Galong

So, I'm coming up on the Thalang Tesco area and I'm in the fast lane. I'm doing the speed limit. A big six-wheel truck come up on me going a LOT faster and nails me!  The impact rips my stereo amp from the floor, causes my ash tray to fly open and spill coins all over the place... just to give you an idea of the impact.

I pull over as far as possible in the fast lane. I look back at this *&*&^ from Surat Thani and the five other people in the front of the truck and through shere willpower, avoid doing what my instinct was telling me to do.

Instead, I go back about a hundred meters and start flagging folks to get over so they don't plow into the back of both vehicles.  EVENTUALLY, the cops show up. They chat with him. I wait for them to come talk to me. Obviously, they should have parked where I was and turned on their lights. That would have been the professional thing to do. But no, I have to go talk to them... while still waving a white cloth at oncoming traffic.

Long story short, it was his fault and his insurance will pay. The bed of my truck and the camper shell are totaled... I get them replaced, but this maniac didn't get a wreckless driving ticket!  Nor did he get in any trouble. He was allowed to drive off.

I'm OK, though my neck is a tad stiff. I can't imagine what would have happened if this accident involved me getting seriously injured. I am underwhelmed by the lack of professionalism of the two officers who showed up. My guess is they didn't want to do the paperwork or something. Wow.

Why is it that the powers-that-be think traffic lights solve problems?  I live on Radanusorn and there is a new traffic light on a three-way where there was NEVER any traffic problems. Now, with a one minute way in each direction, there is a backup every day.

The new traffic light at the new bus terminal (right around the corner from me) is not set to only turn green when there is a bus in need of a turn, it's timed like a regular traffic light. Traffic is, of course, backing up even more now. Being just a couple hundred meters from an existing light, folks coming from the side street get to fill up gap between these two lights.

And, of course, there are two big No U-Turn signs for traffic coming either way.  They might as well say "Do Whatever You Want" as that's what is happening. Nothing makes me happier than sitting at an unneeded red light only to find out that the guy in front of wants to do an illegal u-turn, thus making me sit through a light sequence or having to figure out how to go around him/her.  Ah driving like you're the only person who matters... I just love it.