When in Thailand......

[parrot]

It's common practice for expats to slag off the locals and their driving habits, especially motorcyclists.....and there's not much question a lot of the criticism is deserved.
Today on our errands around town.....an expat driving against the traffic near Lotus/Ngeesoon, another expat driving against the traffic at the Homepro turnaround, and another expat driving against the traffic on the ringroad near Maliwan. None were wearing helmets.
Just reporting the facts.

[Natas]

Yesterday seeing the expat on Soi Jinkahan around 18:00 ish with a right side mirror hanging about 30 meters westbound from the lights.. The worst possible time of day to drive this area. You looked confused to be honest. What I do not understand is why you stopped to block the flood of traffic there. You put yourself and others at risk in this narrow soi. The Thai were shaking their heads at you. I feel your pain as there was no one around for you to get to pay.. But why the ---- did you take the chance in the 1st place. I will quote my GF "he should be driving a car here"..
Just to add to this. This is University Scooter central. To add to the above post. You nailed it.

[FrazeeDK]

perhaps those drivers have become acculturated in their driving habits.. When in Rome ya know... or as locals might say: เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่วต้องหลิ่วตาตาม When in the town where people wink, you must also wink...

[parrot]

perhaps those drivers have become acculturated in their driving habits.. When in Rome ya know... or as locals might say: เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่วต้องหลิ่วตาตาม When in the town where people wink, you must also wink...

Fair enough......as I do take advantage of some of the looser rules of the road here. I only cringe when the expat community piles on to the idea that the locals are such horrendous drivers.

On a separate (completely) thought.........for my first years here (beginning in 1996), it was almost verboten to wear shorts in town..........about the only locals who did were samlor drivers (I think it's their mandatory uniform). Back in those days, I'd go to a VFW meeting.....15-25 members, and not a one wore shorts. When the economy went Thaitanic, more expats came to town and shorts/muscle shirts became more common........one bare chested expat was sighted browsing the stores in the Complex. Now, Thai men seem more comfortable wearing shorts in public....even to the temple.

[Shado]

A couple of weeks ago we were in Chiang Rai and, of course, had to visit some of the temples. On the first day, not really sure was would be acceptable dress, I decided to wear slacks instead of shorts. We went to three temples that day and with the exception of a few Thai gentlemen, I was about the only person wearing slacks. Most of the men visitors wore shorts and no one seemed to mind.

[stattointhailand]

Manners/Respect/Dress sense and use of proper language are a thing for past generations i'm afraid to say

[tamada]

It's common practice for expats to slag off the locals and their driving habits, especially motorcyclists.....and there's not much question a lot of the criticism is deserved.
Today on our errands around town.....an expat driving against the traffic near Lotus/Ngeesoon, another expat driving against the traffic at the Homepro turnaround, and another expat driving against the traffic on the ringroad near Maliwan. None were wearing helmets.
Just reporting the facts.

We know that a lot of motorbikes will ride the wrong way up the hard shoulder on the ring road to get to the nearest crossover, especially in rush-hour. We also see the occasional car or pickup doing it but typically the wrong-way detour is quite short. But more recently, over on my side of town the one going furthest the wrong way on the hard shoulder with the hazard flashers on is a farang. I know this because he leaves the windows down on his white roller skate.

[tamada]

... What I do not understand is why you stopped to block the flood of traffic there. You put yourself and others at risk in this narrow soi. ...

Perhaps, like countless thousands of Thai 'drivers' when they have a prang, he was stopped, in-situ and waiting for the insurance assessor?

[dunroaming]

This all leads back to the lack of driver training and how easy it is to get a driving licence. Only when the law changes to improve driving training standards are tests are at a much higher standard will we see improvements on the road until then take care and keep your safety space around you!

[stattointhailand]

This all leads back to the lack of driver training and how easy it is to get a driving licence. Only when the law changes to improve driving training standards are tests are at a much higher standard will we see improvements on the road until then take care and keep your safety space around you!

Now there's something I remember from years ago in UK .....Keeping a safe distance ....... impossible to do here due to the fact that half a safe distance is all that is required for a driver to over/undertake you and cut in.

[hairyharry]

Why is it impossible? So what if someone cuts in - you're not going backwards are you? Just ease off - it's that simple.

