Thailand’s dangerous van drivers never cease to amaze

[2fishin2]

If you drive in Thailand, you know that both of the drivers are idiots. No one was right, both wrong.

[Torrens54]

The truck driver was in no way in the wrong ,he was overtaking another vehicle. As for the minibus driver , yet again words fail me. I just showed this to my Thai wife as she gets pissed off at me for shouting at these bastards every time we go out. If I was anywhere near this I would of taken his number and ............ if I had caught him..........As I have said here before White/grey minibuses are the scourge of the road. Phil .take 2 enaril your BP is now up.

...and in CNX, the RED Bus drivers are pigs looking for a trough.

[daiwill60]

To those spouting that it is illegal to undertake. Are you quoting the official western highway codes or the official Thai highway code, because, if it is the Thai official highway code, I would love to see a copy of this, please, go on show me where it says in the Thai highway code that it is illegal.

On the other side of the coin, I see truck drivers Suddenly Pull Out with no indicators after tailgating other trucks in front of them, and yes it can take a short lifetime for them to complete an overtaking manouvre at the best of times let alone on a gradient. yes many with more knowledge on driving techniques are correct that the outside lane on a two lane highway is for use by both cars vans and trucks but I often see trucks in the outside lanes on the motorways here too.

The truck driver did not have to brake, he could have just taken his foot off the throttle for a second or two also, without losing too much momentum.

Basically both have too much face to lose, in the daily competition known as driving in Thailand, and it does need more control and education, rather than relying on these people to learn from the daily incidents they must regularly see in their chosen careers on the roads or in the daily media.

Yes the police could also be seen to be more pro active in many of these cases, but hey, maybe they too try to minimize their on road time too, as we all know, Thai roads are dangerous places!!! Don't we ????

[jacko45k]

Those trucks do annoy you by remaining in the right lane for long periods.... sometimes to make a right turn, sometimes avoiding the surface they churned up on the inside lane, and often just out of ignorance. Sometimes drivers think they are only driving the cab and forget the several feet of vehicle behind them. The vehicle with the camera was wise to hang back.

[Si Thea01]

To those spouting that it is illegal to undertake. Are you quoting the official western highway codes or the official Thai highway code, because, if it is the Thai official highway code, I would love to see a copy of this, please, go on show me where it says in the Thai highway code that it is illegal.

On the other side of the coin, I see truck drivers Suddenly Pull Out with no indicators after tailgating other trucks in front of them, and yes it can take a short lifetime for them to complete an overtaking manouvre at the best of times let alone on a gradient. yes many with more knowledge on driving techniques are correct that the outside lane on a two lane highway is for use by both cars vans and trucks but I often see trucks in the outside lanes on the motorways here too.

The truck driver did not have to brake, he could have just taken his foot off the throttle for a second or two also, without losing too much momentum.

Basically both have too much face to lose, in the daily competition known as driving in Thailand, and it does need more control and education, rather than relying on these people to learn from the daily incidents they must regularly see in their chosen careers on the roads or in the daily media.

Yes the police could also be seen to be more pro active in many of these cases, but hey, maybe they too try to minimize their on road time too, as we all know, Thai roads are dangerous places!!! Don't we ????

The van driver was not illegally undertaking as some suggest, as there are marked traffic lanes, and he can pass, legally, on the left. The rules for overtaking and passing are contained in the Land Traffic Act, 2552. I hope those who are criticising the van driver for undertaking/passing or the truck driver for overtaking, do not drive in Thailand, as they clearly have no knowledge of the road rules.

The truck driver Is in the overtaking lane, there is no such thing as a fast lane, and was within his rights to overtake the slower truck, so why the criticism of him? For those who have no apparent knowledge of the road rules, it is also an offence in Thailand to continue to drive in the overtaking lane unless of course, overtaking, and once this is completed the vehicle must return to the left lane. However, if a vehicle is turning right or exiting via a U Turn bay, then they area able to remain in the overtaking lane prior to exiting.

