Crazy Driving in Thailand! by The Pattaya Sleuth

[Inspire]

Crazy Driving in Thailand! by The Pattaya Sleuth



Having lived in several places in Thailand for many years now there is one thing that I know everyone, regardless of if you a car driver, a motorcyclist, a pedestrian or even a passenger will have – and that is that you have some shocking tale to tell about your experience on the roads!

You only have to watch the news and barely a day goes by without there being a major accident and to be honest when you witness the standard of driving it is hardly surprising.

The general ‘tactic’ or aim for driving Thailand appears to be drive as fast as you can as close to the vehicle in front as possible. The frightening thing is that is you don’t do this you are likely to cause confusion and frustration amongst other road users.

There is of course the other extreme when a driver in Thailand is looking for something. This results in the said driver reducing their speed to around 10km/h, continuously touching their brakes and driving far enough towards the centre of the road to prevent anybody from passing. This style of driving should again be viewed as perfectly normal and quite acceptable.

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/crazy-driving-thailand/

-- Inspire Pattaya 2016-04-09

[seedy]

Two Posts Hidden - the Point of the post is not the point. Forum description -

Cars, law, traffic rules, drivers license, routes etc. Repair shops, second hand cars, all things petrol and diesel!

[Rob8891]

Apologies, but when the comment was made, the thread was in Pub.

[Jing Joe]

The general ‘tactic’ or aim for driving Thailand appears to be drive as fast as you can as close to the vehicle in front as possible. The frightening thing is that is you don’t do this you are likely to cause confusion and frustration among other road users.

It took some "frightening" time (years) to get through to my Thai wife not to do this in Aus. After two minor speeding radar fines she was still angry at the police ! (about $120 each and no bribery here) About keeping at least two seconds back from the car in front and being too concerned about the car/s behind her in most situations--- she is a slow learner.

Is it in her DNA or just old habits? The;- "causing confusion and frustration" in LOS is something I don't miss.

The summing up of the situation there was well put by "Inspired editor".

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jing Joe

[godden]

Double parking both sides of the road is a good one.

[Jing Joe]

The general ‘tactic’ or aim for driving Thailand appears to be drive as fast as you can as close to the vehicle in front as possible. The frightening thing is that is you don’t do this you are likely to cause confusion and frustration among other road users.

It took some "frightening" time (years) to get through to my Thai wife not to do this in Aus. After two minor speeding radar fines she was still angry at the police ! (about $120 each and no bribery here) About keeping at least two seconds back from the car in front and being too concerned about the car/s behind her in most situations--- she is a slow learner.

Is it in her DNA or just old habits? The;- "causing confusion and frustration" in LOS is something I don't miss.

The summing up of the situation there was well put by "Inspired editor".

Oh and I forgot to mention how I actually convinced my bride in the first few years here NEVER to offer a bribe to a traffic cop if she was being booked, because she "would go to jail and they don't serve Thai food in Aussie jails". It seemed to help in the duration of breaking old habits.

Seriously though; safe driving over there folks.

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jing Joe

[Jing Joe]

Double parking both sides of the road is a good one.

There seems to be "double parking" even in the gents toilet as in your avatar in post #5. Sorry godden I couldn't resist that.

You have unwittingly caused many to smile?? Please don't edit out.

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jing Joe

[seedy]

Post Removed - see Post #2

[Kwasaki]

Glad the sponsor posted this l will now be as careful driving here as l did in other places in the world.

Only good bit at end ;- " This is article is completely fictitious and in no way represents any characters or events that may or may not occur in Thailand."

Edited April 10, 2016 by Kwasaki

[KhunBENQ]

Another traffic rant.

Too much to write.

What I love: speedy overtaking, then 50 m further on: braking and waiting for a right turn

Such behavior is also a reason for an important rule: never follow a Thai to the opposite lane.

Wait for "things to happen"/surprises and having enough room to maneuver.

Edited April 10, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[georgemandm]

Can you just imagine how many people will die in the next week how sads it will be for all family members.

