Is She Stupid, or Stupid?

[HeijoshinCool]

What other options are there?

Riding the scooter. No traffic behind me except a large woman on another scooter. She's been hugging the white line, matching my speed. I pull inside to make a right turn. I use my signal. I look in my mirror again. I look over my shoulder. I begin my turn into a parking lot. There's oncoming traffic, but a hundred meters away, doing maybe 60 or 70.

As I make a sweeping turn, the woman behind me leans on her horn and speeds past me. On my right. I had to swerve left, in order not to collide with her, as she blasts by.

She stays in the wrong lane. She's now doing a hundred. Oncoming traffic flash lights. No one slows. Well, except me. I pull to the edge of the road and watch.

On the back of her bike, I can now see an adorable five-year old girl in a kindergarten uniform. Drink in one hand, trying to decide which is more important to a five-year old mind, hanging on to her drink, or the idiot driving.

I understand lack of education.

But how can anyone be this stupid?

Oh, well, she did wear a helmet, though.

The woman, not the child.

[ttthailand]

Totally stupid.....and self centered....and an unfit mother......

[David48]

Mate, I know I'll get howled down for this, but how someone else in Thailand drives, rides, cycles, whatever ... as long as it doesn't affect me or mine directly ... I don't criticise, I don't berate, I don't judge ... it's not my business ... I move on.

Saves my angst.

.

Edited August 5, 2013 by David48

[kotsak]

as I always say... FUBAR...

[HeijoshinCool]

Mate, I know I'll get howled down for this, but how someone else in Thailand drives, rides, cycles, whatever ... as long as it doesn't affect me or mine directly ... I don't criticise, I don't berate, I don't judge ... it's not my business ... I move on.

Saves my angst.

.

Figure I'll get howled at, too. Someone saying I should drive like a Thai, then this wouldn't happen.

But I've seen too many dead people since I arrived here. Including children.

So I'm doing what you do. Moving on.

Regardless, it is difficult to comprehend the level of stupidity, the lack of value of life here, even your own child's.

Edited August 5, 2013 by HeijoshinCool

[transam]

It sounds quite normal to me.

[Gsxrnz]

Not sure if I understand how you did the turn. You said you "pulled inside to make a right turn" and then made a "sweeping turn" to the right.

In a drive on the left country, "pull inside " implies you pulled in towards your left before making the right hand turn, is that what you mean or have I misunderstood?

[h90]

I think she is a very considered person. Because she doesn't update her Facebook page on the smartphone at the same time.

[David48]

Mate, I know I'll get howled down for this, but how someone else in Thailand drives, rides, cycles, whatever ... as long as it doesn't affect me or mine directly ... I don't criticise, I don't berate, I don't judge ... it's not my business ... I move on.

Saves my angst.

.

Figure I'll get howled at, too. Someone saying I should drive like a Thai, then this wouldn't happen.

But I've seen too many dead people since I arrived here. Including children.

So I'm doing what you do. Moving on.

Regardless, it is difficult to comprehend the level of stupidity, the lack of value of life here, even your own child's.

... also I don't drive like a Thai ... I don't have a death wish.

I ride more then drive in Thailand. Actually just arrived here again and bought the spare Full-Face along with me for the ride.

Certainly helped being a Motorcycle Courier for a few years in London ... situational awareness is everything.

I'm still amuse by the Thai use of the hazard indicators to signal driving straight ahead onto a minor road ... driving in Thailand is what it is ... and it's always an experience!

.

[h90]

Mate, I know I'll get howled down for this, but how someone else in Thailand drives, rides, cycles, whatever ... as long as it doesn't affect me or mine directly ... I don't criticise, I don't berate, I don't judge ... it's not my business ... I move on.

Saves my angst.

.

Figure I'll get howled at, too. Someone saying I should drive like a Thai, then this wouldn't happen.

But I've seen too many dead people since I arrived here. Including children.

So I'm doing what you do. Moving on.

Regardless, it is difficult to comprehend the level of stupidity, the lack of value of life here, even your own child's.

... also I don't drive like a Thai ... I don't have a death wish.

I ride more then drive in Thailand. Actually just arrived here again and bought the spare Full-Face along with me for the ride.

Certainly helped being a Motorcycle Courier for a few years in London ... situational awareness is everything.

I'm still amuse by the Thai use of the hazard indicators to signal driving straight ahead onto a minor road ... driving in Thailand is what it is ... and it's always an experience!

.

Buddhist get born again when they die. So a bad accident is just an interruption.

