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[DegenFarang]

I thought Los Angeles traffic was crazy when I moved there but was able to navigate it and now consider myself fairly skilled at driving there, though to most people in the USA they are freaked out when driving in LA for the first time.

Bangkok is on an entirely different level though. A different planet. I live on Sukhumvit and the main areas I visit are Rama IV, MBK area and up and down Sukhumvit road. How difficult would it be for me to get used to it here? How steep is the learning curve? Not only do I have to learn to drive on the opposite side of the road, but you have people ignoring traffic lanes, motorcycles and pedestrians all over the place, huge busses changing lanes instantly with little or no signaling etc. I haven't seen any traffic accidents so it seems the Thai's all have it figured out pretty well but I'm terrified at the thought of driving here. However I'm also sick of taking the BTS and Taxi's and really want a car.

Any suggestions? Possibly a driving school I could go to, or am I just overthinking all of this? I really don't want to buy a car and get into 3 traffic accidents in the first month, ya know?

Thanks in advance.

Edited by DegenFarang, 2009-11-04 17:00:13.

[tb86]

start out with the cheapest pos you can find, if you dont destroy it in the first 3 months then get something better

[DegenFarang]

tb86, on 2009-11-04 17:04:13, said:

start out with the cheapest pos you can find, if you dont destroy it in the first 3 months then get something better

Hadn't thought of that, that there is some good advice. Thanks.

Still don't want to die though, and destroying my cheap POS might also mean destroying me  

Edited by PeaceBlondie, 2009-11-04 18:08:02.
Yet once again: Everywhere on ThaiVisa, No need to repost an opening post early in a thread. USE FAST REPLY button further down. Thank you. PeaceBlondie

[katabeachbum]

Driving in LOS is never boring.

No one behaves like expected from a westerners point of view

The areas you frequent are rather sivilised in my experience. Try to go countryside where at least 5% of vehicles drive on the wrong side of the road, often in the evening without lights. Thats exciting

If you want to drive car, start with a rental from a large company, fully insured, and see how its like. Do expect some damages until you learn to behave thai

After almost 7 years of driving 3-400.000 km in LOS, I still have bikes or cars hit my car at least a couple of times a year.

Edited by PeaceBlondie, 2009-11-04 18:09:37.
Yet once again: Everywhere on ThaiVisa, No need to repost an opening post early in a thread. USE FAST REPLY button further down. Thank you. PeaceBlondie

[wordchild]

Its not that bad, just get out there and do it! maybe get a hire car for a couple of days and use it around town should help with your confidence . I lived in the US for a while, coming from the UK ,took me about 2 months to get used to driving on the other side after that it was like i had always done it. Took me about the same time to readapt when i moved bk to the UK. While there are a few nutters (as there are everywhere) I find the standard of driving around BKK to be pretty good , most drivers are fairly cautious,though for sure you need to be very aware of the bikes esp changing lanes also watch out for the buses. you need to get used to the little nuances,which  roads,times to avoid etc. Some things here make life easier as a driver , i would give  a vote to those unsung heroes the building security guards who also act as traffic cops.
  As an aside i would say, in my experience, LA is one of the easier world cities to drive in, try Rome for a laugh sometime!

Edited by wordchild, 2009-11-04 17:25:28.

[MJo]

The other side of the road thing is easy in bkk, just follow others and you will be fine.

Keep an open mind, last thing you want to end up is one of those guys that rant here in tv as the thais do not follow their rules. It's actually not that bad in bangkok, people use the lanes and signal quite well. Also they are polite and let you change lane etc but also expect you to give them way as well.

Rental is good idea for a start so get one for couple of weeks and drive. You soon find out that your biggest problem is to learn the bangkok roads with all one way streets and not allowed to turn left and right on certain times will see you spending hours in traffic trying to get where you want to go. But you will get on hold of it in few months or so. You can also practice on sunday mornings when there is no traffic.

[stingray]

Specially in California it's much more scary to drive, Police and speed checks everywhere, Helicopters (big brothers is watching you), or whatever, everyone can sue you for millions if have a accident, etc. etc. Specially in Inglewood, all the "Blacks" at ever street corner hanging arround, No thanks, not want to living or driving there.  Anyway there are nicer parts in the US, where things are more secure and beautyful, like Hawaii or Vegas. Specially in Hawaii is the traffic very relaxing, everone drives very careful, so chances are small to have a accident.

[samran]

put it this way, I've driven on the 'wrong' side of the road in plenty of cities...such as LA, Barcelona, and many places in France and Italy which all have their share of crazy drivers. If I can survive there where everything is backwards for me, you'll be find here.

For an experienced driver, a day max is what it takes to 'convert'.

Edited by samran, 2009-11-04 18:05:35.

