Why is it that thai drivers never slow down for pedestrians

[karl2007]

I have seen them many times crossing the road in heavy traffic or in any traffic that Thai drivers never seem to slow down and would rather hit you or slow down at the last minute.

The other day I was crossing the road on a zebra crossing there was only small gaps in traffic to get across so I had to walk fast, but I have noticed on many on occasions that Thai drivers never seem to slow down to give you that extra breathing space to get across.

Is it just me or has anyone else encountered this?

[Laughing Gravy]

I would say it is that a lack of understanding of the law regarding zebra crossings. Not bashing but everyone who I have spoken with didn't know the law, regarding zebra crossings or roundabouts and many other things. Hope it answers your question.

[Saastrajaa]

It's simple, really. All over Asia, not just in Thailand, the rule is this: the bigger vehicle has the right of way, and smaller vehicles must defer. Period. Think how low one is in this hierarchy when you're on the road (walking) without a vehicle at all...

[WitawatWatawit]

You tried to walk across a pedestrian crossing? Wow!

[KarenBravo]

Because if they slow down, they fear getting rear-ended. Everyone tail-gates here.

[Fookhaht]

It's simple, really. All over Asia, not just in Thailand, the rule is this: the bigger vehicle has the right of way, and smaller vehicles must defer. Period. Think how low one is in this hierarchy when you're on the road (walking) without a vehicle at all...

Pedestrian Plight in a nutshell.

[Fookhaht]

You tried to walk across a pedestrian crossing? Wow!

No, he tried a zebra crossing, and he's not a zebra. Thai drivers aren't THAT stupid! Edited March 20, 2016 by Fookhaht

[Happy Grumpy]

They don't slow down for anything, hence the daily carnage......

Somtam stalls.

[kannot]

they dont value your life only their own................its called "selfish" where i come from

[Lamkyong]

24/7/365

[KhunBENQ]

Thai driving "lesson"/test:

Not a word about consideration, general coexistence on the road.

Pedestrians exist in only one of the test questions as far as I remember.

Bicycles do not exist at all.

Pedestrians at a crossing have to take care for cars coming from behind turning left, REALLY!

That's one snippet of the videos I remember (the car honks to make the pedestrian aware to stop and let car pass)!!!!

Pedestrians are just an annoyance, get off the track!!!!

Zero traffic education in elementary school.

I sometimes slow down/let pass pedestrians (after careful look in the rear mirror).

They will bend and wai.

Crazy.

In Germany if you don't slow down they will kick your car, show the finger

Edited March 20, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[AlexRRR]

I had lots of problems when i lived in BKK trying to cross a main road near where i lived, and not only crossing the road walking on the footpath crossing the entry to a local supermarket at least 3 times , one time one big black Toyota 4WD tried to push me off the footpath, the Thai got the closest deadliest stare i could muster....

On my very last day in BKK after living there one year 4 hrs before i was to leave to catch my flight home i was run down by a motor bike crossing a zebra crossing mind you the cars had stopped and i was out front of at least 30 people crossing this crossing, the bike took me down and he hurt me, i was limping for a week after that, I'm happy to say that the impact on my body made his red bike useless, the rider had to leave it behind when he left.

Its very obvious to me why Thais drive the way they do, little to no police presence on the road, they could triple it and it still wouldnt make a dint, they should Check out Australia, fixed speed cameras everywhere, many roving speed cameras daily, big police presence on the road, highway patrol cars on all highways and you see them often, Every police car is high tech now, they can zoom in on your registration plate and within moments know every detail of the driver/owner.

When they wake ups to the revenue that could be made from traffic fines then you might see some sort of clean up, me when i move back I'm out of BKK and I'm living within easy walking ready of everything i need, no way am i going to buy a car there.

[BookMan]

It is not just you OP, it is an everyday trial of crossing the road in Bkk

Sometimes it almost comes down to a who will blink first first contest and stop. Another poster mentioned how pedestrians will lower their head and nod their thanks at the driver who stops.

