Traffic Rules

[cardholder]

Priority from the left is DANGEROUS - it also cannot work.....it demonstrably flawed......

THis was the rule in Europe for some time - (obviously as the driving is on the other side so it is "priority from the right".)

In a situation where no other priority is evident it allows vehicles priority ONTO a junction where they then lose their priority OUT. i.e. everyone gets In and there is no way out.

If you can't follow that, get some toy cars and experiment by drawing a crossroads and a roundabout and play around with them for a while.

In Europe it stemmed from old agricultural vehicles and low speeds and led to the French reputation for deaths at crossroads. They now have almost - but not quite reversed the situation - anyone driving in town in France and neighbouring countries will know what I mean.

However this brings to light one of the REAL causes of road safety failings in Thailand. not the drivers but the traffic engineering - unless the roads are clearly and SCIENTIFICALLY signed and marked, drivers are left to guess what simple things like where the road ends, who has priority, which lane etc etc.If you look at countries with high standards of traffic engineering you'll notice without exception they have low accident rates.

(I note Australia and US both have very poor systems and their RTA rates are really quite poor given the socio-economic factors involved.)

THe European system works extremely well - it is based not on big signs with lots of information, it is a system of subliminal signals that actually elicit reactions from drivers and other road users without the need for any time-consuming reading or lengthy though processes. By that I mean .25 or ,5 of a second or thereabouts.furthermore the road markings distances angles etc of junctions coupled with lane markings male it almost impossible for cars to get into the wrong position at a junction of any kind and facilitate their smooth entry into the traffic - however heavy or fast. All these distances etc are carefully calculated, as is the positioning of ALL road signs - warnings commands or directions.

Most European road users are virtually unaware of the disciplines involved in setting up a roadway, from calculating width camber etc on the road the arc of the bends to the smallest detail, the color of the "cats-eyes" and the reflectiveness of a white line in the wet.

Two observations o this in relation to Thailand - firstly this is not done in Thailand - I have seen virtually no evidence of this not even an attempt at a nationwide universal signage system - anyhow billboards and trees would obscure them anyway.

And secondly - Farang drivers - unlike Thais are so used to having rationally designed junctions and good )or in the case of the US half-good) road signage that when confronted with the mayhem that is Thai motoring are completely unable to cope and write long diatribes on Thaivisa on how bad Thailand's drivers are and how god they themselves are - which is of course not only nonsense but has racist overtones.

I think this part of your post could be challenged with empirical evidence along with a large chunk of fact.

I state categorically that, on the whole, Farang drivers in Thailand are inherently technically better and safer drivers than Thais.

(They know how to use a mirror for a start)

[transam]

Priority from the left is DANGEROUS - it also cannot work.....it demonstrably flawed......

THis was the rule in Europe for some time - (obviously as the driving is on the other side so it is "priority from the right".)

In a situation where no other priority is evident it allows vehicles priority ONTO a junction where they then lose their priority OUT. i.e. everyone gets In and there is no way out.

If you can't follow that, get some toy cars and experiment by drawing a crossroads and a roundabout and play around with them for a while.

In Europe it stemmed from old agricultural vehicles and low speeds and led to the French reputation for deaths at crossroads. They now have almost - but not quite reversed the situation - anyone driving in town in France and neighbouring countries will know what I mean.

However this brings to light one of the REAL causes of road safety failings in Thailand. not the drivers but the traffic engineering - unless the roads are clearly and SCIENTIFICALLY signed and marked, drivers are left to guess what simple things like where the road ends, who has priority, which lane etc etc.If you look at countries with high standards of traffic engineering you'll notice without exception they have low accident rates.

(I note Australia and US both have very poor systems and their RTA rates are really quite poor given the socio-economic factors involved.)

THe European system works extremely well - it is based not on big signs with lots of information, it is a system of subliminal signals that actually elicit reactions from drivers and other road users without the need for any time-consuming reading or lengthy though processes. By that I mean .25 or ,5 of a second or thereabouts.furthermore the road markings distances angles etc of junctions coupled with lane markings male it almost impossible for cars to get into the wrong position at a junction of any kind and facilitate their smooth entry into the traffic - however heavy or fast. All these distances etc are carefully calculated, as is the positioning of ALL road signs - warnings commands or directions.

