Break The Law - If You Want To Learn To Drive

[ericnoodeeka]

My Wife bought her license and then learnt how to drive. Actually I wouldn't call it driving rather more like ploughing ahead.

I have watched her try to pull into the driveway but she has no idea. Back and fill back and fill but she cannot work out what way to turn the wheel to position the car so it can be driven into the driveway.

She doesn't stop at stop signs but just drives through them, saying the other drivers and motorcyclists can see her so they will get out of her way.

She goes so slowly that she creates road havock but is totally oblivious to it all.

No spacial awareness. The other day she was slowly veering left and ran a motorbike off the road.

A while ago she hit a puddle (suprisingly at speed) and aquaplaned into a motorbike taxi knocking the driver and a school kid off, she then had to take them to the hospital and get them both patched up.

If I am in the car with her it is excrutiatingly painful, I am litterally on the edge of my seat and yelling "watch out" every 10 - 30 seconds. No word of a lie being in the car with her is the scariest thing I can ever do. I most often refuse to go with her. However, when I am not artound our 3 year old happily wanders throughout the interior of the cabin with no restraints.

Wow, I am sure she has taken years off my life through stress.

the funniest and true thing i read in a long time, i acctually crying with laughter,cheers dude, u made my day.

[Trembly]

Actually, it is perfectly legal to learn to drive a car without a license as long as you are accompanied by someone who has held a valid license for not less than 3 years.

[Pormax]

Actually, it is perfectly legal to learn to drive a car without a license as long as you are accompanied by someone who has held a valid license for not less than 3 years.

Yes, I understand the comment you made as also made by 'Harry', but there lies the problem. Must have 'someone who has held a valid licence for 3 years'. I have a valid Thai licence but only since Jan 2011, not yet 3 years.

The other comment about so called 'good driving schools' giving 10 hours of lessons for 4.000B. Does one honestly believe one can be that competent to pass a test then drive alone safely after just 10 hours driving. A very few maybe but not many. I have been taking my wife out most days now for over a month and everyday we come across situations that one has to tell her what she should do. A driver needs many hours of experience on the road to be competent and to learn about spacial awareness.

Besides her absolutely appalling reversing technique, the biggest problem is not using the mirrors enough and as those who drive in Thailand know, this is so important.

I am sure we will get there in the end but it seems like a long haul. This suits me though as she is getting many hours of road mileage, in the end this will be beneficial. However it will also be great when she does finally pass the test then I don't have to go here and there all the time when I don't want to.

[stevenl]

Actually, it is perfectly legal to learn to drive a car without a license as long as you are accompanied by someone who has held a valid license for not less than 3 years.

Yes, I understand the comment you made as also made by 'Harry', but there lies the problem. Must have 'someone who has held a valid licence for 3 years'. I have a valid Thai licence but only since Jan 2011, not yet 3 years.

The other comment about so called 'good driving schools' giving 10 hours of lessons for 4.000B. Does one honestly believe one can be that competent to pass a test then drive alone safely after just 10 hours driving. A very few maybe but not many. I have been taking my wife out most days now for over a month and everyday we come across situations that one has to tell her what she should do. A driver needs many hours of experience on the road to be competent and to learn about spacial awareness.

Besides her absolutely appalling reversing technique, the biggest problem is not using the mirrors enough and as those who drive in Thailand know, this is so important.

I am sure we will get there in the end but it seems like a long haul. This suits me though as she is getting many hours of road mileage, in the end this will be beneficial. However it will also be great when she does finally pass the test then I don't have to go here and there all the time when I don't want to.

So you want people to dive according to the rules, but at the same time you know you're breaking the law by teaching your wife.

Do as I say, don't do as I do.

[Trembly]

Actually, it is perfectly legal to learn to drive a car without a license as long as you are accompanied by someone who has held a valid license for not less than 3 years.

Yes, I understand the comment you made as also made by 'Harry', but there lies the problem. Must have 'someone who has held a valid licence for 3 years'. I have a valid Thai licence but only since Jan 2011, not yet 3 years.

The other comment about so called 'good driving schools' giving 10 hours of lessons for 4.000B. Does one honestly believe one can be that competent to pass a test then drive alone safely after just 10 hours driving. A very few maybe but not many. I have been taking my wife out most days now for over a month and everyday we come across situations that one has to tell her what she should do. A driver needs many hours of experience on the road to be competent and to learn about spacial awareness.

Besides her absolutely appalling reversing technique, the biggest problem is not using the mirrors enough and as those who drive in Thailand know, this is so important.

I am sure we will get there in the end but it seems like a long haul. This suits me though as she is getting many hours of road mileage, in the end this will be beneficial. However it will also be great when she does finally pass the test then I don't have to go here and there all the time when I don't want to.

