Thai Drivers Do the Darnedest Things

[nithisa78]

LadyBird, take a cruise around, DC, LA, NYC, Miami, Hotlanta, many others, than get an old lady cry back to us.

Planet Earth, friend, adjust.

[LarryBird]

LadyBird, take a cruise around, DC, LA, NYC, Miami, Hotlanta, many others, than get an old lady cry back to us.

Planet Earth, friend, adjust.

Everyone's the same everywhere, bro!! Law enforcement, culture, religious beliefs, etc etc don't influence human behavior! Statistics don't matter! Irrelevant. 1 death from 10,000 is the same as 200, man.

[Pomthai]

If you dare to overtake me, I shall floor it once your along side.

Should my blocking maneuvers fail and you succeed in overtaking me, I shall tailgate you for the remainder of your journey.

I will come to a complete stop when doing a left turn for no reason at all.

Oh your waiting to do a U-turn? I shall ignore the queue and stop alongside you instead, completely blocking your view of oncoming traffic. I'm much to much of a moron and too stupid to queue up like the others. (when they do this I have driven over to the hard shoulder on purpose and parked blocking them. Silly I know but amusing to watch the idiot backing up to go around me)

[MRH1959]

I must have my hazards on when driving 'straight through' the intersection-because I'm a hazard. Don't think about the drivers on the side that believe you are turning and turn in front of you.

I'm on my Motorbike 'with passenger' racing between cars and curb-there is no way someone wants to turn 'right' into the soi I am about to cross, since the cars have left the correct gap for cars to cross.

Learn to merge people- One on One like a zipper, the traffic flows better.

Stop being ignorrant, arrogant and impatient on the road. Learn the road rules, learn to drive safe or stay off the road.

The one that really S***s me is: Motorbikes believe they own the road and drive on 'your' side of the road forcing vehicles to drive along rough edges etc.

How many others have noticed vehicles with bent chasis [including buses and trucks], vehicles with broken lights and other faults?

[williet98248]

Perhaps you should have titled your post "Drivers (including US drivers) Do the Darnedest Things". None of your observations are particularly specific to Thailand.

Except that In Thailand it happens ALL the time. There is a reason that Thailand is #2 in the world for traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries.

[smotherb]

I doubt any of them actually think about their driving.

[Mrjlh]

Hey, I'm a dump truck, a cement truck, and a VIP bus driver, get out of my way!

[MisterTee]

This is a topic that has been done so often that the replies are predictible.

[MisterTee]

Perhaps you should have titled your post "Drivers (including US drivers) Do the Darnedest Things". None of your observations are particularly specific to Thailand.

Except that In Thailand it happens ALL the time. There is a reason that Thailand is #2 in the world for traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries.

Good point willie, but the only thing we can do to put ourselves out of harm's way is go home.

[CapeThai]

And what about the freaking cargo trucks driving half a meter over the centre line on the freeway's? They seem to not have a idea in which lane it is they want drive and I'm always extremely careful of passing them on the right as you never know what this drunk <deleted> is about to do next. Specially on highway 4 between Bkk and Hua Hin.... I never relax when driving this road...

[MW72]

Thai drivers are experts compared with the Russians, it seems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJxAYCSMf84

It's clear to see why so many Russians have dashboard cams. Definitely a good investment for the roads in Thailand if you are a falang.

[TomYumpoochai]

Perhaps you should have titled your post "Drivers (including US drivers) Do the Darnedest Things". None of your observations are particularly specific to Thailand.

Once again you excel in being a tedious little (DELETED)..... the op is having a laugh..something you cant seem to grasp in you boring everyday attack on everyone who dares to be *funny*

We should do a poll on here to find out who is the most puerile boring poster with nothing to contribute...what would you like as 1st prize?

Edited for language - keep it clean please

[BadBouy]

LadyBird, take a cruise around, DC, LA, NYC, Miami, Hotlanta, many others, than get an old lady cry back to us.

Planet Earth, friend, adjust.

Most incidents on this thread could be exchanged with young women in the US talking or texting on cell phones and octogenarians driving through store fronts and entering on the exit sides of malls and shopping centers! Men who talk on cell phones are not any better but since men generally talk on the phone far less they are less guilty.

[Si Thea01]

Thanks to all the posters, with one exception, for giving us the time to stop, reflect and laugh. I know it's serious but if you can't laugh at the ridiculous, then what can you laugh at. It's a change from some of the knuckle headed rants we get on here.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Si Thea01

[WarpSpeed]

Here are some of my favorites...

