Taboo Of Using Your Horn In Thailand.

[sipi]

Taxi ride from Swampy into town. Constant..pip pip..pip..pip pip pip..pip..pip pip..

The driver explained that they were talking to each other. 1 pip, I see you. 2 pips, you go first...

[LindaLovelace]

To the OP: You should have stopped and kicked his goddamned ass.

[malt25]

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

Pip pip, ol chap... say wot !

[circusman]

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

Pip, pip ? What country are YOU from ?

[dotpoom]

I don't think any of us like people hooting their horn at us.

Thai's toot the horn when passing trees or whatever that have religious altars....nice really. I started to do it myself the odd time but it is directed at my H.P. (Higher Power)...just to let Him (It) know I'm thinking about them.

[OOLEEBER]

My wife uses the horn like a crazy woman and I love her for it. She really goes mental at idiot drivers sometimes pushing it for 30 seconds or more. If I'm driving and someone does something stupid she makes a video of it with her phone and post it on line. I think it's partly because I taught her to drive with all the proper rules and courtesies we learn in the UK. That and she has a really short fuse.

[Saan]

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.

You are dead right (and probably many Thai drivers are too when they drive without headlights). It is to save batteries and globes.

As for use of horns I'd rather the silence than the cacophony one hears in places like Saigon. There is no warning in using a horn there as people start beeping their horns the moment they start the their scooters and it is bedlam.

[masuk]

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

The Chinese are the same. Compressed air horns in the middle of a city, clearing a way at intersections. It's hard to get a night's sleep if you're anywhere near a window.

Germans flashing headlights is much quieter!

Here in Chiang Mai, the lack of safety or thinking means that there are many 3metre high walls at intersections in a lot of sois, so rather than slow down and look, many just lean on the horn and plough through. Of course, drivers have their windows down, radio off, listening out - HA!

But there are a few who actually look.

[Dannyboy666]

PCX with a Truck Horn, by the time they look around for Truck, I'm Gone...

[Dannyboy666]

India is where they use horns for everything imaginable.

Thai drivers are dangerous but relatively quiet.

. India Over the Top, Pop

[longstebe]

Is "pip pip" an American saying?

I never heard that once when I lived over there.

I'll stick with " beep beep" :-)

[Coaster11]

I guess the other thing is the parking guy with the whistle blowing away merrily.

Is there something about the tone or number of pips in a row that signify something?...useless as tits on a bull. Although if backing in close to a wall or another car i look to see when they put their hand up to stop but the rest to get to that point is totally up to me!!

ps; constant sounding of the horn on long bus trips in Cambo nearly sent me around the bend

[AlQaholic]

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.

Yep. Thai drive like they all just stole their cars, but are never actually in a hurry to get anywhere and have no concern or consideration for anyone else on the road. Like accelerating from a red a light, it takes them a minute just to react on the change from red to green, and then it takes another half hour to accelerate to cruise speed.

I have often noticed when for example a vehicle crosses the road in front of an oncoming vehicle, the oncoming vehicle makes no attempt to reduce the speed, instead the will blink their light-horn or sound the horn repeatedly. Now what the heck good will that do? the crossing car is already in the middle of the road, do they think it will magically disappear just because the horn is sounded? Is there Hindu Magic involved in that kind of action? If you see a car crossing the road in front of you, you must understand the car is crossing taking a measured risk because driver wants to cross the road in a hurry, so logically one would understand this and be ready to break hard if the guys engine stops or something, but sounding your horn is just about the dumbest thing anyone can do.

And don't get me started on the numerous occasions where a car in the right lane is driving along a truck in the left lane, matching the trucks speed, meanwhile there are about a hundred cars behind wanting to pass the pair, but the driver of the car is apparently oblivious to this.

Edited June 2, 2015 by AlQaholic

[captspectre]

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

regards worgeordie

I have a special horn on my pickup and use it at least ten times when driving, I use is at intersections, when passing the idiots on motorbikes, and when ever i percieve the idiots may be a threat to me. I have never been stopped or chased but if i ever do i have a prepared speech in thai to lay on them! it is not nice! basically i call them idiots that don't know how to drive, i really don't care if i hit them or not but i DO care about the damage to my lovely pickup!

I am an imposing figure, and i do carry something in my hand whenever i am confronted.

[longstebe]

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

regards worgeordie

I have a special horn on my pickup and use it at least ten times when driving, I use is at intersections, when passing the idiots on motorbikes, and when ever i percieve the idiots may be a threat to me. I have never been stopped or chased but if i ever do i have a prepared speech in thai to lay on them! it is not nice! basically i call them idiots that don't know how to drive, i really don't care if i hit them or not but i DO care about the damage to my lovely pickup!

I am an imposing figure, and i do carry something in my hand whenever i am confronted.

Think I'll stay clear of you mate :-)

[ChiangmaiRob]

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.

You forgot the squeezing of pimples!

[csabo]

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.

Not sure if its true but I saw in another recent thread its illegal to turn your car lights on during the day here.