But that is thailand and until the thai government step up and fix it , it will stay the same .

I have been driving here now for just on 7 years off and on and I can't believe how bad it is and I have been on the roads driver back home for 30 years as a truck driver in Australia.

Now I can see back in Australia how good most of the drivers are and I not complaining any more, yes we have some bad ones but not like thailand.

My thai partner tells how good the driver are in Melbourne when she go's home with me for holidays .

I tell her because we try and teach them how to be good drivers and thailand needs to look at how it is done in other countries to lean from it .

[bbbbooboo]

Stupidity rules on Thai roads for sure. And you can't fix stupid.

[mihalis]

My wifes cousin was killed a few months ago, while riding his motorbike on the opposite side of the road.. Laziness in, and an extra few minutes of his time, cost him his life... My opinion is, 80% just dont care, nor have the skills to drive....

[Bangkok Barry]

Just this past week close to my house had someone die and another lose a leg. They were on a motorbike and decided to turn right. Did they look what was behind them? What do you think? Brain dead people.

[bogozy]

Excume me, not agree with comment at above.

I am living in Thailand some years. Almost everyday I take part in the traffic, to drive my car, or ride bicycle.

I experienced a lot of ocassions, many farangs adapted to the "thai driving" methods, excellently. So look around, and You can see, farangs, heavy drunken drive, no helmet on the ride, or driving againist to the traffic, no obey the traffic rules, etc.

[giddyup]

Excume me, not agree with comment at above.

I am living in Thailand some years. Almost everyday I take part in the traffic, to drive my car, or ride bicycle.

I experienced a lot of ocassions, many farangs adapted to the "thai driving" methods, excellently. So look around, and You can see, farangs, heavy drunken drive, no helmet on the ride, or driving againist to the traffic, no obey the traffic rules, etc.

No question that there are stupid falangs as well.

[AlphaSoiDog]

I'm a big believer in consequences, they are the great teacher. The trick is to learn with small consequences so you don't have to pay the big ones.

In Thailand there don't seem to be small consequences. Someone overtakes then immediately slams on the brakes, stops in the middle of the road and goes shopping, and they don't even get a horn blast.

Even stupid people will learn if the consequence has an obvious association (so do dogs, and they aren't so bright). If a cop booked a few people in town at random times and days? It would have a visible effect in a week. Instead socially polite people (because there is a consequence) learn that they get a "reward" for driving/riding like .

In my Australian country town kids brought up without consequences (yay gen Z) are now psychopathic drivers, some of whom don't seem to understand that they aren't the innocent victim when they kill or maim someone. If they survive long enough then the regular consequences (police who actually do policing, and a lot of vocal people) will eventually teach them some manners.

Edited April 10, 2016 by AlphaSoiDog

[chicowoodduck]

I figure I'm lucky to still be alive living here in Pattaya....I get hit about once a month by a motorbike or some other vehicle trying to use the road and footpaths in and around Crazy Town....?

[doggie1955]

Stupidity rules on Thai roads for sure. And you can't fix stupid.

Welcome to the Land Of Stupid...

[doggie1955]

Try driving in PP, Cambodia...now that is "Crazy"

[Robm579]

Excume me, not agree with comment at above.

I am living in Thailand some years. Almost everyday I take part in the traffic, to drive my car, or ride bicycle.

I experienced a lot of ocassions, many farangs adapted to the "thai driving" methods, excellently. So look around, and You can see, farangs, heavy drunken drive, no helmet on the ride, or driving againist to the traffic, no obey the traffic rules, etc.

There are rules!

I've driven in most countries ... Without doubt Thailand is the worst... By far

Mostly they are clueless , or don't care!

The basic requirement on the road is common sense.... Combined with a vision of the consequences of my actions and responsibility for them ....

Thais don't have ...

Despite the shortened and curtailed forth coming songkran ... There will be the normal 1500 body count... Almost all " avoidable"... Almost all predictable...

Darwin rules

[dotpoom]

Huggers of the outside lane _isses me off.

[AlphaSoiDog]

Huggers of the outside lane _isses me off.