'I've waited long enough, I'm entitled to pull out now.'

'I'm sorry, but my time is more important than yours, let me invent a new lane here because I am special.'

'Let me throw my door out into traffic, there's almost no chance there's a motorcyclist driving by that I could kill.'

'Oh you made a bad decision to pull out, I'm gonna flash my lights at you instead of slowing down.'

'That old lady crossing the road better hurry up, cause my Mia Noi is waiting and I don't want to be late.'

'Let me see how close I can drive to your bumper.'

'You can't see me behind these tinted windows, so I'm gonna drive like a complete maniac.'

'Sure this area is heavily congested and chaotic, but if I slow down, I decrease my fuel efficiency. I'm saving the environment, bro!'

'That U-turn is far away, I'm just gonna drive down the wrong side of the road.'

'Sure I've got a entire Burmese city in the back of my truck, but I need to see if I can get this thing on two wheels.'

There's gotta be a bunch I'm missing, have at it.

Here I was thinking that if you added texting while driving you'd have a complete list save for the Burmese in the truck bed, but it wouldn't be Thailand................................... It'd be back here in the states. But since most haven't back to "civilization" recently you wouldn't know how bad it is, a fact that I have been reminded of all too often since returning, I've never disputed the fact that driving freedom would be the thing I missed most leaving there, at least you can take your piece and not have to allow others to do so like you have to do here on the off chance that the one time you do the cop will put down his doughnut, give you a beating because he didn't get laid last night and write you a ticket for it ..

[WarpSpeed]

LadyBird, take a cruise around, DC, LA, NYC, Miami, Hotlanta, many others, than get an old lady cry back to us.

Planet Earth, friend, adjust.

Most incidents on this thread could be exchanged with young women in the US talking or texting on cell phones and octogenarians driving through store fronts and entering on the exit sides of malls and shopping centers! Men who talk on cell phones are not any better but since men generally talk on the phone far less they are less guilty.

Yep, beat me to it, without question as I just posted before reading the whole thread and it isn't just women as you mention, I'll take Thai drivers over black drivers any day, of course that'll label me racist but when it's a fact it's a fact regardless, mentioning Thai drivers is in the same vein, black drivers are the most self entitled, rude, unthinking, arrogant drivers on ANY road without exception.

Edited February 28, 2015 by WarpSpeed

[poweratradio]

'Red light? I'll slow down when I'm 2 meters away.'

Red lights are only suggestions! Aren't they????

[Torrens54]

"Those F*+#% Farangs are so tall and I'm so short...BUT, I drive a Big Truck, so they better get out'a my way!

[mihalis]

Thais do, my wife was run off the road, while riding her motorbike, by a Farang, in a silver vios, 3 weeks ago, she came out with grazes, lucky to be alive.........

[docspinoff]

