Bad Drivers Phuket

[Tanuki]

Anyone else ever have locals purposely come too close to your bike when youre riding as if they were trying to make you crash? Is this done intentionaly or are they just really bad drivers? Doesn't seem to be too much enforcement here either i wonder how many moving violation tickets are issued each month (besides to farang for no helmet)? Round-a-bouts...forget it nobody here knows how to use them and the one at the Heroins Monument is closed at random times, no fixed time that it is open as I ride through that at different times of day and night and sometimes open and sometimes you must drive a km north to make a u-turn. This doesn't seem to make much sense so how is it good for traffic to have people driving out of their way and make a u-turn?

[grumpyoldman]

Joined 36 minutes ago and newbie pops open a massive can of worms !!!

Which was the thread where one poster says he purposely drives super close to motorbike riders to force them father left? Then it was flamefest.

I just basically got sideswiped while I was running around Nai Harn lagoon, so you needn't be on a bike or in a vehicle to get wiped out by a car here, and yes Tanuki, drivers here are pretty close to the worst, Thais and Fortuner Foreigners alike

Edited November 30, 2011 by grumpyoldman

[Valentine]

Joined 36 minutes ago and newbie pops open a massive can of worms !!!

Which was the thread where one poster says he purposely drives super close to motorbike riders to force them father left? Then it was flamefest.

I just basically got sideswiped while I was running around Nai Harn lagoon, so you needn't be on a bike or in a vehicle to get wiped out by a car here, and yes Tanuki, drivers here are pretty close to the worst, Thais and Fortuner Foreigners alike

There are some pretty stroppy Jazz drivers as well.

[thaiIand]

prob me, i hit a farang's bike on the bypass few months ago when he wasnt in the shoulder and i was trying to pass someone by the left lane because he was going 40 in the right lane as they always do

Tanuki. Drive faster or further left and if you see an obstacle then stop and wait for cars to pass you if you're a slow driver. If you'Re trying to do a uturn on the right side of the road, wait untill you are next to the uturn lane before switching from the shoulder to the middle lanes instead of pissing off everyone driving at 30kph in the fast lane.

If you follow those simple rules, you wont ever be too close to a moving car.

Edited November 30, 2011 by thaiIand

[Jimi007]

I've never seen anyone pulled over for a moving violation here. Just checkpoints. High season seems to bring out the worst drivers around! Actually a lot of them are imports from other provences and countries. I had some Thai woman in a Jazz blow through the stop sign right in front of me on my motorbike just this afternoon at the intersection near Cheers Bar. I drive extremely defensively around here, and rarely even get angry any more. I know the roads and know where to go slow, leaving room for idiots. Then where it's clear I rip by them at over 100 until I have a clearing, then slow down again. It's best to either stay with the pack , leaving braking room or get away from everyone. And alway expect someone to do something stupid in front of you, as well as check your mirrors for trouble from behind... Welcome to Phuket driving, be safe and good luck!

[thaiIand]

yeah you cant go wrong having 1 or more motorcycle behind and in front of you.. let those idiots trying to gain 1 traffic spot die as your own personal shield

[LivinginKata]

The influx of the tourists renting motor bikes gives a daily display of the worst driving styles. The far too careful and inexperienced wobbling all over the road at low speed, and the reckless overtaking at high speed without caring about oncoming traffic. Just another day in paradise ...

[KImoLolo]

I have had the misfortune to need to travers Patong as of late. Today I was moving in slow traffic and a public parking spot opened on 200Pee Rd. I was just sitting there aq the Taxi Mafia struck... Yep, a guy jumped out from the parke car area to claim the space and offer me a F*C* Y*U with out of a word from me. OK sure the police are doing lots about parking etc.

Now that links into the ride back with a tuk tuk trying to force his way by on the hill .. Yeah, a tuk tuk passing a late model Vigo 3L... Big and lots of power just like me!

