Thai Truck Drivers..

[SimonD]

Personally, I found the "Let me explain something to you geniuses" to be particularly charming. Tells everything we need to know about OP.

It's funny that the comments in the thread justify it.

Little things please little minds...

[hedonist44]

I have not found truck drivers here to be too bad at all. Now, minibus drivers ...

You must take into account the GVW of these rigs, their increased turning radius, longer stopping distance, lack of visibility, and most of all - their being very tired of dealing with all the yahoo's on the roads all day every day.

The attached will show that I have some knowledge of the subject - taken last summer ...

The photo shows nothing more than your ability to take a photo. If you find the "truck drivers here not to be too bad at all" and then go on with all the other babble about turning radius, lack of visibility is just confirming your lack knowledge of the driving here. Nice pic though....

[Chivas]

True, true. Even back home, I don't trust truck drivers - chances are they've been up and driving for 24 hours straight. In Thailand, it can only be worse, e.g. the trucks are in much worse condition, more overloaded, and the drivers probably just as tired.

So do the smart thing and avoid them.

I've even seen some trucks do the one thing that Thai drivers generally really don't do, which is to suddenly swerve and switch lanes on the highway. They were avoiding pot holes, but still. Keep your distance!

Since official Thai traffic rules state that the bigger vehicle shall always have the right of way, truck drivers generally don't look where they're going or whether there's anyone in the other lane. As they're the biggest thing on the road, the only thing they need to look out for is other trucks. Smaller than that doesn't even register.

Your remark about "bigger vehicles always having the right of way" is whimsical, of course. The drivers just think that way. Just as Mercedes, BMWs and SOME Volvo car drivers have the same attitude.

If a Thai cop challenges you with such crxpola, just ask him to show you where in the Thai law it states IN WRITING that this is the case. He can't, so tell him exactly where to go. Ever so politely and with a smile, of course!

Thank you and you beat me to it.

When they cut me up in the road I make sure they know it.Only way to educate them. Again I read about this Thai mentality and you're only a foreigner in their country-utter bollacks !!

[bunta71]

In Canada we call those 6 X 6 bed truck "Sows"

Can do most every job around.

I have driven the Ice Road since 2005 hauling fuel to the diamond mines north of Yellowknife, NT.

Also did a few runs to Tuk from Inuvik. Miles and miles of SFA.

Yes they are called Sow's in Alaska also. The two That I drove were built for oilfields in Saudi but got commandeered to the North Slope. Hello to a fellow "Ice Driver".

[mca]

I personally think there's some obscure law nestling away in the Thai Highway Code which says something like

" If MCA undertakes a journey of more than 100 kilometres from his home then the law states that he must witness at least one bus or heavy goods vehicle overturned in a ditch "

[Dave9000]

I don't want to appear as an apologist for truckdrivers, but it seems things may be a little different in the hills. Minivan drivers and 4 x 4 drivers always adopt the racing line in the mountains and, in the words of the infamous Ted Bullpit, 'someone should blow them up'. Truckies, however, seem to have a degree of courtesy when driving in the mountains. Perhaps it is because they are having to drive so slowly, perhaps it is because they are away from the city influence. They always seem to move to the left and indicate when it is safe to pass and in the 200klms of highway 1095 leading to Maehongson, passing opportunities are few and far between.

Get behind a minivan or 4 x 4 on this road and you are screwed unless you are on a motorbike. Perhaps the bucolic environment mellows the truck drivers..who knows. They make it safe for me to pass and I always give them a wave as I go by.

Incidentally, motorcycling anywhere on the MHS loop is up there with the best locations in the world.

I think the reason that those truck drivers are such gentlemen when in the mountains is because they know if they take the piss out of someone,like me for example,who in return creates an emergency situation which forces them to come to a standstil,will result in not be able to start moving again .

Self belief is a wonderful thing! You become part of the problem, not part of a solution when you deliberately "create an emergency situation" . It's immature and unhelpful; and, potentially dangerous for the person behind the truck, or driving oncoming vehicles. These people, innocently driving through the mountains do not deserve to be part of your nasty little tricks.

[JurgenG]

I don't want to appear as an apologist for truckdrivers, but it seems things may be a little different in the hills. Minivan drivers and 4 x 4 drivers always adopt the racing line in the mountains and, in the words of the infamous Ted Bullpit, 'someone should blow them up'. Truckies, however, seem to have a degree of courtesy when driving in the mountains. Perhaps it is because they are having to drive so slowly, perhaps it is because they are away from the city influence. They always seem to move to the left and indicate when it is safe to pass and in the 200klms of highway 1095 leading to Maehongson, passing opportunities are few and far between.

Get behind a minivan or 4 x 4 on this road and you are screwed unless you are on a motorbike. Perhaps the bucolic environment mellows the truck drivers..who knows. They make it safe for me to pass and I always give them a wave as I go by.

Incidentally, motorcycling anywhere on the MHS loop is up there with the best locations in the world.

Nice post and agree with you.

I drive a lot and think the skills level of the truck drivers has come up a lot over the last 20 years.

Many are responsible and considerate road users.

Agree with the both of you. In narrow roads, truck drivers usually let you know when it's safe to pass them, slow down and let you go.

Passenger vehicles, big bus or small vans, on the other hand don't show the same courtesy and usually drive like total maniac. Why ?

[dominique355]

Be careful about truck drivers. Some are very well connected and have the mobile phone No of the permanent secretary to the Prime Minister on speed dial.