Thailand's roads second deadliest in the world: World Health Organization

[cumgranosalum]

I totally agree with this. It is amazing to me that they go all the out in the fast lane and wait to get hit. All they have to do is continue moving forward (completing the u torn) and it would be a hundred times safer.

But the real people to blame are the ones that design the roads. They don't know what real intersections are. They don't make lanes for motorbikes to travel safely away from speeding cars. The u turns they design don't have large enough turning radius or Adequate area for cars to safety que.

It is perplexing because some roads like the Elavated highways and motorways are very well designed. But the roads where there is a lot of cross traffic and u turns and what not seem to have no thought put into them at all.

Without all the U-turns the Thai would just drive against traffic. They don't care for other people's safety.

When you ask a Thai why he doesn't fix his lights on the vehicle the answer is: I can see very well in the dark.

They just are very selfish and get away with it because there's no police.

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

I think you should re-read my post....you will then realise what a howler you have just made.

however it is a good example of what is so wrong - I think that road safety does require an intelligent approach rather the this sort of nape-of-the-neck response that yours seems to typify.

[cumgranosalum]

That figure is underrated. Thai only count the dead AT THE SCENE. If you die later in the hospital, you don't don't get counted. Fact, not fiction.

Interesting. Who at the "scene" is qualified to pronouns a person is actually dead,?

Could you please supply a reference for this "fact not fiction" you quoted. Thanks

Actually "fiction," more like it. The road accident follows the injured to the hospitals and through the registrations of "cause of death," reports and into the court system and National registry. Nice try there, however you almost got away with that Porkey!

http://asiancorrespondent.com/131679/thailand-road-deaths/

It should also be noted that statistics taken inside Thailand only includes victims who died at the scene, while WHO statistics include persons that died within 30 days of the accident.

untrue - read the report the WHO uses statistical tools to interpret various stats. PLEASE READ THE REPORT if you are going to you comment on it.....not the media précis.

[metisdead]

A baiting post has been removed:

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

[1BADDAT]

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

I think you should re-read my post....you will then realise what a howler you have just made.

however it is a good example of what is so wrong - I think that road safety does require an intelligent approach rather the this sort of nape-of-the-neck response that yours seems to typify.

I re-read your post and sorry If it is difficult to reply to your wild theories that are intermixed in your ramblings.

I just read your response above and have no idea what you are trying to say.

You can get a team of Engineers from whatever country you want to redesign the roads. The fact is the Thais will drive how they want to. The mini and your bus drivers will still drive like they are on Yaba (because a lot of them are). The motorcycle drivers will never even consider yielding when pulling into the flow of traffic. They will still drive the wrong way when they want. The only way to really fix any of these issues is by educating the drivers and enforcing laws already in place, and everyone here knows that will never happen.

[cumgranosalum]

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

I think you should re-read my post....you will then realise what a howler you have just made.

however it is a good example of what is so wrong - I think that road safety does require an intelligent approach rather the this sort of nape-of-the-neck response that yours seems to typify.

I re-read your post and sorry If it is difficult to reply to your wild theories that are intermixed in your ramblings.

I just read your response above and have no idea what you are trying to say.

You can get a team of Engineers from whatever country you want to redesign the roads. The fact is the Thais will drive how they want to. The mini and your bus drivers will still drive like they are on Yaba (because a lot of them are). The motorcycle drivers will never even consider yielding when pulling into the flow of traffic. They will still drive the wrong way when they want. The only way to really fix any of these issues is by educating the drivers and enforcing laws already in place, and everyone here knows that will never happen.

QED.

[1BADDAT]

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

I think you should re-read my post....you will then realise what a howler you have just made.
however it is a good example of what is so wrong - I think that road safety does require an intelligent approach rather the this sort of nape-of-the-neck response that yours seems to typify.

I re-read your post and sorry If it is difficult to reply to your wild theories that are intermixed in your ramblings.

I just read your response above and have no idea what you are trying to say.