The law translated apparently reads this way:

Section 11 (500B)

[if it gets dark and you cannot see clearly more than 150m, you must turn on the headlight.]

Of course it does not say headlights cannot be on during daylight but some vigilant police have interpreted the law this way and issued tickets.

[ChiangmaiRob]

To the OP: You should have stopped and kicked his goddamned ass.

Smart move Rambo ... now what if he actually DID have a gun?

[Guest]

Is "pip pip" an American saying?

I never heard that once when I lived over there.

I'll stick with " beep beep" :-)

For sure is not American! 555

I thought that was a Britsh thing, "Pip pip, cheerio!"

Beep beep .. now that is American

[csabo]

I don't think any of us like people hooting their horn at us.

Thai's toot the horn when passing trees or whatever that have religious altars....nice really. I started to do it myself the odd time but it is directed at my H.P. (Higher Power)...just to let Him (It) know I'm thinking about them.

Horns are universally accepted as a warning signal to other drivers and should not be used to say "hello" to friends or "higher powers" that don't exist. When I hear a horn I scan for danger, which is a distraction, so as a favor to us all please stop. Keep your religion off our roads.

[MartinL]

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.

I can only agree 100% with Rustbucket.

Drove on UK roads for 40 years, motorcycle only (big Ducatis Triumphs, Suzukis mainly plus classic bikes) never a car - passed my car test at 18 but never wanted a car. Only started using a car when I came to Thailand. Maybe you'd think, as a lifelong UK biker, I'd be of the opinion that "all UK car drivers are idiots" - not a bit of it. As a biker I've found UK car drivers to generally be very considerate. OK you get the odd idiot but, IME, they're few and far between.

Maybe I'm just a far better, far more experienced bike rider than you, uksomchai.

On a trip back to UK in April this year, I drove the hire car for 7 hours with only petrol and food stops for MrsL. At the end of that, fresh as a daisy and no signs of stress at all. MrsL even slept in the car, something she rarely feels able to do in Thailand. Also, didn't see one accident on that trip. Don't recall ever hearing a horn blast, either.

Contrast that with my 50 mile (80 km) drive to Khon Kaen. It takes about 1 1/4 hours. I ALWAYS get back home after that return trip almost ready to kill someone, simply because of the inconsiderate, rude and - yes - STUPID (that should get a few irate responses from the rose-coloured glasses brigade) antics of the worst of the Thai drivers/motorcyclists. Even MrsL, who drives in Thailand but not UK, says that UK drivers are far more polite & considerate than Thai drivers, from her perspective as a passenger when I drive.

Oh, on that same Home --> KK trip (not including the return leg), the most accidents I've ever seen is 14!!!! I never do the trip without seeing at least one accident, although often only minor but all-too-often major involving trucks & buses in ditches, up each others' etc.

[Suradit69]

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)

Yes, thankfully farang easily accept being wrong and never suffer from loss of face and are so easy going. Odd that 90% of the posts on TV seem to be written by people devastated by loss of face, feelings of inferiority and "righteous" indignation.

Also odd that the term "road rage" originated in the west (and of course "disgruntled employee goes on shooting spree" is decidedly farang loss of face inspired).

Amazing how easily faranag can spot all the alleged deficiencies in Thai personalities and not recognize those same things in themselves or as being common in their home countries where they are generally far worse.

And according to this little item, one of the most irritating provocations in farang utopia is some moron blasting the horn.

[lathamallika]

hi to all yes the use of the horn is seen as being rude over here careful careful always loss of face to many thais dont like being proved they are in the wrong

[mick01827]

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.

I completely agree, I'm a lorry driver and even though there are a lot of idiots on UK roads the driving standard blows Thailand out of the water, unfortunately thais are terrible drivers because they don't have the proper training.

I wonder if uksomchai is a rep by any chance?

[neeray]

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.

Finally, somebody said it! An alternator. There must be more than "worgeordie, RustBucket and myself" who understand that the use of horns and lights will not harm or shorten the life of your car battery.

And great that you escaped that potential road rage incident.

[slipperylobster]

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)

Yes...there seems to be a polite way to beep your horn.

Give it a happy double tap. If you lay on it..and it blares....and you do it more than necessary....it creates a road rage scene.

[tingtongfarang]

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.

You forgot the squeezing of pimples!

and pulling hairs out the chin

[peterb17]

A major problem where I live is foreigners on bikes going the wrong way- all to save a few minutes by not using the Uturn. ( apologies for being a bit mean- usually grandpa types wobbling all over the place) They just drive at you , so a blast on the horn- I don't give way, hopefully they are not carrying a gun!

[duanebigsby]

I actually do hear Thais using the horn. Near my house is a small road with a blind corner and almost every cars toots the horn before entering it.

I've had lights flashed and horn tooted at me when driver isn't sure I've seen them. I actually appreciate someone making sure I've noticed them Both of us are safer.

I'm not scared of using my horn myself either but not a seriously long blast. No one's pulled a gun on me for it like many posters think will happen.

[Johnny S]

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

oh the satire ...