Fake breakdowns and other roadside hustles

[richusa]

13 hours ago, psyvolt said:

Jai Dee's story just broke the Internet. Funniest thing I've read in ages 

Shallow mind then.....

[Gecko123]

10 hours ago, Formaleins said:

Why on earth would you stop and believe someone that has run out of gas with the hood up? Why have the hood up - The fuel gauge tells you the gas level not the engine!

 

Then you pull over for someone pushing a bike and hand over 200 Baht in cash....Why? Do you normally do this in London or New York?

 

Why did you ask the older boy how much the repair cost would be and when he gave you an estimate you questioned his response? Why did you even ask in the first place if you were so sure that he didn't know what was wrong?

 

Then you take them home and give them a further 800 Baht!

 

And you wonder why they turn up at your house? Are you stupid or just gullible? You must look like the goose that lays golden eggs.....Sorry, but you are a fool, and you could end up getting yourself in some pretty deep SH$T if you drive around Thailand doing what you are doing.

 

However, I seem to have run out of gas and my bike is broken, if possible can you transfer to my bank account 1000 baht for the bike repair and 500 Baht for gas....thanks!

 

Your post made me think about what my motivations for pulling over. For a second there, you had me wondering if maybe I did have some sort of a death wish. Maybe I was secretly hoping I'd get clobbered over the head by some maniac and mercifully be put out of my miserable existence, aka retirement in Thailand. But I really don't think that this is the case.

 

To be honest, though, the thought of getting car-jacked or mugged never even crossed my mind, mainly because I was so close to home. If I were far away from home, I would probably be hesitant to stop for anyone, unless, of course, if there was an accident or something like that. But, I'll admit, it's something to consider, even close to home.

 

As for explaining my motivations, when I first started living in the countryside, I did not have any kind of motorized vehicle. On multiple occasions people offered me rides when they passed me walking alongside the road. As mentioned earlier, a couple of times my bicycle got a flat, or I got too pooped out, and people gave me rides home. People also offered me rides home when they ran into me in the town 15 kilometers away. So when I finally got a car, I sometimes look for ways to help people out in the same way they helped me out when I didn't have a car. 

 

I've also found that the longer you live in a small town, the harder it becomes to turn a blind eye to people's hardships. You can try to disengage, but sooner or later, you're confronted with stark realities: no money for eyeglasses or for the dentist, no refrigerator, no indoor plumbing, malnourishment, kids dropping out of school to help look after younger siblings….. You can't save the whole world, (and no one's ever going to accuse me of trying to do that), but you can offer a helping hand from time to time when the opportunity presents its self. 

[catman20]

18 hours ago, CharlieH said:

I have helped people twice, both with punctured motorcycles.

The wife always tells me not to stop its too dangerous, you never know, not your problem, not your business.So, now I dont stop.

sad but true

[catman20]

10 hours ago, seancbk said:

Never read so many negative comments.

Do you lot really go around thinking everyone is out to get you?   


 

in pattaya im afraid YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[psyvolt]

9 hours ago, richusa said:

Shallow mind then.....

If your going to try burn me, at least try and make it make sense..

[seancbk]

On 3/5/2017 at 2:43 PM, psyvolt said:

Jai Dee's story just broke the Internet. Funniest thing I've read in ages 

 

You don't spend much time on social media do you?

That joke is as old as the hills.

[psyvolt]

7 minutes ago, seancbk said:

 

You don't spend much time on social media do you?

That joke is as old as the hills.

Proud to say I dont spend much time on s.m.

 

Even as old as it is (so you say), I still found it hilarious

[seancbk]

17 minutes ago, psyvolt said:

26 minutes ago, seancbk said:

 

You don't spend much time on social media do you?

That joke is as old as the hills.

Proud to say I dont spend much time on s.m.

 

Even as old as it is (so you say), I still found it hilarious

I'll grant you that, it is funny the first time you hear/read it. 

Just surprised you'd not seen it until now.

:)

[off road pat]

22 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I've been helped roadside a number of times riding a bicycle…nobody had their hand out, or was looking for a big pay day.

Me too, I've been helped, and helped other people when off road driving in the hills and forests. When been helped i always give some money to the people helping, and most of the times they refuse,... needles to say this was always far away from touristic places !!!

Best Regards.

[off road pat]

23 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Also:

If you try the light switch and it doesn't work - don't go down into the cellar.

Always check the back seat before driving off from the gas station.

Never agree to split up the group to search the creepy forest.

Don't stay at a motel if you suspect that the manager is deranged and, especially, don't take a shower there.

Also: don't eat the Yellow snow ...!!!!

[smotherb]

12 hours ago, richusa said:

Shallow mind then.....

Yeah, it's an old joke--first heard it years ago referencing senior citizens in Florida

[thurien]

On 5.3.2017 at 5:39 PM, Gecko123 said:

I've been helped roadside a number of times riding a bicycle…nobody had their hand out, or was looking for a big pay day.

our Thai compatriots know "farang do not cheat", we know "Thai like to put up fancy scenes..."

[thurien]

On 5.3.2017 at 3:00 PM, Toscano said:

The rule in Thailand is NEVER stop , to assist at the scene of an accident , being flagged down or any other similar situation .  Keep going no matter what , call at a police station to report what you have seen and where .  In the worst scenario you may be robbed , either of your money or car/motorcycle , failure to comply may result in you being bludgeoned , beaten , stabbed or shot . 

add one here: if you should take the victim of a traffic crash (not yours!) to a hospital being the helpful Farang, reception will ask YOU and not the unconscious victim for a credit card - now you're in the game!