You can get a team of Engineers from whatever country you want to redesign the roads. The fact is the Thais will drive how they want to. The mini and your bus drivers will still drive like they are on Yaba (because a lot of them are). The motorcycle drivers will never even consider yielding when pulling into the flow of traffic. They will still drive the wrong way when they want. The only way to really fix any of these issues is by educating the drivers and enforcing laws already in place, and everyone here knows that will never happen.

QED.

DSM V

[cumgranosalum]

Just another chance for expats etc to display their ignorance of road safety and engage in a litany of racist abuse and bigoted misconceptions about Thai drivers and Thai roads.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation. The problem is how successive governments have allowed the road and traffic systems to develop with little or no science or planning.

...pointing out single items as if they are the sole cause of all Thailand's traffic problems is just banal in the extreme, and endless anecdotes of "bad driving" prove absolutely nothing apart from the ignorance of those posting them.

You must have never drive in Thailand....

What this totally baseless remark and other comments show is that when it comes to driving, road safety and rational thought most of the expats, foreigners etc in Thailand are as ignorant as any Thai people, and in many cases more so.

Edited November 7, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[Siammodels]

No money is injected in TV adds on the resukts of a lady flying througha windshield

The governement simply do not care here.

[robertthebruce]

as someone mentioned earlier, ''Education'' is the Key to most things....

[uli65]

The problem is education does not exist in Thailand.

[cumgranosalum]

Road deaths and other injuries etc cost the country about 3% of GDP - so I think at some point the authorities need to start "caring"

[Ace of Pop]

Why.Look after yourself ,it's not a Nanny State.

[cumgranosalum]

as someone mentioned earlier, ''Education'' is the Key to most things....

Education is ONE of the keys...and of course it exists in Thailand.

[cumgranosalum]

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

I think you should re-read my post....you will then realise what a howler you have just made.

however it is a good example of what is so wrong - I think that road safety does require an intelligent approach rather the this sort of nape-of-the-neck response that yours seems to typify.

I re-read your post and sorry If it is difficult to reply to your wild theories that are intermixed in your ramblings.

I just read your response above and have no idea what you are trying to say.

You can get a team of Engineers from whatever country you want to redesign the roads. The fact is the Thais will drive how they want to. The mini and your bus drivers will still drive like they are on Yaba (because a lot of them are). The motorcycle drivers will never even consider yielding when pulling into the flow of traffic. They will still drive the wrong way when they want. The only way to really fix any of these issues is by educating the drivers and enforcing laws already in place, and everyone here knows that will never happen.

QED.

DSM V

May I suggest you find out a bit about atopic before you posy on it - you obviously have no idea of what either road or traffic engineering entails and actually have spent little or no time observing analytically how traffic behaves in various environments. The result is your totally facile posts.

[roo860]

I'm involved with road markings in the UK, motorways, A roads, etc. On and off slip roads in Thailand are pretty much the same ie, chevron, demarcation arrow and and dots marking the exit or on, (these join the solid hard shoulder line. Nothing wrong with the markings, if you take notice of them and adhere to this. Unfortunately some people dont.

[1BADDAT]

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

I think you should re-read my post....you will then realise what a howler you have just made.
however it is a good example of what is so wrong - I think that road safety does require an intelligent approach rather the this sort of nape-of-the-neck response that yours seems to typify.

I re-read your post and sorry If it is difficult to reply to your wild theories that are intermixed in your ramblings.

I just read your response above and have no idea what you are trying to say.

You can get a team of Engineers from whatever country you want to redesign the roads. The fact is the Thais will drive how they want to. The mini and your bus drivers will still drive like they are on Yaba (because a lot of them are). The motorcycle drivers will never even consider yielding when pulling into the flow of traffic. They will still drive the wrong way when they want. The only way to really fix any of these issues is by educating the drivers and enforcing laws already in place, and everyone here knows that will never happen.

QED.

DSM V

May I suggest you find out a bit about atopic before you posy on it - you obviously have no idea of what either road or traffic engineering entails and actually have spent little or no time observing analytically how traffic behaves in various environments. The result is your totally facile posts.

i am an engineer that travels the world and have In depth discussion about road design and engineering with people from many different countries.

