything on the road. Ive seen drivers purposely aim for dogs, drive carelessly close to the bumper of the car in front, try to ram other cars out the way. I consider myself a good careful driver, but when driving here in Thailand my nerves and wits are tested to the fullest! I guess they all think there invulnerable and good old Buddha will take care of them because they got that special amulet given to them by the monk who said if you wear this you can never die.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
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