I just read a Bangkok post news about the high death toll from victims of drunk driving in Thailand.

 

The dead are mostly the pedestrians, cyclists or traffic police obstructing the path of the drunk drivers.

 

It really amazes me that I still see a lot of tourists (both Europeans and Chinese) who would walk in the middle of the road oblivious to any traffic coming from the back or in front.  

 

They think that cars or motorcyclists will always swerve to the other lane just to make way for the pedestrians. 

 

I've seen these 'phenomena' while in Thailand

 

1. a drunk driver

2. a person who talks on his phone while riding a motorcycle  with one hand.

3.  Three people riding a small motorcycle wobbling.

4.  The motorcyclist riding with one hand and the other hand holding a cigarette to smoke or a bag of water to drink while riding.

 

So please don't have this mentality that the motorcyclists or car drivers will always look out for you or swerve in time. It only takes one accident to regret your whole life.

 

There are also lots of tourists who want to save on public transport and ride slow bicycles in Chiang Mai city center. 

 

This is very dangerous too. It's alright to ride a bicycle in a small village but not in a big city like Chiang Mai city center where there are tons of cars and motorcyclists of the careless type.

 

 

You've missed one out, those pesky pedestrians who stupidly attempt to cross the road at Pedestrian Crossing, the one's protected by traffic signals are particularly hazardous, as they lull pedestrians into a false sense of security.

 

No 2 ....is a pet hate of mine, the addiction to mobile phones.

   I thougjt I'd seen it all till walking on Jomtien promenade yestetday.

  A guy was trying to get into a parking space ( he was not a good driver). His lady was already out of the car standing on the Soi trying to guide him in. He'd reverse in at a bad angle then pull out again, had a few attempts like this. She would give the occasional waggle of one hand for a split second and while he was trying to carry her direction out....she would go back to getting her head buried in her phone that she had in her other hand. 

Get the picture, this poor sod is relying on her for guidence and every time he looks to her in his mirror, she is standing there in the Soi halfway between his pick up and the footpath totally engrossed in her phone.

    Is the world going backwards or what....modern technology and all?

Everything you (both) say is true, but the fundamental mistake you are making is to apply your western mentality and driving standards to driving in Thailand (and throughout S E Asia).

 

You should have realised by now that neither are of the slightest consequence to drivers of lorries, cars and motorbikes in Thailand! Until the government can stop sweating the small stuff (why is the PM SO interested in a Thai girl's dance routine?) and divert some resources to simple road safety, defensive driving skills and respect for other road users, yours (mine, our) protestations will go unheard.

 

Until that happens be safe out there and look out for yourselves.

 

Regards,

 

Joe

 

 

Mmmm, riding a motorbike with one hand while holding a tiny baby in the other arm. Yes, I saw that one time in Sri Racha. What a lunatic.

 

34 minutes ago, hugh2121 said:

Mmmm, riding a motorbike with one hand while holding a tiny baby in the other arm. Yes, I saw that one time in Sri Racha. What a lunatic.

 

I saw the same, but the lady concerned was also feeding the baby with a milk bottle. LOS. Land of Stupidity right enough.

54 minutes ago, hugh2121 said:

Mmmm, riding a motorbike with one hand while holding a tiny baby in the other arm. Yes, I saw that one time in Sri Racha. What a lunatic.

 

 

Another strange phenomena that I saw yesterday was a guy holding an umbrella on one hand while riding a motorcycle without a helmet. His son was sitting in the front seat.

 

 

39 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

Another strange phenomena that I saw yesterday was a guy holding an umbrella on one hand while riding a motorcycle without a helmet. His son was sitting in the front seat.

 

 

Makes perfect sense to them. Can't have the baby being hungry or someone getting wet. Safety a secondary or non-existent consideration, destiny predetermined.

3 hours ago, hugh2121 said:

Mmmm, riding a motorbike with one hand while holding a tiny baby in the other arm. Yes, I saw that one time in Sri Racha. What a lunatic.

 

I see that a few times a week here in Chiang Mai.

Pedestrian safety would be greatly increased if there were clear sidewalks and safe places to cross streets.  People are forced to walk on streets because of blocked sidewalks, long stretches of road have no traffic signals, and intersections with traffic signals never have an interval when pedestrians can cross in one go.  At the Maya intersection there are usually people stranded in the middle of Huay Kaew road because the road has to be crossed in stages.  At least in Huay Kaew there is a divider where people can safely wait to finish crossing, most streets in Chaing Mai don't have that.

1 hour ago, heybruce said:

Pedestrian safety would be greatly increased if there were clear sidewalks and safe places to cross streets.  

 

I am talking about those narrow two lanes road where there is one lane for each side of the road. 

 

I frequently see tourists walking in the middle of one lane. That is waiting for a disaster to happen.

 

I usually walk very close to the side of the road even if there are no sidewalks just in case some motorcyclists talking on the phone with one hand couldn't swerve in time or swerved to the opposite lane .

 

I cant remember the last time I saw a car without a dent/scratch/something missing.

 

And did you ever appreciate how many dozens of car repair shops there are affiliated to the insurance companies.

When the wife decided to drive our new car into a roadside khlong she was phoning for hours to a shop that could start a repair within two weeks.....such is the "backlog" of careless owners.

in small villages drunk people use their motor bike to cover short distances, like to go back home, 

most near misses i had were in villages.