[aussiebrian]

prob me, i hit a farang's bike on the bypass few months ago when he wasnt in the shoulder and i was trying to pass someone by the left lane because he was going 40 in the right lane as they always do

Tanuki. Drive faster or further left and if you see an obstacle then stop and wait for cars to pass you if you're a slow driver. If you'Re trying to do a uturn on the right side of the road, wait untill you are next to the uturn lane before switching from the shoulder to the middle lanes instead of pissing off everyone driving at 30kph in the fast lane.

If you follow those simple rules, you wont ever be too close to a moving car.

Did you deliberately hit the motorcycle because he wasn't riding to your standards and he pissed you off, or because of your poor driving skills? I hope you stopped and explained your rules to him as he was on your road..

[KImoLolo]

prob me, i hit a farang's bike on the bypass few months ago when he wasnt in the shoulder and i was trying to pass someone by the left lane because he was going 40 in the right lane as they always do

Tanuki. Drive faster or further left and if you see an obstacle then stop and wait for cars to pass you if you're a slow driver. If you'Re trying to do a uturn on the right side of the road, wait untill you are next to the uturn lane before switching from the shoulder to the middle lanes instead of pissing off everyone driving at 30kph in the fast lane.

If you follow those simple rules, you wont ever be too close to a moving car.

Did you deliberately hit the motorcycle because he wasn't riding to your standards and he pissed you off, or because of your poor driving skills? I hope you stopped and explained your rules to him as he was on your road..

Next thing you the Aussie Boyh will be asking if you still beat your wife!

[BOBBYTIN]

how many times have you had traffic oncoming,and had to brake as there is someone on a bike wondering around,taking up the whole lane. stay in the bike lane,use your mirrors,and try and think how difficult you make it for us sensible drivers. dont even get me on the motor bike and side cars straying around the road.i will not hesitate to run one off the road if left with no choice.

[KarenBravo]

how many times have you had traffic oncoming,and had to brake as there is someone on a bike wondering around,taking up the whole lane. stay in the bike lane,use your mirrors,and try and think how difficult you make it for us sensible drivers. dont even get me on the motor bike and side cars straying around the road.i will not hesitate to run one off the road if left with no choice.

How about you car drivers give us bike riders a bit more clearance when you pass.

Maybe passing us then slamming on the brakes so you can turn left making us have to break sharply, too is also something you can avoid?

Also, don't purposely block off the extreme left hand-side used by bikes at traffic lights, we want to get to the front.

Car drivers, have you noticed that at most sets of lights there is a box with squiggly writing in it? It says motorbikes only, so, stay out of it.

How about actually waiting until the road is clear before pulling out of a soi, instead of slowly edging out making all the vehicles on the main road first dodge around you, then stop.

Motorbike riders do not have the monopoly when it comes to bad and inconsiderate driving.

[KImoLolo]

I drive in Phuket daily. Chalong Circle Warrior etc. Too much driving as of late. One week 2 Patong trips, Big C Central, and this morning Hilton Karon... All from Rawai! I agree that high season is worse, a no brainer. I do also agree that so far this years traffic is worse. Its a combination of many holiday makers, motorbike users and us folks whom get more keyed up with the new hazzards. Plus the tour vans are on the money curve for the year so they are mo agrssive. Look, I posted earlier in this thread about a beater old tuk tuk that wanted to pass me heading out of Patong... The commericial passenger transport people are the problem, they are causing accidents everywhere. Travel from Rawai to Central and back, oyu'll see one. Yesterday a very portly

Russian wearing only a budgie smugler skidded out of contro in the Lotus car park. He traveled 3m with the bike on one leg.. I just drove on. In Patong by the temple ther was a fast bike (aka crotch rocket) turned over with the driver and lady rider in only swim wear. Two solutions are to first control the passenger trade. An op mentioned something about no moving violation stops. Traffic is a moving violation. You'll not get anywhere if you emulate the traffic safety video at Land T office.....

I do have to say that control the retal market is most important! No Motorbike lic no rental.. Never happen. Solution for expats. Drive a big truck with alot of power, you'll need it

[stevehaigh]

there's bad drivers everywhere, i don't think phuket is worse then any where else i've lived

[snamos]

Don't slow down for idiots when in a car or on a motorbike. Just go around them and keep booting or you may get a water truck up your behind. Better to deal with traffic from 3 sides instead of 4

[Kernow86]

How about you car drivers give us bike riders a bit more clearance when you pass.

