Are Thai Drivers the Best in the World?

[David48]

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Are Thai Drivers the Best in the World?

Credit

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Maybe ... Maybe not.

I suppose it comes down to your reference point.

The Thais ... they certainly are, generally speaking, adaptive, ignoring the written rule when there are other efficient ways to drive and ride. Very early on learned not to look first right, then left, then right again when I crossed a road. That rule applies also to the Footpath/Pavement ...

But, honestly, as much as we might like to bleet on about it, once you have observed the 'unwritten rules' ... it ain't that difficult.

The Germans ... soooooooooooooo strict. Heaven forbid anyone in the fast lane in a car slower then you. I remember my gf driving her (older) Beemer ... we were clocking 160 kph ... 100 mph.

The Benz (Merc) came up behind us, double flashed his lights, we pulled into the 3rd lane ... went past us like we were standing still.

The USA ... lane discipline ... what lane discipline ... drive in any lane you can man ... and make it snappy.

All those driving styles are fine ... you just need to observe how the locals do it and it's fine.

The Aussies mix it up a bit ... but again ... no issues.

The Poms ... well, strange as it maybe coming from an Aussie ... I to them.

In Pommy land ... adaptive, polite, respected the 'queue'.

I used to be a Motorcycle Courier, thus earnt my living on a bike.

Only for a few years ... but I never had an accident in London and I was on a Honda 650 ... so, not a postie bike.

Actually the black ice worried me more then the UK Drivers.

Now, for context ... that was 20 years ago since I last rode in the UK and places change.

Back to Thailand ... it really isn't that hard to drive/ride defensively here.

It's not like back home.

Every country is different. Just observe, adapt, keep a cool heart and the Air-Con streaming ... it will be sweet ...

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[draftvader]

Those 2 aren't looking where they're going. However the risk that we'll get there with them looking at me like that is probably worth it. Naturally I'll need to throw out my brown pants on arrival but I'm not going to be needing those and any man seeing me leave the venue in a towel with those 2 is going to think I'm a hero. I'll give it a go.

What was the question again?

[WitawatWatawit]

You're so hannsum they can't keep their eyes on the road.

[cornishcarlos]

It's a left hand drive car, so chances are it's not in Thailand.

It's the little details

[Costas2008]

If we are talking about the girls in the photo, YES, they are the best drivers.

All the rest are ignorant, arrogant, self centered, idiotic, people.

Have to pray before I live home so I stay alive, have to pray again coming back to thank God I'm still alive.

In other countries there are problems with driving but the drivers are skilled.

Here they have no idea how to drive or control the car they are in.

Just go and Mai Ben Rai whatever happens.

[David48]

It's a left hand drive car, so chances are it's not in Thailand.

It's the little details

CC, being a photographer, you, more then many would know that an image 'flips ' so easily.

Some people ... pfffttttt ...

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[benalibina]

I wonder how you dare to ask such a question. I wonder.

[draftvader]

It's a left hand drive car, so chances are it's not in Thailand.

It's the little details

I really don't care if they're lost. We'll pass a suitable motel soon. The numbers are in my favour.

[pgrahmm]

Go drive in the Philippines traffic for a week - or try a city in India (PI is worse) then come back and love driving here........

Nice pic - make one think about driving without the r .....

[stevenl]

If we are talking about the girls in the photo, YES, they are the best drivers.

All the rest are ignorant, arrogant, self centered, idiotic, people.

Have to pray before I live home so I stay alive, have to pray again coming back to thank God I'm still alive.

In other countries there are problems with driving but the drivers are skilled.

Here they have no idea how to drive or control the car they are in.

Just go and Mai Ben Rai whatever happens.

Aha, big mistake there. You'd have to call on Buddha, your God is virtually non-existent here.

[David48]

EDIT ... replying to pgrahmm post above ... not Stevens.

We posted at the same time.

I must admit ... we have the Motorcycle taxis who ride down the footpath.

Hence the comment in the OP.

I had to do a Visa Run once and went to Phnom Penh Cambodia.

At the Airport, there were a number of 'Tuk-Tuks.

Man, the ride into the City still I remember.

The drive down the Footpath/Sidewalk ... at speed ...

Makes Thailand look positively tame ...

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Edited November 25, 2014 by David48

[sipi]

Thai traffic is organized chaos.

Twice I have been caught in the middle of a VIP convoy in Bangkok. Both times it was bedlam one minute, the roads were cleared in a flash whilst the motorcade shot past, and then it was back to bedlam again. All in a matter of 3 or 4 minutes. I have never seen that anywhere else (and I have been caught in a few VIP motorcades).

The other thing that entertains me is the "horn communication" constantly going on between the drivers. "one honk" I'll go first. 2 "honks" you go first.....

