Natural Selection In Thailand

[Neeranam]

Has anyone noticed this working in Thailand?

I think that there are more idiots on the road now than when I first came here.

How long should it take before they are kiled, and the 'suicidal gene' eradicated?

BTW, I've never belived in Darwin's theory of evolution - where is the missing link?

[Mobi]

A lot of the problem with traffic deaths here is wound up in Buddhist philosophy.

Illustration:

Two days ago I was stationary at the Dolphin roundabout in Pattaya when an old BMW side swiped me. He had to stop as there was gridlock. I looked at him - he looked at me - he looked pretty unruly and was probably drunk. As I started to get out, he drove away down to Beach road. I thought about chasing him, or reporting him (I got his number), but thought: "What's the Point? Life's too short."

It cost me 3,000 Baht to repair the damage.

I told my wife what happened. She asked why I didn't chase him? I said it wasn't worth it - who knows he might have had a gun and shot me.

She said if it was her she would have gone after him.

What if he shoots you?

If God decides it's time for me to go then so be it, but I wouldn't let him get away with it.

That's ridiclous - what about your son, your family - you'd risk all that for a few thousand Baht?

Yes - I would. It's all down to my fate - if it's time to die there's nothing I can do about it.

Have you ever been in a vehicle with Thais when they narrowly escape a serious accident. Did you look at their faces? They were probably all smiling. Why? Because it wasn't their time to die.

I'm afraid its this kind of fatalistic attitude that contributes to many traffic accidents.

[jbsears]

A lot of the problem with traffic deaths here is wound up in Buddhist philosophy.

Illustration:

Two days ago I was stationary at the Dolphin roundabout in Pattaya when an old BMW side swiped me. He had to stop as there was gridlock. I looked at him - he looked at me - he looked pretty unruly and was probably drunk. As I started to get out, he drove away down to Beach road. I thought about chasing him, or reporting him (I got his number), but thought: "What's the Point? Life's too short."

It cost me 3,000 Baht to repair the damage.

I told my wife what happened. She asked why I didn't chase him? I said it wasn't worth it - who knows he might have had a gun and shot me.

She said if it was her she would have gone after him.

What if he shoots you?

If God decides it's time for me to go then so be it, but I wouldn't let him get away with it.

That's ridiclous - what about your son, your family - you'd risk all that for a few thousand Baht?

Yes - I would. It's all down to my fate - if it's time to die there's nothing I can do about it.

Have you ever been in a vehicle with Thais when they narrowly escape a serious accident. Did you look at their faces? They were probably all smiling. Why? Because it wasn't their time to die.

I'm afraid its this kind of fatalistic attitude that contributes to many traffic accidents.

That is exactly it. That is why taxis and other Thais have Buddhist ornaments all over the dash and mirror. They truly believe that these items will protect them. Many do not actually think they hold their own fate in their own hands. If you drive defensively, you have a lot less chance of dying than if you drive offensively with tons of Buddhist images.

[Scott]

"I don't care if it rains or freezes, as long as I have my plastic Jesus

riding on the dashboard of my car."

Thais aren't the only ones.

Evolution doesn't really apply to drivers because by the time they die many have already passed on the genes. Sorry about that.

[Don Quixote]

BTW, I've never belived in Darwin's theory of evolution - where is the missing link?

He's busy posting in the 'brits moving overseas' thread.

[dave111223]

If God decides it's time for me to go then so be it, but I wouldn't let him get away with it.

I thought Buddhists didn't have a "God"?

And also though the Buddhist philosphy was a charma type thing, as my wife says "Do bad thing, get bad thing"....so normally wouldn't most Buddhists just let the guy go and assume that his bad charma would catch up to him somehow?

[sibeymai]

Natural selection is never going to work in Thailand as Buddhists just keep coming back, defective genes and all.

[Neeranam]

I like the saying - 'arai ja gerd gaw hai mun gerd' - whatever happens is meant to happen - so why worry?

[pampal]

I ride my bicycle everywhere in Thailand and the Thai are about the most courteous drivers I have encountered. Mind you I am talking from a bicyclist point of view and not a car driver's viewpoint. In the last month I have ridden over 1300 kms in Bangkok traffic in the last month and I have yet to see a driver force me off the road or in anyway endanger me or my bicycle. They seem to give way to bicycles, as strange as that may seem. Also when driving a car, I make it a point to be more aggressive than they are and they have given way everytime. I am not defending their driving habits or driving skill. I am merely saying that toward a bicycle, they are careful and very accomodating on the road. This probably doesn't translate to their attitudes towards other cars, but hey I drive alot less than I ride my bike. My route takes me from chinatown to Sanam Luang and then to samsen road going all the way to nonthaburi and back at least 4 times a week. Never had any problems with cars, tuk tuks, taxis or buses. Your mileage may vary.

[Ijustwannateach]

There's certainly a Christian determinism as well- "what happens is good because God wills it so..." though of course they're left with the problem of how not to blame God for evil. Still, the attitude is handy for avoiding responsibility and thought in a variety of belief systems.

[jbsears]

I ride my bicycle everywhere in Thailand and the Thai are about the most courteous drivers I have encountered. Mind you I am talking from a bicyclist point of view and not a car driver's viewpoint. In the last month I have ridden over 1300 kms in Bangkok traffic in the last month and I have yet to see a driver force me off the road or in anyway endanger me or my bicycle. They seem to give way to bicycles, as strange as that may seem. Also when driving a car, I make it a point to be more aggressive than they are and they have given way everytime. I am not defending their driving habits or driving skill. I am merely saying that toward a bicycle, they are careful and very accomodating on the road. This probably doesn't translate to their attitudes towards other cars, but hey I drive alot less than I ride my bike. My route takes me from chinatown to Sanam Luang and then to samsen road going all the way to nonthaburi and back at least 4 times a week. Never had any problems with cars, tuk tuks, taxis or buses. Your mileage may vary.