Wow! They noticed a lane?!

My woman is terrified when I drive on the highway. I don't have to slam on the brakes for every curve or corner and I don't have to drive through/around them on the wrong side of the road...

Edited April 10, 2016 by AlphaSoiDog

[AlQaholic]

In the 3 kilometers of road between my home and my work, there are daily at least two accidents with motorcycles, and they are all caused, as far as I can tell by utter stupidity. I have waited at crossings for 5 minutes or more (driving a car) and that is for me a little time, I could wait for 10 minutes to be safe, but these idiot people have to risk their and their families (family on the back, about 3 or more people) lives just because they are lazy to wait a bit until the traffic clears?

Edited April 10, 2016 by AlQaholic

[AlphaSoiDog]

Today coming into town at about 30km/hr on a bicycle (full bright lycra kit and lights) a large truck started to overtake maybe 10m from the petrol station it was about to pull into. Apparently he expected that I would do an emergency stop as soon as his cab was next to me with it's feeble blinker on.

By then of course if I stopped I'd be right at the driveway and still risk getting run over. Thankfully he had a lot of passenger side glass to see me yell at him and he held off turning. At the risk of killing me he would have save less than a second...

I dream that he feels a slight loss of face as I drew the attention of locals who had full view of his "impoliteness". I'm trying not to think that the locals will think I'm just another complaining falang. Please don't burst my bubble with your superior experience.

Edited April 10, 2016 by AlphaSoiDog

[Zendo]

Always drive on the right lane !! Left one is for LOOSERS !

And if both are filled.. use Righter lane on zebra , never mind !

but it's not totally their fault, nobody teach them. and nobody controls anything ^^ Police is just doing controls point and helmets checks

Also I really have the feeling that monks images and amulets..etc.. really really works better in their mind that safety thinking and intelligent behaviour.. Such a dangerous mass to dive into everyday !

But no stress for speeding radar detectors everywhere.. Other kind of stress, behing prepared for EVERYTHING could happen.. and try to guess crazy predicatable moves as often as possible,

On day they might also fix some "too low" speed radar detectors in place here !

[AlphaSoiDog]

A chance for a bitch?

I enjoyed it.

I'll go now....

[thailand49]

Excume me, not agree with comment at above.

I am living in Thailand some years. Almost everyday I take part in the traffic, to drive my car, or ride bicycle.

I experienced a lot of ocassions, many farangs adapted to the "thai driving" methods, excellently. So look around, and You can see, farangs, heavy drunken drive, no helmet on the ride, or driving againist to the traffic, no obey the traffic rules, etc.

What you say is very true, I also live here and driving has been a big part of my life, I've had a long relation with the Department of Transportation in the U.S. have all the credentials to teach, test and enough experience to determine who might be at fault in a accident. It is nether the Thais being stupid or lack the ability to drive a vehicle. It comes from the top! They have taken a useful tool many of our laws regarding that tool and due to a lack of education and enforcement their driving has revolved to it being what it is today. As noted Farangs do it and I be the first to admit I break some of the rules whenever I'm in a self created traffic mess. The big difference I do it with caution knowing full well what I'm doing can be unsafe, illegal, and the consequences that can arise from doing it because I'm trained and seen the results when you don't. Here many of the daily violation are against their own driver education handbook but never been actually educated themselves as to why and the results so when they actually get on the road they adapt to what everyone is doing. Thus you hear from Thais " This is Thailand " and as noted Farangs do it too they adapt just like the Thais because no one is really looking and when the % is you will get away with it human nature being what it is it is going to happen! We break the rules?

Edited April 10, 2016 by thailand49

[Roomuck]

When in Rome.

When in Thailand.

It is their country, we just have to learn to adjust. If you don't, you will cause accidents. They are not going to change for us.

[BSJ]

What is the point of discussing this subject again at length? Anyone who has actually spent any time in LOS knows how it is. Why not come at the problem from another angle and help teach people the correct way to ride and teach them some road craft as well. I wish you good luck if you try.