Driving in Thailand: Always expect the unexpected (part 2)

[Thaivisa Video]

What don't they understand about driving on the correct side of the road?

[oneday]

That is the worst I have ever seen and I thought I had seen some bad "wrong-way" driving in my 6 years here.

[1FinickyOne]

The moon is full -

[Ulic]

It actually happens quite often in North America. The drivers are almost always drunk

and there are often fatalities.

[Bangkok Barry]

It was a dark and rainy night...... when it happened to my wife. We were driving home (actually, she was driving as I point blank refuse to drive in a lunatic asylum) and we came across a car doing exactly as the one in the video. No doubt the driver was drunk and hadn't realised he was on a dual-carriageway. I wondered how long it would be before someone hit him head-on. A minute or two, I'd guess. We'd already passed two pick-ups upside down beside the road that night after driving less than 30 minutes. Sometimes I feel as if I'm in a real-life computer game when I'm on Thai roads. Amazing place, Thailand.

[Old Croc]

Can happen in Australia too.

I worked shift at an airport which meant driving home in the hours before dawn. Twice I had to dodge vehicles, driven by young indigenous car thieves, speeding the wrong way down the freeway closely pursued by several police cars.

After that I always stayed well over in the left lane and ready to go bush if necessary.

[PaDavid]

That is the worst I have ever seen and I thought I had seen some bad "wrong-way" driving in my 6 years here.

There was a case a few years back in England where an old guy got confused and drove 70 miles (110 km) on the wrong side of the road round the M25 (the London circular). When stopped by the police he said he got confused and couldn't find an exit. But, at least in UK you don't get them knowingly and deliberately driving on the wrong side of the road!

[cooked]

Well it can happen. I once went down the wrong way on a foggy day on a road I didn't know back home. I did reverse out of there pretty sharpish.

Look guys, this is all about road design. Sometimes you drive past one closed U-turn after another and they may be one kilometre apart. A correctly designed road would make this behaviour both very difficult and immediately visible to traffic cams. Not happening yet.

[elgordo38]

Keep em coming can hardly wait to see installment 3. Enough to give a man religion.

[aussiandrew]

Can happen in Australia too.

I worked shift at an airport which meant driving home in the hours before dawn. Twice I had to dodge vehicles, driven by young indigenous car thieves, speeding the wrong way down the freeway closely pursued by several police cars.

After that I always stayed well over in the left lane and ready to go bush if necessary.

Sounds like Perth Western Australia

[aussiandrew]

Can happen in Australia too.

I worked shift at an airport which meant driving home in the hours before dawn. Twice I had to dodge vehicles, driven by young indigenous car thieves, speeding the wrong way down the freeway closely pursued by several police cars.

After that I always stayed well over in the left lane and ready to go bush if necessary.

Sounds like Perth Western Australia...

[nemrut]

This happens all too often in US/UK/AUS. Difference being that in Thailand it is often not done intentionally nor out of malice and Thais are very understanding that people often make mistakes.

[PETERTHEEATER]

This morning, driving a road that I use daily, I entered a wooded blind corner to the right which then rises uphill anticipating motorcycles abandoned on the verge on my side as the riders picked vegetation. Instead there was one of those 'VIP' buses the size of a house in my lane coming head on at me overtaking a similar bus, downhill, with less than 50m to a tight blind left corner!. Both lanes full of buses coming at me. I went straight to the left onto the verge and into the trees and the bus clipped my drivers door mirror. I was on the brakes with no road to grip and only by divine intervention did I avoid heavy trees.

A pick-up which had been 80m behind me stopped to check that I was OK. Shaken! A red paint scuff on the door mirror casing which had folded back and minor vegetation scratches on the left had side of my ten-year old Fortuner.

Will now bring forward my purchase of dash-cams. Any recommendations?

[Old Croc]

Can happen in Australia too.

I worked shift at an airport which meant driving home in the hours before dawn. Twice I had to dodge vehicles, driven by young indigenous car thieves, speeding the wrong way down the freeway closely pursued by several police cars.

After that I always stayed well over in the left lane and ready to go bush if necessary.

Sounds like Perth Western Australia

Yes

[Jonmarleesco]

When it comes to Thai drivers and driving, nothing should be unexpected.

[Jonmarleesco]

This happens all too often in US/UK/AUS. Difference being that in Thailand it is often not done intentionally nor out of malice and Thais are very understanding that people often make mistakes.

'Difference being that in Thailand it is often not done intentionally nor out of malice ...' All the more reason to be concerned.

[White Christmas13]

Can happen in Australia too.

I worked shift at an airport which meant driving home in the hours before dawn. Twice I had to dodge vehicles, driven by young indigenous car thieves, speeding the wrong way down the freeway closely pursued by several police cars.

After that I always stayed well over in the left lane and ready to go bush if necessary.

Sounds like Perth Western Australia...

Bull dust compare the figures I must admit it happen

2 times in the last couple of years

http://www.ors.wa.gov.au/Statistics-Research