Bored of car crashes.

[taotoo]

Because..

A. I have been lucky

B. I have been working on a boat for 5 of those 9 months

It will happen to me at some point, probably happen to all you too if you stay here long enough.

Statistics don't lie.. Well sometimes they do

Quite, it happens to everybody eventually. Not once every three months though. Your statistics are normal, the OP's aren't.

[transam]

Seems like the OP is another one of the Farangs who expects millions of Thais to change to the way he does things, because he chose to leave his own country and chose to live here.

Hate to burst your arrogant Farang bubble, but it's YOU that has to adapt, not the Thais, you might think about getting a Thai driver if you are too old to adapt.

Why is it when ever you post anything, anywhere it is always trying to degrade a farang in some way, old, arrogant, fat, etc. I believe you have a problem ?

If you believe that I have a problem because I am not continually slagging off Thailand and patting myself and others on the cyber back for being Farangs, therefore always right, then yes, I have a problem.

Then I think you are posting on the wrong forum. Are you Thai or a young farang, please tell so l can understand. ?

[Angeledge777]

Well, some people miss the point and some others are just trying to denigrate another farang, what they do everytime they can as they are jealous of other farang's success in this country. If you are one of those, don't even expect an answer from me as I am not talking to somebody who's gonna leave this country soon and, obviously, don't understand this country. I'll give you a hint, Thai hates people with a more than average ego.

Some brought a point, I should have had to avoid this accident. However, as I said, I wad on the left lane because I was to turn left. This said, when you are on the left lane, there is no road left. Of course, there had the sidewalk. There would have had 2 problems hitting the sidewalk. The first was that I would have hit the policeman and probably have killed him doing so. If I was choosing this option, not only the van would have fled, I would have been to jail. Second option was to stop and I did when I saw the van appearing on my right side of the car. That is the reason why I still alive, because I braked in an emergency situation. However, it was too late, the time I saw the van, my mirror was gone and my car jumped in the air after the impact.

And well, for those saying that I am such a bad driver and that you are better than me, I challenge you to come over here in esarn and drive over 20000 kilo in 9 months like I did. Don't compare Bangkok with the driving here, Bangkok is probably the easiest city to drive in Thailand. Also, for all those farang telling me that I am such a bad driver, I am glad I am not an actual statistic considering that Thailand is the number one tourist destination where the tourist dies on the road. Considering that I drive on some of the most dangerous roads in Thailand daily, considering the fact that I adapted myself to Thai driving even if it's almost impossible to do so (they all do some terrible idiotic moves from times to times) considering the fact that I understand their road habbits, I feel lucky that I still alive. Anyone who drive daily in situations where you have to throw yourself out of the road cause somebody decided to overtake while you was there and flashes the light, where you have to change lane as quickly as possible because of a dead corpse in the way, if this is your daily driving and you can tell me that you never had an accident, I'll gladly listen to all the trash you have to say. In another case, I'll just ignore what you have to say. And for those who don't have to prove themselves on this forum trash talking about the other foreigners, for those who understand that only foreigners can tely on other foreigners as Thais will never help us, I hope this post has been a good occasion to learn something.

I am glad that Thais helped me while i was in crisis. I feel ashame to see that my fellow foreigners living here are so repressive of other foreigners. Still wondering why Thais are all against us? Because we can't even rely on each other as foreigners.

[boosta]

I feel ashamed to see that my fellow foreigners living here are so repressive of other foreigners. Still wondering why Thais are all against us? Because we can't even rely on each other as foreigners.

-

Thai's aren't "all against us".

And why should I identify with a fellow foreigner, skin color or nationality isn't a good basis for loyalty to people I don't even know.

Loyalty to principles and real relationships sure, and in my case that means mostly to Thais.

[transam]

I feel ashamed to see that my fellow foreigners living here are so repressive of other foreigners. Still wondering why Thais are all against us? Because we can't even rely on each other as foreigners.

-

Thai's aren't "all against us".

And why should I identify with a fellow foreigner, skin color or nationality isn't a good basis for loyalty to people I don't even know.

Loyalty to principles and real relationships sure, and in my case that means mostly to Thais.

My best friends here are Thais believe it or not. Because of nonsense I rarely mix with farangs, BUT, it was virtually the same back home, nonsense. .......................

[taotoo]

I hope this post has been a good occasion to learn something.

Me too.

[thaibeachlovers]

Was heading north on the Lamphun to Chiang Mai expressway ( there's nothing "express" about it though, with nose to tail traffic ) in the right hand lane and when nearly to a U turn a truck pulled out in front of me though he must have seen me nearly on him. Couldn't go to the left because of cars in that lane, so slammed on the brakes, and luckily was able to stop before hitting the truck, which was virtually stationary.

No wonder people complain about Thai drivers.

