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Smegma
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No problem whatsoever.
I guess it depends where one comes from (former driving experience). Sometimes I find it worse in very very very civilized places (like Florida in the USA), where if for any reason you were to make a mistake the old lady coming towards you doesnt react and makes no effort to avoid you because she was right and you were wrong.
If you are one such driver that is used to an environment where everybody drives superkosher (like in Boca Raton, FL), and you got used to it and by now are a bit comfy and your reaction time is about 45 seconds... then BKK is not for you.
On the other hand, if you have ever driven in a city with some spicy road flavor like, Athens, Mexico, Caracas, Istanbul, Katmandu, Manila, Cairo, Rio, Mumbay, Delhi, etc. then you will have no problem with Bangkok.
I like to drive in every place I go. The most scary places so far: Nepal, and India. Burma is also kind of special with steering wheel on the right side, but driving on the right side of the road -the passenger on the left seat is for some excitement when overtaking -as he is the one that sees first the incoming traffic :eyecrazy:
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:35 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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nokna
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thai highway code:
1) you will drive on the wrong side of the road whenever possible
2) lights are optional (especially if its dark)
3) that basket on you bike is for carrying your helmet
4) the helmet is to keep your rice warm
5) do not let farangs overtake you ... its bad luck
6) the outside lane is for big slow vehicles
7) when broken down always leave your vehicle in the outside lane (with your lights off)
8) mercedes drivers can ignore all regulations
9) always carry 100 baht notes for traffic violations
10) propane cylinders should be loosly tossed into the back of your vehicle, and never secured
11) when transporting cargo, never take less than 15 tons
12) when driving a car, motorcycles should not be treated as road vehicles
13) when driving a motorcycle pull out in front of every car possible
14) blinkers make your vehicle look pretty, always re-wire them to flash simultaneously everytime you want to stop
15) above all if you dont get away from the lights first ... you're a buffalo
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 6:46 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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Smegma
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One good thing about driving in Thailand as opposed to some Latin American and Mediterranean countries is that when "figthing" it out with another driver, whoever doesnt make it and looses, lets go and is not resentful. ie, very little road rage afterwards. The figthing for position is as fierce as in any Latin country. However the looser lets go. In some countries, the looser chases you down to get even; not here.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:53 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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Chompoo
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I'm not just talking about aggressive drivers, although that is part of it.
The problem is that figuring out which aggressive techniques are okay (there do tend to be some loose standards) and which laws it's okay (in fact necessary) to break. Add in other things like knowing who has the right of way on a two way street that is 15 feet wide. Even figuring out why the guy coming in the other direction is flashing his lights at you can be confusing (in some places it means go ahead, but in Bkk it means don't get in my way because I'm not slowing down for you).
I would have no problem driving aggressively, but in Bangkok you seem to have to accept that it is a high-risk environment and you will get into lots of minor accidents if you drive often enough.
Assuming you were not intimidated by the driving itself (which is high-stress for anyone), you'd have to know how to get where you want to go. Without explicit, detailed instructions (with a backup plan) I don't see how any newbie could go more than 1/4 mile. Even just driving down Sukh. is a pain as the lanes change frequently and knowing where and when to turn (or u-turn) is a riddle. Let alone having to go down the many tiny sois that connect all the major streets and are the only efficient way of navigating at times. Factor in that making a wrong turn or going one street too far can add 15 minutes or a half hour to your trip.
Assuming you knew where you were going, you still have to figure out where to park. The vast majority of places I would want to visit don't have their own parking lot (some will validate at a lot nearby, but you have to know in advance for which lot).
I can't imagine that renting a car to drive in Bkk makes sense for more than 1 in 10,000 tourists.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 6:59 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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vertigo
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Anything like satnav available Chompoo through Avis, Hertz, etc.?
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 7:01 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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Smegma
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Quote: from Chompoo on 7:59 am on Jan. 18, 2003
I can't imagine that renting a car to drive in Bkk makes sense for more than 1 in 10,000 tourists.
You are right. For a tourist, I agree.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:03 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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Chompoo
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I don't know if they have GPS systems there. I think they'd be of only limited use as no current system is able to factor in traffic (by time of day, etc.), they just use distance and average speed on the road. It would be useful in a pinch though.
Most bangkok drivers are too proud to use a GPS system, so I'd imagine there'd be little market for it.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:14 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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seubeu
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Satellite Navigation? GPS? Is there even a reasonable paper map available?
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:22 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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bandit
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I have never driven in BKK itself, in fact the only occasions were during my trips to Phuket where I always rented a 250 cm2 dirt bike or a chopper. I am a careful driver and I always take my own helmet with me. Most of the times I am driving with my boots and the leather jacket on and no TG on the backseat. But the thing that shocked me was the number of local people driving cars that try to hit us falang, provocate an accident and make us pay. I was hit once by some idiot and I threatened him to perform some Muay Thai, he backed off. Still I had to pay for the scratch on the tank and the broken mirror to the shop where I rented the bike.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 11:21 pm on Jan. 17, 2003
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Packripper
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One of the few good things about driving in Bangkok is that showing up in a taxi (or stepping off a bus) vs. showing up in your car will often result in a different level of service. But that's the same everywhere.
Also agree with getting around to places outside of the city or on the outskirts. Also, with a car, you don't have to breath the air on the street waiting for taxis or buses. Straight from home, to car, to car port of your favorite MP, to bath tub, to car, to home. No need to deal with the dust/gasoline soup called Bangkok air.
;)
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:32 pm on Jan. 18, 2003
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