Top 10 Worst Driving Habits in Thailand

[flyingsaucersarereal]

1. Tailgating

2. Talking on the phone and driving

3. Swerving in and out of your lane.

4. Double parking right in front of a store and backing up traffic a kilometer behind you.

5. Kids wearing no helmets but parents wearing them.

6. More than 2 people on a motorcycle.

7. Driving with no license no registration no insurance.

8. Driving with a open container of beer or whiskey.

9. Improper use of turn signals (turning the wrong way then signal is indicating)

10. Running red lights.

This is my list but please feel free to add more bad driving habits.

[Costas2008]

OP, I studied thoroughly your list and I can't really find any bad habits in there.

That's the way, I always drive, so can't see anything wrong.

The only point you missed is when I'm driving while I'm drunk.

I was told to integrate to the Thai culture and way of living, so that's what I've done.

[robertthebruce]

Flashing there lights, which normally means "GO" but not here in Thailand , it means , whatever happens I ain't stopping...

I really don't enjoy driving in Thailand......

[seajae]

then theres:

not using indicators,

not using mirrors,

not obeying the road rules or even knowing them,

pulling out from the kerb, driveway etc wiithout checking traffic

overtaking on double lines and blind corners

turning from the wrong lanes

using a turning lane to go straight ahead

driving fast through shopping centre car parks

going the wrong way in car parks against the arrows

driving on the wrong side of the road

overtaking with oncoming traffic on that side of the road and flashing their lights expecting you to pull over for them

cutting across the front of your car on a bike when you are turning a corner

basically just about everything

[benalibina]

then theres:

not using indicators,

not using mirrors,

not obeying the road rules or even knowing them,

pulling out from the kerb, driveway etc wiithout checking traffic

overtaking on double lines and blind corners

turning from the wrong lanes

using a turning lane to go straight ahead

driving fast through shopping centre car parks

going the wrong way in car parks against the arrows

driving on the wrong side of the road

overtaking with oncoming traffic on that side of the road and flashing their lights expecting you to pull over for them

cutting across the front of your car on a bike when you are turning a corner

basically just about everything

Do you not exaggerate somewhat ?

[Shurup]

then theres:

not using indicators,

not using mirrors,

not obeying the road rules or even knowing them,

pulling out from the kerb, driveway etc wiithout checking traffic

overtaking on double lines and blind corners

turning from the wrong lanes

using a turning lane to go straight ahead

driving fast through shopping centre car parks

going the wrong way in car parks against the arrows

driving on the wrong side of the road

overtaking with oncoming traffic on that side of the road and flashing their lights expecting you to pull over for them

cutting across the front of your car on a bike when you are turning a corner

basically just about everything

Great! Nothing to add!

[Satcommlee]

Not running green lights!!

[Thai at Heart]

Idiotic overtaking.

Blind corners, up hills, on narrow tracks.

And the list goes on

[eeeya]

driving fast through shopping center car parks. I just cringe. what if there's some young kid about

but on the other hand i have seen mrs eeeya steering with her knees, on the phone driving at a pregnant woman crossing the road. That was a high point for me

[TacoGuy]

I drive in The UK which is without a doubt has the best drivers in the world (sorry USA but it's true). I have zero problem with Thai drivers. Traffic flows well, the drivers are alert, often courteous or at least cooperative. Parking is good. The only things I would fault are the use if mobile phones and lack of seat belts, but otherwise well done Thailand.

[benalibina]

I drive in The UK which is without a doubt has the best drivers in the world (sorry USA but it's true). I have zero problem with Thai drivers. Traffic flows well, the drivers are alert, often courteous or at least cooperative. Parking is good. The only things I would fault are the use if mobile phones and lack of seat belts, but otherwise well done Thailand.

An unbelievable post......it does not get any better than this....on this forum

[David48]

Interesting ...

So much negativity will eventually make you sick.

.

[pomchop]

Thais were driving as they do long before most farangs showed up and they will be driving like they do long after we are all dead......best advice is learn to drive EXTRA defensively, don't get angry, don't get into confrontations, don't get in a hurry, don't think for one minute that most Thais give a crap what you think of their driving....and hopefully don't get killed.

[cooked]

I quite like enjoying driving in Thailand apart from during holiday periods when everybody is trying to get home / get back to work at the same time. I can now drive down Sukhumvit which I never would have imagined possible a year or two ago. And I remember the white knuckled, sitting on the edge of the seat, first drive into Buriram. I just anticipate when stupid things might happen and keep away.

What annoys me? People opening the doors of their cars abruptly without looking, especially if this forces a motorbike to veer out into your path. This is why I tend to drive so slowly in town. The other thing is the guys that overtake you on the left (which is ok with me as I expect it) and then force me to brake as they overtake the truck that I was just tentatively starting to get by. Oh, and driving in torrential rain as though it was a bright summer's day.

Anyway, I have seen all of this behaviour in Europe, they do all the stuff listed above also. Belgium was the worst.

Most of us grew up with parents or grandparents that had a car and we were in the car as they swore and complained about bad behaviour. Very few Thais driving today had this experience. Before they had buffalo carts or boats or just never left the village.

