Beware of other vehicles

[Gregjam]

Like most of us who live here, I am only too aware of how cautious you have to be on the road and this was further hammered home today.

I was helping to move my niece about 200 metres into a newly rented house and another nephew brought in his pickup from the village to help. I was aware that the truck was like many here in need of some kind of maintenance but this short move really opened my eyes. The truck would never have been allowed on the road in the west and had the following faults I was aware of:
No handbrake. Look out for shoeless drivers as their flip flop is probably what is stopping the vehicle rolling down the slope.
Alternator not charging so engine kept running as battery had been to the shop for charging and they were afraid it would not start again.
Lack of power meant minimal lights working including indicators and possibly brake lights too.
It would only turn about one rotation of the wheel to the left but normal three and a half to the right.
Tail flap hinge totally corroded on one side so when opening it if not held up it was liable to fall on your foot or hit your leg.
Steering was not power assisted and a smaller go faster wheel had been fitted requiring even more effort on the already vague steering.
At least the brakes worked which was possibly the saving grace.

I will be helping him to replace the vehicle soonest but am only too aware this is typical of many of the older trucks on the road here.

Many of us are only too aware of how common this is but if it makes one visitor a bit more wary when venturing out on their hire motorcycle or in their hire car it is worth it.

Moral of the tale is don't argue with that pickup hurtling towRd you. It may not be the usual case of playing chicken and he may not be able to manoeuvre out of your way!

[usual suspect]

Ha-haa!..I went up to Phu Nam Rong Nr Kanchanaburi last week..not long after leaving the major roads nr Ratchaburi..I found myself on 'rural Rd' 4010..I was surrounded by them!
By 'them' I mean farmer's pick-ups..Brakes?..not really needed due to lack of 4wrd speed.
Steering..yes, but a tendancy to drift over the road on a regular basis.
Lights?..yes, but none at the back.
Doors?..luxury! Tyres?..yes, 4-of... We were all laughing at them..T.i.T.

[Gregjam]

Dodging them is something you get used to, being in one is quite frightening. My nephew is not what I would call reckless but was unconcerned that it took a double shunt to manouvre round some of the sharper bends. At least he had brakes that worked. I am sure that most will have a similar reaction to usual suspect but if it helps spread the word to the unaware of what is out there all the better.

[VincentD]

At the other end of the 'to avoid' spectrum is the blacked-out black Fortuner ...

[STEVE G]

I've never noticed much of a problem with Fortuners or farmers pick ups around Hua Hin, the vehicles that seem to me to be the biggest danger are up market saloon cars from Bangkok that drive down the road in an erratic fashion while they constantly change their mind on whether to stop or not. I once had a Mercedes try to kill me multiple times between the centre of town and Khao Takiap.