bobl Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I've tried to keep distance between me an the car in front of me, and there always seems to be an arse in the group that want to fill the hole with their vehicle +1 pet hate of mine too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connda Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Why I don't see a traffic light in front of the first car.What is the reason he stopped at that particular place? Like so many Thai drivers, he was braking for the dense air in front of him. God only knows why, but I seen some real idiots brake, and stop, in the middle of the road for absolutely no discernible reason. Breaking for ghosts, breaking for air, more likely braking out of total confusion and an inability to actually understand how to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connda Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I've tried to keep distance between me an the car in front of me, and there always seems to be an arse in the group that want to fill the hole with their vehicle even though there is absolutely nowhere to go. I try to watch a few hundred yards in front of me on the highways, but some Somchai always needs to "fill-the-hole" in front of me if I leave one. If you slow up, the idiot behind you goes ballistic on the horn. I've just taken to ignoring the horns and driving a safely as I can. Amazing LOS. Easiest solution to this is to drive on the left hand stroke since everybody else will be on the far right hand side stroke anyway. The only problem you might experience are those using the exit as an entrance and those driving against traffic flow on the highways. There's always problems with that too, considering I can always find someone who thinks that white lines in the road are to be used to center their car or truck on, usually with their blinker on, then driving 2 kilometers on the white line prior to cutting across three lanes of traffic in the opposite direction that their blinker is signalling. Hate to say it, but we make jokes about this type of driving in my country. The punchline was always..."Asian Driver", and nine times out of ten if you caught up with someone driving erratically like that, they were -- Asian (Hummm?). Even the drunks drive better than that in the US unless they are totally sloshed. I've drove with my Thai friends and they scare the crap out of me. No foresight, no anticipation, and no real attention to the road. I really am surprised that there aren't a lot more messy accidents than I've seen. Maybe I should just glue more religious trinkets on my dashboard and join the crowd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noise Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thailand....'Hub' of idiotic drivers. As if this has never happened in the U.S. or European ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryBird Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Happens all over the world. Nothing specific for Thailand. LOLOLOL!! Except that it happens all the time here!! That's the difference. It's like comparing drownings in the ocean compared to drownings in a .01" puddle. Yes, they've both happened, but they happen at different rates.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryBird Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thailand....'Hub' of idiotic drivers. As if this has never happened in the U.S. or European ? That's like saying that because you could get pick pocketed in Topeka KS, it has the same chance of happening as in Paris. Please use your brain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funcat Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I've tried to keep distance between me an the car in front of me, and there always seems to be an arse in the group that want to fill the hole with their vehicle even though there is absolutely nowhere to go. I try to watch a few hundred yards in front of me on the highways, but some Somchai always needs to "fill-the-hole" in front of me if I leave one. If you slow up, the idiot behind you goes ballistic on the horn. I've just taken to ignoring the horns and driving a safely as I can. Amazing LOS. Easiest solution to this is to drive on the left hand stroke since everybody else will be on the far right hand side stroke anyway. The only problem you might experience are those using the exit as an entrance and those driving against traffic flow on the highways. That was my first thought exactly...whenever you leave enough space,somebody will cut in !! ...and no(!),driving on the left lane is not a solution,because soon you will be driving behind somebody going 20-30-km/hr...and if you want to change lanes,nobody will let you in... That's maybe going on in other places in the world,but not what I know off,or visited...here it is just a mindless,irresponsible and many times plain stupid driving without consideration to other drivers and human lives !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Happens all over the world. Nothing specific for Thailand. LOLOLOL!! Except that it happens all the time here!! That's the difference. It's like comparing drownings in the ocean compared to drownings in a .01" puddle. Yes, they've both happened, but they happen at different rates.. Any statistics on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 This is absolutely true. In Bangkok, I saw a taxi brake when he saw the chance of a passenger. A cop on his motorbike behind had to brake very hard as he was riding about 3m behind the taxi. The cop didn't hit the taxi but he was furious. He quickly overtook the taxi and forced him to pull over. I didn't see what happened next but I am confident it involved some cash judging by the rage on the cop's face. On the OP's point, if I am driving a car on a highway and come to a queue or some traffic lights, I always put on my hazard lights as there are just too many jerks on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryBird Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Happens all over the world. Nothing specific for Thailand. LOLOLOL!! Except that it happens all the time here!! That's the difference. It's like comparing drownings in the ocean compared to drownings in a .01" puddle. Yes, they've both happened, but they happen at different rates.. Any statistics on this? Do your own research, I've lived it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Except that it happens all the time here!! If so, what's all the comotion with this thread then. I mean if it happens all the time, it would be pointless to open this topic in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartman Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 UK crash November 2011 - 34 vehicles & 7 dead, these drivers on Thai roads need to pull finger out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 On the OP's point, if I am driving a car on a highway and come to a queue or some traffic lights, I always put on my hazard lights