I was driving with a friend a few weeks back. Her style of driving when nearing a pedestrian was to accelerate so as not to give the pedestrian any chance of crossing the road in front of her. Coming out of side streets onto main roads, where she could have given way to a pedestrian with no resulting delay to herself, she would still push right up into the traffic and block the pedestrian

I am waiting for the next drive with her to ask her about her thoughts on the matter

[KhunBENQ]

Good description of Thai driving style!

Her style of driving when nearing a pedestrian was to accelerate so as not to give the pedestrian any chance of crossing the road in front of her. Coming out of side streets onto main roads, where she could have given way to a pedestrian with no resulting delay to herself, she would still push right up into the traffic and block the pedestrian

The worst remember was being driven (raced) by a young hotheaded ambitious police officer in his pickup.

When an old man slowly crossed the road in a village and he had to slowdown he waived his pistol out of the side window and threw some swear words.

Such lunatics serve in police function!

Avoided any further contact.

Edited March 20, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[mogandave]

Because they want to see them jump out of the way.

[BookMan]

On my very last day in BKK after living there one year 4 hrs before i was to leave to catch my flight home i was run down by a motor bike crossing a zebra crossing mind you the cars had stopped and i was out front of at least 30 people crossing this crossing, the bike took me down and he hurt me, i was limping for a week after that, I'm happy to say that the impact on my body made his red bike useless, the rider had to leave it behind when he left.

That's always a fear I have crossing... The bikes coming up between the cars or speeding to get past you before you cross. If there is line of bikes none of them are going to stop

[ttthailand]

I think many speed up when someone steps in front of them. It's like they are saying " how dare you get in front of me". Same happens when driving and passing, they speed up instead of just letting you pass. I think years of being held back by government and stepped on by the rich has made it a dog eat dog country.

[Morakot]

You tried to walk across a pedestrian crossing? Wow!

No, he tried a zebra crossing, and he's not a zebra. Thai drivers aren't THAT stupid!

[jerojero]

Simple Thai logic. Cars are bigger than people. And bigger has right of way.

[1BADDAT]

Yield is not something they traditionally do anywhere anytime. They don't yield when they pull out from side streets on motorbikes. It's just the me first mentality.

When I cross the road I wait for a decent gap and just stare directly at the driver. They will eventually yield.

[swissie]

"Thai Culture" again? Not all things that happen in Thailand can be explained by a "different culture".

In my book it's simply "Character deficiency". I could make a long list as far as this subject is concerned.

This is why I am packing my bags here. I have no desire to live among such people any longer.

Cheers.

[RawboneFunksta]

There are some iniquities in road use in Thailand that's for sure but I think car drivers here are generally more sensitive to and more aware of motorcyclists than in the UK, allowing space for bikes to filter and even moving over to allow one to get through. Thai drivers will also often stop to let one cross the road especially if one employs eye contact and judicious use of the 'hand wave'!

The stupid etiquette of zebra crossings is such that drivers will often only stop at zebra crossings when a red light is displayed even if there are no pedestrians. Conversely and ironically they often don't stop at zebra crossings that are being used if there is no red light!

I tend to stop at crossings in use but often fear rear-ending. I do not wait at those displaying a red light if there are no pedestrians and in a nutshell that is the difference between most Thai people and some farangs. some of use our own initiative whatever the law says. Thai people are strongly discouraged from that kind of thought or action.

If you think crossing the road in Bangkok is difficult, try Saigon!

[Fookhaht]

"Thai Culture" again? Not all things that happen in Thailand can be explained by a "different culture".

In my book it's simply "Character deficiency". I could make a long list as far as this subject is concerned.

This is why I am packing my bags here. I have no desire to live among such people any longer.

Cheers.