Driving licenses of certain countries are allowed in lieu of a Thai license. I'm pretty sure that licenses from Anglo-Saxon Bloc countries are among those. Honda have a Safe Driving Center in Bangkok. I don't know if they give comprehensive driving lessons to the general paying public or not though.

BMW also have a driving school in Thailand, but I think that's geared more towards bodyguards and customers (drivers) of their armoured diplomatic vehicles. Still, wouldn't it be funny if one day your wife actually progressed from where she is now to being a BMW-certified ninja driver.

[IMHO]

Might have already been mentioned before, but I couldn't be bothered to read another thread of Thai bashing by the "but it's not like back at home, therefore it must be wrong!!!" crowd.

Thailand does indeed have provisional licenses - that's what the initial 1 year license everyone gets before moving onto the their full, 5-year license is.

What Thailand doesn't have is a learner's permit which would allow people with zero driving skills on public roads.

Instead, here, you learn the basics on private land - if using a real driving school they will usually have access to a piece of land for this, and upcountry it's usually the local school yard or some other large piece of govt owned land that's used for learning (ask some people in your village where the place is for your area).

Once you have learnt basic vehicle control, you apply for a provisional license. If you don't lose that in the 1st year, yet get a full license.

No need to break the law - just stop wishing it was "like back home" (which you likely don't want anyway), and try to learn how it does actually work (which for most things means not asking a Thai with only a year 6 level of education)

[muratremix]

There is still no driving school in Thailand, but only private teachers. My wife's teacher take her to driving in very first hour without teaching any fundamental traffic laws! I was in shock and I decided not to join other courses behind the car.

Something that important can't be left to privateers. When they will face the wrong decisions they made decades ago and fix it by implementing a common test under strict rules for all drivers? These people has to learn traffic rules before they even touch car itself, and learn how to drive in controlled environments until they can handle traffic.

[Tomtomtom69]

My Wife bought her license and then learnt how to drive. Actually I wouldn't call it driving rather more like ploughing ahead.

I have watched her try to pull into the driveway but she has no idea. Back and fill back and fill but she cannot work out what way to turn the wheel to position the car so it can be driven into the driveway.

She doesn't stop at stop signs but just drives through them, saying the other drivers and motorcyclists can see her so they will get out of her way.

She goes so slowly that she creates road havock but is totally oblivious to it all.

No spacial awareness. The other day she was slowly veering left and ran a motorbike off the road.

A while ago she hit a puddle (suprisingly at speed) and aquaplaned into a motorbike taxi knocking the driver and a school kid off, she then had to take them to the hospital and get them both patched up.

If I am in the car with her it is excrutiatingly painful, I am litterally on the edge of my seat and yelling "watch out" every 10 - 30 seconds. No word of a lie being in the car with her is the scariest thing I can ever do. I most often refuse to go with her. However, when I am not artound our 3 year old happily wanders throughout the interior of the cabin with no restraints.

Wow, I am sure she has taken years off my life through stress.

Your wife sounds a bit like my friends. Back in 2008 I stupidly let a female friend of mine at Chiang Mai university reverse my manual, Triton 4wd pickup for a few meters, but luckily perhaps, there was a pole she reversed into otherwise she would probably injured our friend or worse. The damage was mostly just to the bumper a little to the back tray door and was quickly fixed by my insurance. This year she started to "learn" how to drive, got her license in Lampang (because it was "easier" than in Bangkok) and recently lightly hit a motorcycle with her new car. She lives in Bangkok now and delights in telling me stories of having driven to Siam Square from Petchkasem road "all by herself". I can't tell you how scary it was to hear her say that. Her boyfriend at first glance seems like a decent driver since he generally doesn't drive very fast compared to other Thai drivers but on New Year's eve last year he also hit a motorcyclist, claiming it was the fault of a taxi pulling out of a soi and the motorcyclist, but he was doing everything right (well, apparently). For the next 4 or more hours his girlfriend and him were at the hospital attending to the injured motorcyclist who apparently broke his arm or something like that and then at the police station but they were then let go around 6pm in time for the New Year celebrations.

I have never seen my female friend drive herself since that incident back in 2008, but I have told her many times I am not even interested in her offering to drive me when we are heading to the same place, say for dinner; I insist on driving my own car over and if something goes wrong on her way, then I guess I would just have to eat by myself or just with my girlfriend instead. I know that at least I'll arrive when I drive - if she drives it's anyone's guess.

[Pormax]

Might have already been mentioned before, but I couldn't be bothered to read another thread of Thai bashing by the "but it's not like back at home, therefore it must be wrong!!!" crowd.

Thailand does indeed have provisional licenses - that's what the initial 1 year license everyone gets before moving onto the their full, 5-year license is.

What Thailand doesn't have is a learner's permit which would allow people with zero driving skills on public roads.

Instead, here, you learn the basics on private land - if using a real driving school they will usually have access to a piece of land for this, and upcountry it's usually the local school yard or some other large piece of govt owned land that's used for learning (ask some people in your village where the place is for your area).