well you can understand WHY is like this as this is the Thai Highway code

If you are a confident driver, you will find Thailand easy to navigate but there are a few things you really do need to know. The Rules: Rule one Do not have an accident.. Rule two Always be courteous.. Rule three Always obey the rules.. Legal bit: Hirer insurance is third party and if involved in an accident you are responsible for damages. Thailand requires a IDP if you do not posses the new style photo ID driving license. You can obtain a IDP from the AA or RAC. Emergency vehicles carry flashing amber and red lights. Royal Thai Highway Police vehicles are either brown or maroon with white doors and Police vehicles are all blue or all white. If a Police officer blows one long whistle you must stop. Two short blasts means go. Security guards, carpark attendants, and road workers will also use a whistle. If a Police Officer holds up his hand facing you you must stop or if he has his back to you and is holding up either hand. • DrivingLane position: Drive on the left. On dual carriageways use the left hand lane first. Most roads have a hard shoulder that is an unrestricted lane and may be used to stop if you have a problem but do not park, it may also be used as a shortcut by motorcyclists passing in the opposite direction. A motorcycle travelling the wrong way has the right of way. On single carriageways all oncoming vehicles have the right of way. If an oncoming vehicle is overtaking manouvre to the hard shoulder to give him room. If there is no hard shoulder move as far to the left as you safely can. Lane markings: A single solid white line on single carriageways denotes the centre of the road. Single or double yellow lines means do not cross the lanes. Short broken white lines means you can overtake (Do not overtake when there is oncoming HGV - they cannot give way to you). Do not enter white hatched or chevroned areas. Yellow hatched means no stopping or waiting. Junctions are marked which lane is for what exit. At traffic lights or trunk route filter lanes do not use the left lane to go straight on. Road signs: Major road information signs are green and include the highway number. Some give advance information for trunk route. Minor road information signs are blue and include the phonetic spelling, direction, and distance. Local information signs are white Restrictions are white with a red border and round or a circle on a white background. Warning signs are yellow diamonds with a logo depicting the hazard ahead. Instruction signs are blue with a white border and round or a circle on a blue background Trunk route markers are a white square with the route number. If the route marker is at a junction there will also be a white square with an arrow depicting the direction. Junctions: Traffic lights are Red Amber Green. Sometimes there is a counter that tells you how many seconds to the next light change. Do not go before the clock gets to zero. If the light is on green do not try to cross if there is insufficient time. If the light is on red you may turn left but you must give way to traffic from your right. If on green you are turning right move to the centre of the junction and give way to oncoming traffic. When oncoming vehicles are both turning right they pass in front of each other. If on green you are turning left you must give way to oncoming motorcycles. If the light is flashing red you must use the crossing as an uncontrolled junction. You must stop and give way. If the light is flashing amber you have the right of way but must slow down and look both ways. At roundabouts give way to the right. Do not shortcut traffic islands and signal your intended manouvre. Sometimes roundabouts have a sign for a U-Turn. This means you may turn right at the roundabout if you need to travel back along the road you are on. Rural Roads: In very quiet areas take extra care at night especially during national holidays. Be aware of agricultural equipment being driven slowly and farm animals being moved or escaped animals. Restrictions: Motorcyclists must wear a crash helmet and must have lights on at all times. Motorists must wear a seat belt. The national speed limit is 80kph and inside city limits is 50kph except where signs say otherwise and this includes villages. Kerb stones painted alternate black and white mean no parking. Red and white means parking restrictions apply. These markings may also be on lampposts or other posts on the side of the road to which they apply. Insurance is voluntary. Not having insurance is high risk.

[samsensam]

'Red light? I'll slow down when I'm 2 meters away.'

red light? if i put my foot down i'll still get through

[Langsuan Man]

I am a bus, I am bigger, badder, and my owner is connected so I own the road

The only thing that scares me is a fully loaded cement truck

[wprime]

You're applying farang logic to understand Thai driving. It doesn't work that way, there simply isn't that much thought going into their driving. Thai people generally try to avoid thinking and stick to cognitive heuristics wherever possible. E.g. push forward as much as possible and try to maintain as much speed as possible for as long as possible is a common driving technique for aggressive Thai drivers. Any skilled driver knows it's far from the fastest way to get through traffic but it requires very little thought and as such is quite popular here.

There are a finite number of basic heuristics used by a majority of Thai driver and once you learn them all it's quite easy to remain safe on Thai roads.

[kjhbigv]

I will never let you out into that gap, even if it means it will actually take me longer not to do so!

Either be polite and let me in or drive into me....up to you!

[1BADDAT]

I am making a U-turn. There is a merging lane specifically designed for this maneuver directly to my right. I will completely ignore that the merging lane exists. Instead of utilizing this lane when there is a gap to do so, I will creep out and completely block a lane of traffic and then stop. Not only that, I will make sure that I have pulled out the absolute furthest distance possible to completely block said lane and then pause there. If I were to move forward or backwards at all I would be blocking the lane less, but that seems risky. Instead I will just stay out here in the danger zone until I have caused enough gridlock for traffic to stop.

[1BADDAT]

Perhaps you should have titled your post "Drivers (including US drivers) Do the Darnedest Things". None of your observations are particularly specific to Thailand.

None of them are specific to Thailand? No way some of these could be applied to the US. Drivers all over the world do stupid things, but the occurrences of them and the behavior are very different in different parts of the world.

Here is the list from the OP:

'I've waited long enough, I'm entitled to pull out now.' - OK...maybe in the US

'I'm sorry, but my time is more important than yours, let me invent a new lane here because I am special.' - No way this applies to the US. If you try to invent a new lane, someone ahead will block you.

'Let me throw my door out into traffic, there's almost no chance there's a motorcyclist driving by that I could kill.' - Hardly any motorcyclists there, and lanes wide enough that even if you did open your door, probably wouldn't block anything.

'Oh you made a bad decision to pull out, I'm gonna flash my lights at you instead of slowing down.' - Americans don't flash lights, they honk.

'That old lady crossing the road better hurry up, cause my Mia Noi is waiting and I don't want to be late.' - this is probably the only time Americans are actually courteous almost all the time.

'Let me see how close I can drive to your bumper.' - Applies any where people drive aggressively, so pretty much anywhere in the world.