Maybe passing us then slamming on the brakes so you can turn left making us have to break sharply, too is also something you can avoid?

Also, don't purposely block off the extreme left hand-side used by bikes at traffic lights, we want to get to the front.

Car drivers, have you noticed that at most sets of lights there is a box with squiggly writing in it? It says motorbikes only, so, stay out of it.

How about actually waiting until the road is clear before pulling out of a soi, instead of slowly edging out making all the vehicles on the main road first dodge around you, then stop.

Motorbike riders do not have the monopoly when it comes to bad and inconsiderate driving.

Karen Bravo - I'm with you!

I drive 100k everyday and the most life threatening driving comes from cars.

I agree that it's painfully annoying when arrogant drivers squeeze their cars in places they shouldn't and blast past bikes at over 100k but only 2cms away. It's so disappointing that these people cause other people to crash and don't just kill themselves.

Let's all drive as carefully and defensively as possible and hope that we're not in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[katabeachbum]

Don't slow down for idiots when in a car or on a motorbike. Just go around them and keep booting or you may get a water truck up your behind. Better to deal with traffic from 3 sides instead of 4

agreed, only fix to stay relatively safe here is to be faster than the crowd

I have totally given up riding on the shoulders as that is indeed suicidal

even on my slow pcx, usually top speed 80kmh, I am in the middle of left lane, or in the middle of right lane if I am fast enough to not have a car/van wanting to overtake

as for non experienced riders, stay on the shoulders at low speed, and leave the road to those who can ride

[Shot]

Don't slow down for idiots when in a car or on a motorbike. Just go around them and keep booting or you may get a water truck up your behind. Better to deal with traffic from 3 sides instead of 4

Agree 100%

Quote from the 1976 movie The Gumball Rally

" Franco: And now my friend, the first-a rule of Italian (Phuket) driving.

[Franco rips off his rear-view mirror and throws it out of the car]

Franco: What's-a behind me is not important."

[Pomthai]

how many times have you had traffic oncoming,and had to brake as there is someone on a bike wondering around,taking up the whole lane. stay in the bike lane,use your mirrors,and try and think how difficult you make it for us sensible drivers. dont even get me on the motor bike and side cars straying around the road.i will not hesitate to run one off the road if left with no choice.

How about you car drivers give us bike riders a bit more clearance when you pass.

Maybe passing us then slamming on the brakes so you can turn left making us have to break sharply, too is also something you can avoid?

Also, don't purposely block off the extreme left hand-side used by bikes at traffic lights, we want to get to the front.

Car drivers, have you noticed that at most sets of lights there is a box with squiggly writing in it? It says motorbikes only, so, stay out of it.

How about actually waiting until the road is clear before pulling out of a soi, instead of slowly edging out making all the vehicles on the main road first dodge around you, then stop.

Motorbike riders do not have the monopoly when it comes to bad and inconsiderate driving.

And here as highlighted above in bold lies the source of the problem. Why? Why do you want to get to the front? Is it so you can be overtaken again therefore putting yourself in a more dangerous position for the umpteenth time? The trouble is "everyone" on a bike wants to be first and in front, then they all get overtaken. Later on they all squeeze in front again as if their life depends on it at the next set of lights. IMHO they put their lives in danger completely unnecessarily. Why not que up on the left in the motorbike lane or inside of the cars. This way they can maintain their pace as opposed to this idiotic bunny hopping approach where at every set of lights, when pulling away cars drivers have to negotiate a line of 8 to 10 bikes side by side monopolizing the entire width of the road which will all eventually squeeze over to be overtaken anyway. Again and again and again. Que up simple. Safer for everyone.

[katabeachbum]

how many times have you had traffic oncoming,and had to brake as there is someone on a bike wondering around,taking up the whole lane. stay in the bike lane,use your mirrors,and try and think how difficult you make it for us sensible drivers. dont even get me on the motor bike and side cars straying around the road.i will not hesitate to run one off the road if left with no choice.

