Using your horn, damned if you do, damned if you dont!

[ChrisKC]

This has been an interesting thread:

We have heard from those whose attitude is similar to Thais. We have heard of those who hoot at everything and we have heard from those who hardly hoot at all in a lifetime of driving.

I wonder what other characteristics of people we might infer from those observations?

I am of the latter category: I have driven in UK (35 years) USA, France, Spain and Portugal and over 13 years or so in Thailand and if I said I have hooted 50 times in all that period I would have exaggerated. I am free of any accidents.

Like some here, I am, and always have been an anticipatory driver and always know what is around me.

[DrTuner]

Advise about horn blowing is given when watching the video as part of the Thai driving license test.

Ah yes, Miss Manao. I bet she's blown a lot of horns.

[Redline]

I use my horn frequently. I keeps me safe. I'm not Thai~one advantage~and probably contributes to "falang jai ron". Sorry, but it's my life...

[connda]

Here's you options: get over the verbal abuse, or feel responsible for the injury of death of four people because you chose not to warn them that you were there. The driver's anger isn't your problem. But, also consider buying a Car Cam so you can film Thai stupidity on the road. That way if you need to go to court you have some a video to back up your story -- you are a farang, so your story is worth about 1/2 of a Thai national's story. You did the right thing - move on.....

[stevenl]

I always use the horn if i can see that there is no awarness of the (mostly) motorcicles on the road, just rushing out from a small soi into the main road without watching the traffic or getting that close to my car that i am scared the get sratched from them: so i use my horn and dont care what action the others are doing, giving or having!

Thais dont know how to drive safe, so i give them a chance not to get under my wheels!!!!!!!!

Thai highway code dictates that unlike in western countries, merging traffic has the right of way. If a lot of foreigners stopped driving by the rules that don't apply here, they would have a less stressful and much quieter commute. All this parping, bipping, meeping, tooting, honking, etc., has absolutely no impact on the safety of either party. On the other hand, being constantly mindful of the unpredictability of driving here and adopting the appropriate driving style to compensate for this shortcoming will.

Merging traffic only had right of way if the roads are of equal importance.

[chiang mai]

Advise about horn blowing is given when watching the video as part of the Thai driving license test.

As is advice on overtaking safely and a myriad of other things, most of which are ignored.

[ozyjon]

I slow down and let them pass and wave hello to them

when i pass them further up after they have an accident.

[Daffy D]

Use of horn justified or not justified??

Doesn't really matter as the outcome would have been the same same

[JaseTheBass]

I once bipped my horn at a thai's very bad driving and he chased me down the road and threatened to shoot me. Obviously a major insult to their manliness.

What manliness? Most of them are trying b****r each other.

[bazza40]

Many, many years ago, my driving instructor taught me using the horn is a measure of your own competence as a driver. His proposition was if you anticipated the manoeuvres of other motorists well enough, you should never need to use the horn.

My main focus when driving in Thailand is driving defensively. No matter how aggravating the idiots are, there's no future in getting aggressive.

A valid proposition where those around you have equal training, have been tested to equal measure and (generally) follow the regulations with equal discipline.

Your instructor taught you to 'anticipate the manoeuvre of other motorists'..... I think thats why many over here would choose to use their horn... because, after driving here for a number of years we can anticipate the careless, the dangerous and the downright idiotic....

In short - the horn is used specifically in anticipation of what is about to happen... Isn't that the whole purpose of the horn ????

I think I've used the horn seriously once in Thailand, under extreme circumstances. A Thai in a pickup was moving into my lane oblivious to my presence, and I could see a side-swipe coming. Reason being he had draped his shirt over the driver's side window, presumably to keep out the sun. That qualifies as downright idiotic.

Each to his own. I've been driving scooters and cars here for seven years now. Hope we both survive.

[JaseTheBass]

I use my horn multiple times everyday. Wife used to hate it but now understand's why I do it. Plus I think you should use the horn more often. How else will they realise what they are doing is dangerous and life threatening.

My favorite is the "late turner'. a driver who is generally on the far left who wants to turn right. Always makes the last minute decision with 20- 50 metres he'll slow down or completely stop (in the middle of a main road / highway 80km p/h) so he can merge to the right lane for a u-turn. No thought of the accident he's about to potentially cause. No planning ahead to move to the right lane a few hundred metres or more before his turn. Amazing.