Once you have learnt basic vehicle control, you apply for a provisional license. If you don't lose that in the 1st year, yet get a full license.

No need to break the law - just stop wishing it was "like back home" (which you likely don't want anyway), and try to learn how it does actually work (which for most things means not asking a Thai with only a year 6 level of education)

In answer, all I can say is that I believe the majority would say that the system here is totally flawed allowing incompetent drivers on the road to cause injury or possibly death to themselves or others or property.

I am not a Thai basher but when things are outright dangerous and could easily be solved preventing many road accidents then one has to say that there is not just complacency but ignorance by the people who make the laws. I am also not saying it should be like back home, in my case the UK which is very strict, but some improvements/changes that will benefit all road users and pedestrians could easily be made (But never will)

As many has found who live here, life is regarded as cheap so why should the government try and reduce road deaths.

Yes, I agree to start learning in an area such as a school yard (after school hours) or even a temple is a good place to but nothing like that prepares you for driving in roads in traffic or learning about spacial awareness.

The one year licence is NOT a provisional licence, nowhere on the licence does it say provisional it is a full licence which unfortunately with a little backhander can be bought. I have been driving for over 40 years and when I went to get my Thai licence I still was only allowed one year and while I now have a 5 year licence I am still not legally allowed to sit in the car instructing my wife as I haven't held a Thai licence for the requisite full 3 years. So in my case I have to break the law.

Tried a driving instructor course for her which was so useless so it seems I have no option.

[Trembly]

Might have already been mentioned before, but I couldn't be bothered to read another thread of Thai bashing by the "but it's not like back at home, therefore it must be wrong!!!" crowd.

Thailand does indeed have provisional licenses - that's what the initial 1 year license everyone gets before moving onto the their full, 5-year license is.

What Thailand doesn't have is a learner's permit which would allow people with zero driving skills on public roads.

Instead, here, you learn the basics on private land - if using a real driving school they will usually have access to a piece of land for this, and upcountry it's usually the local school yard or some other large piece of govt owned land that's used for learning (ask some people in your village where the place is for your area).

Once you have learnt basic vehicle control, you apply for a provisional license. If you don't lose that in the 1st year, yet get a full license.

No need to break the law - just stop wishing it was "like back home" (which you likely don't want anyway), and try to learn how it does actually work (which for most things means not asking a Thai with only a year 6 level of education)

In answer, all I can say is that I believe the majority would say that the system here is totally flawed allowing incompetent drivers on the road to cause injury or possibly death to themselves or others or property.

I am not a Thai basher but when things are outright dangerous and could easily be solved preventing many road accidents then one has to say that there is not just complacency but ignorance by the people who make the laws. I am also not saying it should be like back home, in my case the UK which is very strict, but some improvements/changes that will benefit all road users and pedestrians could easily be made (But never will)

As many has found who live here, life is regarded as cheap so why should the government try and reduce road deaths.

Yes, I agree to start learning in an area such as a school yard (after school hours) or even a temple is a good place to but nothing like that prepares you for driving in roads in traffic or learning about spacial awareness.

The one year licence is NOT a provisional licence, nowhere on the licence does it say provisional it is a full licence which unfortunately with a little backhander can be bought. I have been driving for over 40 years and when I went to get my Thai licence I still was only allowed one year and while I now have a 5 year licence I am still not legally allowed to sit in the car instructing my wife as I haven't held a Thai licence for the requisite full 3 years. So in my case I have to break the law.

Tried a driving instructor course for her which was so useless so it seems I have no option.

Just keep your UK license on you. I've found Thai coppers to be quite reasonable and understanding when shown a foreign license from a country they know and respect.

[IMHO]

The one year licence is NOT a provisional licence, nowhere on the licence does it say provisional

Yes it is, and is identified as so by it's different color.

[harrry]

The one year licence is NOT a provisional licence, nowhere on the licence does it say provisional

Yes it is, and is identified as so by it's different color.

It is a Provisional Licence and as such is not recognised in neighbouring ASEAN countries as a full valid licence. It has a much tighter points system for cancellation (There is a points system applying to legal fines but most people pay over the counter and avoid this)

[Trembly]

There is still no driving school in Thailand, but only private teachers. My wife's teacher take her to driving in very first hour without teaching any fundamental traffic laws! I was in shock and I decided not to join other courses behind the car.

Something that important can't be left to privateers. When they will face the wrong decisions they made decades ago and fix it by implementing a common test under strict rules for all drivers? These people has to learn traffic rules before they even touch car itself, and learn how to drive in controlled environments until they can handle traffic.

Honda Safety Riding Center

Honda Safety Driving Center

There's one in Ramkhamhaeng and another in Phra Padaeng. I'm not sure about outside Bangkok. Lessons there are approved by the Department of Land Transport who will issue driving licenses based on your results at the Honda school.