[David48]

Thai traffic is organized chaos.

Nice summation ...

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[Crazy chef 1]

The Germans ... soooooooooooooo strict. Heaven forbid anyone in the fast lane in a car slower then you. I remember my gf driving her (older) Beemer ... we were clocking 160 kph ... 100 mph.

The Benz (Merc) came up behind us, double flashed his lights, we pulled into the 3rd lane ... went past us like we were standing still...

didn't realized you were with us yesterday on our way to Hua Hin...

[draftvader]

As far as the reality is concerned I have found Thailand driving to be a bit weird. The way that most drive there should be more accidents. Curiously enough they did a test in England that reflects this. They removed ALL the road markings through a village and discovered that the average speed dropped whilst there were no markings. They put them back and...back up again. I see this as a weird version of this phenomena. I RARELY want to give the Thais the "This is Thailand, is different" thing but on this one it is slowly becoming my only conclusion.

Nonetheless I ride in a positive, engaged, manner at ALL times here. There should NEVER be a moment's complacency. ANY car WILL pull out in front of you from side roads, parking spots, the sky, etc Expect the unexpected then expect stuff you never believed. I nearly ended up in an elephant's ass about 2 months back. Damn things don't have lights do they? Nor does their skin reflect anything! Why was I to expect that just off Chaeng Wattana at 7pm?

Edited November 25, 2014 by draftvader

[stevenl]

As far as the reality is concerned I have found Thailand driving to be a bit weird. The way that most drive there should be more accidents. Curiously enough they did a test in England that reflects this. They removed ALL the road markings through a village and discovered that the average speed dropped whilst there were no markings. They put them back and...back up again. I see this as a weird version of this phenomena. I RARELY want to give the Thais the "This is Thailand, is different" thing but on this one it is slowly becoming my only conclusion.

Nonetheless I ride in a positive, engaged, manner at ALL times here. There should NEVER be a moment's complacency. ANY car WILL pull out in front of you from side roads, parking spots, the sky, etc Expect the unexpected then expect stuff you never believed. I nearly ended up in an elephant's ass about 2 months back. Damn things don't have lights do they? Nor does their skin reflect anything! Why was I to expect that just off Chaeng Wattana at 7pm?

They often walk with CD's tied to their tail.

[hkt83100]

It's a left hand drive car, so chances are it's not in Thailand.

It's the little details

Normally Selfies are mirrored

[thaibeachlovers]

It's not the ones on the road that are dangerous ( though some of them are ), it's the kids on the m'bike pulling onto the road without looking, it's the people walking on the wrong side of the road, it's the dogs sleeping in the road ( that suddenly become very valuable if a farang drives over them ), it's the boy on a bicycle riding in dark clothes without lights at night, any of which can turn your life to hell in an instant if you hit them, and never mind it wasn't your fault.

[tartempion]

Thais can't drive.

[kannot]

All those dead roadkill Thais cannot answer this post.

[kannot]

Those 2 aren't looking where they're going. However the risk that we'll get there with them looking at me like that is probably worth it. Naturally I'll need to throw out my brown pants on arrival but I'm not going to be needing those and any man seeing me leave the venue in a towel with those 2 is going to think I'm a hero. I'll give it a go.

What was the question again?

They wont look so pretty spread up the road like jam on bread.

[Gonsalviz]

The best at what?

[draftvader]

As far as the reality is concerned I have found Thailand driving to be a bit weird. The way that most drive there should be more accidents. Curiously enough they did a test in England that reflects this. They removed ALL the road markings through a village and discovered that the average speed dropped whilst there were no markings. They put them back and...back up again. I see this as a weird version of this phenomena. I RARELY want to give the Thais the "This is Thailand, is different" thing but on this one it is slowly becoming my only conclusion.

Nonetheless I ride in a positive, engaged, manner at ALL times here. There should NEVER be a moment's complacency. ANY car WILL pull out in front of you from side roads, parking spots, the sky, etc Expect the unexpected then expect stuff you never believed. I nearly ended up in an elephant's ass about 2 months back. Damn things don't have lights do they? Nor does their skin reflect anything! Why was I to expect that just off Chaeng Wattana at 7pm?

They often walk with CD's tied to their tail.

Well, that particular pachyderm didn't

[Morakot]

The Thais ... they certainly are, generally speaking, adaptive, ignoring the written rule when there are other efficient ways to drive and ride. Very early on learned not to look first right, then left, then right again when I crossed a road. That rule applies also to the Footpath/Pavement ...

But, honestly, as much as we might like to bleet on about it, once you have observed the 'unwritten rules' ... it ain't that difficult.

The Germans ... soooooooooooooo strict. Heaven forbid anyone in the fast lane in a car slower then you. I remember my gf driving her (older) Beemer ... we were clocking 160 kph ... 100 mph.

