Its no wonder so many die travelling over the new year break

**Smeg** · 04-01-2008, 09:23 PM

I headed to isaan for the new year break and was lucky enough to be provided with a nice comfortable back seat of a car. I spent most of the journey pursuing my favourite hobby of closing my eyes and doing fuck all, but in my more active moments I spotted some incredible sights of wrecklessness all in the name of going home to mummy for new year.

These guys decided that the best way to ensure their motorbike arrived in one piece was to use their own bodies as protection.

This family were aiming to beat the world record for how many Thais can fit in the back of a Nissan pickup truck at 120kmh

These Thais were told that they were booked on a luxury double decker coach and then fed some ya baa before being shown it.

These two men wanted to set new extreme definitions of the phrase "life is cheap" by trusting it to a piece of cord at 140 kmh. They were so relaxed about this achievement they nodded off.

These chaps thought they'd only have to pay the truck owner half their share of diesel cost if they were only half onboard

And the finale, the family who thought the best way to not have to listen to the screaming baby for 5 hours in the small cab was to give it some fresh air, express-delivered into its face at 110 kmh.

**AntRobertson** · 04-01-2008, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by Smeg

I spotted some incredible sights of wrecklessness all in the name of going home to mummy for new year.

I trust that you include the car that you were a passenger in speeding at speeds of up to 140km/h to enable you to snap those shots as part of this "recklessness" then?

**Smeg** · 04-01-2008, 09:52 PM

The one doing 140 kmh was actually undertaking us very close to the concrete barricade. I was assured we were legal most of the way!

**chitown** · 04-01-2008, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Originally Posted by Smeg

I spotted some incredible sights of wrecklessness all in the name of going home to mummy for new year.

I trust that you include the car that you were a passenger in speeding at speeds of up to 140km/h to enable you to snap those shots as part of this "recklessness" then?

And of course it was not reckless of you to be snapping photos at 140km/h

**dirtydog** · 04-01-2008, 10:00 PM

Smeg, now I want you to be honest when I ask you this question, did you at anytime during your journey to or from Issan have anybody traveling on the roof, bonnet or boot of your car?

**dirtydog** · 04-01-2008, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by chitown

And of course it was not reckless of you to be snapping photos at 140km/h

Of course it was reckless, he may have distracted one of the other vehicles whilst he was SITTING IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE CAR HE WAS IN.

**chitown** · 04-01-2008, 10:11 PM

I see. He was not driving. Missed that.....

**Smeg** · 04-01-2008, 11:25 PM

^ I bet you read the Sun too, prefer piccies to bothering with words, right?

**Smeg** · 06-01-2008, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Smeg, now I want you to be honest when I ask you this question, did you at anytime during your journey to or from Issan have anybody traveling on the roof, bonnet or boot of your car?

We nearly had a few kamikaze motorcyclists through the windscreen but that is about it. There were thousands heading for issan 2-up on mopeds, all covered up with clothing unlike how thais normally ride bikes wearing shorts and flip-flops.

We had dozens of hitch-hikers too. Mozzies. During the first hour of the journey the 4 inhabitants of the car must have killed 30 of them. The owner leaves the car windows open at night. Is it normal for mozzies to crowd into a car like that in the morning looking for shade?

**dirtydog** · 06-01-2008, 08:06 PM

Yeah I have the same with my truck, often forget to close the windows over night and it gets full of them

**CharleyFarley** · 06-01-2008, 10:54 PM

better than cat piss, you'll know it when it happens.

**Rigger** · 06-01-2008, 11:44 PM

Looks like a normal friday afternoon to me

**Fabian** · 08-01-2008, 02:32 AM

Thailand, one truck driving in the ditch (because the driver probably pissed), 15 injured.

Actually as I understand it, it is legal in the US too to sit in the bed of a truck.

**Thormaturge** · 08-01-2008, 02:42 AM

So which luxury Isan resort were you heading for Smeg? Any interesting stories of squat toilets, alcohol free convenience stores and going to bed at 9pm for us?

**Fabian** · 08-01-2008, 03:55 AM

There is only one five star hotel in Isaan so he can only have driven to Khon Kaen.

**kayo** · 08-01-2008, 05:18 AM

your such a backseat Photographer...

Good trip report, of sorts!

**klongmaster** · 08-01-2008, 07:08 AM

Smeggers: I've said to you before that when you get off your high-horse you post some good stuff...and these pics are certainly things that we see often through Thailand...

well done...

**Thormaturge** · 08-01-2008, 07:29 AM

^
I agree. Maybe "overloaded vehicles" could be a new thread....

**Smeg** · 08-01-2008, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Thormaturge

So which luxury Isan resort were you heading for Smeg? Any interesting stories of squat toilets, alcohol free convenience stores and going to bed at 9pm for us?

I stayed in a wooden house with a family in the back of beyond.

It was eye opening, having to go to three different minimarts in people's front room to get beer, ice, and snacks, because nobody sold all three things, eating fish straight out of the lake next to the house, given some (very chewy and uneatable) buffalo and a small cup of archa beer by a bunch of farmers, another bunch of farmers sat outside a minimart I walked past asked me to buy them a round of beers, people having guitar amp type speakers set up on their driveway to blast out luuk tung music from 5am to 1am each day of the new year festivities, etc

**Ping** · 11-01-2008, 07:29 PM

Thanks for the report Smeg

**blackgang** · 11-01-2008, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Fabian

Actually as I understand it, it is legal in the US too to sit in the bed of a truck.

That all depends on which state that you try it in.
Most states you have to be in a bolted down seat with a seat belt hooked up.
Some states you can be in the back if it is enclosed with a shell.

Each state has different traffic laws.

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