Thread: Near misses

^ That is one of my favs and the scooter with no tail lights and the rider wearing a black jacket on a road with no street lights or the scooter coming at you that has the basket full of shit to cover the headlight.

Commentary -

It is bad here - I got my defensive driving skills in Napoli and Roma, and driving in Italy takes a certain skill and bravado, but that being said, Thai driving culture, well, lots to be desired, driving tests (only licensed drivers are tested and do they ever fail? losing face and all).

But, their driving set aside - the fact of the matter is, if you are seriously injured in an accident - you pay the price. If another person is injured in an accident you are involved in, you pay the emotional price.

The best medical care in the world cannot undo the damage caused in a moments carelessness.

To help compensate for the irrational behavior I have seen that is prevalent behind the wheel here, I drive slowly, defensively and yield. Perhaps, and hopefully, this style of defensive driving will save me from serious medical problems. I can only hope.

Don't really matter who is at fault if your crippled or cremated.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

^ That is one of my favs and the scooter with no tail lights and the rider wearing a black jacket on a road with no street lights or the scooter coming at you that has the basket full of shit to cover the headlight.

You could write a manual. There used to be things called Public Information films in the UK before the Govt got too laissez-faire and these used to point out potential accident avoidance measures across a whole range of things like DIY, Driving etc - feels like it would be better if the good General stopped his nightly borefests and used the time and money to put in place some Darwin Award avoidance films instead

Originally Posted by NamPikToot

You could write a manual. There used to be things called Public Information films in the UK before the Govt got too laissez-faire and these used to point out potential accident avoidance measures across a whole range of things like DIY, Driving etc - feels like it would be better if the good General stopped his nightly borefests and used the time and money to put in place some Darwin Award avoidance films instead

One thing here is there is no system to manage traffic offenses like the US, Aus, UK. So anyone can have tickets and wrecks and its Ok, pay the fine and move on. This will all catch up to Thai's eventually. Insurance companies will see the money in it and mandate it.

The system here (or lack there of) is easy. Each year just move to a new insurance company. I have been told that policy holders will wait to the near end of coverage then get everything fixed on the car then change insurers. Easy Cheesy. No driver record available.

Now I want to be clear, I am not complaining about any of this. I really do not want it to change. Its one of the reasons I like living here. Once all these systems are in place, prices on everything will sky rocket thus making this just another westernized country. I could have stayed in the states and work and paid for all those "Services" until I died. As I have said before, be careful what you bitch about, If they really fixed all the stuff westerners whinge about trust me the COL here wouldn't be attractive at all.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

One thing here is there is no system to manage traffic offenses like the US, Aus, UK.

One aspect I really like here - a lack of Nannystate.

Can go out for a bike ride, or ride half way across the country, at the speed that you want without any fear of being fined hundreds of quid and/or losing points on your licence, which would actually matter.


Was out along out of Bkk a few weeks ago, double lane road along a big canal system, big center division between the two directions, was probably cruising at around 140-150kph when there was a cop with a speed-gun, then half a click later half a dozen rozzers pulling people over. Got pulled, and the guy was really nice, just asked where I was going, then said 'You, 110 up, 110 up. Slow slow na' I agreed, a wee salute, and I was waved off.

Originally Posted by fredwiggy

I've never seen more inconsiderate, incompentent and just plain ignorant drivers than I have here.

Not driven in Indonesia , then?

An Asian's idea of enough personal space is not the same as a European's.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

I really do not want it to change. Its one of the reasons I like living here

Nor do I. The wild west mentality appeals to me.

Originally Posted by Luigi

One aspect I really like here - a lack of Nannystate.

Can go out for a bike ride, or ride half way across the country, at the speed that you want without any fear of being fined hundreds of quid and/or losing points on your licence, which would actually matter.

^^Cheers to that. Keep it simple and costs will stay down as well. Its funny here in that I never ever have to look in my rearview mirror for some trooper that hid off to the side and was clocking me. In fact I took the rear view mirror out of my Hilux truck as I use my side mirrors only. My dash cam sits there now. I guess its a habit after driving a big rig in the states part time and towing a big race car trailer all over the western states.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

An Asian's idea of enough personal space is not the same as a European's.

^Exactly. That really is the crux of it all. Westerners want a huge personal space when driving along with big wide lanes with perfectly painted lines and reflectors etc etc. I can almost be trading paint and touching mirrors and I am OK with it. As I said, Its all about tolerance and comfort

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Not driven in Indonesia , then?

An Asian's idea of enough personal space is not the same as a European's.

I regularly cycle on a rural dual carriage way here and I know that very soon, half the road will be covered with coffee beans drying in the sun for weeks on end.
I nearly ran over a small heard of goats sleeping in the road just last week. It’s the local way, and I have no complaints at all.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

I can almost be trading paint and touching mirrors and I am OK with it

I have a very small dent in my Vespa right hand mirror. Road was narrow and the arsehole wouldn't move over.

Indonesia and Malaysia are on my bucket list,snorkeling,volcanoes,fishing etc. I've been looking at Travelfish's site and yes, it said it's a real problem, especially the cycle drivers. Texas ,where I moved from, has a point system,like New Jersey before. If they had it here, there wouldn't be many drivers left after a calendar year.

Originally Posted by Norton

Nor do I. The wild west mentality appeals to me.