Most European road users are virtually unaware of the disciplines involved in setting up a roadway, from calculating width camber etc on the road the arc of the bends to the smallest detail, the color of the "cats-eyes" and the reflectiveness of a white line in the wet.

Two observations o this in relation to Thailand - firstly this is not done in Thailand - I have seen virtually no evidence of this not even an attempt at a nationwide universal signage system - anyhow billboards and trees would obscure them anyway.

And secondly - Farang drivers - unlike Thais are so used to having rationally designed junctions and good )or in the case of the US half-good) road signage that when confronted with the mayhem that is Thai motoring are completely unable to cope and write long diatribes on Thaivisa on how bad Thailand's drivers are and how god they themselves are - which is of course not only nonsense but has racist overtones.

Think that was a right load of tosh. In my part of the country they have yellow centre lines, some double, some single and broken all for a driver message, NOBODY takes any notice.

Your last para is total <deleted> (sorry). Nobody here is taught any road sense and even if they were they wouldn't take any notice if it's quicker doing something else. Have two roundabouts where l am an if they want to turn right they go the wrong way round cos it's quicker.

Sure you write stuff as a wind-up.

Racist, the mind boggles at that comment.

Edited December 17, 2010 by transam

[cardholder]

Priority from the left is DANGEROUS - it also cannot work.....it demonstrably flawed......

THis was the rule in Europe for some time - (obviously as the driving is on the other side so it is "priority from the right".)

In a situation where no other priority is evident it allows vehicles priority ONTO a junction where they then lose their priority OUT. i.e. everyone gets In and there is no way out.

If you can't follow that, get some toy cars and experiment by drawing a crossroads and a roundabout and play around with them for a while.

In Europe it stemmed from old agricultural vehicles and low speeds and led to the French reputation for deaths at crossroads. They now have almost - but not quite reversed the situation - anyone driving in town in France and neighbouring countries will know what I mean.

However this brings to light one of the REAL causes of road safety failings in Thailand. not the drivers but the traffic engineering - unless the roads are clearly and SCIENTIFICALLY signed and marked, drivers are left to guess what simple things like where the road ends, who has priority, which lane etc etc.If you look at countries with high standards of traffic engineering you'll notice without exception they have low accident rates.

(I note Australia and US both have very poor systems and their RTA rates are really quite poor given the socio-economic factors involved.)

THe European system works extremely well - it is based not on big signs with lots of information, it is a system of subliminal signals that actually elicit reactions from drivers and other road users without the need for any time-consuming reading or lengthy though processes. By that I mean .25 or ,5 of a second or thereabouts.furthermore the road markings distances angles etc of junctions coupled with lane markings male it almost impossible for cars to get into the wrong position at a junction of any kind and facilitate their smooth entry into the traffic - however heavy or fast. All these distances etc are carefully calculated, as is the positioning of ALL road signs - warnings commands or directions.

Most European road users are virtually unaware of the disciplines involved in setting up a roadway, from calculating width camber etc on the road the arc of the bends to the smallest detail, the color of the "cats-eyes" and the reflectiveness of a white line in the wet.

Two observations o this in relation to Thailand - firstly this is not done in Thailand - I have seen virtually no evidence of this not even an attempt at a nationwide universal signage system - anyhow billboards and trees would obscure them anyway.

And secondly - Farang drivers - unlike Thais are so used to having rationally designed junctions and good )or in the case of the US half-good) road signage that when confronted with the mayhem that is Thai motoring are completely unable to cope and write long diatribes on Thaivisa on how bad Thailand's drivers are and how god they themselves are - which is of course not only nonsense but has racist overtones.

Think that was a right load of tosh. In my part of the country they have yellow centre lines, some double, some single and broken all for a driver message, NOBODY takes any notice.

Your last para is total <deleted> (sorry). Nobody here is taught any road sense and even if they were they wouldn't take any notice if it's quicker doing something else. Have two roundabouts where l am an if they want to turn right they go the wrong way round cos it's quicker.

Sure you write stuff as a wind-up.

Racist, the mind boggles at that comment.

Phew!

I thought it was just me that thought post #31 was a load of <deleted> !

Where Deeral squeezed racism from beggars belief.

Edited December 17, 2010 by cardholder

[transam]

Priority from the left is DANGEROUS - it also cannot work.....it demonstrably flawed......

THis was the rule in Europe for some time - (obviously as the driving is on the other side so it is "priority from the right".)

