Highway Code misunderstood in English

[aussiebrian]

Hi All,

I have just renewed my Thai licence today and had to watch the video on road safety. The person that was showing the video had left the room and the video had finished and there was total silence in the room, I decided to ask the people in the room this question as I had thought one thing, and read 2 websites links last night that had been posted on thaivisa under the post heading of Highway Code in English. My knowledge to the answer was confused.

I would like to do a small survey here, as I believe that this rule is misunderstood. Please do not look up the answer, but answer truthfully to the best of your Knowledge. Please don't look ahead at other peoples answers. I am sure the results will be enlightening. I would also like to know a few other things. I will reply with my response early tomorrow morning.

The question is "At an uncontrolled intersection, (see diagram) when 2 similar vehicles arrive at a cross road intersection at the same time and same speed, both going straight ahead, who should go first? "

Definition Uncontrolled Intersection . A cross road with no traffic lights, or if there traffic lights they are, both not on or both are flashing amber, no signs as to who should give way, Also both roads are the same width.

Please state the answer in this order

1) A) Blue car first (Give way to the Right) OR Red car first Give way to the left OR C) Non't know D) I don't understand the question E) I am confused

2) What country you are from originally,

3) The side of the road you drive on there.

4) If give way to right or left in your home country

4) How long you have been driving/riding in Thailand.

Thanks to everyone who bothers to answer my questions.

[AhFarangJa]

Did I not see this a few weeks ago on the forum where there were four cars at the crossroads?

I believe, though I may be wrong, that you give way to the right. I learnt to drive in England about a hundred years ago, and been driving in Thailand for 20 years.

As an aside, here in Saudi the owner of the oldest car has right of way

[stevenl]

b. Give way to the left.

[aussiebrian]

Hi All,

Two answers so far, one give way to the right, one give way to the left, so as I presumed, there is a lot of confusion with this law, even amongst tv readers.

I wasn’t going to answer this question till tomorrow morning, but as you are not supposed to read ahead, I will answer it now with my view.

Yesterday Porkster posted this link http://freebeerforyo...om/driving.html

It stated Right of Way: Although the 'rules' state that drivers give way, in most instances, to traffic from the right, local drivers operate on the premise that the larger the vehicle, the more right of way it commands. However, sam law drivers (three wheeled bicycle taxis) consider themselves exempt from such rules and 'drive' as though they have the right of way in all situations. Mahoots in charge of elephants also consider themselves to have priority.

Tywais posted this link Thailand Traffic Act B.E. 2522 - http://thailaws.com/.../tlaw0140_5.pdf

Section 71 (500B)

If when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has the right of way, except when there’s a designation of “principle roadway”in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has the right of way.

I know in Australia and the UK, you give way to the right, Australia and the UK drive on the left side of the road as in Thailand. In the movie I had to watch, it states you give way to the left. When I asked the question at the end of the movie, with about twenty people in the room, I had four responses, two said give way to the right, two said give way to the left and the rest abstained from answering. When I asked the person showing the movie, she was confused and gave me 2 answers, but to her credit, ended up telling me the correct one.

I asked my Thai GF and she thought give way to the right. I have just asked four of my Thai neighbors and all four said you give way to the right.

Ok, In Thailand the answer is b} it is give way to vehicles on the left.

As we drive on the left here, and it is based on the British system where you give way to the right, I had assumed it was give way to the right. I have been driving/riding here on Thai roads on and off for 35 years, living here for 8 years, riding and driving over 40,000 km per year I thought it was give way to the right, as in Australia. When I have come across this situation on the roads, almost at all times the ones on the left have given way.

I had asked many people this question over my many years here with mixed results, so I have always approached this situation with caution as you always need to.

I did a google and found this

Uncontrolled 4-way intersection[edit] {(From Wikipedia) This is their example, not mine, using Melbourne with picture} http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontrolled_intersection

An uncontrolled intersection in suburban Melbourne, Australia

At uncontrolled 4-way intersections, traffic is commonly required to slow and give way to any traffic on the right in countries which drive on the right, and slow and give way to traffic to the left in countries which drive on the left. Common practice dictates that drivers will treat the intersection as if they have a give way (yield) sign and look both directions for cross-traffic, to avoid any accidents with motorists who did not recognize or did not follow the uncontrolled intersection rule.

