Close call with Chinese tour group this morning.

[BritManToo]

Was driving along the road this morning, around 9am, Thai tour guide on one side of the road, taking photos of Chinese tour group on other side of the road. None of them are paying any attention to the road, and I'm driving slow because they are a bit unpredictable. Just as I'm nearly level with them, the group (about 15) run into the road right in front of me, and I have to swerve across the road to miss them. I shout 'look out' just to gain their attention.

As I pass by the Thai tour guide starts shouting in English that I'm a F£$"*&g A(*&^%e. I was wondering if they expected any passing traffic to park up until they were finished. Maybe I should have honked my horn, as I approached, but I guessing that would have brought on a load of abuse too. Thought about stopping to have a word with Mr. Thai Potty-Mouth, but couldn't be bothered in the end.

My fault, If I wasn't in Thailand, they couldn't have walked in front of me.

But wait, they're foreigners too, if they weren't in Thailand, they couldn't have almost caused a crash.

Wonder what would have happened if it were a Thai driving past at 100Km/hr?

Recon I could have squished 10 of them at one blow, and got away with it.

These groups are just crazy on the roads (driving or walking).

[MadMac]

Just horn, light and speed up. They will find their way. That's how the locals do it.

[dcnx]

I brace for impact and drive through them while beeping and yelling. Worked well so far.

[slapout]

Think a good number of the tour vans (toyota) are perhaps driven by drunks /pill poppers as I see many them stopped at a mom and pop store that is known for the red bull /whiskey combo they sell early morning. I have also noticed that many of the vehicles they drive are not properly tagged (yellow tag) to be used in this business. Its those types of drivers that you have to careful with as you never know what they have beneath the seat that can inflict harm on someone.

Now if you could clip the tour guide in passing with a wing mirror, he might learn its a mean old world and some people are just as mean as he is.

[mesquite]

I've found the horn has no effect on the Chinese. I've had my close calls with them as well, both on motorbike and in car. The only thing that has worked is my swerving to avoid them, slamming on the brakes, or the Chinese happening to look my way.

I hear sirens all day long down by CM gate, and I wonder if they are ambulances scraping the Chinese off the road and taking them to a hospital.

How can they be so stupid?

[MadMac]

I had 1 guy falling in front of me with the bike on a right turn. No contact. Another one close to the same. I like to horn to get these idiots off the road. Light helps more with cars. Today had a truck at Samoeng junction, he just drove in the middle lane to the right on red. Waiting for traffic to pass. Must make the best out of it, don't get agitated, so you wont get shot

[rodcourt49]

I've found the horn has no effect on the Chinese. I've had my close calls with them as well, both on motorbike and in car. The only thing that has worked is my swerving to avoid them, slamming on the brakes, or the Chinese happening to look my way.

I hear sirens all day long down by CM gate, and I wonder if they are ambulances scraping the Chinese off the road and taking them to a hospital.

How can they be so stupid?

..they behave like there's 'no tomorrow'..just landed on planet Earth and are stunned...the natural attrition rate must be very high in their country.

[JaseTheBass]

I've found the horn has no effect on the Chinese. I've had my close calls with them as well, both on motorbike and in car. The only thing that has worked is my swerving to avoid them, slamming on the brakes, or the Chinese happening to look my way.

I hear sirens all day long down by CM gate, and I wonder if they are ambulances scraping the Chinese off the road and taking them to a hospital.

How can they be so stupid?

..they behave like there's 'no tomorrow'..just landed on planet Earth and are stunned...the natural attrition rate must be very high in their country.

Not high enough, it seems.

[petermik]

If you happen to "flatten" one in the future scrape them up off the road............real tasty is a chinese

[CMKiwi]

Install air horns.....I've yet to find someone who doesn't jump when you give them a blast.

Good shop opposite Shangri-la hotel has Italian "Stebel" brand compact air horns for just 980baht. Very easy to install.

Easy to fit on motorbikes too.

[Trujillo]

I can't follow the OP's description. The Thai and Chinese were in cars or on foot? Why were they on opposite sides of the road and why were they taking photos of each other. Who is "the group"?

I don't understand any of this. Total rewrite needed.

