How I Really Ticked Off A Couple Thais

[Donz]

I just walk across the road whenever they want, If a car runs into me there will be more damage to the car then myself.

WHen people see me they usually just let me cross first.

[Ajarn]

I often don't stop for pedestrians for the simple reason that people behind me can't see what I'm doing, and a quick stop could send them up my backside... Pedestrians (farangs, mostly) have to be careful of their expectations of what cars should be doing when they are in the road.

[mumbojumbo]

I often don't stop for pedestrians for the simple reason that people behind me can't see what I'm doing, and a quick stop could send them up my backside... Pedestrians (farangs, mostly) have to be careful of their expectations of what cars should be doing when they are in the road.

In Thailand, the bigger you are the more right of way you have. Unfortunatly the pedestrian are at the lowest status of this right. I continually run red lights, because i see the guy behind me has no intention of stopping, and don't want the wreck hazzles later. When i do run a red light badly, i always view the back mirror and see 4-5 more flashing their light and running it too> TIT

Farang have to realize that these multi white striped crossings that look like Ped x-ings are not. The paint crew had a few x-tra gallons left and decided to make a street disign.

[cmsally]

I just came back from Uk and Europe and I didn't get the impression anyone would be stopping for me if I was walking in the road or in front of their car. OK so people will stop for you at the crossings but you had better move your butt if the light turns green for them. Heaven help you if you are walking in the road instead of on the pavement. If they are nice they would probably stop and give you a lecture on road safety but if not so nice - well probably obvious.

Besides who wants to end up like one of those squashed hedgehogs!! Yugh!

[p1p]

I really ticked off a Thai the other day.I told the wife that her sister would be a great shag!

Is this why she "went away"??

[chuchok]

I really ticked off a Thai the other day.I told the wife that her sister would be a great shag!

Is this why she "went away"??

No, worst luck.The old dragon will be back in a few days. I even tried to bribe her to stay away longer.........

Edited May 15, 2006 by chuchok

[Ulysses G.]

I often don't stop for pedestrians for the simple reason that people behind me can't see what I'm doing, and a quick stop could send them up my backside... Pedestrians (farangs, mostly) have to be careful of their expectations of what cars should be doing when they are in the road.

If someone does stop for a pedestrian at a stopping, some ignorant savage will barrel through and hit him as he passes in front of the car that stopped.

Don't give credit for common sense to those who don't deserve it!

[PeaceBlondie]

Have many of you folks ridden motorcycles or bicycles much? Don't worry about the fine legalities; protect your own skin. If your only defense is a 259-pound motorcycle, up against your garden variety 4000-pound SUV, you're going to be in major surgery, or the crematorium. And walking along, you don't even have a bike to protect you.

In my country, we talk about the corpse being "dead right."

[Terminator]

its all about power play here, try the pedestrian crossings here and you know what i mean, i call them kamikaze crossing, its between all you and me...so be careful

[Octaviousbp]

He grabbed the money and slapped me across the chin (...)

I really don't think it matters what country you are from, and what country you are in... you shouldn't pop someone because you're ticked off, in any situation. Extreme relativism can be just as bad as thinking in absolutes, IMO.

[Ajarn]

I often don't stop for pedestrians for the simple reason that people behind me can't see what I'm doing, and a quick stop could send them up my backside... Pedestrians (farangs, mostly) have to be careful of their expectations of what cars should be doing when they are in the road.

If someone does stop for a pedestrian at a stopping, some ignorant savage will barrel through and hit him as he passes in front of the car that stopped.

Don't give credit for common sense to those who don't deserve it!

That is also a fear of mine when stopping, however, I can honestly say that it has never happened to me when I did stop to let someone cross... Not to say it doesn't happen though.

[chanchao]

Wow.. it has begun... The Pattayafication of Chiang Mai. I recently witnessed a Westerner making a complete ass of himself at Rim Ping supermarket... Shouting horrible bar-Thai/Enhglish over something that was utterly his fault. What a knob.

But don't let that discourage others to make posts similar to this original one. Then at the end of the year we do a 'Farang Darwin Awards' election.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[p1p]

Stopped for an old lady using a walker to cross at the pedestrian lights half way down Thapae Road a few weeks back. Was dismayed at the cars who passed through the red light, on both sides of me as I waited for the old dear to cross.

Almost had to get out of the car and hold up my hand to help her complete her journey, when a farang came from the pavement to help.

[JXXXL]

In Thailand, if you are in a marked crossing and there is a single car/motorbike, with no other vehicles around and plenty of room to go around or make a safe stop, most times, the driver wont stop. They honk their horn or make a bee line straight for you just to show you they have the upper hand in this particular situation.

