What Is The Proper U-Turn Etiquette

[richard_smith237]

It's obvious to me that correct etiquette is the following:

a) 1KM before the U-Slow down to a crawl in the right-most lane (fast lane / over taking lane).

As the U-turn approaches hesitate, then swing left to give yourself a turning arc.. It doesn't matter about the cars coming up inside you...

c) Wait at the U-Turn until you've caused sufficient nuisance of yourself.

d) POOH into oncoming traffic at the wrong time, after all you've waited long enough, its now their fault for being there.

e) Crawl along in the outside lane at 30 kmh for 1 km - Slow and steady, what a careful driver !

f) Swerve across 3 lanes to the left and a randomly opportune moment - It doesn't matter who's behind you, its there fault for being there remember ?....

All of this is best carried out in a beaten up old pickup...

[cornishcarlos]

U turn, traffic lights, roundabout, straight road....

It doesn't matter what the situation, the roads are a nightmare and the majority of drivers are muppets..

Unfortunately it gets pased down the generations, so looks like it will not improve for a long time yet !!

Muppets

[cooked]

I find that driving a beaten up pickup gets you more respect than driving a huge Mercedes.

[whybother]

If you think U-turns are bad, try negotiating a roundabout here! Is the rule different from everywhere else in the world? I thought traffic on the roundabout has right of way.

As in all roads and intersections, it's not about who has right of way, it's about who got there first. The drivers will creep in slowly so that eventually someone will slow down enough to avoid an accident and let them in.

If there was a car stopped or moving slowly halfway across your lane would you slam into them because you had right of way, or would you slow down and let them in?

[keemapoot]

I find that driving a beaten up pickup gets you more respect than driving a huge Mercedes.

I've owned both of those two vehicles. If by respect you mean that people are wary of you because you have nothing to lose except your life...perhaps.., but I usually look for the telltale signs: open window, one gnarled hand carelessly flicking cigarette ash out the window, the other clutching the steering wheel at the top of the wheel, with the driver squatting 6 inches from the wheel, while chatting to the other 6 people & babies crammed into the small cabin....

[cooked]

I find that driving a beaten up pickup gets you more respect than driving a huge Mercedes.

I've owned both of those two vehicles. If by respect you mean that people are wary of you because you have nothing to lose except your life...perhaps.., but I usually look for the telltale signs: open window, one gnarled hand carelessly flicking cigarette ash out the window, the other clutching the steering wheel at the top of the wheel, with the driver squatting 6 inches from the wheel, while chatting to the other 6 people & babies crammed into the small cabin....

In Europe I used to go for: wearing a hat in the car, wearing gloves, windscreen wipers going when it stopped raining long ago, indicators flashing for miles... lots of body language stuff you can go for.

[VocalNeal]

In Europe I used to go for: wearing a hat in the car, wearing gloves, windscreen wipers going when it stopped raining long ago, indicators flashing for miles... lots of body language stuff you can go for.

Ah yes the hat. But that theory doesn't work in say the US as every pickup truck driver is wearing a hat, so sadly is the norm. Same hat is also worn in Waffle House, Wal-Mart and McDonalds etc..

[Honkie]

I find that driving a beaten up pickup gets you more respect than driving a huge Mercedes.

I find that driving a beaten up pickup gets you more respect than driving a huge Mercedes.

More chance in the I Dare You ( Chicken ) game , not respect.

[Langsuan Man]

There is a new trick that the busses parked along Suk at the Pattaya Floating Market have started

One bus will make the u-turn and swing wide so that three or four other busses can also make the u-turn while the first bus blocks the on coming traffic going North. Eventually the Northbound traffic will back up all the way to the Huay Yai Road intersection

That will teach the road department to make them use the next available u-turn

[funcat]

"Etiquette" it's not a word that would apply in any driving situations in here.....traffic in Thailand is like a river and one just have to 'go with the flow'.....

I would say,that there are 3 categories of drivers here;

1.Those who think,that they are the best and invincible....

2.Those who think,that they just have to do it,but are scared all the time...

...and ...3.Those who simply DON'T THINK.....and that's the biggest group

My rule of thumb is "expect the unexpected and stay alert ALL the time" !!!...also don't use logic/common sense which does not apply here

[Fookhaht]

The "flashing light" thing is usually a bluff.

Do think for a second Iam bluffing. I will run into you.

+1

Two drivers who could easily end up "dead right" have just identified themselves.

[Spoonman]

The "flashing light" thing is usually a bluff.

Do think for a second Iam bluffing. I will run into you.

+1

Two drivers who could easily end up "dead right" have just identified themselves.

Pull out in front of me and I reckon you will be feeling the brunt of it more than me, in a straight line seat belts and airbags are very effective but when I plow into your passenger door at 100km/h both your seatbelt and airbags will do <deleted> all to protect you, assuming you live I wish you all the best on learning to walk again..... will give you plenty of time to think if playing chicken was the right thing to do.