Well, they are wrong as in Australia it is GIVE WAY TO THE RIGHT.

I believe in Germany and a lot of Europe where you drive on the right, you give way to the right.

I had always been taught (to me seems logical) that the reason you give way to the right (When you are driving on the left side of the road) is because if a vehicle comes out of a street on the right you have got more distance between yourself and the other vehicle, thus being able to avoid a collision. If you are passing a vehicle on the left, and it only moves a metre or two and you hit it as you have no time to react, you are in the wrong. To me this is crazy. I believe that this should be changed worldwide to so vehicles that drive on the left give way to the right and vehicles that drive on the right give way to the left. Also if you are on the left side of the road, and you are in a car that is right hand drive it is much easier to see cars on your right side than on your left.

Maybe collisions could be avoided with a uniformity worldwide in this law so there is no confusion.

Edited June 20, 2014 by aussiebrian

[stevenl]

Everyday I pass a roundabout, where the exception is used: give way to traffic on the circle, so coming from the right. Since I know that is the exception I know the general rule is: traffic from the left has right of way. In I think more than 90% of the cases though, one of the roads will be of higher standing than the other (so either numbered vs not numbered, or numbered with less digits, road 444 is of higher standing than 4444), so the road of higher standing has right of way.

There are 2 nice examples on a road I drive every day, where in 1 case everybody is confused and has no clue, in the other case nearly everybody has the wrong right of way (for the Phuket insiders, this is road 4233 from Nai Harn Beach to Kata Beach, where at Sai Yuan intersection traffic coming from Nai Harn has right of way, and at Kata intersection coming down the hill traffic has right of way).

[geezer2]

I am from the UK so (when you drive on the correct side of the the road) you always give way to the right..

[ktm jeff]

Geezer2 Im also from England , drive on the left (as Thailand) so give way to vehicles coming from right. Although TIT and as a biker , proceed with caution everywhere.

[bkkjames]

The easy answer is this.

If you arrive at the same time as me and you drive a motorbike or yaris, march etc - I am going first.

[kartman]

The easy answer is this.

If you arrive at the same time as me and you drive a motorbike or yaris, march etc - I am going first.

Correct answer - no need for anybody to waste more time here.

[Iamemjay]

1. Give way to the left - ie blue gives way to red

2. Australia

3 Give way to right

4. Drive on left

5. 10 years

[Kwasaki]

1) A) Blue car first (Give way to the Right) OR Red car first Give way to the left OR C) Non't know D) I don't understand the question E) I am confused.

Ans :- You forgot ( F ) Whoever gets there first or whoever is the biggest.

2) What country you are from originally,

Ans :- England

3) The side of the road you drive on there.

Ans :- The same side as Thailand but not exactly in the same manner.

4) If give way to right or left in your home country.

Ans:- If you are in london the same as Thailand whoever gets there first.

4) How long you have been driving/riding in Thailand.

Ans :- Driving and riding since 1999.

[cornishcarlos]

It used to be red car has right of way.

Since parliament has been dissolved, red car no longer has right of way but until a new election neither car has right of way until the army wave them through !!

[Scotssing]

1)Give way to the car with a police escort

2)Give way to the bus or large lorry

3)Give way to the dust cart

4)Give way to the pick up

5)Give way to the Large SUV especially the Toyota ones

6)Give way to the expensive Mercs, BMWs, Porsches

In that order, thereafter it is a free for a all and good luck to you

[VocalNeal]

Whoever flashes their lights or nods first.

[Big Guns]

The rule is give way to the right. The blue car has right of way. In Thailand the highway code rules apply if you have an accident although in practice of course many drivers either don't know the rules or choose to ignore them. Roundabouts are dangerous here as the vast majority of drivers don't understand what to do and some even go the wrong way round them. Here the rule is give way to the right and vehicles on the roundabout have right of way. A Korean crashed into me while I was on the roundabout. He said I should have stopped, a quick trip to the cop shop and the Korean had to pay a fine.