The Benz (Merc) came up behind us, double flashed his lights, we pulled into the 3rd lane ... went past us like we were standing still.

The Poms ... well, strange as it maybe coming from an Aussie ... I to them.

In Pommy land ... adaptive, polite, respected the 'queue'.

Neat observations -- I found this quite true.

Driving in Bangkok is not too bad. People have a certain flexibility to the rules and generally are pretty relaxed drivers considering the dense traffic. Some of the more serious issues is the all too common tailgating and the general disrespect for pedestrians. Apart from this it's actually OK here, if you opt for a laid-back style of driving.

I recently had the chance to drive in Germany. I've done this before but found it quite a challenge. Driving high-speed on the Autobahn was fun, but in the cities it's very different. The traffic is predictable, but the local take serious issues if you don't follow a quite strict interpretation of their traffic laws. They do let you know... I was hurled abuse by man on a scooter for not indicating when I slowly turned into a car park...

In Britain people generally drive much more defensive than elsewhere. I find this makes driving less stressful. But driving across the Pennines and the likes has other challenges as wheather conditions can suddenly change, with fog and squally showers putting a damper on one's journey.

[lostinisaan]

The Germans ... soooooooooooooo strict. Heaven forbid anyone in the fast lane in a car slower then you. I remember my gf driving her (older) Beemer ... we were clocking 160 kph ... 100 mph.

The Benz (Merc) came up behind us, double flashed his lights, we pulled into the 3rd lane ... went past us like we were standing still.

I'm from this country and really appreciate the "Autobahn's" with no speed limit. Seems to be the only country in the world, where you're able to fully open the throttle, even when driving a Lamborghini.

Please see why some people "double flash their high beam lights.....

But to get back to your question. Thais are not the best drivers on this planet.They're the worst in my opinion. The majority don't even have a driver's license.

I don't want to sound impertinent, but after 38 years of driving cars/pick ups/ big bikes in many different countries, doing millions of kms, I finally understood that I have to think for all the Thais on the road as well.

Edited November 26, 2014 by lostinisaan

[David48]

That is one seriously scary YouTube ...

The image must be 'flipped' as the fast lane is on the right.

The Audi gave the bike rider every opportunity to pass.

I do admire the Krauts for their lane discipline ... 2nd to none IMHO.

[draftvader]

That is one seriously scary YouTube ...

The image must be 'flipped' as the fast lane is on the right.

The Audi gave the bike rider every opportunity to pass.

I do admire the Krauts for their lane discipline ... 2nd to none IMHO.

To me it looks like they were working together with the Audi "managing" the road ahead for the biker. He was aiming for the top revs a lot and never moved to overtake the Audi so the vehicles were well matched. I reckon they either knew each other or just worked each other out and were playing safe. I felt that the biker wandered a touch too far to the right (I am talking about the smallest margins but at that speed...) in his lane sometimes narrowing his "safety margin" but then again that concrete barrier doesn't look too friendly! All in all quite a safe ride considering the speeds. I would NEVER try that here.

That's how the autobahn works. As a Brit there are a fair few ideas that Germany has implemented that I wondered whether they would work in the UK or not. Cultural differences, as mild as they are in Europe, mean a lot. Same as the driving in Thailand. I do wonder how Thai drivers fare in other countries.

[A1Str8]

No. But how come the steering wheel is on the left side?

[Bpuumike]

 

The best at what?

The best at Darwinism.

[WarpSpeed]

^^^^ I loved driving the Autobahn while I was in Germany, that Audi is breaking quite a few laws and more over isn't following a lot of the driving etiquette the Germans have about the Autobahn swerving rapidly in and out of lanes like that and seldom using his signal. Another really unexpected thing you have to be very cautious and aware of driving there is that they actually blow engines quite often without limiters on them and an unfamiliar or even familiar driver has a real possibility of unexpectedly and suddenly finding themselves like driving on black ice in a heart beat if you have never seen the after effects of a blown engine at speed. The highway crews get out and clean up in remarkable speed while the fluids are still wet but still, just like this bike following that car he could really find himself in the poo pile quickly and not a thing he could do about it at that distance and speed.

We had a Ford Focus station wagon pass us like we were anchored or in reverse and we were doing 140mph (230kph) in a turbo diesel Citroen, no Focuses like that in that states that's fer sure. I wanted a VW Golf GTI to rent but all those nasty Brits over for some October holiday had them all rented already . There is a pecking order on the Autobahn and let's just say a turbo diesel French car isn't very high on that scale of respect, in fact I'm pretty certain it didn't get ANY respect, got a lot of stares though . Even the Focus driver slowed down to get a double take as I guess he couldn't believe it either?

Edited November 26, 2014 by WarpSpeed