What Is It About Pickups & U-turns?

[Rags]

Why is it that I forever seem to be driving behind a pickup truck that cannot negotiate a simple U-turn without blocking the road and reversing back and forth - even on a decent sized road with 2 lanes in each direction....?

I have never driven a pickup, and am curious as to the reason for this phenomenon, is it due to:

a - amazingly large turning circle

b - lack of power steering

c - lack of driving ability

d - lack of forethought

e - .....?

No prizes for guessing who got stuck behind 2 U-turning pickups this morning....

Rags

[Totster]

Probably all of the above...

totster

[RamdomChances]

I've got a 4wd, 4door isuzu, its got a realy bad turning circle. Fine up here in the country but a real pain in BKK.

[terdsak_12]

You should see my Misus in her Honda Jazz trying to do a U-ey, if she's not riding up kerbs, she's doing the 26 point turn!!

[Dragonman]

You should see my Misus in her Honda Jazz trying to do a U-ey, if she's not riding up kerbs, she's doing the 26 point turn!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thais even seem to have u-turn problems on motorbikes. Going by the number of new chalk marks at my local traffic lights every week. So pick up's are definitely a problem

[Rags]

I've got a 4wd, 4door isuzu, its got a realy bad turning circle. Fine up here in the country but a real pain in BKK.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought that was probably the case.

Although when you drive in BKK, I would hazard a guess that when approaching a U-turn, you would make allowance for the bad turning circle and position yourself accordingly. As opposed to hugging the central median, turning the wheel and being surprised when you come face-to-face with the kerb......

I know I should be used to it all by now but sometimes.........

[lopburi3]

I've got a 4wd, 4door isuzu, its got a realy bad turning circle. Fine up here in the country but a real pain in BKK.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought that was probably the case.

Although when you drive in BKK, I would hazard a guess that when approaching a U-turn, you would make allowance for the bad turning circle and position yourself accordingly. As opposed to hugging the central median, turning the wheel and being surprised when you come face-to-face with the kerb......

I know I should be used to it all by now but sometimes.........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is easier said than done as you normally have at least one more lane of traffic turning. Trucks are not made for city streets.

Now that Honda Jazz problem sounds like the driver.

[aletta]

Yep,sure do need a lot of room to turn a pick up.

[billd766]

I do it sometimes, then back up a bit, give it about 3000 rpm, drop the clutch and burn 500 km of the tyres in a cloud of blue smoke. But I can only do it if my wife is not with me.

Hey at 61 I have to have some excitement in my life.

Edited July 8, 2005 by billd766

[Plus+]

You need three lanes on te other side if you make a U-turn from median in a pickup.

When I read the topic title I though it would be about pickup drivers who create a second, sometimes third, u-turn line.

[penzman]

You mean the trucks that block the view of the oncoming traffic when you were at the u-turn first? I actually do enjoy forcing them towards the ditch or sidealk

[khunlungphudhu]

4x4 pick-ups will have a wider turning circle, the u/j's on the front drive cause the restriction, an engineering problem.

Older non 4x4's will suffer from the cost of living factor, ie., owner cannot afford to repair/ top up hydraulic power system.

A further sub species of the latter is the Thai that, irregardless of what he is driving, has to have one of those mini sports steering wheels fitted. In the UK I have driven motors up to 50 tonnes GVW, no problem, but I am blowed if I can turn my nephew's Toyota around for Tescos!

Fortunately, and with my 'encouragement', he has traded it in this year, and I am hoping and praying that the steering wheel went too!

[wilko]

Why is it that I forever seem to be driving behind a pickup truck that cannot negotiate a simple U-turn without blocking the road and reversing back and forth - even on a decent sized road with 2 lanes in each direction....?

I have never driven a pickup, and am curious as to the reason for this phenomenon, is it due to:

a -  amazingly large turning circle

b -  lack of power steering

c -  lack of driving ability

d -  lack of forethought

e -  .....?

No prizes for guessing who got stuck behind 2 U-turning pickups this morning....

Rags

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My Mitsubishi 4X4 has the most appalling turning circle; it is quite impossible to hugs the shoulder on the right and then not swerve right out into the fast lane on the other side – no chance of getting into the accelerating lane without either starting or finishing wide.

However I must say that the U-turn itself is an inherently dangerous feature of Thai roads and must be responsible for thousands of deaths and injuries over the years.

This is further compounded by what appears to be a national reluctance to accelerate up to traffic speed as quickly as possible – the number of times I come across some idiot crawling along the hard shoulder of the fast land is ridiculous….

[ozzydom]

IMHO its because Thai drivers generally are the most inconsiderate,lazy,incompetant S.O.B,s with no regard for regulations,life or limb who ever got behind a wheel, added to the published fact that only 50% of Thai drivers are licensed. What do you get CHAOS.

[RDN]

Why is it that I forever seem to be driving behind a pickup truck that cannot negotiate a simple U-turn without blocking the road and reversing back and forth - even on a decent sized road with 2 lanes in each direction....?

I have never driven a pickup, and am curious as to the reason for this phenomenon, is it due to:

a -  amazingly large turning circle

b -  lack of power steering

c -  lack of driving ability

d -  lack of forethought

e -  .....?

No prizes for guessing who got stuck behind 2 U-turning pickups this morning....

Rags

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai drivers appear not to know how to do a 3-point turn or are too lazy to do it on a single track road. I always pull up just after an entrance on the left, and reverse into it. Then it's easy to turn right to go back the way I came. But I see many Thai drivers in Phuket waiting on the left for a clear road in both directions (hopefully) to do a U-turn.

I nearly wiped out another pick-up on the main road to Rawai - he started off the road on the left, indicated left as I approached, so I moved right to allow him to slowly join the road... and then he continued to do a U-turn in front of me. Thank God for ABS brakes.

I now assume all left indicators mean "I want to do a U-turn".

The UK driving test has a "reversing around a corner" test - the most important part of a three point turn, but this doesn't appear to be taught to Thai drivers.

My Toyota Tiger pick-up has a large turning circle. At the traffic lights at Thepkasatri Road and Ratsadanuson Road, Phuket - just up the road from the Toyota dealer, I have to do a U-turn to get back to Phuket City. I just about make it turning from the centre lane going north, and turning across all 3 lanes going south with tyres squealing (at 4 kph!).

[Nordlys]

How about the turning circle of the Vigo/Fortuner? Just like any other pick-ups?

[wilko]

How about the turning circle of the Vigo/Fortuner?  Just like any other pick-ups?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fortuner I believe has a shorter wheelbase but probably the same steering as the Vigo, so should be a little better. the Fortuner has different rear suspension but I'm not sure about the front; if this is different, the turning circle could be less.