When You Think That You Have Seen The Most Idiotic Driving

[garrya]

Give some vehicles to the contents of Dusit zoo Chimp enclosure.

Video it and us it to educate Thais.

The other day I got really pissed off about some drivers and told my wife that monkeys would be able to learn driving better than the locals.

It would be interesting to give your suggestion a go.

[MikeOxtinks]

It always amazes me that while Thai culture preaches 'jai yen yen,' and Buddhist culture kindness to others, they can display the exact opposite when behind the wheel of a car. The impatience and aggressiveness they drive with is something to behold.

I've often wondered if it's the perceived anonymity behind the wheel that explains this phenomenon, much like the a-hole behind the keyboard thing.

When i encounter these types of drivers on the road, i often think if they were to pull over and step out of their car, it might be akin to the scene of a ten storey high robotic monster creating carnage in a city, running out of power and coming to a stop, and then a small door at the bottom of the left leg opening, and a small gracious man, the controller of the robot, stepping out to humbly apologise.

The Wizard of Ozz springs to mind!

[MikeOxtinks]

I have decided that the next time i encounter a pick up coming towards me in 'my' motorbike lane, that i will just stop and make him go around me, i am pissed off encountering these idiots forcing 'me' out into the traffic.

Rather than risk getting run down, if you see the truck coming down the wrong way, simply stop your bike, put down the kickstand and walk into the bushes as if taking a piss (like Thai's do) and be safe but sort of "Passive Aggresive.

[F1fanatic]

The driving here is still much better than many other countries. Just got back from Egypt where they drive like maniacs. During my visit to Vietnam, scooters on the sidewalks actually honk at you to get out of their way!!!!! Unreal....

Crazy driving in Vietnam - fully agreed.

But they can drive. Thais cannot. That's why i feel saver there.

Those in cars - I agree to a certain extent. Some of them are truly awful BUT, I've seen the same stupid manoeuvres back in the UK (overtaking before immediately turning left, not leaving enough room when overtaking etc.).

Many however, are at least aware of 'bikes (unlike in the UK where, generally they're only expecting another car) - presumably as they were scooter drivers for years before getting a car.

Thais on scooters? Yes, they take chances that leave me open-mouthed, but as another scooter driver I trust them (unless they're children or v young) far more than Westerners.

Edit - although it does still annoy me when they pull out of a side turning without checking for oncoming traffic...

Edited April 29, 2012 by F1fanatic

[simple1]

The driving here is still much better than many other countries. Just got back from Egypt where they drive like maniacs. During my visit to Vietnam, scooters on the sidewalks actually honk at you to get out of their way!!!!! Unreal....

I'd rather they honk at you to tell you they are coming through, than here where they just appear out of nowhere behind you.

My point earlier exactly. Apparently though, some people on here are more concerned about noise pollution than personal preservation. My vote goes to the honk.

Agreed...until you've listened to honking all day...for days in a row. And they'll still hit you anyway. Amazed at how many accidents I saw during my month in Vietnam and my 6 months in China. Saw 2 fatal accidents in Beijing in under a week. One was a traffic cop out directing traffic!

Take a look at the WHO stats table at following URL. Vietnam has less road deaths per 100,000 population than Thailand, maybe because motor cyclists generally use helmets in Vietnam; at least in the cities

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

[thenervoussurgeon]

there is only one rule in Thai driving

"ME FIRST"

[loong]

I have decided that the next time i encounter a pick up coming towards me in 'my' motorbike lane, that i will just stop and make him go around me, i am pissed off encountering these idiots forcing 'me' out into the traffic.

Rather than risk getting run down, if you see the truck coming down the wrong way, simply stop your bike, put down the kickstand and walk into the bushes as if taking a piss (like Thai's do) and be safe but sort of "Passive Aggresive.

I think that you'd soon get pissed off with doing that eveytime, It would take forever to get where you are going.

[Ron19]

What more can you say? The original post says it all.

[WebBangkok]

I always see drivers here overtaking on blind corners.

I was nearly taken out when I was in Kanchanaburi when I was just driving around a blind bend and this car was heading right for me, by reaction I swerved left and must of been only cms away from impact. This was at night too.

Some of these drivers just have no idea.

[Huayrat]

How about this then... Turning left i look left first and then look right.. When turning left i hit a girl on a motorbike who is half in my lane waiting to turn up my soi on the wrong side of my car.. I was fuc_king fuming and you know what she said.. Oh i had my light flashing.. My wife said why are you on the wrong side of the road in our lane.. her reply was are you crazy ill get killed if i stay in my lane.. fuc_king crazy , drives me mad everyday .. Told her to f off and drove away.. no brains at all pisses me off on a daily basis..

