Road Safety In Issan

[transam]

What a complete load of troll tosh.

[namoi]

Can't blame people for riding 3 or 4 up on a Honda wave, if they had the money they would buy a car.

Road law like any other systems take time to get excepted, Remember in my younger days in Australia, we would say things like he was so drunk we had to carry him to his car.

When some of us were kids watching a man walk on the moon, many Thais had not seen a car.

So before anyone gets to high and mighty about how bad things are, think back to your own countries and the road deaths that occurred, before we were forced to conform to tougher and tougher road rules. Jim

Nice post Jim, think you just about summed it all up neatly, especially the first sentence; would be nice if a few more car/truck-owning expats understood why the bikes are overladen with passengers and gear.

Although I frequently mutter a few curses when out riding or driving, as my wife would confirm, I have actually been in countries where driving standards are even worse.

Wish the daft buggers would wear crash hats on the bikes though; scares me when I see family members and friends ignoring them.

Sorry, but breaking the law (and more importantly safety standards) is no excuse for not being able to afford a car. When I couldn't afford a car I rode a bicycle (never with 3 up though !!).

Used to as they say in OZ, dink friends on a push bike, so should have been heavily fined or jail for such disregard for safety. This is not the west where sheepeople comply with ever trivial regulation, Time and living standards will change how things are done.

Do you really think if the wheel came off in the UK, no money, no welfare and nothing to lose, that people would not be riding around 3 or 4 up on a Honda.

Of course the Thai Government could crack down and lock up 4 or 6 million penniless Thais for riding badly. Jim

cheers mate havn`t heard the word DINK for a lot of years, same as seeing anyone having to use there foot for a break

[nontabury]

As with others wish for the young boy to be okay and have a speedy recovery.

It always seems that road safety and drivers education in Thailand is a popular subject among westerners. I have more faith in riding on the back of my bike with my 11 year old son driving than I would any western person currently living in Thailand. Why? Believe it or not there is a system to how they drive. It is an awareness that is impossible to understand unless you were born or raised here from an early age. I drive all sorts of vehicles here and never once have been close to having an accident. WHY? My son taught me how to drive!

Do young kids do stupid things, yes. Do they make mistakes, yes. Do these mistakes sometimes take a life, yes.

Have lived in Canada, US, UK, Ireland, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Morocco and Thailand. The worst drivers were from the US and the UK, hands down. As one poster mentioned one of the reasons they moved here was to escape all the rules and regulations the west has in place. Most non Thais living here do so because it is inexpensive. There are many other factors but this is one I hear all the time. If you start to, as they say, "sanitize" this country with all these little rules then you will have a country that resembles the US, Canada or UK ,cost wise, only warmer.

As for breaking the law or safety standards. When you do not have any money it certainly is acceptable (in my opinion). Some families here have NO money and what little they MAY have comes from items they can sell or find or fix and re sell at local markets. Without this income they have no food, no shelter, nothing. So I will excuse them if they do not meet your idea of health and safety from some North American handbook.

Complete rubbish,

Thailand is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for road deaths, while the Uk is one of the safest.

God help your son for having a father like you.

[SantiSuk]

^ A classic case of going native. DF: instead of just celebrating the genuinely lovable aspects of life in your chosen abode you pick something outlandishly indefensible (like driving standards) and try to push water uphill with specious arguments.

[cooked]

Switzerland has managed, despite its population increasing by 60% since 1970, to reduce traffic fatalities from about 1500 a year to about 360 now. It is no longer fun to drive there but being dead anywhere isn't fun either. Police checks are stringent and I was paying speeding and parking fines as part of business expenses. Alcohol checks at 6am. Speed cameras everywhere, quickly getting you a month's to three months' ban, I got banned for a month for not correctly cleaning my windscreen (it was minus 20 and my heater couldn't hack it). It needs a lot of money and political determination plus education backed up by the population to get this kind of thing carried out and I can't see this lot caring one Satang about road safety unless it's their own kids kill themselves in a sports car at the age of 15.

