Walk facing traffic: it's safer

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

In response to today's unhappy post about walking in the street: it's necessary and we all have to do it at times. However, there is no denying that facing the vehicular traffic is safer than walking in the same direction. Westerners (or Americans at least) are trained from early childhood to do this.

IMO, it's because both pedestrians and drivers can see each other and react in time. We can't take it for granted that drivers will always see pedestrians and/or be able to avoid them in time. Avoidance is key, and if you don't know there's a threat, you can't react.

It seems the habit of many or most Thai people to walk in the direction of traffic. However, this seems one case where doing "as the Romans" causes needless injury or death.

[HeijoshinCool]

The year I taught school, sometimes I walked home along a grassy shouldered road. I was on one side, against traffic, while the kids were on the other side. They kept telling me (you stupid guava) to come to their side, or I'd get hit.

No amount of explanation could change their views.

[sundrenched]

When I was a kid we had a policeman visiting our school telling us the same thing. Always stuck with me.

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

Yeah, I think this is one case where we need to stick to our cultural guns and politely ignore the locals, with an explanation (even if they won't accept it).

[sipi]

At times it is impossible for one reason or another not to walk on the road. Footpaths are for feet. Not stalls, motorbikes, cars, workshops.....

Walking on the road even facing traffic is dangerous enough.

Edited January 5, 2015 by sipi

[mopar71]

I walked a lot on Samui and there are not many footpaths. I always walked facing on-coming traffic as a way of staying alive. To walk with traffic in that situation is a death wish.

[gp2002]

This way you only have to worry about getting hit from behind by a motorbike going in the wrong direction.

[thailandusauk]

Who does not know this and do this is simply idiot.

[thundercatbob]

In the Thai mind, to have your back to the traffic is to make it the responsibility of the traffic not to hit you. To face the traffic, it is up to your responsibility not to get hit - and if you do, then it will be your own fault, because you were on the wrong side.

Whether your vehicle is a bus, car, bike or feet - so the rule applies.

I do not agree either, just stating for others to understand this is the Thai "logic"

[evadgib]

I have often wondered why the only person that is ever seen carrying a torch at night on the way to/from our local walking street market is me!

[bkkheat]

Weird,

In Australia we were taught to walk with the traffic, once I was doing that here and the Thai lady I was walking with said "no we should walk on the other side so we can see the cars come"

Then reading this, <deleted>? lol

[JacChang]

Sometimes I drive on the opposite side of the road, but they always honk at me. Then I get pissed and yell at them.

[bkkheat]

Im quite shocked at this topic lol

I am quite sure it is the other way round. Or have I been drinking too much lately?

[carib102]

My wife and I had quite a few discussions about this when we first returned here from the U.S. and she said the same as the poster above...if you aren't facing the traffic it isn't your fault if you get hit. Took me nearly 6 months to finally get her to agree that it was better to see a car coming at you and get out of the way and then there is no blame since no one is hit

[balo]

You should always walk facing the traffic , especially in Thailand. Remember the 2 british guys that went to buy a pizza and walking back to the hotel they were hit by a truck from behind ? They could have been alive today if they understood the dangers of walking in a busy soi.

[wump]

Back home in Germany we get taught to walk with the traffic in built-up areas and to walk facing the traffic outside of towns. Apparently it has something to do with speed?

Although I would agree that in Thailand it is wise to walk facing the traffic.

[Moonlover]

Yes, I was also taught to walk facing oncoming traffic when I was a kid in UK. (Walk right, live right I believe the maxim was) And yes, I also have 'discussions' on this topic with my Thai wife. Every day in fact!

[laislica]

50 years ago in Taiwan, to cross the road you showed the back of your head to the oncoming traffic making it their responsibility not to kill you.

It took guts and luck to stay alive.

I would never try that in Thailand, fast track to the morgue for sure!

[joy16]

When I was a kid, I was taught that you should walk facing the traffic in school (Drive on the left and walk on the right) and yes, I'm Thai so I don't know why you claim that Thais was taught to walk with the traffic.

Edited January 5, 2015 by joy16

[Emster23]

So if you walk with the traffic it is not your fault. But you may be dead. I prefer seeing who's gonna kill me so I can either jump out of the way or know who to come back and haunt.

[gandalf12]

You should always walk facing the oncoming traffic. As has been said in this thread by doing it you can see a dangerous situation and take evasive action before anything happens. Also of course you should wear light coloured clothes at night so you can be more easily seen by vehicles

[HerbalEd]

I was taught to walk facing oncoming traffic as a Boy Scout many years ago. I have since done this all my life and still do.

I see "most" farangs ... not only Thais ... doing the exact opposite here in Thailand.

And then there's the crazy Thai drivers who drive on the wrong side of the road.

[masuk]

The year I taught school, sometimes I walked home along a grassy shouldered road. I was on one side, against traffic, while the kids were on the other side. They kept telling me (you stupid guava) to come to their side, or I'd get hit.

No amount of explanation could change their views.

Same in Indonesia. Everyone walks with their backs to the traffic.

In Holland I have seen signs painted on the smaller roads, "Links Lopen", means that you should walk on the left, facing the traffic.

Here it should be the reverse, and pedestrians walk on the right.

[ICECOOL]

Weird,

In Australia we were taught to walk with the traffic, once I was doing that here and the Thai lady I was walking with said "no we should walk on the other side so we can see the cars come"

Then reading this, <deleted>? lol

Not sure where you were raised in Oz but I certainly was taught to walk towards oncoming traffic. However in Thailand the fact both cars and bikes drive on both sides means I walk on whichever side has a semblance of a footpath

[hawker9000]

Not sure I see the great revelation here. To read this, you'd think there were no one-way roads in Thailand (as well as busy divided roads with physical barriers in the median and rare pedestrian flyovers). The fact that there are, and are so many, makes this advice kind of simple-minded, doesn't it? Sure, if you CAN, walk facing traffic. Duh.

[Don Aleman]

When walking at dusk/dark it is also wise to pin one of those cheap flashing lights on your top.

[topt]

Not sure where you were raised in Oz but I certainly was taught to walk towards oncoming traffic. However in Thailand the fact both cars and bikes drive on both sides means I walk on whichever side has a semblance of a footpath

Agree completely with your last sentence. In some places near me it is worse to walk facing the traffic due to overhanging bushes etc which push you even further into the road.

Like most things in life the answer is not black and white

[Gerard052]

In the Thai mind, to have your back to the traffic is to make it the responsibility of the traffic not to hit you. To face the traffic, it is up to your responsibility not to get hit - and if you do, then it will be your own fault, because you were on the wrong side.

Whether your vehicle is a bus, car, bike or feet - so the rule applies.

I do not agree either, just stating for others to understand this is the Thai "logic"

My wife tried to make me do the same, walk with the traffic, I just ignore her and keep walking facing traffic as I do back home.

[elgenon]

I am American and I was always told to walk with traffic, the theory being the driver has more time to see you. I always thought that was stupid. If there is a crazy driver coming behind you, you just don't know.

[smudger1951]

It's at times like this I'm really pleased I bought those shoulder mounted rear view mirrors.