[Gecko123]

On March 5, 2017 at 11:28 AM, disambiguated said:

OP is a soft touch and has made a very serious mistake.

 

My guess is that OP can expect a nocturnal visit from the teenaged boy and his father, soon - and they won't be asking for a few baht for petrol.

 

OP really ought to consider moving.  Quickly.

It pains me to admit this, but last night, disambiguated's prediction came true. The mother and the father showed up at my house at 11:45PM, and woke me up with called out requests for me to come outside to chat for a minute. The last thing I was going to do was to go outside, and I told them 'no way.' 

 

I was totally freaked out and practically went into hysterics because I initially couldn't figure out who on earth had come to my house so late at night. Could it be a neighbor or somebody I knew? Who the hell was out there? So I turn all the outside lights on, all the inside lights off, start peeking out of curtains, and I spot the mother. The father I never really saw cause he was in the shadows. Maybe the teenage son was waiting out at the road with the motorcycle, but I never heard his voice.

 

I just started bellowing at the top of my lungs in Thai: 'Leave! Leave! Leave!' hoping that fear that my neighbors might start coming and investigating (precious little sign of that happening, I'm sorry to report) would speed their departure. They did leave fairly quickly. I did hear the father calling me names as he walked down the driveway. 

 

After going out half an hour later with a flashlight to confirm they had left, I went to bed determined to report this to the police first thing in the morning. But after talked it over early the next day with my neighbor (who was one of the people who helped lift their motorcycle into my pickup truck) he persuaded me that they were probably just drunk, and after being chased off like that, they probably won't come back, but if they did, he recommended I gently tell them they were bothering me, and warning them that if they came back again, I would have to get the police involved. Right now, I'm sensing they won't be back.

 

I don't want to dampen anybody's charitable or good Samaritan instincts, but I have to admit that I've sobered up a little bit about the risks of providing roadside assistance. Stopping for people when you have no idea of who they are does carry a wild card element of risk, which, needless to say, I'm in no rush to take again any time soon.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Gecko123

[grollies]

25 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

It pains me to admit this, but last night, disambiguated's prediction came true. The mother and the father showed up at my house at 11:45PM, and woke me up with called out requests for me to come outside to chat for a minute. The last thing I was going to do was to go outside, and I told them 'no way.' 

 

I was totally freaked out and practically went into hysterics because I initially couldn't figure out who on earth had come to my house so late at night. Could it be a neighbor or somebody I knew? Who the hell was out there? So I turn all the outside lights on, all the inside lights off, start peeking out of curtains, and I spot the mother. The father I never really saw cause he was in the shadows. Maybe the teenage son was waiting out at the road with the motorcycle, but I never heard his voice.

 

I just started bellowing at the top of my lungs in Thai: 'Leave! Leave! Leave!' hoping that fear that my neighbors might start coming and investigating (precious little sign of that happening, I'm sorry to report) would speed their departure. They did leave fairly quickly. I did hear the father calling me names as he walked down the driveway. 

 

After going out half an hour later with a flashlight to confirm they had left, I went to bed determined to report this to the police first thing in the morning. But after talked it over early the next day with my neighbor (who was one of the people who helped lift their motorcycle into my pickup truck) he persuaded me that they were probably just drunk, and after being chased off like that, they probably won't come back, but if they did, he recommended I gently tell them they were bothering me, and warning them that if they came back again, I would have to get the police involved. Right now, I'm sensing they won't be back.

 

I don't want to dampen anybody's charitable or good Samaritan instincts, but I have to admit that I've sobered up a little bit about the risks of providing roadside assistance. Stopping for people when you have no idea of who they are does carry a wild card element of risk, which, needless to say, I'm in no rush to take again any time soon.

You've got a real problem here mate.

 

You need a Thai male friend to have a word with them.

 

In the meantime buy yourself a couple of (spelling help required here) Bangkow puppies. They grow into vicious little buggers but it'll take 6 months for them to grow and mature.

 

If they continue, get the local bobby involved.

 

Failing that, get a gun. Seriously.

 

 

[Gecko123]

1 hour ago, grollies said:

You've got a real problem here mate.

 

You need a Thai male friend to have a word with them.

 

In the meantime buy yourself a couple of (spelling help required here) Bangkow puppies. They grow into vicious little buggers but it'll take 6 months for them to grow and mature.

 

If they continue, get the local bobby involved.

 

Failing that, get a gun. Seriously.

 

 

Appreciate your concern. Barely slept a wink last night. After reading your post, looks like it'll be another sleepless night. Thanks.  Thanks a lot, buddy.  

 

Edit: Just some background filler on this. These people clearly didn't know me at all because they practically live a couple of hamlets away, but I have a reputation in town as someone who you might want to think twice about messing with. I'm pretty sure after last night's altercation they did some recon on me (just as I did on them), and people told them they'd be well advised to back off.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Gecko123

[grollies]

33 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

Appreciate your concern. Barely slept a wink last night. After reading your post, looks like it'll be another sleepless night.

 

Thanks.  Thanks a lot, buddy. 

Sorry 'bout that. Don't know your circumstances. You very rural?

 

Do you mix with locals?

 

Rural Thai tend to look after their neigbours. Friends came looking for us and asked at the restaurant crossroads where we lived. They wouldn't tell them.

 

Should think you'd be OK tonight but I'd get someone on their case ASAP.

 

I really sympathise with you on this. I'm the first to offer help on the roadside but the missus stops me most of the time.

 

Maybe you need to pay them a visit with head of village, tell them you helped them out when they 'in trouble' and don't appreciate the night visit. They would loose face and probably leave you alone.

 

What does your wife say about all this?