| Having had my Driver's License for 47
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| | perhaps 5 ft. from your bumper. Nice,
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| years now and having driven manual
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| | polite, quiet people that they are Thai's
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| transmissions and automatics from
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| | when they get behind the steering wheel
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| Volkswagen bugs, to Corvettes, to Nissan
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| | change they make a transition from Mr.
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| 300 ZX Turbo's to more refined Lincoln
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| | Hyde to Dr. Jekyll.
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| luxury cars you would think that I could
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| | In my opinion most drivers here only have
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| drive anywhere in the world.
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| | the mandatory basic insurance which is
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| My driving record is excellent. No
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| | almost useless should they have an
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| accidents and no points off in the last 6
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| | accident. So they try to be careful and
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| years and that qualifies me for the best
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| | not hit other cars by driving 3 ft away
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| rating and the best insurance rate in
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| | from vehicles on their passenger side.
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| Canada. An experienced driver with the
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| | Either they cannot judge the distance as
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| best driving record.
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| | they are inexperienced drivers or they
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| Coming to Chiang Mai, Thailand and
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| | are extremely careful, either way they
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| renting a car to see the sites and get
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| | will drive down the street using part of
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| around town should be a breeze you would
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| | your lane forcing you out of your lane.
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| expect. Well anyone who thinks so is dead
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| | Overtaking can be done regardless of
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| wrong.
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| | whether you do it by passing the vehicle
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| Driving here has to be seen to be
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| | in front of you on the left or right
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| believed. Do not try it unless you know
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| | side. So if you drive down the road
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| someone here who has educated you as to
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| | EXPECT to see a vehicle coming straight
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| What to Watch Out For.
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| | for you in your lane passing a slower
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| Here is my list:
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| | vehicle. They will pass and expect you to
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| The lines on the roads do not mean a
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| | slow down or move out of your lane as
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| thing here. You can drive on them, you
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| | they are going somewhere in a hurry.
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| can drive on the side of them, but do not
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| | Overtaking another vehicle will happen by
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| expect drivers to drive between them.
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| | vehicles going uphill and not seeing what
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| Why? Because on the left side of the road
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| | is ahead of them, overtaking will occur
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| you will find motorbikes so cars move
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| | on turns and the drivers not seeing what
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| over knowing that this is the preferred
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| | is ahead of them, overtaking will occur
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| route of the motorbikes. That is one
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| | whenever and wherever.
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| reason. Another is that both red taxi's
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| | Pedestrians crossing with the traffic
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| (converted pick up trucks used as taxis)
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| | light green DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY,
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| and tuk tuk's (three wheeled motorcycles
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| | vehicles go first and you should cross
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| used as taxis) move over from the fast
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| | when you it is safe to do so.
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| lane to the middle of the two lanes in an
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| | Now having said all of that you may be
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| attempt to pick up more passengers and
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| | thinking to yourself, Is this guy trying
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| yet not lose out on positioning in a fast
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| | to scare me, is he trying to be funny,
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| lane of traffic.
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| | does he not want me to drive in Chiang
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| Traffic signals do not mean a thing here.
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| | Mai? The answer to these questions is:
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| Vehicles can jump the green and make a
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| | I want you to know what you will be
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| turn against the flow of traffic if they
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| | facing should you decide to drive here. I
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| are hmmm. the first, second, third or
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| | want you not to injure yourself or
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| even the fourth vehicles in line at a red
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| | someone else thinking you can go ahead
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| light as you want to cross an
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| | and rent/drive a vehicle without having
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| intersection with the light just having
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| | driven here before or without some
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| turned green. Expect vehicles to run the
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| | advice.
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| red if it just turned red hmmm. what
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| | When I first arrived and saw the traffic
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| one, two, or perhaps three seconds ago.
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| | I thought that I would never be able to
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| Watch out for the 3 wheeled bicycles.
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| | drive here. Well now I do drive here. I
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| These are normally driven by slim men in
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| | know what to watch out for and drivers
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| their sixties who have doing this for
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| | running greens or red lights does not
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| years. This may have been a fashionable
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| | surprise me or anger me. I merely expect
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| and popular means of transportation 50
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| | it.
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| years ago or so but now it is a danger
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| | The Thai drivers here have probably not
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| out on the roads as they move along at 4
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| | had any formal driving instruction, they
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| mph on streets full of cars and
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| | may not have any decent insurance
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| motorcycles, all of which are in a hurry
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| | coverage, and they may be pushy when it
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| to go somewhere.
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| | comes to driving as they may be in a
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| Watch out for vendors pushing their carts
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| | hurry to earn money so that they can feed
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| at 2 mph down the street on the left hand
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| | their family. So nothing against them, I
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| side of the road.
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| | try to understand their driving habits
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| Watch out for dogs who lay on the road
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| | and adjust mine accordingly. No matter
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| and refuse to move or move reluctantly as
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| | how they drive they are happy go lucky,
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| the last second.
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| | cheerful, hard working people and I love
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| If you are keeping up with the flow of
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| | them.
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| traffic on a fast moving road at 45 mph
| |
| | If you are interested in learning more
|
| in bumper to bumper traffic EXPECT
| |
| | about living here, moving here, Thai
|
| someone to tailgate your vehicle. Oh
| |
| | foods, about Thailand and Chiang Mai
|
| maybe 10 ft from your rear bumper or
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| | visit our website.
|
