Defensive driving

[Ginjaninja]

I'm sitting here trying to catch up with some work in the condo and I've heard the ambulance driving past Petchkasem road too many times for comfort.
I feel sorry for anyone in need of medical care and having to wait for an ambulance in this dreadful weekend traffic.

So it got me thinking about defensive driving. Has anyone actually taken an advanced or defensive driving training course?
I've been fortunate to attend a few through work and I think they make a big difference to the mentality of safe driving. It is not my intention to bitch further about Thai driving as there is no winning that game and as my girlfriend quite wisely says - you can't make them change so you might as well live with it.....
One way live with it (live being the appropriate word) it to be a safer driver. This can be done by adopting small habits that will help in the event of a potential road incident.

Below are a few of these habits worth bearing in the mind next time you hit the road. Feel free to add your safe driving techniques.


GN.

1) Aside from driving under the influence and speeding; tailgating is one of the most dangerous of bad-habits out there (especially obvious in Thailand). A real pet-hate of mine and akin to holding a knife at ones throat.
Avoid tailgating at all costs and abide by the 4-second rule.... know your stopping distances and how they change when the heavens open. Also avoid stopping too close to the cars in front of you when waiting at traffic. Always leave yourself an escape-route.

2) Set your mirrors properly and USE them. When setting your wing mirrors you shouldn't see your own vehicle. Set them just past the back-end of your car so when you stretch back in your seat you just see the tail-end of your car/truck. This gives a wider range of view and eliminates blind spots that will actually hide a motorcycle or smaller car.

3) Don't be intimidated or provoked by bad drivers. Stay cool in other words... If a car is tailgating you then reduce the speed slowly and get out of his way when safe to do so. Avoid road-rage. I've never been in a road-rage incident where I haven't felt it going too far.

4) Keep your rear window clear of obstructions. You need to see what's behind you as much as what's in front. Get rid off all those stickers and toys sitting on the back shelf. I had a real go at Mrs. GN last week for driving all the way from H.H. to Suvarnabhumi (to pick me up) with a big yellow pillow on the back shelf obstructing her rear-view.
Tinted windows is anther big annoyance for me. I have pretty good vision but how anyone can drive at night with U.V. coated windows is beyond me. On our car we have the lightest coating available and still I detest driving at night due poor visibility.

5) Ensure your vehicle is maintained properly and check your tyre pressures regularly.

.....

[Gregjam]

I have done a defensive driving course after driving here for a few years and the instructor said my driving was pretty good mainly due to surviving here. I also drove in Korea where the saying is that ' indicators are something put on export models '. Difficult to tell people about driving here, the best way is to start riding a bicycle, graduate onto a motorcycle and finally end up in a car. My car has heavily tinted windows but I avoid driving at night unless absolutely necessary and I also avoid driving around HH on weekends if possible.

The only real tips I would give anyone unfamiliar with the roads here is to take a taxi. If you drive then stay calm, get out of the way of the maniacs. Never try to guess what another car/bike/cyclist/person is going to do and be ready to stop. Allow extra time on any trip so you don't have to rush.

If you are worried about driving then get someone else to do it.

[Bristolian]

Continuously scan the road ahead and be ready for any future contingencies, especially in heavy traffic or adverse weather/lighting conditions. Keep a close eye on vehicle indicators and brake lights, traffic merging and especially here in Thailand, U-turn junctions.

[STEVE G]

3) Don't be intimidated or provoked by bad drivers. Stay cool in other words...

I think that is very good advice; too many people assume that driving is some kind of a competition and get wound up by anything that gets in their way. I was cured of this habit by having to drive 20km to work in Jakarta everyday for six years, stick some music on and cruise!
Incidentally, two weeks ago I managed to get from Hua Hin to Korat and back in a day, about a 1000 km of Thai driving without getting annoyed.

[Dannie Boy]

I think that most of the major points have been covered - try to look as far ahead as possible, rather than just the car in front of you, as you may see an incident occurring before the person in front of you does. As has been mentioned, use of the mirrors cannot be over-emphasised, especially with the unpredictable driving "techniques" used by some drivers on the roads.

Lane discipline is also important - if you stick in the outer lane, be prepared to be almost rammed off the road.

I did a defensive driver training course when working in Saudi Arabia that took things to the next stage which included using your car as a weapon (using the momentum to push away an obstacle like a car), but this was in the context of having been living in a town where a terrorist attack had been carried out, so not really relevant for here!!

[MrPlum]

Has anyone actually taken an advanced or defensive driving training course?

I have taken advanced motorcycle training and definitely use some of that knowledge here... where to position the bike on the road, how to go into and accelerate out of a corner, anticipating hazards, staying alert to what's happening both in front and behind, understanding braking distances and the capabilities of the bike, dangers of worn, over and under-inflated tyres, using the whole width of the road, making sure other vehicles know you are there, driving appropriately for the conditions.

