The land of NO U-turns!!

[HHTel]

Hi guys,
This is my first post and I'm afraid it's a moan. I've lived in HH for 5 years but after reading a thread from Jocky re driving standards and some of the replies I was insensed so I joined.

A year or more ago, the police in their wisdom used to block all right turns on Petchkasem Road during a holiday weekend. This caused a huge amount of traffic in the sois all trying to figure out how to turn right by only turning left!! Fortunately, that practice stopped some time ago.

During the Chinese New Year, did anyone notice that again we had no right turn at the railway crossing by G's supermarket. It took me 20 mins to cross and I was on a bike!! There were buses that couldn't get into the bus station and was forced across the crossing to take an alternative route to get there. It was chaos. Any policemen in sight - not a one.

Well now the traffic police are gradually closing off all U-turns along the dual carriageway going south. If you were coming from Takieb and wanted to turn right, then you have more than a 4km drive to do it. Coming north from Pranburi, as soon as you hit the fly-over, then it's 2.3 kms to the next available u-turn.

It's bad enough trying to get the locals to use U-turns instead of driving the wrong way. The solution - close off the U-turns. What idiot dreamed up this one.

If anyone has any contact in the police dept, I would love to hear their reasoning on this one.

What they have caused is:
1. A further excuse for people to drive the wrong way.
2. They've increased the % of traffic on a road that's already busy.
3. In these days of fuel economy, this will increase consumption.

I love Hua Hin but having been involved in traffic systems in the UK and was a member of the IAM (Institure of Advanced Motorists) for many years, the driving here is my one big gripe.

Take care folks. It's a jungle out there.

[JW]

HHTel,

I would echo your last statement, i love the place to bits but the standard of driving and the total lack of care and respect is a major pain in the Arse.

[buksida]

Welcome aboard!

Yep, echo your sentiments, I was actually involved in an accident on Saturday where they guy who caused it had no insurance - the police did nothing.

A couple of days later I saw a cop drive away from an accident, his lunch was hanging off his handlebars and probably getting cold.

I understand they're underpaid but if they want to make revenue from fines they could at least do a bit of work which includes making the roads safer - not worse.

[bozzman101]

ok this mean when i come down from hin lek fai

over the raillway gates down to the main croos roads wanting to go to tesco will have to drive out to the takiab and come back in again??

luck im retireing if in a hurry better take a helecopter?????

[Jaime]

One of the best first posts I've read in a while HHTel. Makes a refreshing change to get some opinion in a first up post.

[Jockey]

Looking at smashed up motorbikes and dead bodies I think a lot of stuff but I'm not allowed to say anything because I wasn't born here so I won't.

[Glyn]

Two favourite situations to look out for, 1. you park your car and look in your mirrors to see whats coming up behind, you open your door and bang, motorbike coming from the front driving the wrong way. 2. you are looking to come out of a side street on to the main road, you look right to see your gap to proceed then you pull out only to find a motorbike right in front of you, again coming down the wrong side of the road. You have to have eyes up your backside in order to be accident free.

[HHTel]

Hi Bozzman. You don't have to go to Takieb .... yet!!. You can take the second U-turn after Tesco's. It's the only one open now.

Jockey, I know you use the south side of Petchkasem as much as I do so I'm sure we are both on the same wavelength.
My day starts with taking the kids from Hua Na to Salesian. Not a good start to the day as it makes me MAD. Vehicles driving to HH at breakneck speed alternating from bursts of power followed by heavy braking. They don't understand that they don't get there any quicker. They'll be stopped at the police control outside the school anyway. All they do is give themselves stress, endanger themselves and other road users and of course use more fuel and wear and tear on the vehicle. The road is milling with schoolkids (usually 3 at a time) racing down the road, using all three lanes, weaving between cars and hopefully arriving at school unscathed.
I read recently, using Thai statistics, that the number one cause of accidents on the road is speed/driving to close to the car in front. and secondly, driving the wrong way. Yet still they do it with that knowledge!!

Does anyone remember the successful campaign in the UK a long time ago. "Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule!" The idea is to be 2 secs behind the guy in front. There's many a fool on these roads. Makes my blood boil.

Take care folks.

[buksida]

I'm not allowed to say anything because I wasn't born here so I won't.

Would that change if the smashed up bike/car/body was yours or your families?

[lomuamart]

I think there's a question now on the written Highway Code exam in the UK that expects you to know how far it takes you come to a stop at a certain speed.
Tailgaiting is seriously bad news. You've got no chance in an emergency.
On the traffic here, I'm going back to London and will stand for mayor. Ken Livingston's done it again. Congestion charge extended to all those rich boroughs in west London. Good for him. I've seen the benefit it brings in central London.
The same here? I don't think so.