Why is everyone trying to justify this retarded behavior or rationalize not stopping for a pedestrian? You can't stop or slow down because you are afraid of being hit from behind??? That's rediculous. You've gone native if you're thinking that way.

[KhunMarco]

In Thailand, if you are in a marked crossing and there is a single car/motorbike, with no other vehicles around and plenty of room to go around or make a safe stop, most times, the driver wont stop. They honk their horn or make a bee line straight for you just to show you they have the upper hand in this particular situation.

Why is everyone trying to justify this retarded behavior or rationalize not stopping for a pedestrian? You can't stop or slow down because you are afraid of being hit from behind??? That's rediculous. You've gone native if you're thinking that way.

maybe cause they value more their lives than westerner rationalization?

[JXXXL]

In Thailand, if you are in a marked crossing and there is a single car/motorbike, with no other vehicles around and plenty of room to go around or make a safe stop, most times, the driver wont stop. They honk their horn or make a bee line straight for you just to show you they have the upper hand in this particular situation.

Why is everyone trying to justify this retarded behavior or rationalize not stopping for a pedestrian? You can't stop or slow down because you are afraid of being hit from behind??? That's rediculous. You've gone native if you're thinking that way.

maybe cause they value more their lives than westerner rationalization?

I drive about 30,000 kms a year in Thailand and I regularly stop for various things including pedestrians and I have never been hit or threatened from a car behind me. You'd better not drive in Thailand or stick to public transport if you're thinking this way. This isn't rationalization, it's just factual experience from driving here and many other places in the world.

Edited May 16, 2006 by JXXXL

[Mobi]

In Thailand, if you are in a marked crossing and there is a single car/motorbike, with no other vehicles around and plenty of room to go around or make a safe stop, most times, the driver wont stop. They honk their horn or make a bee line straight for you just to show you they have the upper hand in this particular situation.

Why is everyone trying to justify this retarded behavior or rationalize not stopping for a pedestrian? You can't stop or slow down because you are afraid of being hit from behind??? That's rediculous. You've gone native if you're thinking that way.

maybe cause they value more their lives than westerner rationalization?

I drive about 30,000 kms a year in Thailand and I regularly stop for various things including pedestrians and I have never been hit or threatened from a car behind me. You'd better not drive in Thailand or stick to public transport if you're thinking this way. This isn't rationalization, it's just factual experience from driving here and many other places in the world.

Many years ago, I was driving a motor bike along Silom Road in Bangkok, when ahead of me the lights turned to red. I slowed down and stopped. The next thing I remember is being surrounded by a crowd of concerned Thais, about 50 meters down the road. The bus behind me had failed to stop and had hit me at about 80 kph. The bike was a write off, and the front of the bus had an amazing amount of damage - even one of its headlights, mounted well up from the road, was smashed by the impact. I was shaken but sort of OK. They put me and my bike in the bus (which had now been cleared of passengers) and off we went to an out of town bus terminal, where they took polaroid pics of the bus for insurance purposes. They tried to repair my bike, but it was never the same, and I never drove one again in Thailand.

60 % of the accident deaths in Thailand are motorcyclists - I have known a few of them. Whatever the rights or wrongs of stopping vs not stopping. In my view life's too short as it is. Keep off and away from bikes if you want a long and happy life in Thailand.

[Plus]

Those white stripes on the roads are called zebra crossings, so unless you are a zebra don't expect much.

There's a crossing I take every day and I see people getting angry because cars don't stop for them, but when I DRIVE through the same crossing hitting the brakes at 60km/h to stop is not an option, even if I see a pedestrian about to cross the road.

Tire screeching will scare shit out of him/her.

To the OP - all the motorcyclists need is aknowledgment that they are there. They don't mind driving around you if you show them some courtesy first. I wasn't there, but probably it was your complete disregard for his presense that pissed him off. They can read body language miles away. All drivers can.

[Ajarn]

They can read body language miles away. All drivers can

I'm pretty sure sometimes they don't know they can.

[johnh101]

I was told many moons ago just to walk when theres a decent break i the traffic and they'll drive around me if they get near.

Its still tough to do but I've never had a problem yet anywhere in Thailand following that simple rule.

I hate saying things like that.................................tempting fate.....

Prof.............please do not walk in front of my truck ! !

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

oh thats nothing. I drove my motorbike inside Central shopping center the other day. Sure many thai people were ticked off when I was going down the escalator but they will get over it.

