The Mercedes Mentality.

[SeanMoran]

I had to return to the Bangkok-Rayong Hospital today, from my hotel here in Ban Chang, up Sukhumvit around 20km and back I'd estimate.

On the way back, I had the most 'interesting' encounter with a fellow road user:

It was on that stretch of Sukhumvit leaving Amphur Rayong after the bend to the right just past the Bangkok-Rayong turnoff, where the road drops down to two lanes, plus the shoulder lane for slow-moving vehicles.

There were roadworks and all kinds if obstacles along that section of the shoulder, so not a clever course to ride at 100km/h and I found a golden-painted pickup truck to tag along behind in the left lane at between 80-120km/h depending on traffic conditions. Then there was a convoy of slow-moving trucks in the left, so the pickup I chose to draft went to the right lane and so did I. Nice and smooth at around 90km/h I'd guess.

A dirty Mercedes eventually approached us all from behind, with myself riding at the pace of the right lane traffic, following the 4x4 in front at a save distance of around 10-15m. The left lane was still full of trucks and slow-movers at around 60-70km/h, but the first break in the convoy he sees, this idiot in the Merc floors it and tries to break through to get in front of me, who is following the car in front at the pace of the traffic.

Well I floored it too, and as he/she was merging back into the right lane about to slam me into the armco, I managed to get in front, right up behind the tailgate of the ute ahead, with only around a metre of roadwidth.

We got to the red light and I made my way to the left again, with the homicidal maniac in the dirty merc in the rear view mirrors in the side lane. Luckily, he/she couldn't catch me off the lights, and there came a clear stretch of road again so I cooled it down to a smooth 100 in the left lane and watched this idiot go past, before they turned off to Maptaphut on Thanon 3191, but I must ask, what sort of weird thoughts go through these dickheads minds that they risk the lives of others just to get in front of the motorbike ahead, even when there's a convoy of traffic and they can't go any further or any faster than just kill the bloke on the motorbike?

Is it because they sold their Mother to pay for the dirty old merc and they want some return on their investment?

Forsooth! No wonder there are so many people die on the roads on motorbikes in Thailand. Mercedes drivers don't give a rat's arse if they kill us.

<ed: typos>

Edited January 25, 2010 by SeanMoran

[bkkjames]

It reminds me of when they leave lifts / skytrain in a rush and then proceed to walk slowly in front of you.

[tonywebster]

It reminds me of when they leave lifts / skytrain in a rush and then proceed to walk slowly in front of you.

I have found that clipping the heals of the dawdlers does wonders, especially when they are walking 3 abreast along the pavement at the same pace as an arthritic snail

[happylarry]

Dont know who's worse....the merc for trying to overtake or you for trying to cause an accident by speeding up and shutting him out.

I agree its annoying when someone does that but after describing your own actions I dont really think I'd want to be your passenger.

And that comes from someone who loves speed.

HL

[dttk0009]

Why floor it for the sole purpose of preventing someone from taking you over? That's incredibly reckless and dangerous.

[SeanMoran]

Dont know who's worse....the merc for trying to overtake or you for trying to cause an accident by speeding up and shutting him out.

I agree its annoying when someone does that but after describing your own actions I dont really think I'd want to be your passenger.

And that comes from someone who loves speed.

HL

Point-taken mate. It would have been different if I'd had a passenger onboard, and there was the brakes there if the road-width I had left between Big-Man Merc and the kerb narrowed beyond uprighteousness, but this was such a blatant attempt that I took a chance on closing the gap on that maniac. That's why it stuck in my mind enough all afternoon that I needed to share, so I started a thread on it.

Once again, the reason that so many motorcyclists are killed in Thailand is because the majority of road users are motorcyclists, and the minority of car drivers do not care if they drive straight over them. It is not the motorcyclists that are to blame for motorcycle deaths. It is the car drivers that consider a motorcyclist's life of less value than their own wing mirror.

Cars and motorbikes are not animals. Cars are not a higher lifeform. They both need humans to ride or drive them. Some people get confused by Buddhism, I'm sure.

Why floor it for the sole purpose of preventing someone from taking you over? That's incredibly reckless and dangerous.

I saw what the fool in the Merc was trying to do when he floored it into the gap in the left lane. He only wanted to get in front of me, and nothing more. There was a line of traffic for another 100 metres in front, but he wanted to get in front of me, even though I was riding slow to follow the traffic in front.

