Taboo Of Using Your Horn In Thailand.

[RustBucket]

Not sure if this is valid all over Thailand, but certainly in my area Korat.... apparently.

Anyway, this is a two part story regarding the use of a car horn and why it seems not to be acceptable to some people and seen as rude, provocative or downright offensive and confrontational in some circumstances.

About three months ago I was driving to one of our favourite village restaurants. The road leading from our soi onto the main road is situated just after a bend, so you need to be careful about just pulling out and is best to stay as far left as possible till you are confident to venture into the lanes themselves. I saw it as quite clear so I crept round and stayed on the left.

Then I noticed a pickup rounding the bend, so stayed where I was, when a motorcycle turned straight into the lane I was in and proceeded to drive the wrong way (as they do) towrds me, now I could not move right because the pickup was alongside me and refused to move to his right despite those lanes being clear. I could not move to the left because of a deep ditch and my car being new I was reluctant to trash it just yet.... So I stopped.

Yet the bike kept coming towards me, and there was no way he was stopping and there was very little room either side for him and I thought, here we go he is going to squeeze through and my car is going to get scraped down the side. So I blasted my horn a couple of times at him as he approached. The pickup driver then really aggressively started blasting his own numerous times and slowed right down.

Anyway, a close shave as it was, was averted. But this was not the end of it for the pickup driver who slowed till I passed him then started tailgating me beeping his horn repeatedly, My wife paniced and started shouting 'he will have gun he will have gun'. I doubted it, but just let him blow offf steam, but it was obviouse he was following me, and I do know he was likely armed with something or was mob handed. But anyway, when it was obvious this guy intended some form of road rage showdown, I also started to panic. You never know what you are getting into with some people.

Now my car is 2 Litre and goes like the wind, so i accelerated away from him, and his pickup must have been quite powerful but a lot heavier than me so I started to gain some distance, then suddenly without indicating stamped on the brakes and turned left towards the village with the restaurant, and that is where I was at a massive advantage in the speed and agility of my car, he continued to follow me, but as I got round bends a lot faster, it was not too long before I was out of his sight.... I kept it up till I got to the restaurant, parked up and turned off the lights. There were about 10 farang in the restaurant, so I felt safe, and yes.... the pickup drove past the restaurant, but just drove on.

All this, and I had not even beeped at him, but the motorcyclist, and for safety purposes only. Now I know why my wife protests every time I use the horn. Yet I have convinced her that if it means the difference between having an accident and not having an accident, she MUST always use the horn, that is what it is for.

Fast forwards to last night. We were driving through a soi with her dad in the back seat and a guy on a motorcycle with a small child on the back started walking backward while sat astride the bike and he was clearly backing into the road ahead of us and was not even looking at the direction of the oncoming traffic. My wife was driving this time and we again could not move right because of oncoming traffic and we were moving quite fast. So my wife just gave a subtle couple of honks on the horn and the guy turned his head and stopped.

My FIL then said "Why you do that?... why you use horn at him"....... I just shook my head...

So now I wonder how many people have been injured or killed in Thailand because of a reluctance to use their horn as they think it is rude, bad mannered or aggressive??

Edited June 1, 2015 by RustBucket

[seajae]

mate, my wife bips the horn all the time so others are aware she is there or not to pull out. I do the same as sometimes if you dont they will just cut you off. Trouble is face for many, they dont like the idea of being wrong so they have to show everyone how small big they think they are. My wife tells me the same thing, dont upset anyone as they might have a gun, proving/making them out to be wrong can be lethal here even when they are actually in the wrong, seems to be a thai thing with some males(and females too)

[Asheron]

What are you talking about you waaaaciissst! Thais are just as good, humble and careful drivers as in the west!!#%#!!

There, now i wrote the thing you will hear from many on this board so they do not have to write it.

The hilarious thing about thai people viewing horn as aggressive (which is true) is that if you do actually use it then they themself turn into "me Hulk, Hulk smash you".

[zeichen]

I guess it depends, but typically I don't hear horns beep often here. I was in China for a year and when I brought a few friends here to visit they were shocked how quiet it is. Now BKK is definitely a different beast. There horns blast all the time. Typically people flash their headlights to warn others or caution them. Horns in more rural towns are like a big f. u. to many.

