Driving

[shunpike]

When I first arrived in the LOS I was pleased to see the cheap cabs, cheaper buses (once you figured out where they were going) and the convenience of the skytrain in BKK. This was before the MRT, but no matter. The one thought that struck me, and stayed with me, as I got about BKK and further abroad in the kingdom was; I'll never fcuking drive here, it's total blaady chaos.

Well it's seven years on now, and I've been driving for six of those years. I live and work in Bangers and log about 100 kms a day. I've driven to Ubon, Udon, Chumpon, Chiang Mai, Khon Khaen, Kanchanaburi, Trat, Trang, and everywhere in between. Love it. There's no better way to get around.

The state of the roads, and the habits of the drivers are what they are, I tend to go with the flow and drive like a Thai now. I find there is a certain method to the local driving madness, but it took me six years to find it.

So do you drive here?

[buksida]

Yep - and it drives me nuts. Only got the car when news of family expansion happened 5 years ago, prefer life on two wheels but I do enjoy the freedom of four to be able to make my escape form Hua Hell at the weekends!

[Spitfire]

It's a journey when it comes to transport, when I first got here it was tuk-tuks, songtows and buses, then got a motorbike, then got a pickup and the progression goes on, must say that this has happened over 8-9 years though. The transport situation morphs with your situation I reckon, over time at least. Before I met my wife I often used to walk everywhere as it was an exciting adventure, just walk and stop someplace for a drink, it's the best way to get to know a city, but when I got hitched then that went out the window, the locals are not great voluntary walkers. Got to know the area well but four wheels is much safer though.

[Randy Cornhole]

I love my little Honda 125s wave. Does the job well. Parking easy, traffic jams no problem, comes with a handy little basket for my sangsom and fags and to boot it costs bugger all to run. 70bht a week usually sees me through...

If I need to do a big shop or go far I either use a tuk tuk or hire a taxi. Simple...

[STEVE G]

I drive a pick-up when in Thailand but we also still use a Honda Wave a lot around town because of the traffic and parking.
Before I moved to Thailand I spent six years driving everyday around Jakarta so I've never found the traffic to be too much of a problem.

[stgrhe]

I too drive long distances and was used to the driving habits here before I moved since I been coming to Thailand and Malaysia for over two decades on business. Driving in Malaysia and Thailand used to be very similar although nowadays it is much better in Malaysia.

What a don't like here, especially up Isaan way, is the poor road conditions and i simply hate the cracked concrete roads.

The only place I have actually been worried when driving is in Kuwait. Talk of lunatic drivers, you'll find them there. When driving from Kuwait City the 150 km stretch down to the naval base the tow car were lining up along the road every morning waiting for cars to crash.

[migrant]

We started driving the in-laws Honda Wave but in later trips rented out cars.

Not only trying to look everywhere, but also getting used to driving on the other side of the road was pretty different!!

[hhfarang]

Being typical American (I guess) I can't imagine living anywhere without a car (or truck) of some sort. I've had access to a car ever since the day I got my driving license at 16 and had my very own since I was 19. Most of my life I've owned two at the same time, either an older one that I wanted to keep because I liked it or to tinker around with and a newer one, or a car plus a truck or SUV. We have two now. I drive an SUV, the missus drives a sedan.

I've also had a couple of motorcycles (in the U.S.) but they were purely for recreational use. I never considered them transportation.