[harrry]

Just to make sure could some of the expert thai readers we have please look at the thai version of the law to make sure of the translation. I know this is the version used on all the English language sites but did it have a common origin? it is probably correct though as I recall Australia changed the give way rules some 50 years ago.

Edited June 21, 2014 by harrry

[transam]

Para 9)....At a junction always assume other vehicles are driven by drunks, if they do not seem to slow down or are on the wrong side of the road you MUST give way...........

[Tywais]

Just to make sure could some of the expert thai readers we have please look at the thai version of the law to make sure of the translation. I know this is the version used on all the English language sites but did it have a common origin? it is probably correct though as I recall Australia changed the give way rules some 50 years ago.

Thai Version Here

I know in a roundabout you give way to traffic from the right as I have to go through one twice a day. I also thought give way to the right at an intersection was the same but appears it is not.

[stevenl]

The rule is give way to the right. The blue car has right of way. In Thailand the highway code rules apply if you have an accident although in practice of course many drivers either don't know the rules or choose to ignore them. Roundabouts are dangerous here as the vast majority of drivers don't understand what to do and some even go the wrong way round them. Here the rule is give way to the right and vehicles on the roundabout have right of way. A Korean crashed into me while I was on the roundabout. He said I should have stopped, a quick trip to the cop shop and the Korean had to pay a fine.

Yes, a roundabout is the exception: there you give way to the right, in other cases: left has right of way.

[Lancashirelad]

Giving way to the left in a country that drives on the left is ridiculous. You could be doing 100kph along a major road when a tractor doing 5kph pulls out from a minor road on the left directly infront of you and he would be in the right.

Didn't France used to do something similar where traffic already on a roundabout had right of way?

Edited June 22, 2014 by Lancashirelad

[sustento]

Give way to anything that's bigger than you and that can do you a lot of damage...

[stevenl]

Giving way to the left in a country that drives on the left is ridiculous. You could be doing 100kph along a major road when a tractor doing 5kph pulls out from a minor road on the left directly infront of you and he would be in the right.

Didn't France used to do something similar where traffic already on a roundabout had right of way?

Same all over Europe with driving on the right and giving way to the right.

Your first line is not correct though: the tractor would not be in the right since he is coming from a minor road. For traffic from the left to have right of way the road has to be of equal importance.

[harrry]

Giving way to the left in a country that drives on the left is ridiculous. You could be doing 100kph along a major road when a tractor doing 5kph pulls out from a minor road on the left directly infront of you and he would be in the right.

Didn't France used to do something similar where traffic already on a roundabout had right of way?

Same all over Europe with driving on the right and giving way to the right.

Your first line is not correct though: the tractor would not be in the right since he is coming from a minor road. For traffic from the left to have right of way the road has to be of equal importance.

Wrong the road has to have been designated as such by a policeman and signed.

Section 71 (500B)

[if, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there's a designation of "principle roadway" in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

However this may be modified by this section especially if a building area is taken to be the equivalent to "a built up area" in Australian laws.

Section 74 (500B)

A driver who is driving a vehicle out of a private way or a roadway in a building area, before crossing or turning into the roadway that cuts across, shall stop his vehicle to let the vehicles passing or moving in the roadway through before proceeding upon it being safe.

Edited June 23, 2014 by harrry

[stevenl]

Giving way to the left in a country that drives on the left is ridiculous. You could be doing 100kph along a major road when a tractor doing 5kph pulls out from a minor road on the left directly infront of you and he would be in the right.

Didn't France used to do something similar where traffic already on a roundabout had right of way?

Same all over Europe with driving on the right and giving way to the right.

Your first line is not correct though: the tractor would not be in the right since he is coming from a minor road. For traffic from the left to have right of way the road has to be of equal importance.

Wrong the road has to have been designated as such by a policeman and signed.

Section 71 (500B)

[if, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there's a designation of "principle roadway" in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

However this may be modified by this section especially if a building area is taken to be the equivalent to "a built up area" in Australian laws.

