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derman53
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I am returning to LOS in June and am taking my girl friend up to the NW counter of Thailand to meet her folks. I plan to rent a car and drive up. A couple of questions. Those of you who drive on the right in your country how hard is it to adapt to the left side of the road? How are the roads NW of Bangkok. 4l lanes, two lanes etc. Thanks
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:18 am on April 20, 2004
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Packripper
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Piece of cake. Grew up in the US, been here for 5-6 years. Just take it slow at first and don't act like you own the road because everyone else acts like they do.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 10:08 am on April 20, 2004
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fastmover
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Piece of cake? Nonsense man.
First, the damn steering wheel is on the opposite side...
that takes getting used to
Second, traffic is coming from a completely
different direction than you expect, instinctively.
Third, it's f_cking Asia, and drivers have a
death wish that might include you.
Add to that the language on the road signs, lack of experience,
and some TG jabbering on your ear.
Can be done of course.
But piece of cake?
Nope!
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:24 am on April 20, 2004
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Slippy1
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The roads in the N East will mostly be single carriageway, in the countryside anyway, and long and straight. That said, depending where in the N East you intend to go you may also have some hilly roads to deal with. I have experience of travelling the road from Korat to Chaiyaphum and Kaset Sombun and that route is hilly/mountainous and twisty in places.
On most country roads there probably will not be much traffic once you are in the N East, so apart from having to overtake a large lorry or a bus, occassionally, and families of four or more squashed onto a Honda Wave motorcycle, frequently, you may feel like you have the road to yourself.
Watch out for roads which have fallen into disrepair and have potholes. They can come as a nasty surprise if you are going at a fair speed. The recent elections may have resulted in many of these having some money spent on them and getting patched up.
Try not to have an accident - always sensible advice - but in Thailand you can be fairly sure you will be held responsible if you are driving and your accident involves a Thai. You might want to carry cash for such an eventuality.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 10:43 am on April 20, 2004
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expatchuck
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I will provide some suggestions for driving on what you consider the wrong side of the road.
1. You will notice when you turn on your turn signal, the windshield wipers start wiping away. This will happen every time until you learn the two levers are reversed on right hand drive vehicles.
2. Under no circumstances should you try and drive a standard shift transmission. You will have enough on your plate trying to figure out which side of the road you should be on without the added worry of shifting gears.
3. Always remember when you are entering the vehicle that you sit on the side where the steering wheel is located. You will receive some strange looks trying to get in on the left side when that is where your GF will be wishing to sit. She will probably think you want sex again, and under optimum conditions you might get lucky. It is not recommended on a regular basis however.
4. Your head will need to swivel 360 degrees at all times while driving. That is the direction from which traffic will be coming at you.
5. Test your horn and brakes immediately upon receipt of the car. These two items are indispensable to driving in Thailand. Do not leave home without them.
6. Should you encounter a traffic circle, my suggestion is to wait for the largest vehicle you can find and follow them through. Do not try and do this on your own. They are called "circles of death" for a reason.
7. Always remember the basic rules of right of way. The bigger you are, the more right of way you can command. You will need to cede your half of the road to buses and trucks but you may run motorcycles off the road at will. With cars equal in size to your own, never make eye contact with the other driver. They will assume you have seen them and if you hit them it will be your fault. As a farang driver, it will be your fault anyway but the eye contact thing leaves them guessing.
8. Always drive defensively. You should assume the Thai driver will do the most unimaginable maneuver with his vehicle. You will seldom be disappointed.
9. Never assume the girls on motorcycles have seen you bearing down on them. While the motorcycles all have mirrors, these are used primarily for applying and repairing makeup when they are stopped at red lights.
10. Always have several 100 baht bills available for those little instances when you do break the law and a member of the local police needs a donation to his retirement fund. If all you have are 500 or 1,000 baht bills, you will seldom get change back.
11. Do not get alarmed when you see lights approaching on your side of the road at night. Chances are the other vehicle is merely taking a shortcut. There is always the possibility you are on the wrong side however, so be alert to this predicament.
12. Please do not drive in Pattaya while I am there. We have enough drivers trying to learn how to drive on the streets now.