Given what is shown in the video, I have not seen any signal from the van to indicate that it was going to overtake and, in overtaking, the driver has failed to allow sufficient space between his vehicle and the truck to do so in a safe manner. This is clearly evident, as soon as the van commenced to enter the right lane in front of the truck, the brake lights of the truck illuminate, thus indicating the truck driver reacted almost immediately to the dangerous driving of the van driver.

I have no idea why the truck driver caused his vehicle to leave the carriageway, only he can answer that and no amount of guessing from TVF posters will shred any light on this aspect. Given that the truck driver is permitted to overtake, then I have seen nothing that he has done illegally. How one poster is able to say the truck sped up, how in the hell does he know this, was he there? Now for you sir, attached are the road rules pertaining to overtaking/passing, as listed in the Land Traffic Act. Hope it is of assistance to you and others? Section 45 relates to undertaking/passing on the left.

Section 44 (500B)

A driver who wishes to overtake or pass another vehicle in the roadway with no traffic lane mark shall use sound signals loud enough to let the driver who is driving the vehicle in front know of his intention and, after the driver of the vehicle in front gives a responding signal pursuant to Section 37 c. or Section 38 c.(left blinker or corresponding hand signal), may proceed to overtake.

[When overtaking, the driver shall overtake from the right side, keep safe distance, and return to the left-hand side lane promptly.]

Section 45 (400-1000B)

[No driver shall overtake another vehicle from the left-side unless:

a. the vehicle to be overtaken is making a right turn or has given a signal that he is going to make a right turn

b. the roadway is arranged with two or more traffic lanes in the same direction.]

Section 46 (400-1000B)

[The driver shall not overtake another vehicle when:

a. driving up a slope, bridge or curve, except where there is a traffic sign permitting overtaking

b. within a distance of 30m from a pedestrian crossing, junction, circle (rotary) or railroad crossing

c. the fog, rain or dust prevents visibility of 60m

d. entering a congested area or safety zone.]

Section 47 (400-1000B)

No driver of a vehicle shall drive his vehicle to overtake or pass another vehicle by, in doing so, going beyond the roadway’s middle line that is marked or where there is a traffic sign indicating a danger area or an area in which carefulness is required on the roadway.

In the event of the left-hand side traffic lane is obstructed while the traffic lane on the right-hand side has sufficient space, a driver of a vehicle may avoid the obstructions by driving his vehicle beyond the roadway’s middle line prescribed

[canuckamuck]

Are you guys looking at the same video? Here's what happened. The white van being driven by an incompetent. Decides to shoot the gap but totally misjudges the position of the large truck and the length of his own vehicle. He did however indicate to change lanes (not that truck was obliged to yield). He starts pushing over into the other lane. When it becomes obvious to the truck driver that this idiot was going to go through with it, he applied his brakes. Within a second of that, the van clips the front of the truck, which is under tremendous pressure to jackknife already because of the braking, and it was enough to give the truck a wobble throwing the truck out of the lane. The van driver then continued to prove his adherence to Thai road etiquette by leaving the scene, as did all the other drivers, but not until they slowed down a touch to have good look. Including the driver taking the video.

100% van fault.

[tefljames]

plus it's also illegal for lorries, vans, buses and pick ups to travel in the outside lane, this was confirmed by 'ask the lawyer' a few days ago.

but as per usual police don't do the job they are paid to do.

[Benmart]

Both the Van and the Truck driver were idiots....

The Truck could have easily yielded to let the Van through, why didn't he? Ego...

The Van could have easily waited behind the Truck for a few KM then passed at a spot with more space, why didn't he? Ego...

For the most part, 90% of drivers in Thailand are fairly normal... however, I see drivers like this in front and behind me all the time on roads in Thailand... its best just to simply keep clear of them.

Tis' easy to judge the distances between the vehicles and lay blame when one was not either driver.

Having investigated traffic accidents, what is obvious to a bystander is not necessarily the causative fact that can be defended in a court of law.

The armchair experts seem to know more than this mere mortal.

[richard_smith237]

Both the Van and the Truck driver were idiots....

The Truck could have easily yielded to let the Van through, why didn't he? Ego...

The Van could have easily waited behind the Truck for a few KM then passed at a spot with more space, why didn't he? Ego...