I will use the horn when on my motorcycle to warn cars when they are pushing out or will likely hit me. It is never a long angry beep though.

You really were lucky to get away from the road rage psycho. Should have let him chase you to the police station and then had him arrested for harassment. Don't ever stop and try to discuss with crazies though.

Glad that you are safe.

[worgeordie]

The real reason could be that they think it uses the battery,same as with turn signals,

regards worgeordie

[RustBucket]

The real reason could be that they think it uses the battery,same as with turn signals,

regards worgeordie

Funnily enough, I attribute that to the reason a lot of Thai drivers wait till it is almost pitch black before turning on their headlights.

Maybe they should be taught what an alternator is.

[ramrod45]

I've had a few people attempt to clip my scooter for no apparent reason other than I'm a farang. I rarely use the horn as it seems to be ignored and/or cause issues, but my motorcycle horn is pretty loud and I'll use it if needed, then I get the heck out of there. What I find interesting as well is the whole "I flashed my lights so I'm coming through" thing. Twice I've had speedsters come up from behind, flash lights from a decent distance away, and then proceed to practically run me over going by. How did they know I even saw their lights flash, and even if I did, it (in theory) doesn't give them automatic right-of-way. Just today on a small side soi a pick up truck was emerging as a BMW as trying to turn. The pick up immediately flashed his lights and proceeded to push out, forcing the Beemer to move. I don't understand the whole mentality, like working your scooter all the way to the front of the traffic, pushing through everyone to be first, and then take off like a snail and have everyone pass you. Guess it falls under TIT, but I consider a lot of it just a lack of courtesy, which often seems to fall on the "loss of face" thing. Thai's are quite good at being opportunistic (give them an inch in line and they'll step right in front), but rarely do I see much in the way of courtesy.

[pigeonjake]

2 pips round here is thank you,

if im behind a lorry and he indicates for me to pass, i just pip pip and away,

never had any trouble

[uksomchai]

As has been said already. A quick pip pip on the horn is the norm in Thailand, done as a thank you more often as not. What Farang tend to do is use the horn as they did back home as a method to tell other drivers how p%ssed off you are with them as in a long blast or more of the horn.

You just need to change the way you drive in Thailand to how you drove back in your home country.

In the end it makes your driving life so much less stressful

[Asheron]

As has been said already. A quick pip pip on the horn is the norm in Thailand, done as a thank you more often as not. What Farang tend to do is use the horn as they did back home as a method to tell other drivers how p%ssed off you are with them as in a long blast or more of the horn.

You just need to change the way you drive in Thailand to how you drove back in your home country.

In the end it makes your driving life so much less stressful

I value my life a bit more than that

A fact, bona fide fact, is that people from western nations are better drivers than basicly all the thai drivers. When i took the so called drivers license test in Thailand not so very long ago (something like 3-4 months) the only thing i had to do to prove i could drive a car was stop near a curb, drive straight between two rows of cones and reverse then stop at stop sign and parallell park, that was it.

I was watching in horror mixed with amusement that not a single thai driver knew how to do a parallell parking even though the space where to park was about the length of three cars but they were all still passed but one lady how couldn't parallell park after trying for 10 minutes.

Just the fact that about 0,2% of the thai drivers don't use headlights at day time shows that there isn't much activity behind the eyeballs when they sit in a car.

[uksomchai]

I don't know which country you are from but I would contest that British drivers are by default " Better " drivers than the Thai's. I used to drive around 1000 /1100 Miles a week in the UK. It was very stressful and I hated it but it was part of my job. I'm now back in the UK and things haven't changed any since then. Give me Thailand any day. You mention Thai's can't parallel park but the vast majority of British drivers can't either and their attitude on the road goes from the majority driving at 25 MPH or under as they are fearful of getting a speeding ticket to the arrogant bullies that think they own the road and have one hand attached to the horn at all times and if you ever venture onto a motorcycle here you do so at your peril.

I took my nephews R1 for a spin the other weekend and it was scary. In the UK drivers just don't see or expect motorcycles to be on the road. Again give me Thailand any day for a nice ride on a Bike.