'You can't see me behind these tinted windows, so I'm gonna drive like a complete maniac.' - Tinting the front windows is illegal in almost all US states.

'Sure this area is heavily congested and chaotic, but if I slow down, I decrease my fuel efficiency. I'm saving the environment, bro!' - Toyota Prius drivers, America...you win this one.

'That U-turn is far away, I'm just gonna drive down the wrong side of the road.' - Detroit is the only city in the US where I have seen U-turn lanes. Never once in my 20 years of driving in the US have I seen someone driving the wrong way down a divided road or highway (Or backing up down a freeway because they missed a turn).

'Sure I've got a entire Burmese city in the back of my truck, but I need to see if I can get this thing on two wheels.'- Rarely see anyone in the back of a truck, especially Burmese

There's gotta be a bunch I'm missing, have at it.

[uptheos]

This is a topic that has been done so often that the replies are predictible.

Even that one!

[IMHO]

I am a bus, I am bigger, badder, and my owner is connected so I own the road

The only thing that scares me is a fully loaded cement truck

There are plenty of things in Thailand that scare me more than that. Hint : They pee sitting down.

When I'm heavily intoxicated, I sometimes pee sitting down - sometimes becuse I just know I won't aim right, sometimes because I'm not really sure what's going to come out. Scary?

[WarpSpeed]

Perhaps you should have titled your post "Drivers (including US drivers) Do the Darnedest Things". None of your observations are particularly specific to Thailand.

None of them are specific to Thailand? No way some of these could be applied to the US. Drivers all over the world do stupid things, but the occurrences of them and the behavior are very different in different parts of the world.

Here is the list from the OP:

'I've waited long enough, I'm entitled to pull out now.' - OK...maybe in the US

'I'm sorry, but my time is more important than yours, let me invent a new lane here because I am special.' - No way this applies to the US. If you try to invent a new lane, someone ahead will block you.

'Let me throw my door out into traffic, there's almost no chance there's a motorcyclist driving by that I could kill.' - Hardly any motorcyclists there, and lanes wide enough that even if you did open your door, probably wouldn't block anything.

'Oh you made a bad decision to pull out, I'm gonna flash my lights at you instead of slowing down.' - Americans don't flash lights, they honk.

'That old lady crossing the road better hurry up, cause my Mia Noi is waiting and I don't want to be late.' - this is probably the only time Americans are actually courteous almost all the time.

'Let me see how close I can drive to your bumper.' - Applies any where people drive aggressively, so pretty much anywhere in the world.

'You can't see me behind these tinted windows, so I'm gonna drive like a complete maniac.' - Tinting the front windows is illegal in almost all US states.

'Sure this area is heavily congested and chaotic, but if I slow down, I decrease my fuel efficiency. I'm saving the environment, bro!' - Toyota Prius drivers, America...you win this one.

'That U-turn is far away, I'm just gonna drive down the wrong side of the road.' - Detroit is the only city in the US where I have seen U-turn lanes. Never once in my 20 years of driving in the US have I seen someone driving the wrong way down a divided road or highway (Or backing up down a freeway because they missed a turn).

'Sure I've got a entire Burmese city in the back of my truck, but I need to see if I can get this thing on two wheels.'- Rarely see anyone in the back of a truck, especially Burmese

There's gotta be a bunch I'm missing, have at it.

I can't be bothered to answer your entire post line by line but let's just say generalized rubbish, especially your post about inventing new lanes, they do it all the time here in the states and it's one of my biggest pet peeves, I try to block as often as possible as it ends up slowing down the entire line with everyone having to merge in the end anyway and those behind never making any progress, but I find myself oddly in agreement with Geez for a change.

My favorite anywhere too is entering the highway too slowly and the person behind, myself for example, essentially becomes the bumper of slow person ahead as you merge on, to any drivers behind who may not be paying attention, they're going to hit you and not the damn turtle in front of you who'll just keep going never knowing or caring that you got hit because of them. So when I encounter those type of drivers I accelerate as quickly as possibly into another lane around them or the same lane and pass them essentially switching positions, som-nom-na, learn to drive and merge properly.

[WarpSpeed]

I am a bus, I am bigger, badder, and my owner is connected so I own the road

The only thing that scares me is a fully loaded cement truck

There are plenty of things in Thailand that scare me more than that. Hint : They pee sitting down.

When I'm heavily intoxicated, I sometimes pee sitting down - sometimes becuse I just know I won't aim right, sometimes because I'm not really sure what's going to come out. Scary?

Wow! IMHO, Too much info..