as there are just too many jerks on the road. The problem with that is the cars on the right think you are going to turn right and the cars on the left think you are going to turn left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickscottatlanta Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Haha excellent - at least it may keep them off the roads a few days while they get repaired. Agreed, That made my day. Hope none of them are insured too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman34014 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 UK crash November 2011 - 34 vehicles & 7 dead, these drivers on Thai roads need to pull finger out. Caused by Thick Fog, Smoke across the Motorway and Ice. God help us all if those conditions ever come to Thailand, the noise of the collisions will keep us all awake all night. On the other hand, it will be a scrapman's dream come true ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 This is absolutely true. In Bangkok, I saw a taxi brake when he saw the chance of a passenger. A cop on his motorbike behind had to brake very hard as he was riding about 3m behind the taxi. The cop didn't hit the taxi but he was furious. He quickly overtook the taxi and forced him to pull over. I didn't see what happened next but I am confident it involved some cash judging by the rage on the cop's face. On the OP's point, if I am driving a car on a highway and come to a queue or some traffic lights, I always put on my hazard lights as there are just too many jerks on the road. Yes the locals don't hesitate to use the hazard lights, they actually like using them in all kinds of situations. However when it comes to using the turn signals..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 The u-turns are the worst here must have been an insurance agent who dreamed that bit up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 ...and no(!),driving on the left lane is not a solution,because soon you will be driving behind somebody going 20-30-km/hr...and if you want to change lanes,nobody will let you in... Apparently Connda will let you in: I've tried to keep distance between me an the car in front of me, and there always seems to be an arse in the group that want to fill the hole with their vehicle even though there is absolutely nowhere to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellred Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I was in an accident today on the way to Mae Rim. (background info... my last week in Thailand and I decided to come back to Chiang Mai and wanted to see the tiger kingdom again) I was with the gf in a songtheaw on the way to Mae Rim and suddenly the two of us and thrusted forward. I look out the windscreen and see this guy lying flat out on the kerb with his moped bent out of shape. Not sure what happened exactly but from the argument that ensued it seems the moped driver pulled out in front of him too early. The songtheaw I think only had a busted front left light. In the end he got in the songtheaw with us to the nearest ATM and then 'pai pai' he was sent on his way. People need to slow down here big time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorecard Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 There's also the other side of the coin. I owned a condo in Bkk for many years, had 5 levels of carpark. One farang owner had his assigned space on the 5th level. 90% of the times he came in and out he circled all the floors at high reckless speed and slid the tail of his car at most turns. He hit other parked cars several times and had a front on with a vehicle moving n the opposite direction, big damage to both cars but luckily the other driver had minor injuries, she called the police who insisted the farang pay 50,000Baht to the Thai lady driver, plus pay for all costs of repairs to her car and pay her hospital expenses, and I understand the police came back later to check he had paid. Other farang in the building have got very angry with him several times but he still does the same act, one day he'll hit a kid running in the car park or something equally as bad. Unfortunately Idots exist in every society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elektrified Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Saw another 4 car pile up today which included one farang in one the 2 middle cars, heading out of the moat towards Kamthieng Market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onthedarkside Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Post advocating damage to another vehicle removed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryBird Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) you know what would be nice.. If instead of the completely illogical 'could have happened anywhere posts' people would maybe point out a positive like 'yes, but in other countries you're constantly being harrassed by police on the roads. So here, you may be a bit more likely to be in an accident, but you won't be pulled over for a defective light above your license plate.' A point like that would be nice. Instead of 'you could see a 10 car pileup anywhere' .. which is like saying 'you could get lung cancer without smoking.'... Ya, that's true, but I think the chances are about a trillion times higher if I smoke a carton of camel no filters each week. Edited January 12, 2012 by LarryBird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 I've tried to keep distance between me an the car in front of me, and there always seems to be an arse in the group that want to fill the hole with their vehicle even though there is absolutely nowhere to go. Do note that this is a perfectly fine move and not against the law in any country in the world. If you take issue with this then the issue is on your side alone. I try to watch a few hundred yards in front of me on the highways, but some Somchai always needs to Hey, a 'Samba'-like reference.. (Somchai). Classy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 I think what sometimes contributes to these pile ups is people driving too close for the type of vehicle they drive. In a truck or SUV you should have a lot more oversight on what's going on further ahead of you. The motoring press tends to call this a 'commanding driving position'. I would call it 'a sane driving position'. Because in a itty-bitty Honda City or Toyota Corolla you are observing the road in front of you pretty much from the vantage point of an 8 year old girl. If you combine that with following really close to the car in front, then you're really going at it blind, and trouble will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 "Connect 4" today on Sukhumvit on the hill between Laem Chabang and Sri Racha. It was on an open stretch of road and they had really rammed each other. Wish I had had my camera. Very hard to see how they had achieved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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