Why Do People Straddle 2 Lanes When Driving For Up To A Km Or More?

[walker600]

I can rationalize most of the driving habits here in Phuket, and none of it really bothers me, I can't change it so there's no point getting worked up about it, but one thing I don't quite understand is why people feel the need to straddle 2 lanes on the dual carriageway for several KM at a time. Surely even if you had never had a single driving lesson in your life you could figure out that the car should fit within the car sized markings on the road....

Why is this is so prevalent on Phuket? You can find bad driving everywhere but I've only ever come across this phenomenon here

[LivinginKata]

It's not only Phuket. Lane discipline is not taught or practised in all Thailand. Something I learned to put up with many years ago. On the other hand drivers here don't get upset when you overtake on the inside. So it all balances out except for the straddlers who I guess can't judge where they are on the road. Mai pen rai.

[ThaidDown]

I thought you were supposed to keep that white line between the wheels of the car, if it goes outside the wheels you might spin off the road or fall off the edge of the earth.

Also passing on the inside is far safer, too many nasty Fortuners hugging the outside lane, just got to beware of motorcycles going in the wrong direction. Of course cars using the inside lane or hard shoulder usually have their hazard lights on, so that makes it all right then.

If I ever go back to drive in the UK probably get less than a mile down the road before getting pulled over for some infringement.

[kawapower]

Normal sensible people would stick to the appropriate lane, a lot of the time people hog the fast lane because the road condition is better there(this can be seen on the road up to Bangkok, I can only assume people drive down the center of 2 lanes because they are on the phone, Eating or talking to there friends, concentration or consideration is not a high priority here to a lot of drivers!!

Edited July 21, 2012 by kawapower

[steelepulse]

What you don't understand is that straddling a line requires good driving skills. It's not easy to keep that line between the tires!

When I lived in Singapore many years ago they too were line straddlers. Last time I was in Sing I saw the driving was better than all those years ago, so there's hope here...............NOT!

[hansgruber]

I was told by an old girlfriend that they drive in the middle to make room for the bikes on the left and room on the right for other cars to overtake. She also believed it was safer because it avoided head on collisions with cars going in the other direction that are overtaking.

Makes sense... Sort of.

[kawapower]

I was told by an old girlfriend that they drive in the middle to make room for the bikes on the left and room on the right for other cars to overtake. She also believed it was safer because it avoided head on collisions with cars going in the other direction that are overtaking.

Makes sense... Sort of.

It sort of does make sense, okay if you are on a quiet road(not good but the Thai's obviously think so, very bad practice on busy roads, guess we just have to accept it and pass as quickly as possible!!

Edited July 21, 2012 by kawapower

[Ping]

Then there are the ones who tootle along in the centre lane oblivious to the honking and tailgating from the minibus drivers. I think that these and the lane straddlers must believe that a driver's licence is the B300 fee they have to pay on the odd occasions that the BiB catch them out at a checkpoint.

[madmitch]

Definitely not just prevalent in Bangkok, in fact I think the practice is more common in other provinces.

[Payboy]

I do it just in case I grow wings and I could take off.

[grumpyoldman]

Welcome to Phuket, and my friends wonder why at times I'm riding the bike on the sidewalk.

[Jimi007]

Near intersections, I tend to do it, as I'm not sure whether the person in front of me is going to stop and turn, or what. There are those other lines that are painted in the road for that purpose, but at times it seems I'm the only one who seems knows that...

Edited July 21, 2012 by Jimi007

[walker600]

Near intersections with traffic lights, I tend to do it, as I'm not sure whether the person in front of me is going to stop and turn, or what. There are those other lines that are painted in the road for that purpose, but at times it seems I'm the only one who seems knows that...

Or a favourite thing of people is to stop in the right hand lane at a set or lights looking like they're intending to go straight on, then when the lights change green wack the right indicator on to turn right and block the lane...

[cooked]

My dad used to do that and was bemused by the fact that people were honking behind him ( and embarrassingly, occasionally, me). He was a driver in the war and drove all over North Africa, the Middle East , Sicily, Italy and Germany. Somebody had to tell him that they weren't guiding lines like on an aerodrome.