I haven't seen any serious accidents in Thailand in my admittedly limited experience, just a couple of guys coming off their bikes for no obvious reason and sliding along the road. Gone to sleep I expect.

[rct99q]

God has nothing to do with it, good driving skills do though. Love this website.....my Great-Grandfather used to talk about something from TV called a Muppet Show about these two old farts sitting in the balcony. Too old to do anything but complain about others......I hear Tesco has a sale this week on Depends. Anybody tell me what the average age of the "contributors" are on this site?

By the way my comment was based on my opinion having lived and driven in these countries. I am too busy racing up and down my soi without a helmet to look up facts!

I see Westerners every day at the guest house banged up from motorbikes and they are all either British or US. If they are such good drivers why so many?

[transam]

God has nothing to do with it, good driving skills do though. Love this website.....my Great-Grandfather used to talk about something from TV called a Muppet Show about these two old farts sitting in the balcony. Too old to do anything but complain about others......I hear Tesco has a sale this week on Depends. Anybody tell me what the average age of the "contributors" are on this site?

By the way my comment was based on my opinion having lived and driven in these countries. I am too busy racing up and down my soi without a helmet to look up facts!

I see Westerners every day at the guest house banged up from motorbikes and they are all either British or US. If they are such good drivers why so many?

Is your point that you are a farang or Thai teenager ?

[McMagus]

To rct99q.... A couple of observations. The westerners you and I see banged up from bike accidents either have little or no riding skills or expect things to be the same on the roads here as in the west... wake up ....it is not the same. Which brings me to my next point. I'm sorry but this 'awareness' you talk about just does not seem to hold water for me. Sounds a bit like 'Farang can't understand Thainess' to me. As I said, if they want to splatter their innards over the road it's up to them, but I do object to my safety being jeopardised as it has been on a number of occasions. The statistics (yes a little out of date) don't support your assertions.... see http://www.thaiwebsites.com/caraccidents.asp I am not Thai bashing, I wouldn't be here if I did not like the place as there are so many positives here but driving and road safety is not one of them. IMHO Thais drive the same way the walk, completely unaware that anyone else is around them, unpredictable and at the wrong speed for the conditions. As I've stated earlier on this post, I have ridden bikes for over 40 years and taught advanced riding skills for yonks and yonks and it beggars belief when my motorcycle taxi driver pulls the clutch in to drift around a corner. Or as we say in the trade 'arrives late'. This is when blind Freddy can compute that ......the truck coming towards us and ......the car in front overtaking the the little man selling brooms from his cart and us.... are all going to meet at point x up the road and my driver is still accelerating into a closing space ... until...'Oh kii I better brake'. ..that's called 'arriving late'. Jesus weeps don't get me started. I don't mean to be rude but your comments are the biggest load of ill-informed rubbish I have read in ages.

[rct99q]

McMagus, please stop thinking Western, that is the problem. You are still that driving instructor expecting everyone else to be like you. I have a feeling you like Thailand for many of the same reason most non Thais living here do. There is more freedom than in the West, which is a great thing. However it is impossible to cherry pick the good and the bad.

As for your point about not Thai bashing, you are. I hear this come from nearly every Farang (tourist & living here) I see in the GH. I have talked with and know more Farang living, working and doing what ever here than nearly everyone on this website. I see 30-40 people a day, 365 days a year for 5 years and 85% all begin with the same words 'I am not bashing the Thais...but" when it comes to matters concerning Thais'.

If it is your safety that you are most concerned about then "maybe" Thailand is not the right country for you. Things will certainly not change in your lifetime living in Thailand nor will they for the next 50 years that I have left here.

So Jai Yen Yen. Stop thinking like that 9-5 instructor from Sheffield with his toast slightly crisp, butter on the side, napkin neatly folded with fork, spoon and butter knife correctly laid out left to right and join this wonderful country and it;sThainess.