I can't wait to get back to the Thai driving again. It can't come quick enough for me

[Pete Beale]

You really were lucky to get away from the road rage psycho. Should have let him chase you to the police station and then had him arrested for harassment.

He was probably on his way there anyway to start his shift.

[nev]

My wife only uses the horn driving past certain Wat's, I use the horn when someone does something stupid which seems to be every trip nowadays.

[Daffy D]

I'm old and cranky enough to not worry about upsetting any idiot because "he might have a gun"

I have been driving here long enough to accept the way they do it and generally get along fine, but just sometimes you just get the odd idiot that will break even the locally accepted "rules"

I have fitted a pair of extra horns in addition to the standard pair to my truck and when I beep it sure gets heard.

[RustBucket]

I don't know which country you are from but I would contest that British drivers are by default " Better " drivers than the Thai's. I used to drive around 1000 /1100 Miles a week in the UK. It was very stressful and I hated it but it was part of my job. I'm now back in the UK and things haven't changed any since then. Give me Thailand any day. You mention Thai's can't parallel park but the vast majority of British drivers can't either and their attitude on the road goes from the majority driving at 25 MPH or under as they are fearful of getting a speeding ticket to the arrogant bullies that think they own the road and have one hand attached to the horn at all times and if you ever venture onto a motorcycle here you do so at your peril.

I took my nephews R1 for a spin the other weekend and it was scary. In the UK drivers just don't see or expect motorcycles to be on the road. Again give me Thailand any day for a nice ride on a Bike.

I can't wait to get back to the Thai driving again. It can't come quick enough for me

Really???...... I drove for 30 years in the UK and I have not had the same experiences than you have.

I dunno where you live, but I have lived and drove all over the UK and considering road deaths in the UK is at about 3-5% of the road deaths in Thailand with similar population, that would shoot massive holes right through your perception of which place is the best or worst.

No way do people in the UK drive with their hand constantly on the horn.

[willyumiii]

If I never used my horn, I would have been killed 1000 time in Thailand already.

Thai drivers use their horns a lot too. ( P.S. I live in the Korat area too )

Thai drivers tend to merge into traffic and pass without looking and a horn is the only way to get their attention short of colliding with them.

I think one of the big causes of accidents in Thailand is that many Thais will not use their mirrors...for fear of seeing a ghost if they do!

[willyumiii]

Why are so many trying to turn a thread about driving in Thailand into a thread about the UK???

This is Thailand...keep on topic.

If you miss home that much...well, you know.....

[willyumiii]

The real reason could be that they think it uses the battery,same as with turn signals,

regards worgeordie

Funnily enough, I attribute that to the reason a lot of Thai drivers wait till it is almost pitch black before turning on their headlights.

Maybe they should be taught what an alternator is.

I live in fear of being hit by a car, truck or motorscooter at night with no lights on.

I have asked people how they can drive at night with no lights.

They always reply " No problem, I can see o.k."

When I tell them it is dangerous when other people cannot see them , they just smile!

I can just imagine being broadsided by one of these idiots when crossing a four way intersection some dark night....not pretty!

[TommyUK1960]

Use the horn to make others aware of you approaching especially motorbikes coming out of side roads. Driving is not about being pleasant its about being safe and making sure others don't hit you.

Just travel with Taxi driver and see often they use the horn. You will find they use a quick little polite pap not a long blast.

It also says in the Thai highway code "If approaching from the rear make the person you intend to overtake aware you are there" In other words a little polite pap.

I was on a country road riding my motorbike and lorry about to overtake me gave a little pap and I appreciated the fact he made me aware of him about to overtake me.

[Bung]

I sometimes wonder how the Italians get by here. It must be hard for them as they live on their horns in Italy!

[vogie]

As has been said already. A quick pip pip on the horn is the norm in Thailand, done as a thank you more often as not. What Farang tend to do is use the horn as they did back home as a method to tell other drivers how p%ssed off you are with them as in a long blast or more of the horn.

You just need to change the way you drive in Thailand to how you drove back in your home country.

In the end it makes your driving life so much less stressful

Well said, you could not have worded it better.