DELETED

If you cannot find a way to anticipate what others on the road are likely to do, then you might want to find another hobby. Announcing "Multiple times a day" is simply disclosing in a very public fashion that you are not up to the task of driving here. I would maintain that Thai drivers (per capita) are among the best in the world. Air drop any 'superior' westerner into the driver's seat in pretty much any traffic pattern encountered within LOS, and the only question becomes, will he/she wet themselves, before or after slamming the car in 'park' and adopting the fetal position?

Crack? Smack? Or something else?

[NanLaew]

I always use the horn if i can see that there is no awarness of the (mostly) motorcicles on the road, just rushing out from a small soi into the main road without watching the traffic or getting that close to my car that i am scared the get sratched from them: so i use my horn and dont care what action the others are doing, giving or having!

Thais dont know how to drive safe, so i give them a chance not to get under my wheels!!!!!!!!

Thai highway code dictates that unlike in western countries, merging traffic has the right of way. If a lot of foreigners stopped driving by the rules that don't apply here, they would have a less stressful and much quieter commute. All this parping, bipping, meeping, tooting, honking, etc., has absolutely no impact on the safety of either party. On the other hand, being constantly mindful of the unpredictability of driving here and adopting the appropriate driving style to compensate for this shortcoming will.

Merging traffic only had right of way if the roads are of equal importance.

Absolutely correct. But the average Somchai only gets the first part that he has right of way, end of. As far as he's concerned, the minor road that he is taking to go home/work/eat/drink is far more "important" than the dual-carriageway that he has to cross to get to his home/work/eat/drink. That's why 9 out of 10 motorcycles will not slow down when merging onto any other road with only a cursory glance over their right shoulder as they keep moving into traffic. They expect the 4-wheeler (and bigger) to accommodate them even when they indulge in making a right u-turn from the left-most lane.

Drive defensively and pretty much most of the aggravation and trauma will stay below your radar.

[DrTuner]

Just to make it clear, driving defensively means assuming everyone on the road is practically brain dead, right?

[bazza40]

Just to make it clear, driving defensively means assuming everyone on the road is practically brain dead, right?

With 30,000 road deaths a year, isn't that a reasonable assumption?

[monsieurhappy]

I have had to do the same numerous times while either on my motorcycle or in the car. And it's always just a little honk to let the person know I am there and my fiancee gets infuriated with me saying that so many Thais carry guns that one day I'll probably get shot.

My wife tells me the same rubbish so I say a Thai in a car or on a m/c is much more dangerous than a Thai with a gun!

You only have to see how many concrete posts they manage to hit while driving, they would not be able to hit one with a gun!

[NanLaew]

Just to make it clear, driving defensively means assuming everyone on the road is practically brain dead, right?

Mostly correct. But don't discount the fact that many of them are packing heat along with their precariously fragile ego's so remain deferential in the face of even the most idiotic, provocative, arrogant and ignorant behavior.

[Can samui]

I have an airhorn on my motorbike, sounds like a cement truck so definitely gets peoples attention. It has saved my butt a couple of times.

[Ireland32]

I have an airhorn on my motorbike, sounds like a cement truck so definitely gets peoples attention. It has saved my butt a couple of times.

it saves me all the time, quite a wake up call...

[Songlaw]

I use my horn multiple times everyday. Wife used to hate it but now understand's why I do it. Plus I think you should use the horn more often. How else will they realise what they are doing is dangerous and life threatening.

My favorite is the "late turner'. a driver who is generally on the far left who wants to turn right. Always makes the last minute decision with 20- 50 metres he'll slow down or completely stop (in the middle of a main road / highway 80km p/h) so he can merge to the right lane for a u-turn. No thought of the accident he's about to potentially cause. No planning ahead to move to the right lane a few hundred metres or more before his turn. Amazing.

DELETED

If you cannot find a way to anticipate what others on the road are likely to do, then you might want to find another hobby. Announcing "Multiple times a day" is simply disclosing in a very public fashion that you are not up to the task of driving here. I would maintain that Thai drivers (per capita) are among the best in the world. Air drop any 'superior' westerner into the driver's seat in pretty much any traffic pattern encountered within LOS, and the only question becomes, will he/she wet themselves, before or after slamming the car in 'park' and adopting the fetal position?

Crack? Smack? Or something else?

None for me thanks. Please carry on. I'll stick with water.