[DegenFarang]

Quote

Specially in Inglewood, all the "Blacks" at ever street corner hanging arround

heh it isn't a dangerous as you might think. I lived in Long Beach for a couple of years and went to Inglewood quite often to play poker. They may look scary but its just a facade. I never had any problems there. I guess statistically speaking the risk of a car jacking is astronomically higher in Inglewood than it would be in Thailand (does that even happen here?) but generally speaking, its very safe to drive in the 'dangerous' areas of LA - so long as you are on the major roads. I wouldn't go roaming around the small side streets where everybody lives and stands in the middle of the street etc.

[DegenFarang]

samran, on 2009-11-04 19:05:05, said:

For an experienced driver, a day max is what it takes to 'convert'.

Thats great to here. I was thinking of maybe starting out by taking a trip to Pattaya or something. Seems driving on the highway and country roads (during the day) would be a lot easier and safer way to get used to dealing with how the Thai's drive.

[MJo]

I would start in bkk, in highway there is more risk of going to wrong lane or turning to wrong direction. Not to mention accident in bangkok speeds is nothing compared to accident in 160kph at highway.

[katabeachbum]

DegenFarang, on 2009-11-04 19:18:13, said:

Quote

Specially in Inglewood, all the "Blacks" at ever street corner hanging arround

heh it isn't a dangerous as you might think. I lived in Long Beach for a couple of years and went to Inglewood quite often to play poker. They may look scary but its just a facade. I never had any problems there. I guess statistically speaking the risk of a car jacking is astronomically higher in Inglewood than it would be in Thailand (does that even happen here?) but generally speaking, its very safe to drive in the 'dangerous' areas of LA - so long as you are on the major roads. I wouldn't go roaming around the small side streets where everybody lives and stands in the middle of the street etc.

Actually car jacking happens here, but not often. They rear end your car and expect you to get out. Head for the nearest policestation

[sendbaht]

For over 20 years I had 10 business to call on in Southern California from San Diego to Santa Barbara and one in Hawaii. One of those business for a few
years was in Inglewood. Never had a problem or a accident, lots of speeding tickets though. I logged 100s of thousands of miles.

Of all the driving I did in Southern Cal. I prefer driving here in Thailand. I'm not looking over my shoulder for police and if I see a Thai police pull behind me I'm not worried. If someone cuts be off, that's all they did, cut me off. Seems "most" drivers do not hold a grudge and move to the next  moment, like living in the now.

I feel 10 times safer driving my motorcycle in Thailand because there are so many MCs around me unlike back in the States where I am the only one in a sea of 100 large cars.

There are dangers of course.

[DegenFarang]

Quote

if I see a Thai police pull behind me I'm not worried

Can anybody expand on this? Is it just because you can pay them off if they pull you over? If so, what is the going rate?

[MJo]

The police here very rarely stop you even if they see minor violation from your side. Also it is rare that they are driving around and stopping people. If they are out to fine offenders they set up a "checkpoint" in intersection and stop cars running red lights or most often it is just for them to make money so they pull random and ask for tea money based on whatever reason.

Although it is to be noted that they have some radar guns nowadays and are enforcing the speed limits randomly but you can't see them very often so risk of speeding ticket is minimal.

Now if you have done something wrong the going rate is 200 baht at least in bkk, this due the reason that official ticket is 400 which the police get 200 commission at the end of the month but prefer not to wait for their money that long. The hassle with the official ticket is that the cops will keep your DL and you have to go to their station to pick it up once you have paid the fine. This usually means hassle as you have to drive other side of town to get it back.

Now if you have not done nothing wrong you have 3 options:

1. pay the 200 tea money, this is the fastest way to be able to continue

2. tell them you havent done nothing wrong and ask them to write you official ticket, most of the time they let you go as they are there to make money and stop as many cars as possible so don't want to spend 15 mins on writing you a ticket and losing "income"

3. Act as you don't know what they are saying and ignoring all hints for tea money, takes bit time but usually they get tired of you sitting there in 10 to 20 mins and just let you go

Have fun  

Edit: forgot to mention that they set up cameras to catch cars running red lights in most of the major intersections in bangkok and did issue thousands of tickets in first few weeks. After that i haven't heard anything but could assume most of the cameras are not operational anymore due lack of maintenance but some just might be so be careful with the lights. Naturally this does not apply in rush hour traffic where the police often advices you to run the red light when they try to clear the worst blocks.

Edited by MJo, 2009-11-04 19:14:59.

[DegenFarang]

lol 200 baht

what if when they come to the window i just have the 200 baht ready and just hand it to them...can i instantly drive off?

what a cheap price. ticket in california is $150 minimum.

[ThailandLovr]

I don't drive in BKK, but in the medium sized cities the roundabouts I find to be hard to negotiate.  Those of you from the U.K are used to them but they are almost non-existent in the USA.   In certain cities which have a lot of roundabouts, I have my wife drive.  With all the motorcycles weaving about I find them too helter-skelter for me.