He had nowhere to go. He was incredibly reckless and dangerous, so that is why I started this thread.

Edited January 25, 2010 by SeanMoran

[onnut]

its not always cars that dont care about bikes, the amount of bikes that have come flying out of some side road at night with no lights on in front of me is incredible!

[NearestTheTee]

The Mercedes Mentality., They're a law unto themselves.

OP,

Agree. It's the Mercedes mentality. Asians who drive Mercedes seem to think they can drive however they want. It's if to say, 'i drive this car because i am wealthy, i have made it to the top and therefore i can drive how i like and dis-regard the rules of the road and other road users'. W*ankers

[mrbojangles]

Dont know who's worse....the merc for trying to overtake or you for trying to cause an accident by speeding up and shutting him out.

That's what I thought. Here in Saudi they are always trying that little bit extra to get in front of you. I always just think that if they're in that much of a rush, let em go and get em out of the way. Cut em up and they'll be behind you for even further, trying all sorts of moves to get in front.

BTW. That applies to many different car owners, not just Merc drivers.

[H2oDunc]

Out of the 2 lunatics on the road that day I would have to say you are clearly by far the most dangerous. Rather than let a crazy or dangerous driver pass you and let be you nearly caused what could well have been a serious accident. Was this because the owner had a better car than you so making you so jealous or what ? I would suggest you take some form of anger management or it may be you that pays the price the next time!

[SeanMoran]

Out of the 2 lunatics on the road that day I would have to say you are clearly by far the most dangerous. Rather than let a crazy or dangerous driver pass you and let be you nearly caused what could well have been a serious accident. Was this because the owner had a better car than you so making you so jealous or what ? I would suggest you take some form of anger management or it may be you that pays the price the next time!

Wrong. Maybe I didn't explain well enough to begin with. We were all happily cruising along in a dual-carriage convoy: slow-lane and fast-lane. I was riding in the fast lane at the pace of the fast lane traffic, which was not that fast at around 90km/h. The idiot behind me in the Merc had a problem with wanting to pass me, even though I was following the ute in front of me at the same pace at a safe distance. He had nowhere to go in passing me except into the back of the pickup I was following at 10-15 metres behind.

Does that help you to better understand? I didn't have time to grab the camera out of the rucksack to take photos, but I hope that explanation is clarity enough.

[robblok]

Out of the 2 lunatics on the road that day I would have to say you are clearly by far the most dangerous. Rather than let a crazy or dangerous driver pass you and let be you nearly caused what could well have been a serious accident. Was this because the owner had a better car than you so making you so jealous or what ? I would suggest you take some form of anger management or it may be you that pays the price the next time!

Wrong. Maybe I didn't explain well enough to begin with. We were all happily cruising along in a dual-carriage convoy: slow-lane and fast-lane. I was riding in the fast lane at the pace of the fast lane traffic, which was not that fast at around 90km/h. The idiot behind me in the Merc had a problem with wanting to pass me, even though I was following the ute in front of me at the same pace at a safe distance. He had nowhere to go in passing me except into the back of the pickup I was following at 10-15 metres behind.

Does that help you to better understand? I didn't have time to grab the camera out of the rucksack to take photos, but I hope that explanation is clarity enough.

Stupid stunt to pull but i understand you 100% if you leave a bit of road open for safety they always try to get in that spot even if they cant pass further then that.

[CHdiver]

Beside that I think the merc driver was an idiot, you should be aware of that 15 meter is not a safe distance to follow somebody when you drive with 80 t0 120 km/h. If the Pick up in front of you is doing a full stop you will end up in his back before you even can touch your brake.

[dttk0009]

Haha yeah, unless you're tailgating the car someone will always try to nudge in there. Most drivers in Bangkok drive offensively, not defensively, and it's not just the mercs that do the stunts. You'll often see pick up trucks, fortuners and even city busses completely disregard the rules of the road in order to speed, illegally overtake, harass and create traffic. The reason there is so much of a traffic jam is because a large majority of the drivers here simply create it with reckless and selfish driving.

[WarpSpeed]

what sort of weird thoughts go through these dickheads minds that they risk the lives of others just to get in front of the motorbike ahead, even when there's a convoy of traffic and they can't go any further or any faster than just kill the bloke on the motorbike?