[wana]

How about this then... Turning left i look left first and then look right.. When turning left i hit a girl on a motorbike who is half in my lane waiting to turn up my soi on the wrong side of my car.. I was fuc_king fuming and you know what she said.. Oh i had my light flashing.. My wife said why are you on the wrong side of the road in our lane.. her reply was are you crazy ill get killed if i stay in my lane.. fuc_king crazy , drives me mad everyday .. Told her to f off and drove away.. no brains at all pisses me off on a daily basis..

she has a point though,she was on "safe side " for a left turn using your car as a shield

many thais overtake on the inside ,ive even started doing it on my bike after being here for awhile

because it feelssafer than being stoped in the middle of a road (the fast lane ) with your indicator flashing

and pickup trucks blasting past you getting missed by inches every few seconds .......

[nocturn]

One Thai bashing post has been removed from view.

In using Thai Visa I agree:

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

Only one.

The OP should ride like this.

i reckon the video has been sped up, some of the reactions are just too quick

[travelmann]

motorbike lane

Isn't that more formally know in the west as a 'footpath'?

Actually, I am still amused when a Thai driver comes to an intersection and wants to drive straight ahead decides to us the hazard lights, so not to be confused as to be turning left or right.

Yes dumb, but whats the flash left flash right flash left flash right mean?/ i see them do this or are they just playing with the indicators?

[ThaidDown]

Quote "Yes dumb, but whats the flash left flash right flash left flash right mean?/ i see them do this or are they just playing with the indicators? "

Often made by larger trucks that you cannot see around easily, I thought it was an indication to the vehicle behind that it was "not safe to overtake".

With reference to use of hazard warning lights, a lot of drivers should be forced to have them on permanently, as they are always a "hazard" on the road.

Edited May 10, 2012 by ThaidDown

[NanLaew]

Back to reporting the idiocy... we have all seen the car that has missed their exit and in backing up in the OP's motorcycle lane (hard shoulder). Heading north out of Pattaya on the new motorway spur and just passed the Rayong exit ramp. From here, the road drops down to go under the Rayong flyover but this didn't deter a local driver who, on missing the Rayong exit, stopped, selected reverse and was oh slowly backed up the hill, the wrong way, IN THE SLOW LANE! You just know that this punter has never, ever used his rear view mirror in his life or he would have seen that he could only see about 20 yards to the crest of the rise. I saw at least one pickup pop over the crest, hit the brakes and do a swerve into faster traffic.

[AleG]

It always amazes me that while Thai culture preaches 'jai yen yen,' and Buddhist culture kindness to others, they can display the exact opposite when behind the wheel of a car. The impatience and aggressiveness they drive with is something to behold.

I've often wondered if it's the perceived anonymity behind the wheel that explains this phenomenon, much like the a-hole behind the keyboard thing.

...

I think it is something of the sort. Moral controls here are social, "face" is how you are perceived (or you think you are perceived) by others, not an intrinsic moral compass in the individual. Once they become "invisible" to society inside their cars or behind a helmet, ethics melt away.

[evadgib]

The driving here is still much better than many other countries. Just got back from Egypt where they drive like maniacs. During my visit to Vietnam, scooters on the sidewalks actually honk at you to get out of their way!!!!! Unreal....

Crazy driving in Vietnam - fully agreed.

But they can drive. Thais cannot. That's why i feel saver there.

Those in cars - I agree to a certain extent. Some of them are truly awful BUT, I've seen the same stupid manoeuvres back in the UK (overtaking before immediately turning left, not leaving enough room when overtaking etc.).

Many however, are at least aware of 'bikes (unlike in the UK where, generally they're only expecting another car) - presumably as they were scooter drivers for years before getting a car.

Thais on scooters? Yes, they take chances that leave me open-mouthed, but as another scooter driver I trust them (unless they're children or v young) far more than Westerners.

Edit - although it does still annoy me when they pull out of a side turning without checking for oncoming traffic...

They do that in cars too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=z45sZR1_XOU

[LeftCoaster]

You all have expressed all of my frustrations of being on the road here very succinctly.

I have no more to add except try to stay safe!

[NanLaew]

Edit - although it does still annoy me when they pull out of a side turning without checking for oncoming traffic...

I may be wrong and correct me if I am but I believe that the Thai 'Highway Code' (or what passes for such) does say that all traffic must yield to all merging traffic; hence the common tendency to "pull out of a side turning without checking for oncoming traffic." They have right of way.

Reminds me of my first arse pucker driving in Dallas in 1984 where I quickly learned that traffic on the feeder (me in my rental T-bird) must yield to traffic exiting the freeway (the Chevy Suburban that almost came through the drivers door).

[msg362]

The driving here is still much better than many other countries. Just got back from Egypt where they drive like maniacs. During my visit to Vietnam, scooters on the sidewalks actually honk at you to get out of their way!!!!! Unreal....

Crazy driving in Vietnam - fully agreed.

But they can drive. Thais cannot. That's why i feel saver there.

Those in cars - I agree to a certain extent. Some of them are truly awful BUT, I've seen the same stupid manoeuvres back in the UK (overtaking before immediately turning left, not leaving enough room when overtaking etc.).

Many however, are at least aware of 'bikes (unlike in the UK where, generally they're only expecting another car) - presumably as they were scooter drivers for years before getting a car.

Thais on scooters? Yes, they take chances that leave me open-mouthed, but as another scooter driver I trust them (unless they're children or v young) far more than Westerners.