And where would you be going where there are less character deficiencies? Careful now... Edited March 20, 2016 by Fookhaht

[BuaBS]

Law of economics . It costs nothing for a pedestrian to stop and wait , it costs a lot for motorvehicules to stop and drive off again. Look at your gas/diesel comsumption meter as you drive off from stopping. In my stupid country , you have to stop when a pedestrian comes near a crossing , so 1 to 20 vehicules (or more) have to brake and drive again for 1 pedestrian ( or bicycle) ...ridiculous , insane ! Be glad you live in Thailand ! I don't stop for pedestrians either. They are the lowest in the traffic food chain. ( I stop for dogs & cats though).

[Henryford]

I am scared to slow or stop approaching a zebra crossing, certain someone will rear end me.

[uthaithanirules]

they should Check out Australia, fixed speed cameras everywhere, many roving speed cameras daily, big police presence on the road, highway patrol cars on all highways and you see them often, Every police car is high tech now, they can zoom in on your registration plate and within moments know every detail of the driver/owner.

When they wake ups to the revenue that could be made from traffic fines then you might see some sort of clean up, me when i move back I'm out of BKK and I'm living within easy walking ready of everything i need, no way am i going to buy a car there.

Yeah, and what happens in Australia?, they just walk straight onto the road without looking because they expect everyone to stop....even though under our law they are at fault and liable, if especially a heavy vehicle didnt have time to stop

Or they just stroll across an often red pedestrian signal like they own the place.

Somewhere like Sydney only has 25 to 10 % of the vehicles Bangkok would have, yet the traffic is almost as bad sometimes

I prefer the Thai way

[mogandave]

They slow down to make U-turns, what's up with that?

[giddyup]

they should Check out Australia, fixed speed cameras everywhere, many roving speed cameras daily, big police presence on the road, highway patrol cars on all highways and you see them often, Every police car is high tech now, they can zoom in on your registration plate and within moments know every detail of the driver/owner.

When they wake ups to the revenue that could be made from traffic fines then you might see some sort of clean up, me when i move back I'm out of BKK and I'm living within easy walking ready of everything i need, no way am i going to buy a car there.

Yeah, and what happens in Australia?, they just walk straight onto the road without looking because they expect everyone to stop....even though under our law they are at fault and liable, if especially a heavy vehicle didnt have time to stop

Or they just stroll across an often red pedestrian signal like they own the place.

Somewhere like Sydney only has 25 to 10 % of the vehicles Bangkok would have, yet the traffic is almost as bad sometimes

I prefer the Thai way

Friend of mine emailed me a few days ago, got caught walking on a pedestrian crossing against the red light. Fine was over $100. I drove through a pedestrian crossing (no pedestrians on it) in Adelaide, got fined over $300 and that was 7 years ago.

[canthai55]

Friend of mine emailed me a few days ago, got caught walking on a pedestrian crossing against the red light. Fine was over $100. I drove through a pedestrian crossing (no pedestrians on it) in Adelaide, got fined over $300 and that was 7 years ago.

You lost me - why would you have to stop if no one crossing the road ? Or is it the law to stop for them all ?

[bearpolar]

Because if they slow down, they fear getting rear-ended. Everyone tail-gates here.

Id think its because it takes them so much time accelerating to a decent speed that they dont want to slow down as an other acceleration will take them tons of time again.

Or they know that the pedestrian can cross in 10secs when there's no one coming

Or they know that the pedestrian will be slow

IMO almost everytime you slowdown for someone in thailand, you get punished. Just as most of the time if you let someone cut in front, you'll be stuck behind the slowest of the slows.

There's not many inbetweens here. You have extremely slow people making 90% of the population and 10% speed maniacs. On foot, on bike or in a car. No reason to let anyone pass in any event. Let the next person behind you decide to lose 5mins of his life for a thing that should take someone 10secs.

Consumption is an other reason. It costs a lot to stop and go. Doesnt cost a pedestrian much to wait for a gap, just like i wait for a gap when im trying to turn into the traffic and i accelerate at a pace where the next person doesnt have to brake for me.

Edited March 20, 2016 by bearpolar