In a situation where no other priority is evident it allows vehicles priority ONTO a junction where they then lose their priority OUT. i.e. everyone gets In and there is no way out.

If you can't follow that, get some toy cars and experiment by drawing a crossroads and a roundabout and play around with them for a while.

In Europe it stemmed from old agricultural vehicles and low speeds and led to the French reputation for deaths at crossroads. They now have almost - but not quite reversed the situation - anyone driving in town in France and neighbouring countries will know what I mean.

However this brings to light one of the REAL causes of road safety failings in Thailand. not the drivers but the traffic engineering - unless the roads are clearly and SCIENTIFICALLY signed and marked, drivers are left to guess what simple things like where the road ends, who has priority, which lane etc etc.If you look at countries with high standards of traffic engineering you'll notice without exception they have low accident rates.

(I note Australia and US both have very poor systems and their RTA rates are really quite poor given the socio-economic factors involved.)

THe European system works extremely well - it is based not on big signs with lots of information, it is a system of subliminal signals that actually elicit reactions from drivers and other road users without the need for any time-consuming reading or lengthy though processes. By that I mean .25 or ,5 of a second or thereabouts.furthermore the road markings distances angles etc of junctions coupled with lane markings male it almost impossible for cars to get into the wrong position at a junction of any kind and facilitate their smooth entry into the traffic - however heavy or fast. All these distances etc are carefully calculated, as is the positioning of ALL road signs - warnings commands or directions.

Most European road users are virtually unaware of the disciplines involved in setting up a roadway, from calculating width camber etc on the road the arc of the bends to the smallest detail, the color of the "cats-eyes" and the reflectiveness of a white line in the wet.

Two observations o this in relation to Thailand - firstly this is not done in Thailand - I have seen virtually no evidence of this not even an attempt at a nationwide universal signage system - anyhow billboards and trees would obscure them anyway.

And secondly - Farang drivers - unlike Thais are so used to having rationally designed junctions and good )or in the case of the US half-good) road signage that when confronted with the mayhem that is Thai motoring are completely unable to cope and write long diatribes on Thaivisa on how bad Thailand's drivers are and how god they themselves are - which is of course not only nonsense but has racist overtones.

Think that was a right load of tosh. In my part of the country they have yellow centre lines, some double, some single and broken all for a driver message, NOBODY takes any notice.

Your last para is total <deleted> (sorry). Nobody here is taught any road sense and even if they were they wouldn't take any notice if it's quicker doing something else. Have two roundabouts where l am an if they want to turn right they go the wrong way round cos it's quicker.

Sure you write stuff as a wind-up.

Racist, the mind boggles at that comment.

Phew!

I thought it was just me that thought post #31 was a load of <deleted> !

Where Deeral squeezed racism from beggars belief.

When the racist card comes out for noooooo reason, my blood boils, l shout at the cat (poor sod) and go for a ciggy.

[Deeral]

There are some people who can neither read nor write nor comprehend - "Sure you right stuff as a wind-up." - care to re-write that?

[Deeral]

Priority from the left is DANGEROUS - it also cannot work.....it demonstrably flawed......

THis was the rule in Europe for some time - (obviously as the driving is on the other side so it is "priority from the right".)

In a situation where no other priority is evident it allows vehicles priority ONTO a junction where they then lose their priority OUT. i.e. everyone gets In and there is no way out.

If you can't follow that, get some toy cars and experiment by drawing a crossroads and a roundabout and play around with them for a while.

In Europe it stemmed from old agricultural vehicles and low speeds and led to the French reputation for deaths at crossroads. They now have almost - but not quite reversed the situation - anyone driving in town in France and neighbouring countries will know what I mean.

However this brings to light one of the REAL causes of road safety failings in Thailand. not the drivers but the traffic engineering - unless the roads are clearly and SCIENTIFICALLY signed and marked, drivers are left to guess what simple things like where the road ends, who has priority, which lane etc etc.If you look at countries with high standards of traffic engineering you'll notice without exception they have low accident rates.

(I note Australia and US both have very poor systems and their RTA rates are really quite poor given the socio-economic factors involved.)