[transam]

McMagus, please stop thinking Western, that is the problem. You are still that driving instructor expecting everyone else to be like you. I have a feeling you like Thailand for many of the same reason most non Thais living here do. There is more freedom than in the West, which is a great thing. However it is impossible to cherry pick the good and the bad.

As for your point about not Thai bashing, you are. I hear this come from nearly every Farang (tourist & living here) I see in the GH. I have talked with and know more Farang living, working and doing what ever here than nearly everyone on this website. I see 30-40 people a day, 365 days a year for 5 years and 85% all begin with the same words 'I am not bashing the Thais...but" when it comes to matters concerning Thais'.

If it is your safety that you are most concerned about then "maybe" Thailand is not the right country for you. Things will certainly not change in your lifetime living in Thailand nor will they for the next 50 years that I have left here.

So Jai Yen Yen. Stop thinking like that 9-5 instructor from Sheffield with his toast slightly crisp, butter on the side, napkin neatly folded with fork, spoon and butter knife correctly laid out left to right and join this wonderful country and it;sThainess.

Think your wrong. In farang land as a kid l drove like a loon until laws were brought in and ENFORCED to save lives. LOS has the laws but they are not enforced. Every daft stuff that natives do on the road has a Thai law forbidding it, but it is NOT enforced by those who are paid to enforce those laws.

[jamescollister]

All freedoms involve personal risk, be it on the road or cliff diving. What we have is choice, if you feel the roads are too dangerous don't ride or drive.

I am sick of western Governments telling me what and where I can do things. Yes the roads are bad in many parts, pot holes, poor lighting etc. The drivers are not trained and have little situational awareness, but it still appears that in Thailand, driving and riding is a right not a privilege.

Here you can jump off a bridge into a river and break your neck, up to you. In Australia there will be a sign or by law with a fine for doing so. Kids with out a helmet on while riding a bicycle get $20 dollar fines, doubt any kid in this village has a helmet nor 600 Baht.

If you want a safe life, get a safe job, have a safe house in a safe area. Don't go out at night, don't play contact sport, don't smoke, don't drink and stay away from loose women. What a fun life. Jim

[watcharacters]

God has nothing to do with it, good driving skills do though. Love this website.....my Great-Grandfather used to talk about something from TV called a Muppet Show about these two old farts sitting in the balcony. Too old to do anything but complain about others......I hear Tesco has a sale this week on Depends. Anybody tell me what the average age of the "contributors" are on this site?

By the way my comment was based on my opinion having lived and driven in these countries. I am too busy racing up and down my soi without a helmet to look up facts!

I see Westerners every day at the guest house banged up from motorbikes and they are all either British or US. If they are such good drivers why so many?

Because of drivers like you??

"I see Westerners every day at the guest house banged up from motorbikes and they are all either British or US. If they are such good drivers why so many?"

[songhklasid]

My girlfriends uncle just died (motor bike no helmet) he hit a dog in the local town, He was a good bloke an intelligent nice thai, school teacher, well respected, married to student doctor,(I went to their marriage)lucky no kids, the family is devastated, he was the 1 bloke who had nouse, makes you wonder @ times, as I've said in a previous post, the prime minister who enforces road rules, will be a hero.

regards songhklasid

[bunnydrops]

McMagus I've had the same observation about their walking, and where they stop to talk, blocking all traffic. On the subject of safety. Last week they had a kid hit in front of the school. Now they have one man directing traffic at the crosswalk and a boy on each side with PVC pipes with red flags-- only trouble is I think they forgot to tell the kids to cross there. Its a mad house. They tell you to go because there is no one in the crosswalk, but there is 5 girls crossing just 2 meters passed.

[nontabury]

All freedoms involve personal risk, be it on the road or cliff diving. What we have is choice, if you feel the roads are too dangerous don't ride or drive.

I am sick of western Governments telling me what and where I can do things. Yes the roads are bad in many parts, pot holes, poor lighting etc. The drivers are not trained and have little situational awareness, but it still appears that in Thailand, driving and riding is a right not a privilege.