13. Your GF will happily point out all mistakes you might make and all turns you should make. Most turns will have to be made when you are half way through the intersection/exit before she tells you however. Always be ready to slam on the brakes and turn whichever way she might be pointing. Remember, even though she has never driven a car, she knows more about driving than you ever will. Take her criticisms with a grain of salt and then put her on a bus for the return trip to BKK.
I cannot help you much on the highway situation. As I recall, you will have 4 lane divided highway for about 150 kilometers north of BKK and then the roads get smaller.
Thank you for listening. Happy motoring!
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 10:54 am on April 20, 2004
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nokna
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'First, the damn steering wheel is on the opposite side...
that takes getting used to'
you pussy FM.
how difficult can it be to drive a car with a steering wheel on the right?
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:58 pm on April 20, 2004
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Packripper
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 Ah yes... I should also mention that results will vary.
Drivers can also be hired for about $150-$400 (US$) a month as well if you can provide an automobile. On the lower end of that if you provide room and board.
Quote: from fastmover on 10:24 pm on April 20, 2004
Piece of cake? Nonsense man.
SNIP
Can be done of course.
But piece of cake?
Nope!
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:21 pm on April 20, 2004
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UK Punter
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Fastmover,
Piece of cake driving a car on the left with a right hand side driving position is easy, try driving on the right with a right hand driving position as we Brits have to do when we drive in europe.
I worked in Denmark drove a LHD car to Copenhagen airport, flew to London jumped into a RHD drove around for 4 days, returned to the airport and flew back, every month for 3 years. Sometimes the cars were stick shift other times auto and always different makes so the controls were always in different places.
In the past I have driven vehicles with the gas peddle in the middle of the clutch and brake, earth movers with two brake pedals so you can gas the engine while lifting the bucket with out the vehicle moving forward. The driving position is in center too, farm tractors and backhoes have split braking so you stear with your feet and not the steering wheel.
Come on lads your playing with big boys toys get out there and enjoy em.
Thailand driving is a lot better than the rest of asia, plus you don't have to worry about the camels, donkeys and horses as you do in Cairo.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:25 pm on April 20, 2004
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ThaidUp
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Right on Chuck..Added comments
Quote: from expatchuck on 10:54 pm on April 20, 2004
I will provide some suggestions for driving on what you consider the wrong side of the road.
1. You will notice when you turn on your turn signal, the windshield wipers start wiping away. This will happen every time until you learn the two levers are reversed on right hand drive vehicles.
TU: The cool move is to push the lever when this happens to activate the window washer so you appear to intentionally want to wash your window. Don't do this if it raining.
2. Under no circumstances should you try and drive a standard shift transmission. You will have enough on your plate trying to figure out which side of the road you should be on without the added worry of shifting gears.
TU: Right, most of the time when you go to shift gears you will roll the window down and look stupid. Plus you also need to also catach up on all your cell phone calls fro the day as most Thai's do as soon as they enter the car.
3. Always remember when you are entering the vehicle that you sit on the side where the steering wheel is located. You will receive some strange looks trying to get in on the left side when that is where your GF will be wishing to sit. She will probably think you want sex again, and under optimum conditions you might get lucky. It is not recommended on a regular basis however.
TU: The cool move is to open the door for your GF and tell them this is the custom. If you are alone get something out of the glove box because some security guard will be watching you ready to laugh. Don't try this with another guy he will thing you have other motives.
4. Your head will need to swivel 360 degrees at all times while driving. That is the direction from which traffic will be coming at you.
5. Test your horn and brakes immediately upon receipt of the car. These two items are indispensable to driving in Thailand. Do not leave home without them.
TU: And Flash your lights. I have not determined if this means it is safe to go or the other car is shifting into ramming speed.
6. Should you encounter a traffic circle, my suggestion is to wait for the largest vehicle you can find and follow them through. Do not try and do this on your own. They are called "circles of death" for a reason.
TU: I seen a death last week in one of these roundabouts. Why couldn't the Brits leave this piece of civil engineering in the UK.