[dunroaming]

exactly harry speed up or slow down till you get your safety space. Admittedly easier to do out of town but can be achieved. Smiths defensive driving teaches you that!

[vincemunday]

You're a better man than me guys, it drives me insane, you ease back to leave another safe gap then another moron cuts in, blooming nuts.

[tamada]

You're a better man than me guys, it drives me insane, you ease back to leave another safe gap then another moron cuts in, blooming nuts.

Very true, it's very frustrating but I reckon the level of driving stress is lower when leaving the safe gaps. Even allowing for the frequent rant at the jerk-head cutting in, the alternative of the clutch-slipping, bumper-to-bumper creeping and not giving an inch is much more demanding IMHO. I drive a big farkoff sports lorry but perpetually squeezing out some ditzy bird yacking on her smartphone in her 'Hello Kitty' Honda Hairdryer eventually pales.

Avoiding driving in town on the weekends is a given. However, yesterday I needed some yellow bell peppers for my burrito's and thought that despite being more expensive than Tops or the farm Shop (Big C sold out), a quick circling at Villa would be much more convenient. WRONG! Yet another OTOP-style presentation of some southern sh!te in a big marquee that ate up all the parking out front of Villa. This combined with usual weekend blocking off half the parking slots on the UD Town side so that more stalls can sell their cheap Chinese crap, the parking spaces were probably down by about 40%. Even the wide open spaces of the railway parking was mostly taken up with fleets of buses and trucks that I assume were related to the marquee thingmie.

Then I find the only south-side exit was blocked by (another) ditzy bint in her fake Christian Louboutin spikes who appeared to have dinged the useless low-profile rims on her Nissan Rollerskate while negotiating a 2" deep puddle and was probably waiting for the insurance assessor.

...off to check my BP.

[FrazeeDK]

I joke with the wife regularly that those folks that pass me and cut in are gaining 10 Buddha points for their success in passing a Farang. Conversely, if they don't get by they have karma points deducted...

This behavior isn't just Thailand. One time in the States I was driving from Florida to North Carolina up Interstate 95 and encountered far worse. It just happened to coincide with the end of Canadian spring break so hundreds of Canucks were doing the long trek back north to Canada from their spring sojourn in warmland.. Canadians by my observation are exceptionally safe drivers and always follow a safe distance behind the car in front, leaving an appreciable gap. It appears to be hard-wired into their brains. Americans on the other hand view that gap as something to be filled... So, I spent over 12 hours on a trip that usually is 8 hours in stop and go traffic.. Because, as soon as an American dodged into the safe gap, the Canadian would immediately slow down to increase the following distance which multiplied in its hundreds lead to an expanding and contracting and sometimes fully stopped line of vehicles on the highway.... The wife kept asking, "where's the accident??" ARghghhgh...!

[stattointhailand]

exactly harry speed up or slow down till you get your safety space. Admittedly easier to do out of town but can be achieved. Smiths defensive driving teaches you that!

What a load of bollox When you are travelling at between 0 and 2 kph its impossible to slow down, you have to STOP to let the prat in. If you did that, then you would technically be going backwards, going from 20 cars away from the roadworks or obstruction to being 30 cars away( and the guy behind would have run into your rear). BTW I take it Mr "la de da" Smith has never driven in a rush hour in a city like London/Paris, Rome or even Bangkok or he would never be teaching driving techniques that went out of date 30 years ago due to the increase in traffic levels.

[hairyharry]

I don't know Mr Smith statto. Have a look at ROADA.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Advanced Drivers Association.
It's the basic technique of car control taught to the specialists in the UK Police.
However, you clearly know better.

[tamada]

I don't know Mr Smith statto. Have a look at ROADA.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Advanced Drivers Association.
It's the basic technique of car control taught to the specialists in the UK Police.
However, you clearly know better.

Absolutely correct.

PS. If one is "travelling at between 0 and 2 kph" you park up and bloody walk!

[Barney]

When in Thailand...

Should we follow the Buddha path along with the better half and install the ghost house in the new yard. Ghost is happy now with a new residence.
All done and nothing but happiness and good luck will bestow us, I hope.

[Giggle]

yesterday I needed some yellow bell peppers for my burrito's and thought that despite being more expensive ...

my burrito's