[Jayroo]

Mate, I know I'll get howled down for this, but how someone else in Thailand drives, rides, cycles, whatever ... as long as it doesn't affect me or mine directly ... I don't criticise, I don't berate, I don't judge ... it's not my business ... I move on.

Saves my angst.

.

Figure I'll get howled at, too. Someone saying I should drive like a Thai, then this wouldn't happen.

But I've seen too many dead people since I arrived here. Including children.

So I'm doing what you do. Moving on.

Regardless, it is difficult to comprehend the level of stupidity, the lack of value of life here, even your own child's.

That lady from your OP is the reason why there are so many road fatalities in Thailand, sad really.

[Bcgardener]

There appears to be little respect for life in Thailand especially when it comes to the roads. I have been here 6 years, before that had never seen a dead body due to an accident. Now I have lost count, and as above everything from adults to a baby only a few Months old.

Driving through town in my lunch break today I see an accident on the opposite side of the road, middle age women from what I can see near Lotus. A "rescue" pick up and an ambulance from one of the hospitals comes flying past me with sirens blaring to do a U turn at the next set of lights, obviously going to the accident. Only one problem there is a BIB at the lights. Stops me the ambulance and all the traffic for about 5 minutes so an "important person" can drive down the road without stopping. Meanwhile, who knows what the condition of the poor women is like. Like others have said, no respect for their or anyone else's life on the roads.

[buck99]

After a year of driving here, I come to expect stupid on the road. Wrong way drivers, high speed drivers, running red lights, left turns from the right lane, right turns from the left lane. I always drive slowly and carefully with my hands hovering above the break levers and horn. However there's always some A-hole that makes me say out loud, "can you even believe what he just did".

[transam]

After a year of driving here, I come to expect stupid on the road. Wrong way drivers, high speed drivers, running red lights, left turns from the right lane, right turns from the left lane. I always drive slowly and carefully with my hands hovering above the break levers and horn. However there's always some A-hole that makes me say out loud, "can you even believe what he just did".

And why is this............?

[HeijoshinCool]

Not sure if I understand how you did the turn. You said you "pulled inside to make a right turn" and then made a "sweeping turn" to the right.

In a drive on the left country, "pull inside " implies you pulled in towards your left before making the right hand turn, is that what you mean or have I misunderstood?

No, where I come from going inside means moving to the inside of your lane, not the outside, where the edge of the road is. Sweeping means gentle, not a hard, ninety degree right.

[mickjn]

It sounds quite normal to me.

Me to

[HeijoshinCool]

I could care less what adults do to themselves.

It "bothers" me when a parent figures their five-year old for nothing more than a chunk of meat.

[lemoncake]

Mate, I know I'll get howled down for this, but how someone else in Thailand drives, rides, cycles, whatever ... as long as it doesn't affect me or mine directly ... I don't criticise, I don't berate, I don't judge ... it's not my business ... I move on.

Saves my angst.

.

I try to be the same, but sometimes it's just too hard to ignore and some noises end up coming out of my mouth, usually not in a pleasant to ear manner

[kannot]

Mate, I know I'll get howled down for this, but how someone else in Thailand drives, rides, cycles, whatever ... as long as it doesn't affect me or mine directly ... I don't criticise, I don't berate, I don't judge ... it's not my business ... I move on.

Saves my angst.

.

Figure I'll get howled at, too. Someone saying I should drive like a Thai, then this wouldn't happen.

But I've seen too many dead people since I arrived here. Including children.

So I'm doing what you do. Moving on.

Regardless, it is difficult to comprehend the level of stupidity, the lack of value of life here, even your own child's.

... also I don't drive like a Thai ... I don't have a death wish.

I ride more then drive in Thailand. Actually just arrived here again and bought the spare Full-Face along with me for the ride.

Certainly helped being a Motorcycle Courier for a few years in London ... situational awareness is everything.

I'm still amuse by the Thai use of the hazard indicators to signal driving straight ahead onto a minor road ... driving in Thailand is what it is ... and it's always an experience!

.

Buddhist get born again when they die. So a bad accident is just an interruption.

Id say they are reborn more stupid, judging by the evidence it appears Im right.

[RaysFan]

This 5 year olds mother drives like this, and she will drive tye exact same way with her 5 year old 15 years from now.

The problem is all laws favor scooters too. If a car hits a scooter even though 99 out of 100 times its the scooters fault the car will get the blame. I live in chiang mai and everyday I see scooters going around parked cars on the roads switching lanes without looking... or they come out of a soi... instead of stopping and looking they just go around the corner... they know u will stop for them. Its what thailand has allowed...