[jbrain]

Pull out in front of me and I reckon you will be feeling the brunt of it more than me, in a straight line seat belts and airbags are very effective but when I plow into your passenger door at 100km/h both your seatbelt and airbags will do <deleted> all to protect you, assuming you live I wish you all the best on learning to walk again..... will give you plenty of time to think if playing chicken was the right thing to do.

I reckon you should not be allowed to drive a car.

[Spoonman]

Pull out in front of me and I reckon you will be feeling the brunt of it more than me, in a straight line seat belts and airbags are very effective but when I plow into your passenger door at 100km/h both your seatbelt and airbags will do <deleted> all to protect you, assuming you live I wish you all the best on learning to walk again..... will give you plenty of time to think if playing chicken was the right thing to do.

I reckon you should not be allowed to drive a car.

I reckon people should not be idiots by playing chicken in a game they have no possibility of winning.

[anon210]

Pull out in front of me and I reckon you will be feeling the brunt of it more than me, in a straight line seat belts and airbags are very effective but when I plow into your passenger door at 100km/h both your seatbelt and airbags will do <deleted> all to protect you, assuming you live I wish you all the best on learning to walk again..... will give you plenty of time to think if playing chicken was the right thing to do.

I reckon you should not be allowed to drive a car.

I reckon people should not be idiots by playing chicken in a game they have no possibility of winning.

Ok, for all the thai-bashing I habitually read here, I found at least one farang who is dumber than them. You do not play with lives, and it is not a question of playing chicken... Just some courtesy and cautionary behavior. I believe you are master in none of the two arts.

Having such an aggressive attitude is why people die every day without necessity.

[Spoonman]

People die every day without necessity because they are too stupid to drive a car, courtesy and cautionary behavior is not pulling out into onto coming traffic attempting to force them to yield to let you through, it is these idiots playing with lives not me, I just choose to play back a little bit harder.

[richard_smith237]

People die every day without necessity because they are too stupid to drive a car, courtesy and cautionary behavior is not pulling out into onto coming traffic attempting to force them to yield to let you through, it is these idiots playing with lives not me, I just choose to play back a little bit harder.

I, and I'm sure many understand your point... I would even admit to suggesting that driving assertively is safer than driving hesitantly. However, there is difference between driving aggressively and driving assertively.

'I just choose to play back a little harder' appears aggressive - If you were to hurt or kill someone I hope your attitude is more humane and one of remorse than 'serves the idiot right'...

Because someone is driving like an idiot is not a sufficient excuse for someone else to follow suit.

Edited January 30, 2013 by richard_smith237

[MESmith]

I call my style of driving "offensive defensive". It means being totally alert to what's going on around me, but when some idiot makes a move that's wrong & puts me at risk, I make a move that looks like I'm going to take him out. But of course I don't. I find driving slowly & timidly makes me feel more prone to a prang, because I "switch off". So I don't, & I haven't. Touch wood. I flash my lights & toot my horn frequently, but not at flash cars with blacked out windows

[jbrain]

I don't understand the question.

Im sure the OP must be mistaken, in Thailand there are no u-turns, they are called fuel savers

Those openings in the central barrier are there for the only purpose as to cross the oncoming traffic lane, and then go all the way to your destination against traffic flow.

So instead of driving 500 meter past your destination and turn 500 meter back in the other direction, you cut your travel distance by 1 km, hence the name fuel savers

I know as I see it every day, wherever I travel in Thailand.

Edited January 30, 2013 by jbrain

[funcat]

I don't understand the question.

Im sure the OP must be mistaken, in Thailand there are no u-turns, they are called fuel savers

Those openings in the central barrier are there for the only purpose as to cross the oncoming traffic lane, and then go all the way to your destination against traffic flow.

So instead of driving 500 meter past your destination and turn 500 meter back in the other direction, you cut your travel distance by 1 km, hence the name fuel savers

I know as I see it every day, wherever I travel in Thailand.

You are right about that....I've had almost a head-on collision with some idiot who was doing just that and driving against the traffic on the fast lane side!...and no lights!!!...maybe not to blind the oncoming traffic ....it's still gives me shakes just to think about it....

...and seriously,this is a criminal offense in any civilized country....here it's NORMAL!!!

[BSJ]

Traffic going on the main road has right of way.

although, the translation by the authorities seems to be a little fluid.

Only Fluid when the entering vehical doesn't even look at the main road and just drives out at you. Sometimes I wish I was in a BIG truck and just run em over, they really are twits.

Yes, truck drivers here are real twits. Don't join their ranks.

Today I was travelling South on 331 near Chachoengsao and had a slow moving truck/trailer pull out in front of me without any warning.

[Fookhaht]

Do think for a second Iam bluffing. I will run into you.

+1

Two drivers who could easily end up "dead right" have just identified themselves.