Section 74 (500B)

A driver who is driving a vehicle out of a private way or a roadway in a building area, before crossing or turning into the roadway that cuts across, shall stop his vehicle to let the vehicles passing or moving in the roadway through before proceeding upon it being safe.

So not wrong, but completely correct. Section 74 is simply elaborating on the 'principle roadway'.

[harrry]

Giving way to the left in a country that drives on the left is ridiculous. You could be doing 100kph along a major road when a tractor doing 5kph pulls out from a minor road on the left directly infront of you and he would be in the right.

Didn't France used to do something similar where traffic already on a roundabout had right of way?

Same all over Europe with driving on the right and giving way to the right.

Your first line is not correct though: the tractor would not be in the right since he is coming from a minor road. For traffic from the left to have right of way the road has to be of equal importance.

Wrong the road has to have been designated as such by a policeman and signed.

Section 71 (500B)

[if, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there's a designation of "principle roadway" in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

However this may be modified by this section especially if a building area is taken to be the equivalent to "a built up area" in Australian laws.

Section 74 (500B)

A driver who is driving a vehicle out of a private way or a roadway in a building area, before crossing or turning into the roadway that cuts across, shall stop his vehicle to let the vehicles passing or moving in the roadway through before proceeding upon it being safe.

So not wrong, but completely correct. Section 74 is simply elaborating on the 'principle roadway'.

Has the entering road a stop sign?

[stevenl]

Same all over Europe with driving on the right and giving way to the right.

Your first line is not correct though: the tractor would not be in the right since he is coming from a minor road. For traffic from the left to have right of way the road has to be of equal importance.

Wrong the road has to have been designated as such by a policeman and signed.

Section 71 (500B)

[if, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there's a designation of "principle roadway" in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

However this may be modified by this section especially if a building area is taken to be the equivalent to "a built up area" in Australian laws.

Section 74 (500B)

A driver who is driving a vehicle out of a private way or a roadway in a building area, before crossing or turning into the roadway that cuts across, shall stop his vehicle to let the vehicles passing or moving in the roadway through before proceeding upon it being safe.

So not wrong, but completely correct. Section 74 is simply elaborating on the 'principle roadway'.

Has the entering road a stop sign?

Not necessary as long as it is a more important roadway, which can e.g. be established on road numbers and/or lines.

[harrry]

Wrong the road has to have been designated as such by a policeman and signed.

Section 71 (500B)

[if, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there's a designation of "principle roadway" in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

However this may be modified by this section especially if a building area is taken to be the equivalent to "a built up area" in Australian laws.

Section 74 (500B)

A driver who is driving a vehicle out of a private way or a roadway in a building area, before crossing or turning into the roadway that cuts across, shall stop his vehicle to let the vehicles passing or moving in the roadway through before proceeding upon it being safe.

So not wrong, but completely correct. Section 74 is simply elaborating on the 'principle roadway'.

Has the entering road a stop sign?

Not necessary as long as it is a more important roadway, which can e.g. be established on road numbers and/or lines.

Section 72

[A principle roadway is announced by the traffic officer and installed with indicative traffic signs.]

[stevenl]

So not wrong, but completely correct. Section 74 is simply elaborating on the 'principle roadway'.

Has the entering road a stop sign?

Not necessary as long as it is a more important roadway, which can e.g. be established on road numbers and/or lines.

Section 72

[A principle roadway is announced by the traffic officer and installed with indicative traffic signs.]

Which is what I wrote: more important roadway (which is indicated with road numbers on the side of the road) and/or lines. All indicative traffic signs, all places on behalf of the traffic officer.

Traffic officer and police officer are not the same BTW.

[JAS21]

What happens when 4 cars arrive at the same time, say red, blue, green and yellow ones ... give way to the right or the left and they could be there all day

[harrry]

What happens when 4 cars arrive at the same time, say red, blue, green and yellow ones ... give way to the right or the left and they could be there all day

Gives time for the flower sellers and windscreen washers to arrive.