Almost every waking moment I am using analytical thinking...that is why sometimes my head hurts so bad when I am driving around this country.

[cumgranosalum]

I'm involved with road markings in the UK, motorways, A roads, etc. On and off slip roads in Thailand are pretty much the same ie, chevron, demarcation arrow and and dots marking the exit or on, (these join the solid hard shoulder line. Nothing wrong with the markings, if you take notice of them and adhere to this. Unfortunately some people dont.

i'm sorry to say that there is A LOT wrong with the rod markings in Thailand - although they don't actually use the same system as the UK they appear to be similar; in fact they are just a mish-mash of various systems and ideas that the thai road-builders seem to have come across here and there.. The problem - as ever - is not solved just by one simplistic observation or solution. The reality is that road markings have to be part of a total concept on not just each individual junction but part of a constant nationally uniform set of criteria - this involves a lot more than just the patterns on the road - the demarcation of the road has to be correct and crucially the geometry and dimensions of the lanes etc have to be in accordance with the flow, volume and speed of the traffic - none of this even remotely considered at most Thai junctions and is one of the main reasons that on a nationwide scale the lane markings are ignored by motorists. They don't just tell you where you SHOULD be, they take into account where you are LIKELY to be in that given environment. Most motorists ( even those who paint white lines) are completely oblivious to the work and calculation that goes into designing a junction of any kind......

Edited November 8, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[roo860]

No matter how uniform they made the markings etc, would still not take any notice, IMHO.

[cumgranosalum]

No matter how uniform they made the markings etc, would still not take any notice, IMHO.

That would indicate a basic misunderstanding of the concepts behind how road is marked...I think you think that they should all be the seem, I'm suggesting and uniform system - this would be a system that is adopted and universally applied - it does NOT mean every junction is the same. Traffic engineering is based on a study of how the traffic behaves and then how it can be influenced to make it safer. In Thailand because the application is so unscientific, ut seldom works - if applied properly as part of a holistic program of traffic / road safety reforms it would undoubtedly work. Attributing inherent fallibilities to the Thai people on basis of race is just not correct.

[roo860]

Not being racist mate, was never my intention, just from my own experience and observations driving and riding around Thailand.

Edited November 8, 2015 by roo860

[Artisi]

Not being racist mate, was never my intention, just from my own experience and observations driving and riding around Thailand.

Correct, driving on the wrong side of the road, ignoring traffic lights , speed limits, overloading, drunk / stoned, what ever is against the rules,intelligence or common sense is rampant in Thailand.

Correct road design and signage design will achieve absolutely nothing while ever drivers are allowed to do as they please, when they please without any control by way of law inforcement, meaningful penalties etc.

[Sheryl]

Off topic bickerings have been removed.

Observations of cultural norms/practices (on the road or off) are not inherently racist

[GinBoy2]

Maybe I can inject a few observations.

Maybe as a start, Thailand could stop adding more rules of the road, regulations, penalties, and just enforce a few simple ones;

1. Lights, front AND back

2. No driving on the wrong side of the road

3. Everyone on a MC wears a helmet

I would guarantee those 3 would cut down fatalities by 50%

[dhream]

I've heard, but no-one can confirm this, that there are certain trends among youthful drivers here that are seen to be cool, because these trends are reckless and rebellious.

They are apparently removing rear view mirrors on scooters and bikes, and removing or disabling bike tail lights on purpose, just because, cool!

I'm sure the latter is true, as every time I'm on the road after dark i spot at least 3 bikes ghosting along without tail lights.

Now, there are some decrepit vehicles out there, but I'm sure the failure of tail lights, and the cost of replacing them is not so high that this is just laziness, I do suspect they are in the majority of cases, purposely disconnected. Whatever, it is idiotic, and life threatening, whether it is deliberate or just maintenance neglect, and it is high time the cops crucified the lot of them.