[Asheron]

Use the horn to make others aware of you approaching especially motorbikes coming out of side roads. Driving is not about being pleasant its about being safe and making sure others don't hit you.

Just travel with Taxi driver and see often they use the horn. You will find they use a quick little polite pap not a long blast.

It also says in the Thai highway code "If approaching from the rear make the person you intend to overtake aware you are there" In other words a little polite pap.

I was on a country road riding my motorbike and lorry about to overtake me gave a little pap and I appreciated the fact he made me aware of him about to overtake me.

And here i thought i had three mirrors in a car and two on a bike to see what is happening behind me not to meantion the head turning when changing lane either with car or bike. I guess the mirrors in Thailand are for women to make up while driving and for men to fix their hair.

[Asheron]

I don't know which country you are from but I would contest that British drivers are by default " Better " drivers than the Thai's. I used to drive around 1000 /1100 Miles a week in the UK. It was very stressful and I hated it but it was part of my job. I'm now back in the UK and things haven't changed any since then. Give me Thailand any day. You mention Thai's can't parallel park but the vast majority of British drivers can't either and their attitude on the road goes from the majority driving at 25 MPH or under as they are fearful of getting a speeding ticket to the arrogant bullies that think they own the road and have one hand attached to the horn at all times and if you ever venture onto a motorcycle here you do so at your peril.

I took my nephews R1 for a spin the other weekend and it was scary. In the UK drivers just don't see or expect motorcycles to be on the road. Again give me Thailand any day for a nice ride on a Bike.

I can't wait to get back to the Thai driving again. It can't come quick enough for me

I don't know details about how you get a drivers license in the UK but i can bet it's not a "test" (more like a joke) like in Thailand.

For instance the "issue" with Somchai or Bualoy coming into a big road from a soi... what do you do in UK/Europe when you do that? Well, you check that it's safe and when you actually get your car nose pointing in the direction of the road you actually accelerate so that you don't drive 20 km/h on a 50-70 road for 500 meters which is the case in Thailand every single time. I haven't yet witnessed any thai driver accelerating so they "get up to marching speed" when turning into big roads and i drive 20-70 km every day in Thailand for a couple of years now.

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Motoring

[robertthebruce]

I don't know which country you are from but I would contest that British drivers are by default " Better " drivers than the Thai's. I used to drive around 1000 /1100 Miles a week in the UK. It was very stressful and I hated it but it was part of my job. I'm now back in the UK and things haven't changed any since then. Give me Thailand any day. You mention Thai's can't parallel park but the vast majority of British drivers can't either and their attitude on the road goes from the majority driving at 25 MPH or under as they are fearful of getting a speeding ticket to the arrogant bullies that think they own the road and have one hand attached to the horn at all times and if you ever venture onto a motorcycle here you do so at your peril.

I took my nephews R1 for a spin the other weekend and it was scary. In the UK drivers just don't see or expect motorcycles to be on the road. Again give me Thailand any day for a nice ride on a Bike.

I can't wait to get back to the Thai driving again. It can't come quick enough for me

h

Are you serious or is this a wind up ?????

[cretan]

In all the years I have been with the wife I have never seen her use the horn, even when she should have.

I guess it's similar to some refusing to speak up when they receive rotten food in a restaurant, they just let it go for whatever reason.

I have heard they can overreact to a horn being blown.

[TooPoopedToPop]

India is where they use horns for everything imaginable.

Thai drivers are dangerous but relatively quiet.

[Thongkorn]

Sad to say, there has been dozens of people killed , shot, for using their horn in Thailand.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Thongkorn

[Torrens54]

My wife is paranoid about me beeping under any circumstances.

Reckons some "little man with a Big Gun" will come Gunning for me, as they tend to think they've Lost Face, even if it is a warning that might save their life.

At least when we lived abroad my wife was able to, experience the pleasure quite frequently of Tooting the Horn, as she drove around Australia where it seems there are not so many "little chaps" with BIG Guns.

[longstebe]

I've tried and tried my best to be calm on the roads in Thailand. It's the stupidity and the " I need to be in the front " mentality that grates on me.

The thing is, I know what's coming, you can see it a mile off.

As for beeping the horn, I've done it but I certainly don't make a habit of it, it can get you killed.