Edit - although it does still annoy me when they pull out of a side turning without checking for oncoming traffic...

They do that in cars too!

[media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=z45sZR1_XOU[/media]

Is that it? it happens every day I want to see something really exciting!

[evadgib]

Freeze the clip @ 6 secs & see how close it was to being 'exciting'

[thaibeachlovers]

Hmmmmm. Saved me starting my own thread, which I was going to do.

Since the rain started, I see complete barking morons riding their m'bikes holding an umbrella in one hand, DESPITE having a pillion passenger that has both hands free, or the pillion is holding the umbrella shaft and the driver is holding the front of the umbrella.

Worse still, was the woman holding a baby with one arm while driving along.

It might be OK to kill/ main yourself if you're that stupid, but hardly fair on a baby, or the person that you ride into.

Edited May 10, 2012 by thaibeachlovers

[Kananga]

Stupid and miserable... What a combination. For those of you 'up country' where these stupid and miserable people seem to be the overwhelming majority, what's your reason for being there? I can only think of financial constraint keeping someone stuck in a third world village of pissed off people. Especially if you don't even speak the language.

[cooked]

cool it guys. Just look at the bigger picture, look at the education system, look at the manipulation of the media here and then start drawing conclusions about how stupid people are EVERY F+++ING WHERE.

I think that Americans in general are stupid also if it comes to passing racist remarks. Yeah and what about the Brits... and the French, oh boy they are way beyond the pale...did I mention the Krauts, Spicks, Arabs and Eyties?

[Tywais]

A post and a bunch of replies removed. A reminder of this forum rule.

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

[theblether]

I may be wrong and correct me if I am but I believe that the Thai 'Highway Code' (or what passes for such) does say that all traffic must yield to all merging traffic; hence the common tendency to "pull out of a side turning without checking for oncoming traffic." They have right of way.

If that is correct NanLaew then that is a very important, in fact, critical observation. Can someone confirm?

I know that Thais get incensed at farangs motorcyclists taking up position in the middle of the road and not using the side lane. If you asked the average farang they would reckon that the side lane was a " Hard Shoulder" as we call it in the UK, and that it would be illegal to use that.

Is it the case that it's the farangs who are ignorant of the Highway code??

[Kananga]

I may be wrong and correct me if I am but I believe that the Thai 'Highway Code' (or what passes for such) does say that all traffic must yield to all merging traffic; hence the common tendency to "pull out of a side turning without checking for oncoming traffic." They have right of way.

If that is correct NanLaew then that is a very important, in fact, critical observation. Can someone confirm?

I know that Thais get incensed at farangs motorcyclists taking up position in the middle of the road and not using the side lane. If you asked the average farang they would reckon that the side lane was a " Hard Shoulder" as we call it in the UK, and that it would be illegal to use that.

Is it the case that it's the farangs who are ignorant of the Highway code??

If the left hand lane is indeed a left hand lane then yes, if it is a hard shoulder for broken down vehicles and emergency services but selfishly used by Thai drivers with no road discipline then no. Seeing as many people in this country would rather drive over their own mother than slow down or wait patiently behind another car I think its safe to say that no, it is not the 'farangs' who are ignorant of the highway code. Especially when there are probably less road deaths in all western countries combined than in Thailand.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Kananga

[loong]

http://www.123rf.com/photo_7818896_motorcycle-lane.html

this is the sort of thing that you see sometimes in the lane in question. It does indicate that this is indeed a motorbike lane

[SimonD]

http://www.123rf.com...cycle-lane.html

this is the sort of thing that you see sometimes in the lane in question. It does indicate that this is indeed a motorbike lane

Concur. The lane is not even a full vehicle width so how it could be construed as a hard shoulder is beyond belief...

Another little nugget. How many westerners are aware of this regulation:

Vehicles with red registration plates are not permitted to drive at night.

Edited May 10, 2012 by SimonD

[maidu]

Ever ride a taxi in Egypt? That's an amazing experience.

Buddha is replaced by Allah but same same, when asking

the driver to calm down he answer "nothing will happen if

not Allah's will and if it is it will happen anyhow...

good. Maybe it's their way of mitigating the effects of overpopulation.

They yell 'Allah Akbar!' for everything good and everything bad, similar to Christian's 'Oh, my God.' ....to where the phrase diminishes in meaning. You might as well yell, 'boogie on my bellybutton!', as it has about as much significance.

As for Thai driving;

>>>> the guy who stops in the on-coming turn lane, as if stopping to allow me to proceed straight in my lane, then, just when I'm a few meters from him, he takes a right turn directly in front of me.

>>>> When I stop at a zebra crossing to enable some people (sometimes including monks or elderly) to cross, the motorbikes behind me don't slow, but instead zip on through, causing pedestrians to jump.

>>>> Zipping through red lights for 2 or 3 seconds after they turn red is very common - but sometimes we get the genius who zips through at 4, 5 or more seconds after the light turns red.

>>>> the morons who cut blind corners almost to the curb of the opposing lane. It's especially fun when I'm riding my bicycle in their opposite direction.