[Dassie]

I've found the horn has no effect on the Chinese. I've had my close calls with them as well, both on motorbike and in car. The only thing that has worked is my swerving to avoid them, slamming on the brakes, or the Chinese happening to look my way.

I hear sirens all day long down by CM gate, and I wonder if they are ambulances scraping the Chinese off the road and taking them to a hospital.

How can they be so stupid?

..they behave like there's 'no tomorrow'..just landed on planet Earth and are stunned...the natural attrition rate must be very high in their country.

I suspect they truly believe that no one would ever hurt them because they rule the world. You know, what with them being blessed with superior intelligence and born in such a powerful nation and all...God, help us!? '>.<'

[uptheos]

I've found the horn has no effect on the Chinese. I've had my close calls with them as well, both on motorbike and in car. The only thing that has worked is my swerving to avoid them, slamming on the brakes, or the Chinese happening to look my way.

I hear sirens all day long down by CM gate, and I wonder if they are ambulances scraping the Chinese off the road and taking them to a hospital.

How can they be so stupid?

Apparently it's quite easy for them!

[CMKiwi]

I've found the horn has no effect on the Chinese. I've had my close calls with them as well, both on motorbike and in car. The only thing that has worked is my swerving to avoid them, slamming on the brakes, or the Chinese happening to look my way.

I hear sirens all day long down by CM gate, and I wonder if they are ambulances scraping the Chinese off the road and taking them to a hospital.

How can they be so stupid?

..they behave like there's 'no tomorrow'..just landed on planet Earth and are stunned...the natural attrition rate must be very high in their country.

I suspect they truly believe that no one would ever hurt them because they rule the world. You know, what with them being blessed with superior intelligence and born in such a powerful nation and all...God, help us!? '>.<'

Sorry Dassie, but I thought your comments were purely reserved for the Americans! How dare the Chinese impinge on this monopoly.

Now I expect my comment will be like putting the cat amongst the pigeons.

No offence meant....just my observations.

[MadMac]

I have a compressor horn, kind of thing they install on trains. Still need to find a matching compressor. But also the smaller ones will do. Got a few grandmas almost killed back when I was young. It will work for the chinese too. Pickup double horns are usually sufficiently loud too...

Install air horns.....I've yet to find someone who doesn't jump when you give them a blast.

Good shop opposite Shangri-la hotel has Italian "Stebel" brand compact air horns for just 980baht. Very easy to install.

Easy to fit on motorbikes too.

[mesquite]

I have a compressor horn, kind of thing they install on trains. Still need to find a matching compressor. But also the smaller ones will do. Got a few grandmas almost killed back when I was young. It will work for the chinese too. Pickup double horns are usually sufficiently loud too...

Install air horns.....I've yet to find someone who doesn't jump when you give them a blast.

Good shop opposite Shangri-la hotel has Italian "Stebel" brand compact air horns for just 980baht. Very easy to install.

Easy to fit on motorbikes too.

Thanks CMKiwi and MadMac, you guys have given me some ideas. Lots of info on youtube. Here's one. He doesn't sound the horn until the end of the video (8:35) if you want to go just to that.

[Dassie]

I've found the horn has no effect on the Chinese. I've had my close calls with them as well, both on motorbike and in car. The only thing that has worked is my swerving to avoid them, slamming on the brakes, or the Chinese happening to look my way.

I hear sirens all day long down by CM gate, and I wonder if they are ambulances scraping the Chinese off the road and taking them to a hospital.

How can they be so stupid?

..they behave like there's 'no tomorrow'..just landed on planet Earth and are stunned...the natural attrition rate must be very high in their country.

I suspect they truly believe that no one would ever hurt them because they rule the world. You know, what with them being blessed with superior intelligence and born in such a powerful nation and all...God, help us!? '>.<'

Sorry Dassie, but I thought your comments were purely reserved for the Americans! How dare the Chinese impinge on this monopoly.

Now I expect my comment will be like putting the cat amongst the pigeons.

No offence meant....just my observations.