I don't think that there are more stupid people with a driving license here than in other countries, the problem is that stupid, selfish and reckless drivers (similar to the 'you have to die of something' young guys in Europe) don't get taken off the roads.

[TacoGuy]

I drive in The UK which is without a doubt has the best drivers in the world (sorry USA but it's true). I have zero problem with Thai drivers. Traffic flows well, the drivers are alert, often courteous or at least cooperative. Parking is good. The only things I would fault are the use if mobile phones and lack of seat belts, but otherwise well done Thailand.

An unbelievable post......it does not get any better than this....on this forum

Actually, my comments were aimed primarily at BKK conditions. It must be a bit worse upcountry as the fatality rate is high. Mind you, much of that would be motorbikes.

[wprime]

Entering motorways and gong straight for the right lane while still at very low speed.

Pushing to the front of the queues at traffic lights, then not moving once the light goes green.

Queuing across intersections

I agree with TacoGuy though to some extent, 95% of Thai drivers are safe and considerate drivers, but it's the other 5% you'll take notice of because they're the ones that cause you problems.

[WhamBam]

Flashing there lights, which normally means "GO" but not here in Thailand , it means , whatever happens I ain't stopping...

I really don't enjoy driving in Thailand......

In the U.K. flashing your lights at someone is actually a warning though many do flash to let another through.

[gomangosteen]

Is 'More than 2 people on a motorcycle' necessarily a 'worst driving habit'?

My partner and daughter weigh a combined 72kg, add my 86kg, still under our bike's safe/recommended limit

A former farang neighbour was proud of his weight, 154kg; he and his (politely - 'solid') wife, maybe another 80kg+ also to be seen round town on a 110cc motorbike.

Who's right?

I know which motorbike still had spare seat room, and would stop quickest!

[benalibina]

Entering motorways and gong straight for the right lane while still at very low speed.

Pushing to the front of the queues at traffic lights, then not moving once the light goes green.

Queuing across intersections

I agree with TacoGuy though to some extent, 95% of Thai drivers are safe and considerate drivers, but it's the other 5% you'll take notice of because they're the ones that cause you problems.

95% are safe drivers ??? If you include the people who dont drive at all, yes it would be higher but not near to 95%. Personally i always liked driving a car. I dont like to speak much when i drive to keep focussed anyway. One thing always annoyed me was the slow drivers staying on the fast lane when they had had to take a u-turn 10 kms ahead and driving 50 km/h on a highway. Also annoying, between Petchaburi driving south to Phuket, the small trucks and pick ups fully loaded with fruit driving relentlessly on the fast lane at slow speed and refusing to go to the left lane.

[flyingsaucersarereal]

95% of drivers are safe hahahaha not even close.

[Sena Dave]

If you want bad driving habits spend some time in China. I'm pretty much immune to anything that the Thais do after spending a few years in PRC

[T_Dog]

Don't forget to double-park in the slow lane in front of a market during the busiest time of day, or to rip past that market in the oncoming lanes at full speed to get around those double-parked cars and pedestrians.

[kurnell]

Thais believe that they own the lane they are driving in. Try to merge and they take it as a personal insult.

[2fishin2]

I drive in The UK which is without a doubt has the best drivers in the world (sorry USA but it's true). I have zero problem with Thai drivers. Traffic flows well, the drivers are alert, often courteous or at least cooperative. Parking is good. The only things I would fault are the use if mobile phones and lack of seat belts, but otherwise well done Thailand.

I hope this is sarcastic

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[soihok]

Stopping at the request of the police so they have the opportunity to fleece you without reason

[Soutpeel]

according to TV finest resident "experts"

Thailands top 3 worst driving habits are lifting their windscreen wipers when not driving, straightening their wheels when parallel parking and the worst of all ....reverse parking into parking bays...

What is wrong with these people...

[A1Str8]

A very bad habit they have is when cars are waiting at the red light and i am riding towards the front between cars, some cutie always does this: as s/he sees me coming, slowly rolls forward until gets so close to the car in front of his(it's usually a male patient) that in his opinion i can't pass him so i am forced to wait.

I have no problem with it because if i want to go through, then i will go through. I just don't know what's the point of doing it. Just because someone is stuck in a car, why does that person would like me to do the same? Would it really make him feel better?

[Clutch]

Road rage is almost none existent in Thailand. Back in many western countries if you do the slightest thing wrong on the road you could be eligible for a severe beating.

[soihok]

I understand what you say.

I'll give you my perception of this as I am driving a car everyday in KL the same happens on the roads here.

The reason being, bikes will go for any gap to be able to move forward in standing traffic, which is fair enough as this is the one main advantage of riding bikes. The problem cutting across the front of the stationary cars to move into the next "lane" (between the cars), is the this has ended up in the bike making contact with the car and causing damage to paint work and plastic. I have never seen the bike rider stop when this happens, just riding off knowing the car driver hasn't a hope of speaking to them.

I am a biker and understand, but I also make sure that the gap between my car and the car in front is too small for a bike to cut across. Sorry, but its too expensive to keep having the car repaired.

[krisb]

The worst habit by far, and its legal, is loading everyone into the back of pick ups.

Second would be kids climbing on the roof of village school busses.

Tailgating on freeways at 120km/hr is somewhere in amongst all that.