Here you can jump off a bridge into a river and break your neck, up to you. In Australia there will be a sign or by law with a fine for doing so. Kids with out a helmet on while riding a bicycle get $20 dollar fines, doubt any kid in this village has a helmet nor 600 Baht.

If you want a safe life, get a safe job, have a safe house in a safe area. Don't go out at night, don't play contact sport, don't smoke, don't drink and stay away from loose women. What a fun life. Jim

Ok James, I can understand some of your points about personal freedom, if some idiot wants to go out on a motorbike and drive recklessly and kill himself,up to him. But what about other road users, should their lives be put at risk, Every day I see selfish Thais

Disregard pedestrians crossing the road on the zebra crossing. Do children not have the RIGHT to travell to school over one of these zebra crossings?.

[rct99q]

Yes, you are correct. Thailand has the same laws as those in the West. Road rules, drinking and driving, immigration rules, prostitution, drugs, gambling, etc...But for the Farang living here it is a good thing that they don't enforce these rules as most of them would be desperate and alone (same as they were back home).

So Thailand could start to enforce all these rules. For me, I am here legally (visa & work permit), don't drink, don't do drugs, have a Thai drivers license (international permit, vehicle & motorcycle), do not use prostitutes, don't gamble and have a very enjoyable life. I do not want to see all the rules and regulations that the West and Thailand have, "enforced" here.

Every life is precious. No one should be killed from another persons stupidity.

[SantiSuk]

Yes, you are correct. Thailand has the same laws as those in the West. Road rules, drinking and driving, immigration rules, prostitution, drugs, gambling, etc...But for the Farang living here it is a good thing that they don't enforce these rules as most of them would be desperate and alone (same as they were back home).

So Thailand could start to enforce all these rules. For me, I am here legally (visa & work permit), don't drink, don't do drugs, have a Thai drivers license (international permit, vehicle & motorcycle), do not use prostitutes, don't gamble and have a very enjoyable life. I do not want to see all the rules and regulations that the West and Thailand have, "enforced" here.

Every life is precious. No one should be killed from another persons stupidity.

Stereotype alert. Stereotype alert!

[rct99q]

Actually I have a CD player, as my stereo system got held up in Canada trying to bring it here.

[happyaussie]

I'll stick my neck out here and say that I really enjoy driving in Thailand, roads a generally good. Multi lane duel carriage way in most areas. Even the B roads are quiet good. Don't have to worry too much about speed limits and cameras.

And yes, I have driven extensively and continue to do so. And yes, there are some maniacs and I frequently see some dangerous behaviour.

My only fears are 1) Buses and long haul trucks (most of those drivers are so wired on drugs it's no wonder they smash so much) 2) Unmarked road works 3) Killer pot holes

[happyaussie]

I'll stick my neck out here and say that I really enjoy driving in Thailand, roads a generally good. Multi lane duel carriage way in most areas. Even the B roads are quiet good. Don't have to worry too much about speed limits and cameras.

And yes, I have driven extensively and continue to do so. And yes, there are some maniacs and I frequently see some dangerous behaviour.

My only fears are 1) Buses and long haul trucks (most of those drivers are so wired on drugs it's no wonder they smash so much) 2) Unmarked road works 3) Killer pot holes

Oh I forgot to say - bikes and side cars with no tail lights at night.....scary

[cooked]

Just got back to Buriram last night /this morning after a 6 hours bus trip. The driver drove ok, I was right up front. However, even at 02.00 on long open stretches of road with no car in sight, he seemed to consider using the headlights on full beam as only for warning others of his approach. So there we are, traveling really fast with a completely inadequate braking distance available. I noticed this around midnight an didn't get any more sleep.

Looking around, I noticed that Thai drivers would rather drive without lights if they could (they often do) and consider using the headlights on full beam as frivolous stuff for sissies. Likewise windscreen wipers and gears or brakes, this I saw as the neighbour took us back home in my own car, he wasn't even paying for the 'lecticity or the wipers.