I successfully failed to run over a scooter today

[urleft]

Something amazing happened, my usual mantra when driving that "Thai's don't give an inch".  There is no courtesy, no stopping to let someone in, if you meet on a narrow road and you have right of way, the on coming car will move up as far as possible rather than stop a few feet back to allow easy movement. 

So I was on the scooter coming back from picking up my daughter at school, there is a back way into the village, and another back way to that back way.  Traffic cleared both on-coming and behind me so I took the opportunity and the back back way.  But when I got to road there were several cars and scooters backed up at a sharp turn.  I was prepared to wait, where the guy in a scooter truck motioned me to go ahead of him.  Of course it turned out it was an Expat and not a Thai. 


BTW, went to pick up the brat at school today just after 3 pm and wow was traffic  backed up, past the Thepnakon Hotel.  Not sure what was causing the problem. 

[Starman]

I going to need a single malt to calm me down. Truly amazing.

[davureborn]

I going to need a single malt to calm me down. Truly amazing.

Great sneer SM, good to see you are recovering.

[urleft]

Hacked Traffic sign in the USA.   


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/caution-asian-drivers-napa-traffic-sign_us_595ef341e4b0d5b458e9678e?utm_campaign=hp_fb_pages&utm_source=main_fb&utm_medium=facebook&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

[urleft]

As the title says I successfully avoided a scooter today because I was driving slow (about 20 KPH), anti-lock brakes, and luck.  I was on a village road when a scooter came out of a side road (almost an alley) without looking.  Missed him be at least a foot.  This was not a cross street. 

Luckily I take it slow on these roads.  Two days ago I was approaching a cross-street and even though I had right of way I always prepare to stop, good thing as a Pick up truck came speeding thru ignoring the speed bumps. 

And last week 3 village boys were road kill on the main road while scooter riding.

Hope my luck continues to hold.

[urleft]

I must be getting better.  Just before the elephant circle I was about to turn left into the bike shop when I checked my side mirror seeing a scooter hellbent down the shoulder seemingly ignorant about what a turn signal means.  So I just stopped not turning and waited for the scooter to pass, which they did without slowing.  The TW yelped as they passed and said "WTF is wrong with them", but I was not even indignant or surprised, TIT.   


Be very careful, they are out there. 

[urleft]

Shades of last year. 

Was exiting Tops and had to wait for 4 scooters of school boys playing around oblivious to the dangerous U Turn area, luckily there was no incident.  I was able to complete the exit and got in the right lane and passed them.  Continued past Big C in the left lane and signaled for a left turn, but was watchful of the scooters that by now had spread out about 50 meters behind me.  I was trying to ease to the shoulder and make the turn but the scooters came on like I wasn't there.  I stopped and all 4 just passed me on the left without slowing.  The TW was highly agitated  yelling at me the scooters weren't stopping. 

Just another day in Thailand. 

[Smithy]

Just another day in Thailand.

 

[urleft]

Had another incident 2 days ago on 219, was headed north passing a double trailer truck.  The truck starting merging right forcing me to move right into the yellow medium.  Unfortunately there was an on coming motorcycle hot rodding down the medium (no cars to his left) and he would not move left.  He passed me at high speed with about a foot clearance never moving left.  The TW was again very agitated, can't really blame her. 

[Starman]

Looks like TW should TTW and let FT learn HTFD .

[Gerry]

Looks like TW should TTW and let FT learn HTFD .

I think I have most of that. Had a little chuckle. Working out the last bit. Wife says 5555