Sent from my GT-I9500

[h90]

This 5 year olds mother drives like this, and she will drive tye exact same way with her 5 year old 15 years from now.

The problem is all laws favor scooters too. If a car hits a scooter even though 99 out of 100 times its the scooters fault the car will get the blame. I live in chiang mai and everyday I see scooters going around parked cars on the roads switching lanes without looking... or they come out of a soi... instead of stopping and looking they just go around the corner... they know u will stop for them. Its what thailand has allowed...

Sent from my GT-I9500

"she will drive exact the same way with her 5 year old 15 years from now".

But only if the 5 year old doesn't age in the next 15 years.

[Payboy]

Buddhist get born again when they die. So a bad accident is just an interruption.

It's the failed attempts at rebirth that are worrisome.

[buck99]

After a year of driving here, I come to expect stupid on the road. Wrong way drivers, high speed drivers, running red lights, left turns from the right lane, right turns from the left lane. I always drive slowly and carefully with my hands hovering above the break levers and horn. However there's always some A-hole that makes me say out loud, "can you even believe what he just did".

And why is this............?

Why do I expect "stupid" on the road??? I really don't your question deserves an answer.

[transam]

After a year of driving here, I come to expect stupid on the road. Wrong way drivers, high speed drivers, running red lights, left turns from the right lane, right turns from the left lane. I always drive slowly and carefully with my hands hovering above the break levers and horn. However there's always some A-hole that makes me say out loud, "can you even believe what he just did".

And why is this............?

Why do I expect "stupid" on the road??? I really don't your question deserves an answer.

Because it is the norm here. Do NOT expect anything to improve as it will not. You take to the road then EXPECT the worse. Just a fact of LOS. Drivers don't care, police don't care, so where does anyone with sense go. ?

[kevvy]

i cannot see it changing for many many years , TIT and it wont change till the government do something about it and pigs will fly before this happens . The government do not care about people dieing on the roads . Just look at Songkran . but is is sad to see people dying when common sense will stop that .

[David48]

... and we are back to the round-a-bout again.

The oft discussed subject ... "Driving on Thailand's Roads' ... 'they are crazy stupid drivers' ... 'You would never do that at home'.

Well .. true ... you never would.

But your driving in Thailand.

There are rules ... just different from home.

There are interpretations of rules.

Driving in Thailand is what it is ... adapt or either die or spend the rest of your driving/riding/walking time moaning and complaining ... Thailand is not about to change no matter how many times you clench your fist or mutter under your breath the expletives you want to scream out!

It will change when Thai people want to change.

Oh ... if you think Thailand is the Wild West ... try Cambodia ... makes the Thais look like defensive drivers ... Accountants in cardies.

Oh ... BTW ... I'm an Aussie, but, from a bikes perspective, I found the best adaptive drivers the English and the best 'following the code' the Germans ... but that is just my humble snapshot having ridden my bike across Europe and having lived in the States.

.

[Briggsy]

When turning right, you need to position your bike very close to the centre of the road, i.e. just left of the white lane. This is if the traffic conditions permit. If you cannot achieve this safely, then pull in to the kerb and stop. Wait for clear traffic in both directions and then execute your right turn.

The OP did a bizarre right turn sweeping to the kerb before swinging right. I don't know where he learnt to drive but this is an insane manouevre and probably gave the shock of her life to the woman behind.

[RaysFan]

This 5 year olds mother drives like this, and she will drive tye exact same way with her 5 year old 15 years from now.

The problem is all laws favor scooters too. If a car hits a scooter even though 99 out of 100 times its the scooters fault the car will get the blame. I live in chiang mai and everyday I see scooters going around parked cars on the roads switching lanes without looking... or they come out of a soi... instead of stopping and looking they just go around the corner... they know u will stop for them. Its what thailand has allowed...

Sent from my GT-I9500

 

"she will drive exact the same way with her 5 year old 15 years from now".

But only if the 5 year old doesn't age in the next 15 years.

Lol you completely misunderstood what I said. Im typing on a phone so the english isnt perfect, but im sure if you read it again you will pick up what im dropping... know what I mean?

Sent from my GT-I9500

[RaysFan]

And no, the driving in Thailand wont change for a very very long time... generations maybe. 99.999999% of your drivers education comes from riding with your parents and the traffic around you.

Sent from my GT-I9500

[dao16]

I saw an example of "driver education" here recently. Guy with a decent job (something govt) for about a year puts his down payment on a car....gets it.....an older guy takes him out for an afternoon and "shows him how to drive." Newbie doesn't drive the car for about a week and then is off and into the wild blue yonder. Those are most of the people you are driving with every day, so keep that in mind.