When all else fails, blame culture

[yourauntbob]

So time and time again when I see stupidity, selfishness, or illogical behavior people like to tell me "Its just cultural, you dont understand." I know that sometimes this is the case, but may times its just a cop-out for people to do stupid, selfish, illogical behavior.

Case in point

Today I pull up to work and notice as usual many of my co-workers cars parked halfway between two spots. They pull through one spot and halfway into the spot in front of them so that the small overhead over protects their car from the sun. This does nothing in reality because the sun hits the car park at different angles all day long but that's another story. The problem is that we are using the parking lot of a Big C (which kindly lets us park there) and by the time we leave work the lot is full and people need places to park. As I arrive today a co-worker of mine is getting out of their car parked in this ignorant manner. I point to the lines on the ground and he starts on about the sun (he is Asian but not Thai), so I explain to him that the sun comes at different angles all day. He give about three more excuses that are just as inadequate before finally saying "its cultural." I then point to how there are cars owned by both farang and asians that are parked in this manner. Then I point to the fact that there are cars owned by both farang and asians that are parked in the appropriate manner. This doesnt matter, "it's cultural, you just dont understand."

This excuse is perfect for anyone who wants to be ignorant, just shoot the messenger.

[ttthailand]

Inconsiderate people everywhere . Me me me me me me me ......

[AlexRRR]

I understood him

[BitCon]

singapores and malaysians both have an inability to put one and one together. i think it has something to do with all the crap in their food.

[trainman34014]

Nooooo; you just don't understand 'Thainess' !

[btwretail]

When all else fails, SMILE!!!

[kannot]

I often park right in the middle of two parking spaces, the reason is simple , many people have put so many dents in my car opening their doors I now take either two spaces or park at the end of the car park no one wants to park in as too far from door.

So thats my reason , again their selfishness at not being careful.

Saw one woman once when parking here drive into the next car in the lot about 5 times trying to get into a space..

[sustento]

One presumes that the OP comes from a country where "stupidity, selfishness, or illogical behavior" doesn't exist?...

[benalibina]

1 presumes that above poster is not aware this is called Thai Visa !!

[benalibina]

I often park right in the middle of two parking spaces, the reason is simple , many people have put so many dents in my car opening their doors I now take either two spaces or park at the end of the car park no one wants to park in as too far from door.

So thats my reason , again their selfishness at not being careful.

Saw one woman once when parking here drive into the next car in the lot about 5 times trying to get into a space..

Forgot about that 1 yeah, using 2 parkingspaces !! My wife then asked WHY you do ! Same same no different !

[yourauntbob]

One presumes that the OP comes from a country where "stupidity, selfishness, or illogical behavior" doesn't exist?...

They do, we just dont always blame culture when its pointed out.

[farang000999]

Just slash his tires. Cultural.

Sorted.

[canman]

It's called the bigotry of lowered expectations. I see it all the time with comments like "it's not his fault it's just his culture"

I call BS on these excuses when it it used to excuse rude, crude or stupid behaviour. The people making these types of excuses are the biggest bigots of all and they don't even realise it.

[kevvy]

I often park right in the middle of two parking spaces, the reason is simple , many people have put so many dents in my car opening their doors I now take either two spaces or park at the end of the car park no one wants to park in as too far from door.

So thats my reason , again their selfishness at not being careful.

Saw one woman once when parking here drive into the next car in the lot about 5 times trying to get into a space..

Forgot about that 1 yeah, using 2 parkingspaces !! My wife then asked WHY you do ! Same same no different !

One presumes that you came from a country where "stupidity, selfishness, or illogical behavior" doesn't exist

[HeijoshinCool]

What I noticed my one year of teaching here, was that Thai first graders take amazing pains, grimacing even, to color inside the lines.

By (alleged) adulthood, though, Thais drive and park as if those lines no longer exist.

In the States, first graders can't stay inside the lines, but adults drive and park (relatively speaking) much better, staying inside the lines.

Maybe it is cultural.

[amykat]

Maybe HC, the reason the younger kids "color in the lines" is because they are copying a another picture (done correctly).

And later in life, they are copying, what they see.

Sort of like the thread about flashing the "V" sign in all photos. My daughter started doing that by 5 or 6 ...no reason given, other then that is what she sees, so she does it. I have since banned that in all my photos with her ...I do not want year after year, of meaningless, stupid, V signs in every photo.

I meant to be making a joke about copying with Thais, but actually it isn't very funny ...another thing my daughter seems to have picked up ...little ways of cheating at school, like writing answers on her hand, or having little "cheat sheets" starting (as far as I know) at 7 years old! I wonder whose parents gave the kids that idea???

[Thaevid]

Thais can't drive or park to save there life's always got a excuse for something I just do it the hard way now ... Well easy for me dent there car forget the smile and culture thing who cares ..

[snake24]

singapores and malaysians both have an inability to put one and one together. i think it has something to do with all the crap in their food.

hmm probably so but what makes you say that the person that parked his car in that manner was from either country?

[kannot]

I often park right in the middle of two parking spaces, the reason is simple , many people have put so many dents in my car opening their doors I now take either two spaces or park at the end of the car park no one wants to park in as too far from door.

So thats my reason , again their selfishness at not being careful.

Saw one woman once when parking here drive into the next car in the lot about 5 times trying to get into a space..

Forgot about that 1 yeah, using 2 parkingspaces !! My wife then asked WHY you do ! Same same no different !

One presumes that you came from a country where "stupidity, selfishness, or illogical behavior" doesn't exist

Yeah Antarctica!!

[kannot]

I often park right in the middle of two parking spaces, the reason is simple , many people have put so many dents in my car opening their doors I now take either two spaces or park at the end of the car park no one wants to park in as too far from door.

So thats my reason , again their selfishness at not being careful.

Saw one woman once when parking here drive into the next car in the lot about 5 times trying to get into a space..

Forgot about that 1 yeah, using 2 parkingspaces !! My wife then asked WHY you do ! Same same no different !

One presumes that you came from a country where "stupidity, selfishness, or illogical behavior" doesn't exist

I like your other user name better !!

[Cobalt60]

I would imagine the problem is that there is no man in a uniform with a whistle. That's culture round these parts.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[baboon]

Just slash his tires. Cultural.

Sorted.

I do not advocate that type of solution at all, but you do have a point. We have our ways of doing things as well.

[NeverSure]

It is crass, crude and illegal to slash tires, not to mention time consuming. Drag the point of your key down the side of the car instead.

[Thai at Heart]

All rather pathetic.

Maybe they need a good dose of colonisation.

It's cultural.....

[Mossfinn]

Was out in Bangkok last month, got taken around with the family by my SiL's Boss, she took us to plaza's, car parks and other areas of the metropolis, boy she hit the centre of those white lines every time, maybe it's cultural, maybe it's the people you know.

Gotta be worth thinking about...........

[yourauntbob]

singapores and malaysians both have an inability to put one and one together. i think it has something to do with all the crap in their food.

hmm probably so but what makes you say that the person that parked his car in that manner was from either country?

fyi, the person in question is from India, not Singapore or Malaysia

[Travel2003]

I thought we were supposed to blame it all on Global Warming these days, of if that fails.....blame it on Al Qaeda.

[seajae]

mate, I put it down to the fact that most of them dont know how to drive properly or understand what white lines are for, just look at how many overtake on double white lines or simply move to your side of the road because they dont want to drive on their side. They have to know the laws before they can act on them but even then most dont give a damn about it anyway as long as they get to do whatever they want to.