The lack of nanny state mentality is kinda refreshing. Driving in Thailand is to be transported to the Australia of the seventies where people drove to the conditions.

Though it is exhausting. Driving on a highway past a pickup on the verge carrying about 300 tonnes and running on 2 cylinders in a smoke screen at 20 km/h on one side and being overtaken by a saloon doing 140 + on the other side requires constant vigilance.

When first dating my wife we'd drive around her city with her giving directions. After a few visits to the same addresses she was thinking 'why does this halfwit keep needing directions ?' (the answer being 'because I have to watch the road constantly I really don't have spare brain cells to log locations').

After she learnt to drive a car (she'd been riding scooters since girlhood) she said 'Oh honey, I'll never ask you to drive all day again ! It's so exhausting !!!'.
Funny that ...

Even at my age I can drive a thousand kays a day in Australia, day after day, but after a 600-700 km day in Thailand I'm stuffed.

Something intriguing is the access to major roads.
Typically one turns off a town road into a laneway which slowly gets bigger and eventually becomes another highway.
Weird.

Originally Posted by tomcat

...you think there's a driving test?...

Apparently they made it harder last year. It's more of a three day event than the morning test and afternoon poodle around a test circuit. That means that more are buying their licence than taking it around our way.

That said, the driving has improved up here compared to 20 years ago, it's just that there are a lot more nutters than there used to be as well, many of whom are farangs.

Bearing in mind that I live in Germany and 200kph is normal when in a hurry, I rarely go above 90kph in the sticks and 60-70 is pretty average for the conditions here. I used to hate it with a passion but one gets used to it after a while. It's different, they're not considerate and they rarely look-out for others but that's no excuse for me to kill them...or their dogs...or their chickens.

Originally Posted by Troy

but that's no excuse for me to kill them...or their dogs...or their chickens

...but you've thought about it...

^ Almost every day I'm on the road...

...^555...

Originally Posted by Troy

Apparently they made it harder last year. It's more of a three day event than the morning test and afternoon poodle around a test circuit. That means that more are buying their licence than taking it around our way.

That said, the driving has improved up here compared to 20 years ago, it's just that there are a lot more nutters than there used to be as well, many of whom are farangs.

Bearing in mind that I live in Germany and 200kph is normal when in a hurry, I rarely go above 90kph in the sticks and 60-70 is pretty average for the conditions here. I used to hate it with a passion but one gets used to it after a while. It's different, they're not considerate and they rarely look-out for others but that's no excuse for me to kill them...or their dogs...or their chickens.

Had a nasty confrontation with a fox on a Dutch motorway that nearly took out half a family, and would never again try to avoid a small animal at more than a very safe speed to stop or swerve. Don't chance it, brace yourself if queasy but the animal should not be there and safer to off it than risk yourself and others.

First time I went over a pup in the sticks was traumatic for wifey, esp the second bump, but in a crap 2-lane road at dusk with other traffic it was either that or a possible ditch.

I never, under any circumstances, swerve to avoid an animal here unless of course a big ass cow or an elephant. I have clocked 3 dogs since living here. I refuse to put me or my wife and assets in harm's way for a stray dog. I witnessed too many accidents from people avoiding animals. It's simply not worth it.

Now in the US I used to aim for cats....

Originally Posted by jabir

Had a nasty confrontation with a fox on a Dutch motorway that nearly took out half a family, and would never again try to avoid a small animal at more than a very safe speed to stop or swerve. Don't chance it, brace yourself if queasy but the animal should not be there and safer to off it than risk yourself and others.

First time I went over a pup in the sticks was traumatic for wifey, esp the second bump, but in a crap 2-lane road at dusk with other traffic it was either that or a possible ditch.

Totally agree there about not swerving to avoid. That's why anticipation and speed are so important.

Touch wood, I still haven't managed to run over someone's dog or chicken yet.

I wanted to run over the little shit on a bike that managed to get in front of me at the red lights and then failed to notice them go green....grrrrrrrrr.

Neither I nor the wife go anyway without another person in the front seat on look-out duty. It's a habit I formed when I was mini-bus driver at uni, years ago, and I do the same in Thailand. Have someone with you up front to keep you alert and double check things you might miss. This evening I was at a crossroads and missed the slow bike right in front of me, with no lights on, as I looked left and right...wife nonchalantly alerted me before I had released the brake.

Thai Driving Culture, minimal traffic law enforcement, unlicensed drivers, no driving records, NO Accountability

All contributing factors resulting in:


https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gen...cident-numbers

Anyone notice a trend?

I have always had the opinion that the average road kill rate here in Thailand was around 60 per day and so when I see that they get all upset about the rate on New year and Songkran I have a laugh because it is usually about the same. To me they need to wake up and realise that it is a permanent problem not just one which arrives twice a year for a week at a time.

Anyway I did a little search on my friend Google and found the following."At least 10,794 lives have already been claimed this year, highlighted Dr Taejing Siripanich, secretary-general of the Don’t Drive Drunk Foundation.That figure is not a full count of the dead, Taejing said yesterday. It is based on statistics compiled between January 1 and October 21, and takes into account only deaths recorded at the actual accident scene."“This means road fatalities are actually higher because some victims succumb to injuries later in hospital.”

By my reckoning that’s 294 days so the daily average is 36.7 which is less so they must be making progress?

Originally Posted by ootai

which is less so they must be making progress?

...depends on how you define progress...