Edited by ThailandLovr, 2009-11-04 19:42:04.

[MJo]

DegenFarang, on 2009-11-04 20:17:43, said:

lol 200 baht

what if when they come to the window i just have the 200 baht ready and just hand it to them...can i instantly drive off?

what a cheap price. ticket in california is $150 minimum.

200 it is in the range of average days salary for factory workers in bangkok and the cops are not making much more if even that.

Better not to hand it over right away though. It's all about the game and face with these guys. So be polite, smile as h@ll and if they do not propose you to "take care it for you" you can always ask if there is something that can be done at the spot as you are just visiting bangkok and it would be soooo much trouble to get the ticket sorted out.

And don't forget to compliment them and thank them for their help when they do promise you to pay on your behalf

Seriously, better not to piss them off too much or it will take a long time and more money before you are going to get moving again.

[MJo]

Also i have to add that driving car in bangkok you rarely get stopped. Tinted windows and you can manage years without being pulled over providing you drive within the general rules.

Then driving a bike, jeez i lost count long time ago. Sometimes it's almost daily hassle if you drive pass the usual trap locations.

[PhilHarries]

MJo, on 2009-11-04 19:50:32, said:

The other side of the road thing is easy in bkk, just follow others and you will be fine.

Right    but a bit tough if you didn't want to go to Buriram.

[troehr]

It is very easy to get used to driving on the left.  What takes time is reprogramming your brain for the controls.  I was always turning on the wipers whenever I wanted to signal.  It is having the controls on the wrong side that took getting used to.

Secondly, do not try to drive like you are in the US.  You will be frustrated in no time that way.  You will also be dangerous.  It is must better to drive like a Thai.  You will soon find the hang of it.

Driving at night in the smaller places are what is really scary.  The scooters come from all directions.  There is a 50% chance there will be one driving in your lane the wrong way.  And the U turns are even worse at night.  They pull up on both sides of you in numbers.  And of course everyone ends up right in the middle when you go.  

The only scooters I really watch for now are the ones going the wrong way in the lanes.  These are the ones you will hit.

Tim

[ThailandLovr]

I just thought of something which you must NOT do.  Do not look left before looking right and start to creep into the road!  We do this all the time back in the states, and it can be catastrophic here.  Force yourself to get in the habit of looking right first.  I even had put a little sign on my steering wheel to remind me after a close call when I first started driving here.

I remember years ago visiting Scotland and making that mistake, as a bus whooshed by very close nearly plastering me!

Edited by ThailandLovr, 2009-11-04 20:31:04.

[MJo]

PhilHarries, on 2009-11-04 20:59:23, said:

MJo, on 2009-11-04 19:50:32, said:

The other side of the road thing is easy in bkk, just follow others and you will be fine.

Right    but a bit tough if you didn't want to go to Buriram.

What's wrong with Buriram, i hear it's a nice place ?

Sure you need to know where you are going but turning in intersections etc you can't get the lanes wrong etc if you just follow the flow of traffic. When your alone you get into trouble by turning to gas station using the exit and getting in wrong side while driving to underground parking etc. That stuff happens in the beginning and while most of the time it's not dangerous it is pretty embarrassing.

[TomBombadil]

Egypt is more strenuous, but Finland is easier. I would say Thailand is somewhere in the middle.

[MikeyIdea]

I have done some 300,000 km in Thailand by now, driving in Thailand is easy but there are a number of buts…

Be HUMBLE, it doesn't matter if you can say – But it was his fault, when you already are in a wheel chair for the rest of your life

Stay CALM, accidents will hardly happen when you are calm, they happen when you get jai raan

Drive like the Thais do… Thai's (including the police) do not understand that one of the main benefits with traffic rules are that they get people to drive the same way so that other drivers can expect / predict what is going to happen. But it still matters

Concentrate, one of the reasons why you get more tired driving in Thailand is that you need to keep your "BACKGROUND CONCENTRATION" a notch higher than in Europe or America. You are surely going to see a policemen driving on the wrong side of the road sometimes. Not to mention other non-law enforcement officers…

Trust me, there is a system in the anarchy, find it and you will feel safe and relaxed when you drive

I love driving, have been taking my 5 year old daughter to more than 40 of Thailand's provinces by now, she has yet to accept sitting in a car seat or wear a seat belt (but that will come soon). She frequently sits in the front passenger seat or in my lap while I drive (my airbag equipped car…) or in the back seat, or on top of the luggage. I love my daughter very much and I do all this feeling safe of course, otherwise I would never do it.

My philosophy is that I don't trust others driving and I trust myself, and I still get more tired driving in Thailand than I would do in Europe

Michael

Edited by MikeyIdea, 2009-11-05 12:07:14.