Ummmm........ Conversely what sort of weird thoughts or ego bruising does someone suffer by being passed? Or is it a power play to be so self righteous in an attempt to control everyone else around them? That made me think the same thing about your response to the dick head trying to pass you.. From my vantage point I don't see the difference both are dick heads in my book..Live and let live TIT.....Not where ever you escaped from..

[SeanMoran]

Haha yeah, unless you're tailgating the car someone will always try to nudge in there. Most drivers in Bangkok drive offensively, not defensively, and it's not just the mercs that do the stunts. You'll often see pick up trucks, fortuners and even city busses completely disregard the rules of the road in order to speed, illegally overtake, harass and create traffic. The reason there is so much of a traffic jam is because a large majority of the drivers here simply create it with reckless and selfish driving.

I find the whole idea hard to grasp, because generally, I find such a sense of harmony here in Thailand, especially in the rural places, and the jai yen attitude is something for westerners like me to aspire to. Courtesy and harmony and peace is what Thailand means to me.

Then I get on the road and it's chaos! For all the Thai-Rak-Thai slogans and lovingkindness you can fit on a USB drive with illustrations, it's as if people find that getting behind the wheel of a car like some sort of release from all the greng jai they have to put up with throughout their lives, as if some kind of pent-up anger management quick-course.

It would a laugh except that human nature seeks the simplest target in most subconscious motives, and to a man in a car, it's the majority of Thai road-going vehicles, with two wheels.

There needs to be a major media campaign about this if Thailand would fancy the idea of ever reducing its hideous road toll.

[WarpSpeed]

Most drivers in Bangkok drive offensively, not defensively, and it's not just the mercs that do the stunts.

Just like the OP you mean??

[WarpSpeed]

Haha yeah, unless you're tailgating the car someone will always try to nudge in there. Most drivers in Bangkok drive offensively, not defensively, and it's not just the mercs that do the stunts. You'll often see pick up trucks, fortuners and even city busses completely disregard the rules of the road in order to speed, illegally overtake, harass and create traffic. The reason there is so much of a traffic jam is because a large majority of the drivers here simply create it with reckless and selfish driving.

I find the whole idea hard to grasp, because generally, I find such a sense of harmony here in Thailand, especially in the rural places, and the jai yen attitude is something for westerners like me to aspire to. Courtesy and harmony and peace is what Thailand means to me.

Oh!!! You don't do irony very well do you??

[SeanMoran]

Most drivers in Bangkok drive offensively, not defensively, and it's not just the mercs that do the stunts.

Just like the OP you mean??

Of course. One cannot ride offensively on a motorbike in Thailand or anywhere that cars are permitted to roam the streets.

Oh!!! You don't do irony very well do you??

This is not my act. This is Thailand's irony, not mine.

What do you suggest we do about it?

Edited January 25, 2010 by SeanMoran

[H2oDunc]

A lunatic wants to push past you even if he can go no further ? Where is the problem. Just let him. The problem is you are just like him if not worse!!!!. You would risk an accident rather than just let him pass. I'm sorry but I just do not get people like you You remind me of the many people in the UK that will sit in the outside lane at 70mph and refuse to move over as they are already travelling at the maximum speed. people like you probably cause more accidents that the Mercedes driver .All you had to do was back off let the lunatic pass and no problem. You didn't! You now try to justify your reckless actions. You can't!

[garyh]

2 seconds is considered a safe distance to follow not 15 metres, although if you do it you will of course have lots of cars move in ti the safe space you left in front of you.

[scorecard]

Out of the 2 lunatics on the road that day I would have to say you are clearly by far the most dangerous. Rather than let a crazy or dangerous driver pass you and let be you nearly caused what could well have been a serious accident. Was this because the owner had a better car than you so making you so jealous or what ? I would suggest you take some form of anger management or it may be you that pays the price the next time!

Wrong. Maybe I didn't explain well enough to begin with. We were all happily cruising along in a dual-carriage convoy: slow-lane and fast-lane. I was riding in the fast lane at the pace of the fast lane traffic, which was not that fast at around 90km/h. The idiot behind me in the Merc had a problem with wanting to pass me, even though I was following the ute in front of me at the same pace at a safe distance. He had nowhere to go in passing me except into the back of the pickup I was following at 10-15 metres behind.