Wonder if anyone runs courses here?

[Ginjaninja]

Wonder if anyone runs courses here?

My girlfriend's bosses husband went to do a motorcycle course in Bangkok. He was mightily impressed with his learning... one of them included the use of front and rear brakes during braking and the percentage of each, i.e. majority through the front brake. I assumed this to be an emergency stop. All sounded wonderful but this is basics I learnt prior to sitting my motorcycle test in the U.K. He had been on the road prior to taking this course....


GN.

[HHTel]

I took my advanced driving licence some time ago with The Institute of Advanced Motorists in the UK. It was the best thing I ever did although it was an incentive from the company I worked for to reduce their insurance premium and award a cash sum for those that passed.

I think the main thing when driving in Thailand is to understand that a large portion of the drivers do not have a licence and even those that have, have never had any formal training. Once you accept that every other driver on the road is unpredictable and a potential hazard, then you'll get along fine.

It's important not to lose your rag. A Thai driver doesn't know when he's in the wrong. In fact he believes that he did nothing wrong! Take no notice of indicators (very often all four of them are flashing!). Never try to guess what they are going to do. You'll probably be wrong.

Incidentally, Ginja, it's a two second rule. I'm always subconcously, taking a reference point on the road and counting 'one hundred and one - one hundred and two' between the car in front passing and followed by you. This works at all speeds. Leaving that sensible gap does tempt other drivers to try and fill it. So what! Just drop back. Don't get stressed.

Be safe.

[johnnyk]

Eyes wide open all the time, everywhere. Even in Canada I assume most people to be poor drivers so I expect the worst while hoping for the best. One example is never trust turn signals, look at the wheels to be sure he is turning and not dozing.

[migrant]

Took a defensive advanced course at one time for work, it was nice to play around.

My Grandfather once said "drive like everyone else on the road is a damn fool and you'll do OK"
I've followed that advice

[Takiap]

I did a defensive driving course when I was in the military, divided into two parts, daytime and night driving. I suppose it has helped because all that I learned is simply second nature now.


As I've said on here be, I can't even remember when last I got stressed out on the roads here.

I'm always expecting other drivers to do something crazy, so when they do, I usually just smile these days. Someone puts on their indicator and starts pulling over to park, you can be rest assured they have no intention of parking, and will simply pull straight out in front of you again. Pickups and cars driving at about 10mph..............don't worry, they will speed up again once they're finished on the phone, or once they've finished looking at what's going on at the market on the opposite side of the road. That car up ahead waiting to join the flow of traffic..........they aren't waiting for you to pass, they're simply waiting for you to get a bit closer before they pull out.


Stay safe, relax, and enjoy the laugh.

[Nereus]

Incidentally, Ginja, it's a two second rule.

Sorry, I do not agree with that. I was taught a couple of different ways, and 2 seconds was not one of them. 1 car length for each 10 kms / hr you are travelling at, which might be difficult to compute for some people.
The better way is to count 4 seconds from when the vehicle in front of you passes a FIXED object, such as a power pole, tree, bridge, etc., and when YOU pass the same object. That way does adjust for whatever speed you are travelling at.
ANY set time, be it 2 seconds or any other, does not work, as your car will travel further at a higher speed, even given that your reaction time MAY be the same.

[dtaai-maai]

That car up ahead waiting to join the flow of traffic..........they aren't waiting for you to pass, they're simply waiting for you to get a bit closer before they pull out.

There's a tiny hint of "bintabaht ex-special forces" about this thread...

[Ginjaninja]

Incidentally, Ginja, it's a two second rule.

Sorry, I do not agree with that. I was taught a couple of different ways, and 2 seconds was not one of them. 1 car length for each 10 kms / hr you are travelling at, which might be difficult to compute for some people.
The better way is to count 4 seconds from when the vehicle in front of you passes a FIXED object, such as a power pole, tree, bridge, etc., and when YOU pass the same object. That way does adjust for whatever speed you are travelling at.
ANY set time, be it 2 seconds or any other, does not work, as your car will travel further at a higher speed, even given that your reaction time MAY be the same.

Nereus,
HHTel is correct as it is internationally considered the '2-second rule' however I was just factoring in Thailand into the equation and I personally feel the 2-second rule is inadequate a distance.
Your point regarding the 4 seconds passing a fixed point is correct and this is what the 2-second rule applies to. The faster the traffic then the greater the distance between the fixed point and this is why it can be applied at different speeds.

GN.

[HHTel]

Absolutely correct, Ninja. Understand the need to double that for Thailand!

A couple of years ago driving on Rama II, I was the fourth car in a series. The head car was cut up by another driver. Cars 1, 2 and 3 all ran into each other. Car 4 (me) pulled out of the way, stopped, and smiled at the damage caused. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

The 2 second (or 4 for Thailand) really does work!