My wife's brother's driving is driving me 'round the bend

[RikDao]

I’m a little new in Thailand, just three months, and I’ve seen Thais do some goofy stuff in that time, but nothing extraordinary, especially compared to Texas, my beautiful home state. So, this is not a rant about all Thai’s, just about my wife’s brother and the way he drives. Let me say, he’s a good guy, a good husband and father, hard worker, all that... Putting this out there on TV will make me feel better, of that I’m certain, and that’s the main reason I’m writing this:

He has a late-model Toyota pickup, a HiLux, five or six speeds, though I can’t really tell because he has one of those spongy things on the gear shift knob, something a real gear shifter back in the good ol’ USA would never have, right? I mean, I should know by this time how many gears there are, but one reason I’m confused is that he shifts into freaking second after about 15 feet, and at 40 feet we’re way up into third, even though we’re only going 15 miles an hour tops. I’ve tried to explain the RPM concept to my wife so she can tell him, but it just doesn’t register. So, when we pass other vehicles, which he does quite often but only after hesitating just long enough to almost ensure a head-on, we’re going along in, say, fifth, but he doesn’t bloody downshift, he just keeps inching up the RPMs with the accelerator. I’m sitting there thinking DOWNSHIFT DOWNSHIFT before it’s too late!!! Add to this the fact that as long as he doesn’t see another vehicle coming around the curve, he’s gonna try to pass on that curve, I kid you not.

And don’t get me started when it comes to hills and mountains, which is definitely an issue since we live in Northern Thailand! Going up is bad enough for the transmission (DOWNSHIFT DOWNSHIFT!) but at least it’s not particularly life-threatening. Coming down a mountain? OMG! We’ll be flying down in fifth (should be inching down in third), him riding the brakes, when all of a sudden we smell something, which just happens to be the brakes burning up. Natch, I insist that we pull over for awhile, and we all look at the wheels, and sniff them. Of course, nobody says a word, except me.

Then, let’s see, hanging a U-turn on a highway? Again, don’t get me started, OK? Just try to imagine the old “shift into second going 2mph after 15 feet” rule and you’ll know what I’m going through.Then, let’s see, why don’t we turn in front of a 10-year-old girl on a scooter when it’s her right-of-way? Or instead of grabbing a decent enough parking place at Big C when one presents itself, let’s drive around for ten minutes trying to find one 20 meters closer to the entrance. Or let’s make a left turn without looking to see if anyone’s coming from the other direction. Or let’s drive 100 kph with six kids in the back of the truck. And I don’t want to say anything about the dogs, OK? I really don’t. Holy Toledo!

Enough. Let me just say I’m a big farang, so I have to sit in the front seat and endure all this, when all I really want to do is assume fetal posture in the back seat. One day, I’ll get a driver’s license, but until then...

Please note: I'm not English, OK, so that's why I put that little apostrophe next to "round" in the title, OK?

[seajae]

hahahahaha, mate, welcome to Thailand. My wife drives exactly the same way, I am forever telling her to change gear, taking off in second or third and wondering why we stall, overtaking with the car chugging as she accelerates from 30 kph while in top gear etc, etc.

You will get used to it, well maybe, I still hide my face after 2 years........

[PaullyW]

You have come from a country in the west that is literally a couple hundred years ahead of Thailand in many areas.

Don't let any shiny malls and their thin veneer of modernity fool you. They ('educated' and uneducated alike) are generally (not all but most in my many years here) as backward and unsophisticated as anywhere else in the world.

If you approach all interactions with Thais from this perspective, you'll always be prepared for the their general lack of sense.

[NeverSure]

Next time he wants you to ride with him, make an excuse and tell him you really need to stay home so you can play Russian Roulette.

[wayned]

You had better pay close attention and memorize everything that you think that he is doing wrong! They most likely will be the correct answers on the written test that you will have to take to get your license. You'll eventually get used to it if you stay long enough. I've had mine for 16 years and if I drive like I do here or had been stopped for as many traffic violations (100 baht tea money) in the states I would be banned from driving for life when I finally got out of jail!

[transam]

I would suggest trade in for auto trans rides...........

[slapout]

Take a chance on living, you can eliminate 50%+_ chance of a accident by driving yourself. This is not a verifiable figure, but via the red neck process of elimination, take 1 accident looking to happen individual out of the two driver equation (coming and going) and your odds increase a tad.

[longstebe]

Ha ha good post mate and welcome to Thailand. Thank <deleted> we have an automatic. The driving in Thailand is horrendous, nearly as bad as Houston TX......ha ha. Just look forward to owning/purchasing your own vehicle in Thailand and all will be well.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jackr]

Buy your own car?

Edited December 1, 2013 by jackr

[Sam Gold]

Driving yourself is definitely the way to go here if you want to spare your heart. I've never had an accident in 4 years, but avoid one per second, literally. Just a question of habit

My own brother in law reversed my car straight into a tree when he'd had a few at Songkran - I didn't mind the bump in the back as it's only metal, however I did ponder on what his reaction would've been had I done that to his precious 4x4 monster. Nice guy nonetheless.

That's why most people here drive automatics - brake and accelerate like in a video game, no knowledge of how it actually works.

[Jdietz]

It's not her brother...

[Huayrat]

Get used to the taking over on blind corners,, most of the idiots do it

[wooloomooloo]

Please note: I'm not English, OK, so that's why I put that little apostrophe next to "round" in the title, OK?

Being English, this has really annoyed me. So much so, that I've forgotten what the thread was about.

