Guest kjun12 Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 Who taught the Thais to drive? Since the steering wheel is on the right side of the auto and they drive on the wrong side of the road, it is presumable that it was the Brits. But, considering the way they drive probably no one did and they never bothered to learn. Quote
Guest Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 Thais drive on the correct side of the road. Driving on the left is safer for the right handed majority of the population. You can keep your better right hand on the steering wheel to control the vehicle, whilst the left changes gear. Presumably they looked over the borders to the south & west, before deciding that's the way to go. Quote
Gaybutton Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 You can keep your better right hand on the steering wheel to control the vehicle, whilst the left changes gear. My car is an automatic . . . All my life in the USA I drove left-hand drive. Now that I've lived in Thailand for several years, I've been driving right-hand drive. That means I've had plenty of experience with both. You know what, for me, is the bottom line? Right or left, it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 You know what, for me, is the bottom line? Right or left, it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. I'm used to the left side, but have little problem driving on the right in Europe and the US. Apart, that is, from the first time I hit a roundabout. That's the only time I seem to want to go left instead of right. Quote
mahjongguy Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 If you are curious about the origins of motoring in Thailand, this is a terrific site: ThaiClassicCar.com => Auto Heritage Note that these early cars had the steering wheel in the center. To this day, I think that explains a lot about the way people drive around here. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 Driving on the left is safer for the right handed majority of the population. I am not so sure the majority of the population drives on the left side. Europe, except for UK and Ireland, drive on the right, US, Mexico and Canada drive on the right side. S. America drives on the right side as does Laos, China, Vietman, Cambodia to mention a few. Quote
Guest jomtien Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 I am not so sure the majority of the population drives on the left side. Europe, except for UK and Ireland, drive on the right, US, Mexico and Canada drive on the right side. S. America drives on the right side as does Laos, China, Vietman, Cambodia to mention a few. I believe the poster was saying that the majority of the population was right-handed, not that they drove on the left side of the road. Quote
Guest xiandarkthorne Posted July 5, 2010 Posted July 5, 2010 You know what, for me, is the bottom line? Right or left, it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. I couldn't agree with you more, GB. I've driven on either side of the road in various parts of the world and I've found that adapting is quick and fairly easy. All it takes is a bit of practice. Quote
Guest Geezer Posted July 5, 2010 Posted July 5, 2010 In the northern hemisphere driving on the right is the safer. As cars driving on the right approach and pass each other they cause a vortex of air between them to spin in a counterclockwise direction in opposition to the Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere. Cars driving on the left impart a clockwise rotation to the vortex thus initiating and reinforcing the formation of hurricanes (typhoons). Quote
Bob Posted July 5, 2010 Posted July 5, 2010 In the northern hemisphere driving on the right is the safer. As cars driving on the right approach and pass each other they cause a vortex of air between them to spin in a counterclockwise direction in opposition to the Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere. Cars driving on the left impart a clockwise rotation to the vortex thus initiating and reinforcing the formation of hurricanes (typhoons). Geez, Geezer, what the heck are you smoking? Quote
Guest TOQ Posted July 5, 2010 Posted July 5, 2010 Geez, Geezer, what the heck are you smoking? Too much red wine and pots of Earl Grey is more like it. Quote
Guest beachlover Posted August 25, 2010 Posted August 25, 2010 they drive on the wrong side of the road No, YOU drive on the wrong side of the road! Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted August 25, 2010 Posted August 25, 2010 Europe and US among other places drive on the RIGHT side. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted August 25, 2010 Posted August 25, 2010 Europe and US among other places drive on the RIGHT side. As know, there are still many countries in Australasia that drive on the left, including India, Pakistan, Japan, SIngapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. According to a research document mentioned in a wikipedia site, this actually produces less accidents! Research in 1969 by J. J. Leeming showed countries driving on the left have a lower collision rate than countries driving on the right. It has been suggested this is partly because humans are more commonly right-eye dominant than left-eye dominant. In left-hand traffic, the predominantly better-performing right eye is used to monitor oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror. In right-hand traffic, oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror are handled by the predominantly weaker left eye. In addition, it has been argued that left sided driving is safer for elderly people given the likelihood of their having visual attention deficits on the left side and the need at intersections to watch out for vehicles approaching on the near-side lane. Furthermore, in a RHD car with manual transmission, the driver has his right (i.e. in the majority of people, dominant) hand on the steering wheel at all times and uses his left hand to change gear. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic Quote
Guest beachlover Posted August 25, 2010 Posted August 25, 2010 Europe and US among other places drive on the RIGHT side. Just because the US and Europe do it doesn't make it the right side of the road. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted August 27, 2010 Posted August 27, 2010 I think the US has gone far too Right, and need to move to the left ... way to the left!! Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted August 27, 2010 Posted August 27, 2010 All this directional posturing reminds me of a joke (best read after a few drinks). An elderly gentleman was suffering from Alzheimer's. His wife of 40 years loved him very much, but she couldn't handle him any longer so she took him to a nursing home. At the nursing home, while the wife was filling out paperwork, a nurse had the gentleman sit in a chair. Suddenly the man starting slowly leaning to his left. The nurse ran over and put a pillow on his left side to prop him up. A few minutes later, he started leaning to his right. Again, the nurse ran over and put a pillow on his right side. Then he starting leaning forward. This time, the nurse strapped him into the chair. About this time, his wife, having completed the paperwork, walked up to him and asked, "How do you like this place?" "It's okay," he said. "But, they won't let me fart!" Quote
Guest beachlover Posted August 28, 2010 Posted August 28, 2010 Hehe... That's funny. A man had been at a bar drinking all night. He was quite pissed. Finally, the bartender said, "alright, you've had enough. Go home!" The man got up off the bar stool and immediately fell on his face - bam! He got up to try and walk and again fell on his face - bam! He repeated this getting up and falling down process until he eventually made it to the door and outside. The next morning, he was woken up by his wife pulling the curtains open. "You got so pissed at the pub last night they had to kick you out didn't they?" she accused. "How did you know?" asked the man. "Because the pub called and said you left your fucking wheelchair behind!". Quote