THe European system works extremely well - it is based not on big signs with lots of information, it is a system of subliminal signals that actually elicit reactions from drivers and other road users without the need for any time-consuming reading or lengthy though processes. By that I mean .25 or ,5 of a second or thereabouts.furthermore the road markings distances angles etc of junctions coupled with lane markings male it almost impossible for cars to get into the wrong position at a junction of any kind and facilitate their smooth entry into the traffic - however heavy or fast. All these distances etc are carefully calculated, as is the positioning of ALL road signs - warnings commands or directions.

Most European road users are virtually unaware of the disciplines involved in setting up a roadway, from calculating width camber etc on the road the arc of the bends to the smallest detail, the color of the "cats-eyes" and the reflectiveness of a white line in the wet.

Two observations o this in relation to Thailand - firstly this is not done in Thailand - I have seen virtually no evidence of this not even an attempt at a nationwide universal signage system - anyhow billboards and trees would obscure them anyway.

And secondly - Farang drivers - unlike Thais are so used to having rationally designed junctions and good )or in the case of the US half-good) road signage that when confronted with the mayhem that is Thai motoring are completely unable to cope and write long diatribes on Thaivisa on how bad Thailand's drivers are and how god they themselves are - which is of course not only nonsense but has racist overtones.

Think that was a right load of tosh. In my part of the country they have yellow centre lines, some double, some single and broken all for a driver message, NOBODY takes any notice.

Your last para is total <deleted> (sorry). Nobody here is taught any road sense and even if they were they wouldn't take any notice if it's quicker doing something else. Have two roundabouts where l am an if they want to turn right they go the wrong way round cos it's quicker.

Sure you write stuff as a wind-up.

Racist, the mind boggles at that comment.

Phew!

I thought it was just me that thought post #31 was a load of <deleted> !

Where Deeral squeezed racism from beggars belief.

QED!

[Deeral]

Transam - you see a little confused - the whole point of what I was saying is that signage in Thailand is crap - that includes your "yellow lines"If you don't understand - all you have to do is ask - unfortunately I won't reply because you give me the impression I'd be wasting my breath - I'm used to communicating a bit higher up the food chain.

[Deeral]

""NOBODY takes any notice." - so that includes farangs?

[Deeral]

"I state categorically that, on the whole, Farang drivers in Thailand are inherently technically better and safer drivers than Thais.

(They know how to use a mirror for a start) " - if that isn't racist what is?

Edited December 17, 2010 by Deeral

[transam]

There are some people who can neither read nor write nor comprehend - "Sure you right stuff as a wind-up." - care to re-write that?

Yep OK, edit,

I am sure you write stuff to antagonise people to achieve a negative response for your pleasure.

As for food chain, l haven't been in McD's for a year now.

Sadly, YOU do not know what racism means and are out of order.

[Patronus]

Transam - you see a little confused - the whole point of what I was saying is that signage in Thailand is crap - that includes your "yellow lines"If you don't understand - all you have to do is ask - unfortunately I won't reply because you give me the impression I'd be wasting my breath - I'm used to communicating a bit higher up the food chain.

WOW ! - Ego, or what ?

I imagine that if I were to refer to you as an arrogant <deleted>, I would be in breach of forum rules.

In which case I will only continue to think it.

[transam]

Transam - you see a little confused - the whole point of what I was saying is that signage in Thailand is crap - that includes your "yellow lines"If you don't understand - all you have to do is ask - unfortunately I won't reply because you give me the impression I'd be wasting my breath - I'm used to communicating a bit higher up the food chain.

WOW ! - Ego, or what ?

I imagine that if I were to refer to you as an arrogant <deleted>, I would be in breach of forum rules.

In which case I will only continue to think it.

No, your OK, cos most think it of this guy.

[cardholder]

"I state categorically that, on the whole, Farang drivers in Thailand are inherently technically better and safer drivers than Thais.

(They know how to use a mirror for a start) " - if that isn't racist what is?

I can only assume that you are on strong medication

[transam]

"I state categorically that, on the whole, Farang drivers in Thailand are inherently technically better and safer drivers than Thais.

(They know how to use a mirror for a start) " - if that isn't racist what is?

I can only assume that you are on strong medication

Yeh, Lao Khao.

[Kwasaki]

"I state categorically that, on the whole, Farang drivers in Thailand are inherently technically better and safer drivers than Thais.

(They know how to use a mirror for a start) " - if that isn't racist what is?

I can only assume that you are on strong medication

Yeh, Lao Khao.

I think it's the very tight full face motorcycle helmet thats making him hot headed.