[chuchok]

oh thats nothing. I drove my motorbike inside Central shopping center the other day. Sure many thai people were ticked off when I was going down the escalator but they will get over it.

was it bumpy?

[jdinasia]

the OP has a LONG way to go to adjusting to life here

[cmsally]

I would have like to have seen the OP the other evening , when there was a large tour bus coming down the road on the wrong side (CHangklan Rd.). Yours truly was travelling in the opposite direction, thought he was overtaking but became clear he was travelling on the wrong side to get around ALL the traffic going in his direction. No road left for me so had to pull right over, along with a couple of motorbikes who couldn't believe how this bus was driving.

The OP would have been history, but we were just outside the Central CM Hospital which would have been convenient!

[The Dan Sai Kid]

There's a crossing I take every day and I see people getting angry because cars don't stop for them, but when I DRIVE through the same crossing hitting the brakes at 60km/h to stop is not an option, even if I see a pedestrian about to cross the road.

Tire screeching will scare shit out of him/her.

You could try not exceeding the speed limit - then slowing down gradually as you approach regardless of the colour of lights. I would prefer the screeching of tyres to being knocked over by Toyota Vigo.

One of these days there is going to be a clampdown on going through those pedestrian crossings and anyone who goes through a red on them deserves a big fine.

PS. I drive a car too, stopping at a red light is not asking too much!

[JXXXL]

There's a crossing I take every day and I see people getting angry because cars don't stop for them, but when I DRIVE through the same crossing hitting the brakes at 60km/h to stop is not an option, even if I see a pedestrian about to cross the road.

Tire screeching will scare shit out of him/her.

You could try not exceeding the speed limit - then slowing down gradually as you approach regardless of the colour of lights. I would prefer the screeching of tyres to being knocked over by Toyota Vigo.

One of these days there is going to be a clampdown on going through those pedestrian crossings and anyone who goes through a red on them deserves a big fine.

PS. I drive a car too, stopping at a red light is not asking too much!

Good to hear there's at least one other person who hasn't lost their senses. The consensus seems ot be if Thai's drive like a$$holes, then it's OK for everyone else to.

I still try to keep the same level of courtesy on the road than I had back in the US. I love to see the smile on someone's face when I stop to let them pass or pull into a traffic queue. They must think I'm crazy, but maybe I can have some miniscule effect with my example.

[JXXXL]

I would have like to have seen the OP the other evening , when there was a large tour bus coming down the road on the wrong side (CHangklan Rd.). Yours truly was travelling in the opposite direction, thought he was overtaking but became clear he was travelling on the wrong side to get around ALL the traffic going in his direction. No road left for me so had to pull right over, along with a couple of motorbikes who couldn't believe how this bus was driving.

The OP would have been history, but we were just outside the Central CM Hospital which would have been convenient!

Hey cmsally,

Was there ever a time in your life when you were surprised that a person would willing kill you if you were crossing the street simply because you occupied the same space as their vehicle's intended path. Are you so callous that you would ridicule someone for being surprised? What do you say to the old lady or obese person who can't sprint across the road?

I really don't understand the logic that says if something exists in Thailand, it must be alright. Perhaps we should all agree that rape is cool becuase it happens a lot in Thailand - like it or leave it.

[Plus]

That particular crossing doesn't have traffic lights, or even a "zebra" sign for that matter. 60km/h is a legal speed there.

Gradual slowing down will take you a hundred meters, maybe a bit less.

By the time you see someone at that crossing it's too late to slow down gradually.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

That particular crossing doesn't have traffic lights, or even a "zebra" sign for that matter. 60km/h is a legal speed there.

Gradual slowing down will take you a hundred meters, maybe a bit less.

By the time you see someone at that crossing it's too late to slow down gradually.

If you had read my postcorrectly you would have seen that I suggested gradually slowing down as you approach any pedestrian crossing with lights.

[Ajarn]

There's a crossing I take every day and I see people getting angry because cars don't stop for them, but when I DRIVE through the same crossing hitting the brakes at 60km/h to stop is not an option, even if I see a pedestrian about to cross the road.

Tire screeching will scare shit out of him/her.

You could try not exceeding the speed limit - then slowing down gradually as you approach regardless of the colour of lights. I would prefer the screeching of tyres to being knocked over by Toyota Vigo.

One of these days there is going to be a clampdown on going through those pedestrian crossings and anyone who goes through a red on them deserves a big fine.

PS. I drive a car too, stopping at a red light is not asking too much!

When I'm cruising those areas, I usually follow what seems to be a local way of thinking on this... That, if there is no one getting ready to cross, or trying to cross, then to go through the red light is okay. Many times the people have already passed.