How about you car drivers give us bike riders a bit more clearance when you pass.

Maybe passing us then slamming on the brakes so you can turn left making us have to break sharply, too is also something you can avoid?

Also, don't purposely block off the extreme left hand-side used by bikes at traffic lights, we want to get to the front.

Car drivers, have you noticed that at most sets of lights there is a box with squiggly writing in it? It says motorbikes only, so, stay out of it.

How about actually waiting until the road is clear before pulling out of a soi, instead of slowly edging out making all the vehicles on the main road first dodge around you, then stop.

Motorbike riders do not have the monopoly when it comes to bad and inconsiderate driving.

And here as highlighted above in bold lies the source of the problem. Why? Why do you want to get to the front? Is it so you can be overtaken again therefore putting yourself in a more dangerous position for the umpteenth time? The trouble is "everyone" on a bike wants to be first and in front, then they all get overtaken. Later on they all squeeze in front again as if their life depends on it at the next set of lights. IMHO they put their lives in danger completely unnecessarily. Why not que up on the left in the motorbike lane or inside of the cars. This way they can maintain their pace as opposed to this idiotic bunny hopping approach where at every set of lights, when pulling away cars drivers have to negotiate a line of 8 to 10 bikes side by side monopolizing the entire width of the road which will all eventually squeeze over to be overtaken anyway. Again and again and again. Que up simple. Safer for everyone.

seems you have totally missed how Thai traffic is organised

all roads with speed limit 80 or lower, most redlights have 2 STOP lines. One for 4 wheelers or more, one for 2 wheelers ahead of the 4 wheelers. Bikes take off and accelerate faster than most cars and reach speedlimit. Now if you need to overtake above speedlimit, YOU need to be patient rather than trying to push bikers off the road

and OP, when you say locals I assume you think of both Thai and foreigners. Only 10% of new cars in Phuket are sold to foreign owners, but they sure are over represented as bully drivers

[KarenBravo]

We want to get to the front so we can sit in our government designated box.

Bikes also accelerate faster than most cars.

[Pomthai]

how many times have you had traffic oncoming,and had to brake as there is someone on a bike wondering around,taking up the whole lane. stay in the bike lane,use your mirrors,and try and think how difficult you make it for us sensible drivers. dont even get me on the motor bike and side cars straying around the road.i will not hesitate to run one off the road if left with no choice.

How about you car drivers give us bike riders a bit more clearance when you pass.

Maybe passing us then slamming on the brakes so you can turn left making us have to break sharply, too is also something you can avoid?

Also, don't purposely block off the extreme left hand-side used by bikes at traffic lights, we want to get to the front.

Car drivers, have you noticed that at most sets of lights there is a box with squiggly writing in it? It says motorbikes only, so, stay out of it.

How about actually waiting until the road is clear before pulling out of a soi, instead of slowly edging out making all the vehicles on the main road first dodge around you, then stop.

Motorbike riders do not have the monopoly when it comes to bad and inconsiderate driving.

And here as highlighted above in bold lies the source of the problem. Why? Why do you want to get to the front? Is it so you can be overtaken again therefore putting yourself in a more dangerous position for the umpteenth time? The trouble is "everyone" on a bike wants to be first and in front, then they all get overtaken. Later on they all squeeze in front again as if their life depends on it at the next set of lights. IMHO they put their lives in danger completely unnecessarily. Why not que up on the left in the motorbike lane or inside of the cars. This way they can maintain their pace as opposed to this idiotic bunny hopping approach where at every set of lights, when pulling away cars drivers have to negotiate a line of 8 to 10 bikes side by side monopolizing the entire width of the road which will all eventually squeeze over to be overtaken anyway. Again and again and again. Que up simple. Safer for everyone.

seems you have totally missed how Thai traffic is organised

all roads with speed limit 80 or lower, most redlights have 2 STOP lines. One for 4 wheelers or more, one for 2 wheelers ahead of the 4 wheelers. Bikes take off and accelerate faster than most cars and reach speedlimit. Now if you need to overtake above speedlimit, YOU need to be patient rather than trying to push bikers off the road

You spelled organized wrong. Also its not a word most people would associate with Thai traffic. Not meaning to be pedantic lol, but if the bikes did stay in their lanes and accelerated as you imply and as per the road design, yes it could work, however they don't and they end up using the entire width of the road and all lanes because "Everyone of them wants to be first". Fundamental problem right there.