Anyone else got a Thai partner 'hip' enough to confirm or deny this theory?

[Artisi]

I've heard, but no-one can confirm this, that there are certain trends among youthful drivers here that are seen to be cool, because these trends are reckless and rebellious.

They are apparently removing rear view mirrors on scooters and bikes, and removing or disabling bike tail lights on purpose, just because, cool!

I'm sure the latter is true, as every time I'm on the road after dark i spot at least 3 bikes ghosting along without tail lights.

Now, there are some decrepit vehicles out there, but I'm sure the failure of tail lights, and the cost of replacing them is not so high that this is just laziness, I do suspect they are in the majority of cases, purposely disconnected. Whatever, it is idiotic, and life threatening, whether it is deliberate or just maintenance neglect, and it is high time the cops crucified the lot of them.

Anyone else got a Thai partner 'hip' enough to confirm or deny this theory?

Not as stupid as fitting a clear lens and globe to the tail light and a red globe to the head light, both of which I have seen on a number of occasions. Intelligence of the highest order .........

[cumgranosalum]

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

I think you should re-read my post....you will then realise what a howler you have just made.
however it is a good example of what is so wrong - I think that road safety does require an intelligent approach rather the this sort of nape-of-the-neck response that yours seems to typify.

I re-read your post and sorry If it is difficult to reply to your wild theories that are intermixed in your ramblings.

I just read your response above and have no idea what you are trying to say.

You can get a team of Engineers from whatever country you want to redesign the roads. The fact is the Thais will drive how they want to. The mini and your bus drivers will still drive like they are on Yaba (because a lot of them are). The motorcycle drivers will never even consider yielding when pulling into the flow of traffic. They will still drive the wrong way when they want. The only way to really fix any of these issues is by educating the drivers and enforcing laws already in place, and everyone here knows that will never happen.

QED.

DSM V

May I suggest you find out a bit about atopic before you posy on it - you obviously have no idea of what either road or traffic engineering entails and actually have spent little or no time observing analytically how traffic behaves in various environments. The result is your totally facile posts.

i am an engineer that travels the world and have In depth discussion about road design and engineering with people from many different countries.

Almost every waking moment I am using analytical thinking...that is why sometimes my head hurts so bad when I am driving around this country.

Judging by your posts on this thread, I would suggest you overestimate yourself... You seem to have neither the expertise nor intellect to have anything like an "in depth" discussion about road safety

[1BADDAT]

You claim that Thai drivers are no worse or better than any one else in the world. And somehow you think that I am the one lacking intellect.

Regardless of what you think about my intelligence, I speak with intelligent people from most counties in Asia that have industrial manufacturing and developed infrastructure.

What conversations do you have with intelligent people about this subject? So far as I can tell by your postings, you are just a Thai apologist that likes to speak in riddles. And whenever a simple logical question is asked, you just avoid it.

[cumgranosalum]

" I speak with intelligent people from most counties in Asia that have industrial manufacturing and developed infrastructure." - and I wonder what they make of you -

"And whenever a simple logical question is asked, you just avoid it." - as you have never asked one I would like to know where you get that impression from.

again I feel I'm playing chess with a pigeon.... I expect you are unaware of Dunning Kruger effect?

"So far as I can tell by your postings, you are just a Thai apologist" - QED

i feel that in reality your antagonism is the result of your posts repeatedly being shown up as what they are - half-baked unsubstantiated and incomplete .... merely baseless utterances with no sound premises whatsoever.

rather than be offended when someone criticises you own post, why not try actually formulating a coherent argument against something I've posted - you might like to reference it too as you appear to be making up things I've said so far.

I will understand if you don't as you have already admitted you have difficulty in understanding the arguments.

Edited November 9, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[Rhys]

Drivers here can be extremely cool, and yet many drivers are the worst here...

Edited November 9, 2015 by Rhys

[Ace of Pop]

W.H.O. Reminds me of Thailand's Tourist waffle yappers,only half of the Story, and that's biased to justify expenses to the dim