For the most part, 90% of drivers in Thailand are fairly normal... however, I see drivers like this in front and behind me all the time on roads in Thailand... its best just to simply keep clear of them.

Tis' easy to judge the distances between the vehicles and lay blame when one was not either driver.

Having investigated traffic accidents, what is obvious to a bystander is not necessarily the causative fact that can be defended in a court of law.

The armchair experts seem to know more than this mere mortal.

If we are discussion 'moral' blame, I would say that both drivers caused the accident because both drivers refused to yield... regardless of who is legally in the right or wrong there is little doubt that had either of the drivers taken mature and responsible action the accident would never have occurred.

.......unless the Truck Driver was unaware of the Van until the last second at which point he swerved. If this is the case he wasn't using his mirrors.

If we are discussing the accident from a pure legal point of view, full blame lies with the Van driver.

------

The reason I discuss moral and legal blame is that while laws exist, it sometimes protects those who could avoid incidents if they were to otherwise drive with greater courtesy...

Example: I'm pulling out into slow moving traffic... I have to nose out because to not do so would mean I never get anywhere... I call this driving assertively and in Bangkok driving assertively is necessary to simply make progress.

If I nose out into traffic I'm forcing another car to yield, to give way to me... I acknowledge this with a thank-you wave and go about my driving. If I were to nose out and another driver doesn't give way (maybe because he's a checking his phone, or simply being a dick) then he may drive into me.

Morally I'd argue that the other driver should have given way to me.. But legally the accident would be my fault... (obviously some will disagree with this).

[Ace of Pop]

Trucks wont yield, or they have to build speed back up. Accept it.

[northernphil]

Glad to find at last a few who agreed with me about the minibus driver. Those that sided with the truck driver ; I hope you are never driving near me when I am out. VIP minibuses , the VIP is the driver only. Going from Chumpon to Ranong about 10 years ago my wife was in Chumpon ,I was on the bus. I phoned her up after about 15 mins to either ask the driver to slow down and keep to the left or stop the bus for me to get off. Many times the driver took the shortest route round the blind bends on the wrong side of the road. He slowed down and kept to the left. A couple of yanks on board thought he was driving just great and look at his concentration I reminded them that in LoS we drive on the left. Back to the idiot in this post. If he had waited for the truck to get past the other truck then over/undertaken all would of got where they wanted to go.

[lee b]

These lot don't care about human life, weather there own or someone elses ! The bib really need to lock these loons up !

[Pattaya28]

After the van squeezed in front of the truck it did not brake, and was obviously traveling at a greater speed than the truck, so why did the truck swerve and take such drastic action ?

[billphillips]

It's difficult here to understand why drivers have no consideration for other road users and their safety .... Until you accept that they don't have any consideration for their own safety.

[fish fingers]

I've noticed many thai drivers seem to have a delayed reaction thing. It makes it quite easy for western drivers to go for gaps safely

[MartinL]

I see this sort of lousy driving every single time I go out on the roads here. Maybe a truck that won't move out of the overtaking lane when there's no need to be in it, often a van or car but usually it's the f*%$#@g buses!!

My guess, after watching the video, is that the truck driver was half asleep, running on auto pilot, didn't realise there was another vehicle to his left and was jolted back to his senses when the van suddenly appeared in front of him, causing him to over-react to a threat that had, by then, sped off into the distance, and drive off the road.

[jaywalker]

After watching it a couple times, the truck driver is the idiot. He's in the fast lane where he should not be, he sped up when he saw the van about to squeeze in, and most baffling is why did he go off the road at all? There was no contact, the van had moved in front of him, he was braking, so why the hard turn to the right and take it off road? He could have killed himself if he hit a tree or others if he crossed the median. I don't see why he swerved at all.

Probably the only working brake on his truck was the right front one.

[jcisco]

I have always been taught growing up and in the workplace to give such trucks their weight deserves. This van driver wasn't driving safely with his passengers safety in mind nor any consideration to the truck. A 30 second wait behind this truck at a slightly reduced speed (likely the speed limit) wouldn't of delayed the van by much at all.

[fish fingers]

I would have chased down the van and got his number plate at least