[Jimi007]

Near intersections with traffic lights, I tend to do it, as I'm not sure whether the person in front of me is going to stop and turn, or what. There are those other lines that are painted in the road for that purpose, but at times it seems I'm the only one who seems knows that...

Or a favourite thing of people is to stop in the right hand lane at a set or lights looking like they're intending to go straight on, then when the lights change green wack the right indicator on to turn right and block the lane...

Very true! Or if the lead car in the right lane actually does have their indicator on, the next guy doesn't seem to notice and then wants to get over to the left once the light turns green...

[walker600]

Near intersections with traffic lights, I tend to do it, as I'm not sure whether the person in front of me is going to stop and turn, or what. There are those other lines that are painted in the road for that purpose, but at times it seems I'm the only one who seems knows that...

Or a favourite thing of people is to stop in the right hand lane at a set or lights looking like they're intending to go straight on, then when the lights change green wack the right indicator on to turn right and block the lane...

Very true! Or if the lead car in the right lane actually does have their indicator on, the next guy doesn't seem to notice and then wants to get over to the left once the light turns green...

So true....

[snamos]

I normally do it when Im too hammered to drive, cant see the road properly

[Valentine]

Near intersections with traffic lights, I tend to do it, as I'm not sure whether the person in front of me is going to stop and turn, or what. There are those other lines that are painted in the road for that purpose, but at times it seems I'm the only one who seems knows that...

Or a favourite thing of people is to stop in the right hand lane at a set or lights looking like they're intending to go straight on, then when the lights change green wack the right indicator on to turn right and block the lane...

Very true! Or if the lead car in the right lane actually does have their indicator on, the next guy doesn't seem to notice and then wants to get over to the left once the light turns green...

Most people deliberately drive up in the right turning lane & then push in so they can gain some precious seconds. Everyone in the correct driving lane have to slow down or stop when the rude drivers push in making the general traffic even slower.

[kawapower]

Near intersections with traffic lights, I tend to do it, as I'm not sure whether the person in front of me is going to stop and turn, or what. There are those other lines that are painted in the road for that purpose, but at times it seems I'm the only one who seems knows that...

Or a favourite thing of people is to stop in the right hand lane at a set or lights looking like they're intending to go straight on, then when the lights change green wack the right indicator on to turn right and block the lane...

Very true! Or if the lead car in the right lane actually does have their indicator on, the next guy doesn't seem to notice and then wants to get over to the left once the light turns green...

Most people deliberately drive up in the right turning lane & then push in so they can gain some precious seconds. Everyone in the correct driving lane have to slow down or stop when the rude drivers push in making the general traffic even slower.

It's all about consideration, Thailand is lacking in that respect!!

Edited July 22, 2012 by kawapower

[salavan]

they straddle 2 lanes for the same reason they use the orange striped dividing area as an overtaking lane, to get in front of everyone else

[stevenl]

they straddle 2 lanes for the same reason they use the orange striped dividing area as an overtaking lane, to get in front of everyone else

No. The ones straddling the 2 lanes are the ones being overtaken past the dividing line.

[tfc]

I thought the line was just there for decoration.

[Payboy]

I thought the line was just there for decoration.

Nah, the line's there for BIB to decide who had the right-of-way after the accident.

[Ping]

Near intersections with traffic lights, I tend to do it, as I'm not sure whether the person in front of me is going to stop and turn, or what. There are those other lines that are painted in the road for that purpose, but at times it seems I'm the only one who seems knows that...

Or a favourite thing of people is to stop in the right hand lane at a set or lights looking like they're intending to go straight on, then when the lights change green wack the right indicator on to turn right and block the lane...

Very true! Or if the lead car in the right lane actually does have their indicator on, the next guy doesn't seem to notice and then wants to get over to the left once the light turns green...

Most people deliberately drive up in the right turning lane & then push in so they can gain some precious seconds. Everyone in the correct driving lane have to slow down or stop when the rude drivers push in making the general traffic even slower.

Yep - queue jumpers, just like when you are waiting at an ATM or service counter. It seems that many Thai people think they are entitled to queue jump - particularly if farang are in front of them.