In Thailand, with it's mai pen rai attitude, where nothing really matters and nothing ever seems to start on time, why are people in such a hurry?

Driving way too fast,

passing vehicles even when unsafe,

parking in the middle of the road to be as close as possible to their destination when they arrive,

cutting in front of people in lines to be served first,

constantly interrupting people who are already talking...

acting like there is an important deadline to be met..

You would almost think something did matter!

what's the hurry?

OP, sorry, I'm in a hurry right now.........I'll answer you later......

catch you later

Maybe its about wanting to be important, or appearing to be. ?

Maybe mai pen rai attitude is only for when it affects someone else or when they cannot get what they want - otherwise they push the boundaries any opportunity?

Have to say not limited to Thailand

If it has to be done time waits for no one as the old saying goes, so get it done quickly alleviating stress/heat factor but in a safe responsible manner which isn't the case for thais bless em.

Maybe mai pen rai attitude is only for when it affects someone else or when they cannot get what they want - otherwise they push the boundaries any opportunity?

Have to say not limited to Thailand

I have lived in a few countries and cultures, and I agree it is not limited to Thailand.

But...in most countries forfeiting safety and courtesy when pressed for time is an exception to the rule

Here it seems to be the rule, not the exception.

Driving fast on a road in front of a school and passing when many young children are present in the road????

I see it every day here.

What destination or deadline is important enough to justify that???

I can only speak for myself. I like to get on my bike and turn up the throttle and zoom past other vehicles. It's a rush. My dog when I take her chain off crouches and then jumps with her ears back like a greyhound and flies. She runs for the pure fun of running the rush of the speed. Then she trots back and says to me in dog language, "did you see how fast I ran? I scared the cra* out of those three other dogs who were sleeping in the road.

Edited October 16, 201411 yr by thailiketoo

The need for speed exists in the urban areas more than in the countryside... worldwide.

Maybe mai pen rai attitude is only for when it affects someone else or when they cannot get what they want - otherwise they push the boundaries any opportunity?

Have to say not limited to Thailand

I have lived in a few countries and cultures, and I agree it is not limited to Thailand.

But...in most countries forfeiting safety and courtesy when pressed for time is an exception to the rule

Here it seems to be the rule, not the exception.

Driving fast on a road in front of a school and passing when many young children are present in the road????

I see it every day here.

What destination or deadline is important enough to justify that???

I have also seen that many Thais drive too slow, particularly on highways, driving too slow can be as dangerous as driving too fast.