Then while passing through Mae Rim, had a terrible time getting by unscathed, as the lanes are narrower than normal, there is a 2 foot median and some clown decided to put U turns in- gimme strength!!!!!! Plus there is no real room for parking, but of course they park all over the place.

Seeing as how they are upgrading the road north of Mae Rim, presumably for increased traffic from ?Burma/ China, It's going to be chaos if a lot more traffic starts trying to get through Mae Rim. Time for a by pass, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Sayonarax]

Get first class insurance and stop ya whingen.. Drive defensively and be glad you got a car

[thaibeachlovers]

Get first class insurance and stop ya whingen.. Drive defensively and be glad you got a car

Get first class insurance and stop ya whingen.. Drive defensively and be glad you got a car

I didn't die because I was driving defensively. Insurance won't help me if some maniac truck driver kills me.

TV is for whingen ( sic ).

It's not my car ( I'd rather stick a big chilli up my backside than buy a car in LOS ), and the owner is a terrible driver, so I drive it to minimize the risk of accidents.

[thaibeachlovers]

I have no idea as where the resolve to this OP lies, but to say ... glad that you were in a car and not on a Bike, otherwise you may not be here to regale the tale.

.

Actually bike riding is safe on many big roads in LOS, as they have special bike only lanes. I feel safer on a bike here than I do in the car.

[crazygreg44]

How true, in Thailand you don't just drive from A to B. No, you TRICK TREACHERY DRIVE your way from A to B ! You obviously are a dam_n good driver if you have performed your road tricks for more than 6 years and got left unspoiled. This includes having to do the "some terrible idiotic moves from times to times" . . . .

You should honor the third Thai drivers license which will be handed to you after said period, like a proof of invulnerability. Frame it in leaf-gold and wear it proudly. You actually then qualify for a Rally driver !

The OP failed the Trick Drive 3 times within 9 months, that's when the bank confiscates your permit and you have to go back on START, faulty or not, in MONOPOLY

Edited June 23, 2013 by crazygreg44

[MrRealDeal]

Bad driving is the least of the worlds problems , my wife and I just own 2 cars to solve the inevitable lack of a car problem , which I though would work pretty well until I came home one night and smashed one into the other ! lol

[kannot]

Get a dash cam.. Will help in the future as you seem to be prone to accidents !

I do have a cam! Very helpful and that was one of my evidence

I'd loved to have seen the tossers face when that tape was played, id have given him 20 minutes of lying ( as thats what they do) before playing it and letting him lose BIG face.

Had several hit me one whilst stationary at a junction one who hit me an claimed the car was already damaged etc etc

Maybe motorists with more money don't lie but haven't had one of those hit me yet.

Even so he still got off way way to lightly and like you say your car will be repaired even if classed as write off in other countries.

That same guy will be out doing EXACTLY the same thing tomorrow, you can see the last second lane change at any intersection, they know which lane they should be in but being LAZY want to push in at the front and use the right lane to do this to get back into the ahead lane.

I do love all the "learn to drive Thai " answers, so Im off to down some beers remove the hands free phone, remove my mirrors and brake lights and get the windows blacked out to 99% and get a gun. Talk about dumb!

Edited June 23, 2013 by kannot

[bangkokstick]

Ok OP, we all agree with you, you have a monthly accident and you are a good driver who can see in advance what is about to happen and who knows how to anticipate retarded Thai drivers bad habits !

Perfect ! Just go on and don't change anything ! Luckily I learnt that we should always congratulate people who think that they are the best and just perfect, you have nothing to change !

[Scottythai]

12 years driving here no major accidents despite close calls on a daily basis. They were close calls and not accidents for a reason. If I didn't drive with a hyper vigilance, anticipating what idiotic maneuvers other drivers were going to pull at any given time, I would be in 3 wrecks every day before getting to the market. Check your ego. There is not such thing as "right of way" in Thailand. Being perfect on the road here is not good enough. You must learn the Thai way of driving and conform or you will not survive the roads here, period.

I agree with this. And I like to add I do it from my Bike where one accident is most likely fatal. Knowing people are easily willing to cut across 3 or 4 lanes of trafic because they might miss their turn off must always be in your mind

[anon210]

12 years driving here no major accidents despite close calls on a daily basis. They were close calls and not accidents for a reason. If I didn't drive with a hyper vigilance, anticipating what idiotic maneuvers other drivers were going to pull at any given time, I would be in 3 wrecks every day before getting to the market. Check your ego. There is not such thing as "right of way" in Thailand. Being perfect on the road here is not good enough. You must learn the Thai way of driving and conform or you will not survive the roads here, period.

I agree with this. And I like to add I do it from my Bike where one accident is most likely fatal. Knowing people are easily willing to cut across 3 or 4 lanes of trafic because they might miss their turn off must always be in your mind

And don't forget the pedestrians with a famously tragic sense of bad timing... And leaping in front of your car or bike when you cannot avoid them.