Things That Wind Me Up Driving In Thailand

[HHTel]

Many of the tourists on bikes have never ridden one before coming here!

Speeding for short journeys is very common. You see cars doing 70+ on the outside lane then cutting in at the last minute to enter Market Village. Once inside the supermarket, they will switch to very slow and block aisles with their trolleys.
Makes no sense.

[STEVE G]

It's not just tourists, when I was there last month I saw several retirement age farangs riding motorcycles out in Hin Lek Fai area in a suicidal manner.
I had one overtake me at speed on a blind bend at the top of the hill on 88 before you come down to the courts.
This was in the middle of the day which leaves me wondering what these retirees have to rush about for. When I finally retire I intend to take it easy!

[hhinner]

My wife tells me off whenever I grumble about a "stupid old farang" doing something stupid on his m'bike. Happens a lot.

[Dannie Boy]

Certainly if you’re out of the centre of town (but probably for some anywhere) I see the majority of farang riding motorcycles without a helmet and normally very inappropriately dressed!!


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[joelle]

Certainly if you’re out of the centre of town (but probably for some anywhere) I see the majority of farang riding motorcycles without a helmet and normally very inappropriately dressed!!


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Yes been seeing more and more lately.
This attitude and behavior is appalling, just beyond me.
They must believe that when on holiday they're immuned and allowed anything !!
They'd be the first ones to shout against such conduct in their home country.

[buksida]

While this topic has been revived I think the biggest annoyance, and probably the cause of a lot of the accidents that occur on highways, is slow-moving trucks and vehicles hogging the outside passing lane when other lanes are clear.

Just done 2,500km in a trip around the north and this by far was the biggest hazard in pretty much every province. Just what is in the mindset (probably nothing) of these drivers to sit in the outside lane doing 60kph causing everything around them to make risky maneuvers undertaking.

It has nothing to do with the quality of the road surface being better as this happens on every highway across the county. More 'me first' bullshit? Do they think they're more important being in the 'fast lane'? I just don't get the mentality.

[Dannie Boy]

I’ve come to the conclusion that they simply have no concept of road safety - I’d guess that probably 80-90% of Thai drivers simply start the engine, move off and keep going until they reach an obstacle and then move around it, be that in the inside lane or outside lane and then just keep going - very rarely a signal and I’m sure that in many cases, no look in the rear view mirrors!!


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[Nereus]

Do they think they're more important .......................

The answer is that they DON'T think, they just go!

It matters not if they are walking, riding a push bike, riding a motorbike, riding a buffalo, driving a truck or in the supermarket!
NOT me first, just ME!

[Big Boy]

Just what is in the mindset (probably nothing) of these drivers to sit in the outside lane doing 60kph causing everything around them to make risky maneuvers undertaking.

The answer is simple, if they are in the fast lane doing 60kph, they will never encounter obstacles in front of them, nor congestion. Always a clear road ahead.

[buksida]

That implies that there has been some logical thinking in the process ... I reckon Nereus' explanation is closer to the truth!

[Big Boy]

Believe me, I've studied these pricks many times, what I say is true.

Of course, Nereus's explanation is their justification for their moronic action.

[Jack_Batty]

While this topic has been revived I think the biggest annoyance, and probably the cause of a lot of the accidents that occur on highways, is slow-moving trucks and vehicles hogging the outside passing lane when other lanes are clear.

Just done 2,500km in a trip around the north and this by far was the biggest hazard in pretty much every province. Just what is in the mindset (probably nothing) of these drivers to sit in the outside lane doing 60kph causing everything around them to make risky maneuvers undertaking.

It has nothing to do with the quality of the road surface being better as this happens on every highway across the county. More 'me first' bullshit? Do they think they're more important being in the 'fast lane'? I just don't get the mentality.

I drove down to Krabi last month and the large trucks hogging the passing/fast lane with not a care was such an aggravation. They just don’t give a shit. And sometimes they will just swerve into the fast lane to get around another large truck that is only going a bit slower, and they will take several minutes to get past them and move back over. Makes me wish for a missile launcher on my car roof sometimes.

[Dannie Boy]

Only sometimes?


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[404cameljockey]

I'm an impatient driver, even in my 60s, I sometimes find my Google Maps shortcuts ending up as a dirt track to 'nowhere farm' and little space to ten point turn, so I just enjoy the scenery on the drive back to civilization. After 8 years my shock absorbers are still fine, and I'm not a worrier.

One thing I fume at is a very slow moving heavy truck driver hogging the right hand lane of a two lane duel carriageway for minutes at a time while trying to 'overtake' a long line of very slightly slower moving ones. The law should restrict them to the left-most lane on roads with less than three lanes in one direction.

Also coming across a putt-putt motorcycle with side-cart (I forget the Thai name) on a twisty road or one not wide enough to pass them. I do understand the need for these and can 'Curb My Enthusiasm'.

Otherwise I'm fine, after 13 years in Dubai I've seen enough motoring Arab madness and Indian dithering to find the roads here mostly OK to drive on, and chuckle at most ignoring the laws/rules of the road, I see little driving that is directly life-threatening.

My little 'retirement car' is not like the 4 litre ones I had before, so I am learning to be patient.

Police checks, maybe?

[STEVE G]

Just what is in the mindset (probably nothing) of these drivers to sit in the outside lane doing 60kph causing everything around them to make risky maneuvers undertaking.

The answer is simple, if they are in the fast lane doing 60kph, they will never encounter obstacles in front of them, nor congestion. Always a clear road ahead.

Yes, that makes sense and as most of the trucks doing that are commercial, it's also probably the most economical way of completing the journey.
Perhaps we shouldn't be too harsh, maybe that's the only way of making a living out of the business.