[Pomthai]

We want to get to the front so we can sit in our government designated box.

Bikes also accelerate faster than most cars.

If the government said "Drive into cement truck here" would you?

Sheeple will be the demise of the human race.

[KarenBravo]

Gawd.....a spelling pedant!

Not only that, but, a spelling pedant that is wrong.

Organised, mobilised = English spelling.

Organized, mobilized = American spelling.

Don't know nuffink about spelling, or traffic in Thailand.

[Pomthai]

Gawd.....a spelling pedant!

Not only that, but, a spelling pedant that is wrong.

Organised, mobilised = English spelling.

Organized, mobilized = American spelling.

Don't know nuffink about spelling, or traffic in Thailand.

Did ya not read the "lol" I put after? It was meant as tongue in cheek. I didn't think I'd have to spell it out. Obviously I was incorrect and for that I apologize.

[Old Croc]

Bikes accelerate faster than cars from traffic lights!!

KBB, you, and your ilk, on your super bikes, maybe. All the rest of the little shitty 50ccers and sidecars move off about as fast as me on foot with my walking stick.

My Vios is the fastest thing from the lights by a street, nine times out of ten!

[KarenBravo]

We want to get to the front so we can sit in our government designated box.

Bikes also accelerate faster than most cars.

If the government said "Drive into cement truck here" would you?

Sheeple will be the demise of the human race.

If the government tells you to drive on the left-hand side (which it does) do you do it?

(terrible analogy you used that only a retard would swallow).

[katabeachbum]

You spelled organized wrong. Also its not a word most people would associate with Thai traffic. Not meaning to be pedantic lol, but if the bikes did stay in their lanes and accelerated as you imply and as per the road design, yes it could work, however they don't and they end up using the entire width of the road and all lanes because "Everyone of them wants to be first". Fundamental problem right there.

Sorry for english being my 4th language, but you obviously still got it

red lights are designed for bikes to use the full width of the road, that is how it is organised here. Take a look next time you are in one, its not in english, its written in Thai as we are in Thailand

bikes do not very often have designated lanes except on roads with speedlimit above 80kmh. Very few such in Phuket.

The 1979 road act with later updates does not say bikes must stay in left lane either. It says slow vehicles must. So when an ordinary car like a Vigo, Fortuner or Vios stops for redlight in right lane, they are wrong, as most bikes are much faster off at green. One of the reasons why the bike boxes ahead of cars STOP lines was introduced a few years ago

80 % of cars sold in Thailand care unable to accelearate on par with my local runaround scoot, a simple Honda PCX 125cc

Not 1% can accelerate on par with my Ninja.

So move over please

[katabeachbum]

Bikes accelerate faster than cars from traffic lights!!

KBB, you, and your ilk, on your super bikes, maybe. All the rest of the little shitty 50ccers and sidecars move off about as fast as me on foot with my walking stick.

My Vios is the fastest thing from the lights by a street, nine times out of ten!

My 125cc pcx scooter does 0-80kmh in 6 seconds, Vios needs 9 seconds.

so housewifes on old waves with throttle stuck at max 50% and Vios drivers, please stay in left lane

just kidding, there are always jurks in right lane who shouldnt be there, but that does not give any car driver the right to squeese them off the road, just like when i drive my huge pickup or a black Fortuner do not have the right to squeese Vios drivers off the road

[Pomthai]

Now that a Ninja has entered the thread its obviously over.

BTW Isn't Somchai's lowered Vigo with TRD stickers and blue led's faster than everything else? Surely this is the case.