This seems to be true too. When my gf drives, she is very careful around motorcycles and bicycles. She just doesn't want to kill anybody. I think she fears karma.

When I drive, motorcycles beware. I treat all vehicles on the road the same. If they want to drive on the road they must follow the same rules. If they do something crazy and I take out a motorcyclist, so be it. My train of thought is that if the cyclist survives then he/she will learn a lesson not to drive like that. If he/she dies, then others watching will learn the lesson. Harsh! But rules are made to be followed!

[h90]

Has anyone noticed this working in Thailand?

I think that there are more idiots on the road now than when I first came here.

How long should it take before they are kiled, and the 'suicidal gene' eradicated?

BTW, I've never belived in Darwin's theory of evolution - where is the missing link?

these not taking care on the street, also don't take care when having sex (no condom for example). So they multiply faster than they get cleaned out by evolution.

Many gens have these dual effects (there is a gen in africa, which makes your blood worse but prefents malaria infection, this here is simillar, a lot drop out but higher fertility)

[rak sa_ngop]

I ride my bicycle everywhere in Thailand and the Thai are about the most courteous drivers I have encountered. Mind you I am talking from a bicyclist point of view and not a car driver's viewpoint. In the last month I have ridden over 1300 kms in Bangkok traffic in the last month and I have yet to see a driver force me off the road or in anyway endanger me or my bicycle. They seem to give way to bicycles, as strange as that may seem. Also when driving a car, I make it a point to be more aggressive than they are and they have given way everytime. I am not defending their driving habits or driving skill. I am merely saying that toward a bicycle, they are careful and very accomodating on the road. This probably doesn't translate to their attitudes towards other cars, but hey I drive alot less than I ride my bike. My route takes me from chinatown to Sanam Luang and then to samsen road going all the way to nonthaburi and back at least 4 times a week. Never had any problems with cars, tuk tuks, taxis or buses. Your mileage may vary.

Just out of interest do you wear a cycling helmet? I recently read somewhere about a survey that found that motorists actually give LESS space to cyclists who WEAR a helmet.

Does that fit in with your experience?

[pampal]

I ride my bicycle everywhere in Thailand and the Thai are about the most courteous drivers I have encountered. Mind you I am talking from a bicyclist point of view and not a car driver's viewpoint. In the last month I have ridden over 1300 kms in Bangkok traffic in the last month and I have yet to see a driver force me off the road or in anyway endanger me or my bicycle. They seem to give way to bicycles, as strange as that may seem. Also when driving a car, I make it a point to be more aggressive than they are and they have given way everytime. I am not defending their driving habits or driving skill. I am merely saying that toward a bicycle, they are careful and very accomodating on the road. This probably doesn't translate to their attitudes towards other cars, but hey I drive alot less than I ride my bike. My route takes me from chinatown to Sanam Luang and then to samsen road going all the way to nonthaburi and back at least 4 times a week. Never had any problems with cars, tuk tuks, taxis or buses. Your mileage may vary.

Just out of interest do you wear a cycling helmet? I recently read somewhere about a survey that found that motorists actually give LESS space to cyclists who WEAR a helmet.

Does that fit in with your experience?

I always wear a helmet, fingerless padded gloves and my north face boots. I also have a backpack with everything from extra tube and air pump to complete repair kit.

I haven't noticed any difference in drivers attitudes to those wearing helmets. Although wearing a helmet does seem to be a novelty to the Thai drivers as I get stared at often.

[Jared]

My wife told me a funny story. We was driving down her road when I saw a young monk sitting around, she told me that he has just come out of jail and has just decided to be a monk. I asked her why he was in jail and why he wanted to be a monk. She sais he wanted to be a monk because he has terrible bad luck and wants some good luck, I then asked her why he was in jail and she replyed Drug Dealing.

[Thaising]

I ride my bicycle everywhere in Thailand and the Thai are about the most courteous drivers I have encountered. Mind you I am talking from a bicyclist point of view and not a car driver's viewpoint. In the last month I have ridden over 1300 kms in Bangkok traffic in the last month and I have yet to see a driver force me off the road or in anyway endanger me or my bicycle. They seem to give way to bicycles, as strange as that may seem. Also when driving a car, I make it a point to be more aggressive than they are and they have given way everytime. I am not defending their driving habits or driving skill. I am merely saying that toward a bicycle, they are careful and very accomodating on the road. This probably doesn't translate to their attitudes towards other cars, but hey I drive alot less than I ride my bike. My route takes me from chinatown to Sanam Luang and then to samsen road going all the way to nonthaburi and back at least 4 times a week. Never had any problems with cars, tuk tuks, taxis or buses. Your mileage may vary.

This seems to be true too. When my gf drives, she is very careful around motorcycles and bicycles. She just doesn't want to kill anybody. I think she fears karma.

When I drive, motorcycles beware. I treat all vehicles on the road the same. If they want to drive on the road they must follow the same rules. If they do something crazy and I take out a motorcyclist, so be it. My train of thought is that if the cyclist survives then he/she will learn a lesson not to drive like that. If he/she dies, then others watching will learn the lesson. Harsh! But rules are made to be followed!

Talking about lesson, I was wondering whether those Thai drivers understand the meaning of Highway Code. Just take a look at traffic junction or zebra crossing, pedestrians are fighting for lives just to make across the road.