Does that help you to better understand? I didn't have time to grab the camera out of the rucksack to take photos, but I hope that explanation is clarity enough.

What you initially described is nothing more than stupid and I'm glad you live at least 200 kilometres away from me and my family.

You mention that you were alone is your car, but what you probably don't know is whether there were small innocent children in the merc, if there were then you deliberately and callously put them at risk of death or severe injury.

Now you tell us that you didn't have time to get your camera out of your ruksak to take photos. So I guess that means that you would have no hesitation to have readily driven with one hand in this dangerous scenario whilst trying to get hold of your ruksak and then trying to extricate your camera and then take pictures whilst your trying to control a car at high speed, one hand, in the scenario you describe.

Never mind the mentality and driving skills and behavior of the merc driver (and it's wrong to label merc drivers) I wonder how someone could get your licence cancelled forever, you shouldn't have one.

Maybe you also need to attend some anger management classes.

Edited January 25, 2010 by scorecard

[EvilDrSomkid]

When I saw the title I had something completely different in mind.

Usually the MB drivers here are old, slow and sit in the fast lane blocking everybody who wants to get past.

The " old and dirty" description makes me think this was a young guy. The old "rich" farts in their Benzes usually drive slow and sedate to the point one might think they are in their own world dreaming about money and have perfected being annoying on the road.

Even my wife noticed this behavior after I pointed it out to her. Now she mentions it, too when driving home from work, if stuck behind some boat sized S-class or worse yet, a 280SE.

Besides us Audi drivers snigger at Merc's.

[StreetCowboy]

Out of the 2 lunatics on the road that day I would have to say you are clearly by far the most dangerous. Rather than let a crazy or dangerous driver pass you and let be you nearly caused what could well have been a serious accident. Was this because the owner had a better car than you so making you so jealous or what ? I would suggest you take some form of anger management or it may be you that pays the price the next time!

Wrong. Maybe I didn't explain well enough to begin with. We were all happily cruising along in a dual-carriage convoy: slow-lane and fast-lane. I was riding in the fast lane at the pace of the fast lane traffic, which was not that fast at around 90km/h. The idiot behind me in the Merc had a problem with wanting to pass me, even though I was following the ute in front of me at the same pace at a safe distance. He had nowhere to go in passing me except into the back of the pickup I was following at 10-15 metres behind.

Does that help you to better understand? I didn't have time to grab the camera out of the rucksack to take photos, but I hope that explanation is clarity enough.

What you initially described is nothing more than stupid and I'm glad you live at least 200 kilometres away from me and my family.

You mention that you were alone is your car, but what you probably don't know is whether there were small innocent children in the merc, if there were then you deliberately and callously put them at risk of death or severe injury.

Now you tell us that you didn't have time to get your camera out of your ruksak to take photos. So I guess that means that you would have no hesitation to have readily driven with one hand in this dangerous scenario whilst trying to get hold of your ruksak and then trying to extricate your camera and then take pictures whilst your trying to control a car at high speed, one hand, in the scenario you describe.

Never mind the mentality and driving skills and behavior of the merc driver (and it's wrong to label merc drivers) I wonder how someone could get your licence cancelled forever, you shouldn't have one.

Maybe you also need to attend some anger management classes.

I think the OP rides a motorbike, and so is a bit more vulnerable than most to being barged off the road by inconsiderate drivers.

His behaviour as described seems stupid to the point of suicidal, although as a motorcyclist, I would have thought he would be sorely tempted to open up the throttle and weave between the lanes of traffic.

Still, each to his own. I'm always surprised how few accidents we see on the roads. All we can do is keep a safe distance, watch them pass us, and wave as we in turn pass their crumpled wrecks

SC

[Nio]

Mercedes Mentality

Spend more money to buy a 10 to 15 year old Mercedes than you would for a brand new Toyota Camry or Honda Accord

Craziest thing ever just to make people think you are rich or important

Then go to their cracker box house and has nothing inside, but at least it's a Mercedes

One other for the OP, patience is an uncommon virtue

Be safe and not a statistic

On a bike there is no where to go but down hard and I would not put it past some crazy drivers to run you down if you do that

Remember the recent post of the German shot and killed in Pattaya for giving the driver the finger?