Pull out in front of me and I reckon you will be feeling the brunt of it more than me, in a straight line seat belts and airbags are very effective but when I plow into your passenger door at 100km/h both your seatbelt and airbags will do <deleted> all to protect you, assuming you live I wish you all the best on learning to walk again..... will give you plenty of time to think if playing chicken was the right thing to do.

Enjoy the legal battles as a foreigner living in Thailand. Remember, they won't follow the law. They'll follow convention. And convention says that you will be faulted. Should probably pack up and go home now before you kill someone and face the music.

[thaibeachlovers]

From my observations. Block traffic behind as long as possible, and don't turn till there is no car visible on the horizon, then proceed as slowly as possible, so those behind don't get a chance to go through on the same gap in traffic.

[TommoPhysicist]

I'm fairly sure the rule is "Who dares, wins."

[Spoonman]

Enjoy the legal battles as a foreigner living in Thailand. Remember, they won't follow the law. They'll follow convention. And convention says that you will be faulted. Should probably pack up and go home now before you kill someone and face the music.

I always ensure Iam not at fault and to date the insurance company has agreed 100%.

It's like how the police like to relieve farangs of 20,000b when they catch them drink driving the amusing part with this is if there is vehicular damage caused by said drunk driver when the police take their monies there is no record of drink driving......... leaves the insurance company little wiggle room to get out of paying the claim.

Crazy world eh.

[barefoot1988]

slowly creeping out on a u turn despite oncoming traffic

on coming traffic sees you creeping out, flash instead of slowing down

continue creeping out despite being flashed

bang!

who is wrong? certainly not the poor bloke with his entire family on his wave right behind the collusion

[cooked]

Mad Max country...

[jbrain]

slowly creeping out on a u turn despite oncoming traffic

on coming traffic sees you creeping out, flash instead of slowing down

continue creeping out despite being flashed

bang!

who is wrong? certainly not the poor bloke with his entire family on his wave right behind the collusion

I recall being in the Pattaya - Bangkok bus some 15 years ago when they still drive through all the cities instead of taking the highway.

I'm sitting in the middle of the last row, so I can look straight through the windshield.

At one point somewhere between Sriracha and Chonburi a pick up with people in the trunk is making a u-turn bet get's stalled in the middle of the road for some reason.

The bus is still a few hundred meters away from the pick up, but makes no attempt to slow down, I assume he must been flashing his lights at that time, when comes closer he still doesn't slow down but start blowing his horn.

When he reaches the point where the pick up was stalled, the pick is actually still there, and the bus crashes into it and actually overturns it.

I'm sure there were a few deaths in the back of the pick up and our bus has a big hole in the windshield and every ones has to wait for another bus to continue the trip.

I don't know if de driver named Spoonman.

[Spoonman]

slowly creeping out on a u turn despite oncoming traffic

on coming traffic sees you creeping out, flash instead of slowing down

continue creeping out despite being flashed

bang!

who is wrong? certainly not the poor bloke with his entire family on his wave right behind the collusion

I recall being in the Pattaya - Bangkok bus some 15 years ago when they still drive through all the cities instead of taking the highway.

I'm sitting in the middle of the last row, so I can look straight through the windshield.

At one point somewhere between Sriracha and Chonburi a pick up with people in the trunk is making a u-turn bet get's stalled in the middle of the road for some reason.

The bus is still a few hundred meters away from the pick up, but makes no attempt to slow down, I assume he must been flashing his lights at that time, when comes closer he still doesn't slow down but start blowing his horn.

When he reaches the point where the pick up was stalled, the pick is actually still there, and the bus crashes into it and actually overturns it.

I'm sure there were a few deaths in the back of the pick up and our bus has a big hole in the windshield and every ones has to wait for another bus to continue the trip.

I don't know if de driver named Spoonman.

Thats awesome, I need to buy that driver a beer.

[funcat]

slowly creeping out on a u turn despite oncoming traffic

on coming traffic sees you creeping out, flash instead of slowing down

continue creeping out despite being flashed

bang!

who is wrong? certainly not the poor bloke with his entire family on his wave right behind the collusion

I recall being in the Pattaya - Bangkok bus some 15 years ago when they still drive through all the cities instead of taking the highway.

I'm sitting in the middle of the last row, so I can look straight through the windshield.

At one point somewhere between Sriracha and Chonburi a pick up with people in the trunk is making a u-turn bet get's stalled in the middle of the road for some reason.

The bus is still a few hundred meters away from the pick up, but makes no attempt to slow down, I assume he must been flashing his lights at that time, when comes closer he still doesn't slow down but start blowing his horn.

When he reaches the point where the pick up was stalled, the pick is actually still there, and the bus crashes into it and actually overturns it.

I'm sure there were a few deaths in the back of the pick up and our bus has a big hole in the windshield and every ones has to wait for another bus to continue the trip.

I don't know if de driver named Spoonman.

...his name was Somchai.... ...don't get into this,guys