[transam]

Driving yourself is definitely the way to go here if you want to spare your heart. I've never had an accident in 4 years, but avoid one per second, literally. Just a question of habit

My own brother in law reversed my car straight into a tree when he'd had a few at Songkran - I didn't mind the bump in the back as it's only metal, however I did ponder on what his reaction would've been had I done that to his precious 4x4 monster. Nice guy nonetheless.

That's why most people here drive automatics - brake and accelerate like in a video game, no knowledge of how it actually works.

You let someone here drive your car................ .................

[Marcel1]

one more time, Welcome in Thailand.

When traveling with Thai people I drive the car or I am sleeping, im not scared because they drive like this for a long long time and probebly it works for them but it irritates me somewhat to look at it..

[Marcel1]

great read though, could almost see it the way you tell :-)

[longstebe]

It's not her brother...

There's always one.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[thehelmsman]

I chuckled to myself the first time I drove my pick-up with the bed packed full of people from the soi to visit a friend in the hospital.

Driving in Thailand is loads of fun, you can never completely relax. Much more situational awareness required than is needed in the states. And it will take you awhile to stop hitting the windshield wiper when you mean to hit turn signal. But, I never pass where I can't do so safely.

[longstebe]

I chuckled to myself the first time I drove my pick-up with the bed packed full of people from the soi to visit a friend in the hospital.

 

Driving in Thailand is loads of fun, you can never completely relax. Much more situational awareness required than is needed in the states. And it will take you awhile to stop hitting the windshield wiper when you mean to hit turn signal. But, I never pass where I can't do so safely.

 

 

Have you ever drove on the 610 loop? Or the Beltway 8 for that matter? That's one crazy place to drive in. At least in the states 99% of the time people ard driving in the same direction :-)

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[CharlieH]

You have much to learn grasshopper !

Chill, relax, deep breath, PRAY! and hope that one day you dont meet a person of equal talent coming the other way!

[RikDao]

Please note: I'm not English, OK, so that's why I put that little apostrophe next to "round" in the title, OK?

Being English, this has really annoyed me. So much so, that I've forgotten what the thread was about.

Dear, we Americans, as you know, take great pride in our (OK, your) language and make every attempt to speak and write it correctly, thank you very much.

[wooloomooloo]

Please note: I'm not English, OK, so that's why I put that little apostrophe next to "round" in the title, OK?

Being English, this has really annoyed me. So much so, that I've forgotten what the thread was about.

Dear, we Americans, as you know, take great pride in our (OK, your) language and make every attempt to speak and write it correctly, thank you very much.

Apology accepted. At least you've made the effort.

[Sam Gold]

Driving yourself is definitely the way to go here if you want to spare your heart. I've never had an accident in 4 years, but avoid one per second, literally. Just a question of habit

My own brother in law reversed my car straight into a tree when he'd had a few at Songkran - I didn't mind the bump in the back as it's only metal, however I did ponder on what his reaction would've been had I done that to his precious 4x4 monster. Nice guy nonetheless.

That's why most people here drive automatics - brake and accelerate like in a video game, no knowledge of how it actually works.

You let someone here drive your car................ .................

He talked my wife into it while I was away for the afternoon - if I'd been there he would never have dreamt of it

[lempereur]

hahahahaha, mate, welcome to Thailand. My wife drives exactly the same way, I am forever telling her to change gear, taking off in second or third and wondering why we stall, overtaking with the car chugging as she accelerates from 30 kph while in top gear etc, etc.

You will get used to it, well maybe, I still hide my face after 2 years........

Buy a automatic, will help

[Forethat]

lol, welcome to Thailand...

Actually, there are posters on here who posit that the option of travelling with Taxi, MiniBus or some other type of transport that involves a Thai driver, by definition should be considered safer than driving yourself. The same posters also claim they have been exploring Thai transportation for over fifteen years without having an accident and for this reason they have made the assumption that Thai traffic and Thai drivers in general are completely safe (and if you dare provide some hard facts you'll end up on their ignore-list").

Only one solution, get your own car and drive yourself. You'll end up avoiding an accident every minute or so, so be prepared to focus.

[RikDao]

Believe me, I'll get a car and I'll be perfectly fine out on the road. The towns and cities will be more difficult for me, but I'll be going pretty dang slow. Thanks for all the encouragement from everyone! In some ways, wife's brother is the best teacher I could have, right?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Daffy D]

That's one good reason not to buy a second hand car

[LongTimeLurker]

"Then, let’s see, why don’t we turn in front of a 10-year-old girl on a scooter when it’s her right-of-way?"

She can't have right of way when when she's too young to be legally riding a motocy.

[crumpled]

Just think how much excitement you are getting in your life being driver around by the brother. You could be sat at home bored, twiddling your thumbs and watching the FX rates on the computer

[Briggsy]

They all learn to drive on Honda Waves. A Honda Wave is a semi-automatic motorcycle with 4 gears. (Well, now you have automatic ones, any way) You can drive all the time in 4th gear due to gearing ratios and power to weight ratio. Many people do this as knowledge passed down through generations of Thais is "stay in 4th gear and save petrol".

Eventually maybe 10 to 15 years later, the modern Thai graduates to a pick-up truck. If you can drive a Honda Wave, you can drive anything. This is the thinking here. So people drive pick-ups as they have always driven Honda Waves. Stay in high gear at all times to save gas. Overtake anywhere and everywhere, it's ok. Use the brakes and never the gears to slow down.

That's how it is.