Minor Pet Peeves.

[onthedarkside]

A flame removed, plus the 2 responses. No need for the insult.

[Greenwich Boy]

Well you do that rene123, Uncle Tom R is some fine likker (sic) for the price.

It takes a while to get used to Thai driving, and particularly Chiang Mai driving.

Here's just one example: folks running a traffic light looooong after it has turned red. Like southbound Superhighway where it meets Huay Kaew Rd., and transitions to Nimmanhaemin.

For years, every day, I sat at the light facing east on Huay Kaew Rd., and cursed the thousands of people I saw running the light, long after it turned red.

Then I had an "ah-hah" moment, when I bought a car (still own 2 bikes) and tried to make a simple run to Tesco, and return same way through this same intersection to return home.

There is not only no traffic enforcement (police in their hut watching soaps, and barely paying attention to traffic flow), the switching of the lights is often utterly nonsensical.

I have been southbound, approaching this same intersection in my car, and waited in a long line for FOUR changes of the light, to get through and make a west bound turn on Huay Kaew. No wonder people run the light- their blood is boiling after driving 10 km in minutes, then waiting 20 minutes to advance 100 meters.

Part of this intersection's problem is indifferent drivers not paying attention, not closing up the gap on light changes, etc.

The major other part is that Nimmanhaemin has become an utter traffic nightmare, for dozens of reasons, and nothing is being done to alleviate it.

And everyone and their mother and their next door neighbor's mechanic seems to be headed that way for some reason.

Two humongous developments are being built at this very same intersection as we speak.

There is no traffic planning, zoning, or forward thinking that I can see.

It seems to be all about the here and now...and how much money we can make on the deal.

Enjoy your toot, and a Happy New Year to all.

I have been here less than a week and crossing the road at Huay Kaew and Superhighway on foot, which I have to do to get anywhere, has already turned in to my daily adrenalin rush. Just as I think it's time to cross about another dozen cars jump the lights and whilst concentrating in front I've got a stealth moped homing in on me from behind.

just look at it as a challenge, me against them

Happy New Year

[Thakkar]

If not for the need to be 110% alert while driving, living in CM would've put me in a permanent state of somnambulance.

I do believe other places are worse, like Rome, Mumbai, Lagos, etc. And in parts of America, where Road Rage is common, it can be positively frightening. By contrast, the amateurishness of CM rule-breakers is almost endearing and cute. Almost.

T

[junglechef]

" People are either not annoyed enough, lack the means to affect change or just don't care because they haven't known a person they love die yet" thykeeper my personal experience is even if they have had a situation where a loved one was injured or killed they just move on and rationalize it away, perhaps that accidents happen and there is nothing one can do about it, with the mindset that one can't change the past and karmic forces are in charge. Now it's a whole other deep psyche discussion on why they would do he same again afterwards but probably can be summed up as "it won't happen to me (again)"

[Howzitbro]

As a car driver in CM I have no bigger (but countless smaller) pet peeve than the the queue jumpers. Those that block a lane of through traffic in order to make that right turn that they just have to make in front of those of us who have been waiting seemingly forever for the light to change. That also includes those that jump the queue by driving into the left turn lane so they can go straight or even turn right at the signal!