[HHTel]

Okay guys,
This thread has developed into one of road safety. On that I have a lot to say.
Trouble is that we're all very good at talking the talk but has anyone ever tried walking the walk.
I'm with Jockey, in that questions (not criticisms) need to be asked. I, like lots of you guys, bought my house, my car, my motorbikes, pay a gardener, a maid and spend money on the services in HH. All this money was made outside of Thailand (UK) so I've contributed to the economy as a whole. I think that entitles us farangs to some sort of say. I'm sure someone out there has the clout with maybe 'The Observer' or 'Hua Hin Today' or even the new paper 'Hua Hin Mirror' to press for an interview with a high ranking police officer or the mayor himself. People on this forum could help with questions to be asked. The interview would be published letting us all know just what the thinking from the authorities is.
Jockey posed a number of sensible questions of which we'd all like to know the answers. I would be quite willing to give time to any campaign to improve safety on the roads of HH. I'd be willing to give free driving lessons if I thought it would help.
As I've said earlier, one particular reply to jockey's thread from someone claiming to be a Thai insensed me into joining HHAD. You may remember, he was the one who said we should go back to our own countries if we don't like the laws here. He pointed out that Thais drive the wrong way because they knew how to drive (implying that foreignors don't!). To that brainless idiot I would say: There's nothing wrong with the laws in Thailand. So follow them. If you're a better driver than us foreigners, then why does HH have a similar road death rate than the whole country of Ireland. A European licence (certainly a UK one) is accepted almost every country in the world. How many places is a Thai licence accepted. (could be counted on your fingers while wearing mittens).
So if anyone has any inroads to the press or any ideas for an initiative, I would love to hear them.

Take care folks.

[Winkie]

I've taken the easy, if you can't bet 'em join 'em approach.

I've learned over the years to drive like a complete twat, in fact I can beat most Thai drivers at their own game.

Not a very mature approach, I know, but at least I arrive at places on time.

I've thought about, and even tried in the past, to be to be the only pillock to follow the rules, and it takes for ever to get anywhere, you watch the whole of Bangkok (and their son) drive past you, cutting you up, jumping the lights and creating additional lanes everywhere.

Now I do the same.

Hands up, anyone even an member of AIM, who thinks they can teach a single Thai to drive safely and in accordance with the rules of the road?

My only problem now is driving in the UK. It scares the crap out of me!!!!

Winkie

[JimmyGreaves]

Personnaly. I would close all the U Turns without sufficient space to have there own pull in lane. Uturns that just appear as a gap are so dangerous as cars are flying up your rear end. Lights need to be installed to allow you to go right and left into market village. infact more traffic lights need to be installed on the main drag. That would be a good start!

[Farang]

Okay guys,
This thread has developed into one of road safety. On that I have a lot to say.
Trouble is that we're all very good at talking the talk but has anyone ever tried walking the walk.
I'm with Jockey, in that questions (not criticisms) need to be asked. I, like lots of you guys, bought my house, my car, my motorbikes, pay a gardener, a maid and spend money on the services in HH. All this money was made outside of Thailand (UK) so I've contributed to the economy as a whole. I think that entitles us farangs to some sort of say. I'm sure someone out there has the clout with maybe 'The Observer' or 'Hua Hin Today' or even the new paper 'Hua Hin Mirror' to press for an interview with a high ranking police officer or the mayor himself. People on this forum could help with questions to be asked. The interview would be published letting us all know just what the thinking from the authorities is. snip, snip,

I quote you and reply by quoting myself. Not very elegant, but at least you'll see it has not happened,
nor shall it happen. Always excepting Pattaya and Phuket, where they do have brave rags.
This is what I wrote more than a year ago in "What Hua Hin needs" thread:
"
HH needs a serious local rag that would even occasionally publish material that is not just sneaky editorial (text)
advertising in support of the advertisers. Or bullshit stolen from the Net. Or sickly sweet, ultra-positive,
namby-bamby, heart-warming stories of how the deaf-mute quadriplegic orphan regained his hearing
through the operation performed by his seeing-eye dog on a dark and stormy night.

I’d like to see some solid info being squeezed from the City officials. I’d like to know what are the plans
for Hua Hin growth (always assuming there are plans, zoning and such). I also would like to see either
of the rags we now have here to have such a service Phuket Gazette has. Readers send in their questions
and PG finds the answers from the officials concerned. And PG appears not to steer away from controversial
issues, more power to them! They do shoot straight and ask also embarrassing questions.
But this, of course, would require real reporting, dedication and hard w*rk. It also would entail pulling ones
nose out and losing all the brownie points, so I reckon this is ain’t gonna happen right quick.
More’s the pity.
"
,

[buksida]

Afraid I'm with Farang on this one, the tessabahn and local constabulary don't give a hoot what farangs think and the local media are more interested in selling real estate ads than any reporting or investigative journalism.

My only advice would be to drive safe and expect the unexpected ... and have fully comprehensive insurance ... and get health insurance ... and a good lawyer ...

I also think the whole "wasn't born here so cant have an opinion" thing is just a cop out, we are entitled to an opinion on anything that affects us as individuals or our families regardless of where we live or was born. Its how we express that opinion than makes the difference ... and I know I'm no great example

I am currently working on an online resource with a road awareness section included to serve as a warning on what to expect for anyone living or considering the move here.