[tropo]

I have ridden as a passenger many times with various Thai people driving, and all of them will give a friendly toot of the horn if they think another road user hasn't seen them. I have never witnessed any aggressive behaviour because of this. So, I do the same and no one has had a problem or threatened to kill me yet. But one day I was out with a Farang friend and I tooted someone, and he told me his wife had told him it was a big no no, and I would be killed if continued to do it. So it seems every one has a different opinion. What I think is a short blast is fine, but a long, aggressive one, forget it.

You have to crack the code. There are many ways to honk your horn all with different meanings. Used in the correct context should cause no drama. In the OPs situation 2 short beeps would do the trick. A longer honk would suggest anger.

[wprime]

A light toot for letting people know you're there is usually sufficient, high beams if you have speed and are distant.

Holding the horn down should be reserved for imminent collisions, you'll get abuse when you do but there isn't really a good alternative. Just keep doing what you're doing and come here to rant each time it happens.

Actually had one today, a saleng changed lanes on a highway from the left lane of a 3 lane highway coming across to the right to u-turn in the ditch (not actually a u turn area but the grass was worn out as if used often as a u turn area).

I was doing 110km/h and him about 10km/h, I dropped to about 80km/h while holding the horn down and he came across anyway. I had to slow to about 20km/h to avoid hitting him. I slowed next to him and said, "chuay chai krajok bang noi" - it means please use your mirrors sometimes (very polite). He yelled back "ja reep pai nai" which pretty much means why the rush (angrily)? He seemed clueless to the fact that he was almost a smear on the pavement. I do believe some riders believe cars are able to instantly stop on command.

Edited May 25, 2016 by wprime

[willr]

That's why I put truck air horns on my car,it quickly moves them out of the way.

[seedy]

Flaming post removec

[regedit]

I fitted one of these...to my General Thai Dee...

https://youtu.be/zAKksqKR3pI

[ballpoint]

i beeped my horn when i saw a mate walking down the street in pattaya last year and my girl told me off. last week a guy riding in the left hand lane on a motorbike decided to do a right hand turn across the front of my pick up. i locked up the breaks hit the horn and came to a sliding stop about 1m from him. my girl though i used the horn appropriately in that case. i need to get a dash cam. would have been great to record that. can anyone tell me if i can get a single unit that faces forward and rearward?

I got one of these in KL, don't know if they're available here. Both cameras can rotate 180 degrees. Normally I keep one facing forwards and one backwards, but if pulled over for any reason I swivel the one on the drivers side to face the window for a record of the proceedings.

[StatlerandWaldorf]

A light toot for letting people know you're there is usually sufficient, high beams if you have speed and are distant.

Holding the horn down should be reserved for imminent collisions, you'll get abuse when you do but there isn't really a good alternative. Just keep doing what you're doing and come here to rant each time it happens.

Actually had one today, a saleng changed lanes on a highway from the left lane of a 3 lane highway coming across to the right to u-turn in the ditch (not actually a u turn area but the grass was worn out as if used often as a u turn area).

I was doing 110km/h and him about 10km/h, I dropped to about 80km/h while holding the horn down and he came across anyway. I had to slow to about 20km/h to avoid hitting him. I slowed next to him and said, "chuay chai krajok bang noi" - it means please use your mirrors sometimes (very polite). He yelled back "ja reep pai nai" which pretty much means why the rush (angrily)? He seemed clueless to the fact that he was almost a smear on the pavement. I do believe some riders believe cars are able to instantly stop on command.

The stopping distance of a Thai operated vehicle is 1m regardless of speed because that is how far many of them drive behind the vehicle in front.

[BSJ]

If the situation warrants toot. Better to toot and get the finger than have to deal with the police, relatives and insurance co of the deceased.

[TheSwissMan]

I have had to do the same numerous times while either on my motorcycle or in the car. And it's always just a little honk to let the person know I am there and my fiancee gets infuriated with me saying that so many Thais carry guns that one day I'll probably get shot.

Giving other road users a toot to warn them is something Thais do most of the time.

Ask your fiancee if she can get you a gun as well.

I agree. If it's just a toot, you should be fine. Hell, I've been honked at a few times (as a car driver) sometimes by aggressive drivers who want to pass me as quickly as possible and that has never been an issue. I think their attitude stinks, but a mere toot of the horn is not going to get any reaction out of me.

Strange that the OP had such an unusual encounter with another vehicle (motorcycle in his case). I would say it's a one-off though. Very rare to be faced with such a reaction. Also a bit strange that he didn't start driving much faster than the motorcycle to lose it.