Oh CMKiwi, Padawan, you just haven't spent enough time around the illustrious Chinese to see it yet!? They rather fancy themselves as being much smarter than the rest of us average bears, including our dear friends from the states, and the kiwis too!? LOL *sigh* followed by a face palm

[Crossy]

I wonder if these chaps will ship to Thailand

http://trainhorns.net/

[kotsak]

This should do it

[slapout]

A group of 7 came into the resturant this morning where I was having coffee and they were quite quiet and did not spit, throw things or make a mess in any way. This included a couple youngsters who I guessed were 6+ to 8 years of age.

Having worked in China and having seen firsthand how messey they can be and reading many remarks on tv about their actions, etc, in our fair city, I was pleasently surprised at their good manners and conduct. Having said that a couple on bikes cut in front of me on my drive home and i startled them with the horn and one nearly fell down.

[happysanook]

Have seen several near misses when they go across the road when there's clearly not enough time to cross, or up the wrong way with complete abandon on motorcycles and bicycles. Usually on the one way roads near the moat.

[mesquite]

A group of 7 came into the resturant this morning where I was having coffee and they were quite quiet and did not spit, throw things or make a mess in any way. This included a couple youngsters who I guessed were 6+ to 8 years of age.

Having worked in China and having seen firsthand how messey they can be and reading many remarks on tv about their actions, etc, in our fair city, I was pleasently surprised at their good manners and conduct. Having said that a couple on bikes cut in front of me on my drive home and i startled them with the horn and one nearly fell down.

train horn, I hope.

[MadMac]

You can buy the triple truck horns from Aliexpress, freaking loud, but you need still a compressor. The small one that comes with the plastic horns (which are loud too) is not strong enough. Tried that.

Link probably not allowed here, search for

"Triple Trumpet Air Horns 150.2dB"

[cyberfarang]

That`s your problem. Many of you are passed getting the horn these days even with a compressor. If you could, you probably wouldn`t think about the Chinese so much and enjoy life a lot more.

[JaseTheBass]

Install air horns.....I've yet to find someone who doesn't jump when you give them a blast.

Good shop opposite Shangri-la hotel has Italian "Stebel" brand compact air horns for just 980baht. Very easy to install.

Easy to fit on motorbikes too.

I had a couple of Orange Hella horns on an old motorbike of mine. I loved them. It was quite a shock when the 'victim' woke up for the first time in years, if not ever.

[Gonsalviz]

I was in Pattaya Second road. These 2 old Chinese ladies were pressing the button to cross the road. I have never seen one work so I told them to just walk. Apparently they thought they could just dash out. And the first car just barely missed them.

I walk across that road all the time and never even had a close call.

[uthaithanirules]

I wonder what the real road toll is in China

I simply do not believe even Thailands number of road deaths per capita would be more than China

[LawrenceChee]

Head to Beijing and Shanghai and any of the big cities

When you see the amount of honking going on , you understand why this is white noise to the Chinese

When they arrive in Chiangmai ...it's like discovering paradise for them

Unlike some of us , they really don't moan or groan about much things unless you try to fleece them of a quarter of a cent

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Head to Beijing and Shanghai and any of the big cities

When you see the amount of honking going on , you understand why this is white noise to the Chinese

When they arrive in Chiangmai ...it's like discovering paradise for them

Unlike some of us , they really don't moan or groan about much things unless you try to fleece them of a quarter of a cent

Police is getting very good at extracting 500 Baht corruption money from them when driving without an (International) driver's license (no ticket issued), yet they mostly take it in stride. Rental companies are now actually recommending them to just not stop, or turn around (never mind how perilous that move would usually be).

I'm expecting something nasty to happen in a situation like that; just hoping it will be a corrupt cop on the tarmac, not a tourist.

[Tomtomtom69]

I had 1 guy falling in front of me with the bike on a right turn. No contact. Another one close to the same. I like to horn to get these idiots off the road. Light helps more with cars. Today had a truck at Samoeng junction, he just drove in the middle lane to the right on red. Waiting for traffic to pass. Must make the best out of it, don't get agitated, so you wont get shot

We're talking about Chinese here not Thais. Obviously Chinese won't shoot. They aren't allowed to own guns, not to mention a Chinese tourist shooting a gun would create an international incident. Thais shooting guns is an everyday occurrence.