Why do YOU think the Thais are such bad drivers?

[GLCQuantum]

^
Regardless of their driving, 'selfish' is a very apt word to use to describe Thai people.

[Big Boy]

Here I am again..no, not gonna mention that F-word..

Hey, I agreed with you, but unusually it was you, not me who got taken to task I thought it quite ironic that I found a decent Fortuner taxi driver a couple of days later. So good that I insisted we use him each time we went anywhere in Udon.

[pdm3547]

Ty pulling up to a level crossing, particularly on Soi 88 or Soi 94.

The full width of the road becomes a swarm of motorcycles. On both sides. It takes an age to clear.

I'm really not sure why they haven't figured out that if they stuck to their own side of the road, they'd get through a lot quicker.

[HHTel]

How about the drivers going to Market Village. They stay on the outside lane (despite signs in both English and Thai) the cut into MV pushing their way into the queue. All that rush and risk then proceed into Tesco and block the aisles with their shopping trolleys whilst chatting on the phone....

[Big Boy]

I posted this a few years back:


That was over 4 years ago. The different barriers back then offered additional entertainment as motorcyclists used to limbo under the falling barriers to beat the oncoming train.

A favourite eating place of mine back then was Chang Sawan (can't remember the correct spelling). I used to love watching the crazy antics as trains went through.

[Big Boy]

How about the drivers going to Market Village. They stay on the outside lane (despite signs in both English and Thai) the cut into MV pushing their way into the queue. All that rush and risk then proceed into Tesco and block the aisles with their shopping trolleys whilst chatting on the phone....

I've often said that Thais drive the way they walk.

[pdm3547]

A thai friend told me that the priority on roads is determined by the size of the vehicle. With that in mind, I've never had too many problems.

[Spitfire]

I know US had his wrist slapped by a few members a week or so ago when mentioning Fortuna taxi drivers.

......Just found it, read it and that was a swipe at taxi drivers, perhaps a little sweeping...minivan drivers? In general, "Hell yeah!" But even then 20-25% will be OK too in reality and you are more likely to find exceptions to the accusation/label in those people running private businesses that actually own their own vehicles due to the desire for repeat business (often it's the lunatics that are driving someone else's vehicle and Thailand's answer to "White Van Man" that are to be worried about or held in contempt). Whereas I'm having a pop at the average "I don't care" Thai private driver of such vehicles....often arrogant snobs with a superiority complex and my post was worded correctly by infering that it was 'often' (adverb of frequency/time) and not absolute.

It often seems on the road to be a childish game of who gets to go first, and who submits, in a struggle for the right to be granted passage first and hence the petty value tag of who is more important or who is submissive to the other (seems to resemble the social hierarchy thing). Sometimes it seems to be just who can appear like a smart-arse by getting ahead in the traffic despite the associated danger which they seem oblivious too.......road safety or highway code has nothing to do it for many.

As an aside on this posting subject and unreated to either this or the other thread's subject matter, I'm way beyond holding my lip because someone might not like what I have to say or what I observationally believe is actually the truth 60-70% of the time, not to mention there are many that troll forums (HHF has a couple) to get reaction etc. As long as it stays within forum rules it's fair game.......it makes me laugh when I read newbie expats on the net being self righteous and in denial who obviously don't know sweet FA about the place.

Better stop there......

[HHTel]

A thai friend told me that the priority on roads is determined by the size of the vehicle. With that in mind, I've never had too many problems.

You really are quite amazing!!!

[GLCQuantum]

How about the drivers going to Market Village. They stay on the outside lane (despite signs in both English and Thai) the cut into MV pushing their way into the queue. All that rush and risk then proceed into Tesco and block the aisles with their shopping trolleys whilst chatting on the phone....

I've often said that Thais drive the way they walk.

Completely the opposite in fact (I didn't detect any sarcasm there. If it was a sarcastic post, I apolgise). Thai people drive hell for leather in the car as if they are going to suffer some horrible death if they don't get to 7-11 in the next minute...

Then they get out and walk at a bloody snail's pace. The reason being is that walking at normal stride takes 'effort' (a word the natives despise) where as putting their foot on the pedal takes nothing and gets them somewhere 'faster' in their eyes.

[pdm3547]

A thai friend told me that the priority on roads is determined by the size of the vehicle. With that in mind, I've never had too many problems.

You really are quite amazing!!!

Thank you very much. You're very kind.

[Big Boy]

Completely the opposite in fact (I didn't detect any sarcasm there. If it was a sarcastic post, I apolgise). Thai people drive hell for leather in the car as if they are going to suffer some horrible death if they don't get to 7-11 in the next minute...

Then they get out and walk at a bloody snail's pace. The reason being is that walking at normal stride takes 'effort' (a word the natives despise) where as putting their foot on the pedal takes nothing and gets them somewhere 'faster' in their eyes.

OK, I'll concede that they often dawdle, but apart from the speed element, watch them. They do drive the way the walk. Usually with a phone to their ear, stopping, or slowing down with no regard to anybody else, and often drifting sideways, in front of your space.

[PeteC]

Find a straight 100 meter stretch of one lane road and erect this sign at the start of the section, one facing each direction. At the 25 meter mark in both directions cut out a pull off area to allow a car to pull over to allow a car coming in the opposite direction to pass.

index2w.png (2.64 KiB) Viewed 948 times

What would happen:

a) Traffic would flow smoothly and the proper car would indeed pull over at the 25 meter recess?

b) Most every car would be in a head on collision?

c) Both cars would stop facing each other half way and open fire with their weapons?

d) They would cut down the sign post as the sign was confusing?

[VincentD]

Pete, several variations on that answer...
First would be b) every car would have a head on collision as the sign would confound them, let them think THAY have right of way and the resultant collision.
However, if
d) happened and they cut down the confusing signs, it may well result in a) happening; I see this a lot on really 'country' roads where people will even back up (and vice versa) to a known passing point. Happens a lot around the rice fields where you have isolated villages connected by this type of road.

[PeteC]

It's actually a real life event, although the wife says the sign is in Thai script warning rather than arrows. It's a narrow beach road near me with plenty of pull over spaces and we sit at a small restaurant place trying to get cool and watch the cars coming down the lane from opposite directions, and not having a clue what to do, and not wanting to give in. Afternoon drama show at the beach. Pete