7. Always remember the basic rules of right of way. The bigger you are, the more right of way you can command. You will need to cede your half of the road to buses and trucks but you may run motorcycles off the road at will. With cars equal in size to your own, never make eye contact with the other driver. They will assume you have seen them and if you hit them it will be your fault. As a farang driver, it will be your fault anyway but the eye contact thing leaves them guessing.
TU: Please take note of all the damage on most bus. There is a car accident behind each dent. With bus it is either get out of the way or else I will move you out of the way.
8. Always drive defensively. You should assume the Thai driver will do the most unimaginable maneuver with his vehicle. You will seldom be disappointed.
9. Never assume the girls on motorcycles have seen you bearing down on them. While the motorcycles all have mirrors, these are used primarily for applying and repairing makeup when they are stopped at red lights.
TU: Most of the time the mirrors are angled down so they can go in between the small spaces between cars. Use this to your advantage to look up their dress to see if they are wearing underwear.
10. Always have several 100 baht bills available for those little instances when you do break the law and a member of the local police needs a donation to his retirement fund. If all you have are 500 or 1,000 baht bills, you will seldom get change back.
TU: Advise carry 2 wallets or talking all but 300 THB in you wallet. I made the mistake of only have 1000 THB bills in mine and the "fine" was 1000 THB. Remember the police like the taxi drivers carrys no change.
11. Do not get alarmed when you see lights approaching on your side of the road at night. Chances are the other vehicle is merely taking a shortcut. There is always the possibility you are on the wrong side however, so be alert to this predicament.
TU: I still panic everytime I see them thinking I was driving on the wrong side of the road.
12. Please do not drive in Pattaya while I am there. We have enough drivers trying to learn how to drive on the streets now.
TU: Plus the Krypto Limo service.
13. Your GF will happily point out all mistakes you might make and all turns you should make. Most turns will have to be made when you are half way through the intersection/exit before she tells you however. Always be ready to slam on the brakes and turn whichever way she might be pointing. Remember, even though she has never driven a car, she knows more about driving than you ever will. Take her criticisms with a grain of salt and then put her on a bus for the return trip to BKK.
I cannot help you much on the highway situation. As I recall, you will have 4 lane divided highway for about 150 kilometers north of BKK and then the roads get smaller.
Thank you for listening. Happy motoring!
Additional pointers:
1. If you remember that you aways sit on the side of the car that puts near the center line of the road.
2. I make the most mistakes by driving on the wrong side in the parking lots not on the roads. If you find this happen just give angry looks at any oncoming traffic like they are the ones in the wrong.
3. The most Amazing piece of civil engineering here is the U-turns. negogiating the U-turn is an art. If you are in the front of the line you inch out into on coming traffic inch-by-inch. At first the oncoming traffic will serve around you until they cannot serve into the next lane without hitting another car then they will have to stop. Then the whole line of cars awaiting the U-turn will go, so by no means be polite and let the U turn people take a U-turn in front of you.
4. Do not acknowledge the presence of any other driver on the road. Keep your eyes forward and just drive like you own the road yielding to buses and trucks of course.
5. If someone lets you pass or yield do not offer the wave or thank you it does not seem to be Thai style.
6. If you do get into an accident just drive off, because it will always be the farang's fault or in the case of a motorcycle just give him 500 THB. My wife did both in the last year.
Good luck
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 9:15 pm on April 20, 2004
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Root Rat
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Some additional pointers on dealing with traffic lights at junctions.
1. You will notice that local drivers have the habit of speeding up when a traffic light is changing to red. This is acceptable local practice so do not be put off when you stop at a red and the car behind you pulls out and drives across the junction.
2. If you are being followed by a bus and the lights have just changed to red, keep going. The bus WILL NOT stop.
3. Having successfully stopped at a red light, beware when pulling out once the lights turn green as either of the above scenarios may be in play from traffic coming in other directions.
4. At some junctions you can turn left on a red light. There are two types of these junctions; those that have a blue sign with white Thai writing and the other type which is just a common knowledge sort of thing that you soon learn about from the sound of honking horns behind you. (Beware! These junctions may change from “OK to turn left” to “Not OK to turn left” towards the end each month or a few days before the district police chiefs’ birthday).
Happy driving!
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:04 pm on April 20, 2004
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