It is not worth it

I have one saying in Thailand when driving

"Never be in a hurry to go no where"

[zzaa09]

Why floor it for the sole purpose of preventing someone from taking you over? That's incredibly reckless and dangerous.

Yes, I found that odd as well - almost hypocritical. As to the make and model of the vehicle and related driving character, it really doesn't matter what one might be driving, as disrespectful and inconsiderate drivers come from all backgrounds......has nothing to do with the vehicle and supposed class mentality attached.

[SeanMoran]

Remember the recent post of the German shot and killed in Pattaya for giving the driver the finger?

It is not worth it

I have one saying in Thailand when driving

"Never be in a hurry to go no where"

Yes, that thought went through my mind as I sat at the red light in the verge (which is not one of the two lanes designated for cars) with this madman's headlights right behind me in both rear view mirrors. I did not turn around but just counted down to the green light and after a quick look to the right to check for latecomers from the previous green, I fanged it all the way to Mapthaput. It was only when I slowed down for the centre of town that the rascal went flying past me to make it to the next red light.

The last I saw was him/her (most likely him I'd suspect) exiting off to Thanon 3191, possibly on the way to Mapthaput refineries, or else inland somewhere. I took the overpass and slowed down and relaxed after that. I didn't get shot for the sake of just maintaining my position in a convoy of vehicles. At 90km/h 10-15 metres is around the right braking distance, for if the ute in front of the ute in front of me had of hit something hard and static, then I'd expect around 25m to brake fully while getting out the way of the maniac behind me who would have driven straight into the back of any such collision.

Ten to fifteen metres distance from the car in front at 90km/h on dry roads on a motorbike with good brakes is about right. There was no room between me and the car in front for some rich boy in his momma's dirty mercedes.

[WarpSpeed]

Most drivers in Bangkok drive offensively, not defensively, and it's not just the mercs that do the stunts.

Just like the OP you mean??

Of course. One cannot ride offensively on a motorbike in Thailand or anywhere that cars are permitted to roam the streets.

Oh!!! You don't do irony very well do you??

This is not my act. This is Thailand's irony, not mine.

What do you suggest we do about it?

More irony!!!! Wooooooooosssshhhhhhhh!!! I was going to put a laughing smily here but sadly it's more tragic then funny....

[SeanMoran]

More irony!!!! Wooooooooosssshhhhhhhh!!! I was going to put a laughing smily here but sadly it's more tragic then funny....

May I ask you to elaborate on that a little bit?

[WarpSpeed]

Dont know who's worse....the merc for trying to overtake or you for trying to cause an accident by speeding up and shutting him out.

I agree its annoying when someone does that but after describing your own actions I dont really think I'd want to be your passenger.

And that comes from someone who loves speed.

HL

Well stated

Once again, the reason that so many motorcyclists are killed in Thailand is because the majority of road users are motorcyclists, and the minority of car drivers do not care if they drive straight over them. It is not the motorcyclists that are to blame for motorcycle deaths. It is the car drivers that consider a motorcyclist's life of less value than their own wing mirror.

Cars and motorbikes are not animals. Cars are not a higher lifeform. They both need humans to ride or drive them. Some people get confused by Buddhism, I'm sure.

Why floor it for the sole purpose of preventing someone from taking you over? That's incredibly reckless and dangerous.

Like I said offensive driving on your part, not defensive..

I saw what the fool in the Merc was trying to do when he floored it into the gap in the left lane. He only wanted to get in front of me, and nothing more. There was a line of traffic for another 100 metres in front, but he wanted to get in front of me, even though I was riding slow to follow the traffic in front.

He had nowhere to go. He was incredibly reckless and dangerous, so that is why I started this thread.

There is so many examples of poor judgment, arrogance, self righteousness and contradictory hypocrisies in this post I don't know where to begin but just to make one correction. It's arrogant and complacent attitudes like yours that are the reason why there are so many motorcycle deaths here. I have personally experienced and seen far more dangerous and life threatening stunts on motorcycles of all types then I have ever seen or experienced in a single car.. People thinking the law doesn't apply to them and riding on sidewalks, against traffic, overtaking at high speeds and in no passing zones and weaving or riding between stopped or moving vehicles, the list is endless..Most of which no car is even able to do..