Guest beermaker Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I am new to this. This is my first post here. I just got back home and I have this to say. It is very much safer to fly to the moon than to walk across the road in Pattaya. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecat69 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Well you made it home so it can't be that dangerous. HeHe williewillie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Welcome to the forum, don't be shy and tell us about your Thailand's impressions. When crossing streets in Pattaya is good idea to pay an attention to incoming traffic , not to bulges passerby boys are hiding in their jeans . williewillie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williewillie Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I am terrified and leaving Pattaya today. Where oh where can I run to? Oh my, just lost my lunch. One would almost think there was a troll hiding in plain sight. I think I will stay in paradise after all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I am terrified and leaving Pattaya today. Where oh where can I run to? Oh my, just lost my lunch. One would almost think there was a troll hiding in plain sight. I think I will stay in paradise after all . you can always run to BKK and try to cross Sathorn in rush hour , than return to Pattaya and enjoy empty streets there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Lol. If you think it's "fun" (as in terrifying) to try to cross the road in Pattaya, you need to stay off the roads during rush hour up here in the boonies (Chiangmai)! In Hanoi, one has to have balls the size of water buffalo to take that first attempt to cross a street. But, once you learn how to do it (you just walk at a steady pace and the drivers miraculously won't hit you), it'll make you think crossing a road in a Thai city is a walk in the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 In Hanoi, one has to have balls the size of water buffalo to take that first attempt to cross a street. But, once you learn how to do it (you just walk at a steady pace and the drivers miraculously won't hit you), it'll make you think crossing a road in a Thai city is a walk in the park. Thank you for bringing up fine memories, actually after few succesful attempts I started having a fun and was crossing streets there just for sake of it, like taking free horizontal roller-coaster. I also recommend Saigon and Cairo , Egypt / may be not now / for the same kind of fun. Hope our posts encouraged beermaker to re-visit Pattaya ASAP, no need to go to the moon as there are no boys there, and it's cold place apparently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I'll try to tell what I thought was a funny story about the traffic in Hanoi. My bf and I were sitting at a window booth in a Hanoi restaurant near a corner. After a while, we kept watching a foreigner (falang) who was at the corner and waiting to cross the street. He would occasionally start to cross but would pull back quickly and it was obvious he was terrified of trying to get to the other side. This kept happening for more than 15 minutes or so. Suddenly, one of the little old pho ladies (there were 5-6 sidewalk pho "restaurants" near this particular corner), without saying a word, came up behind the falang, grabbed him by the back of his arm, and pushed him across the street through the traffic. The look on his face - a look of freakin' terror that would have made Hitchcock giggle - was priceless. And then all the pho ladies who watched this happen all broke out in a giddy laughter. I and the bf were laughing our asses off too. When I first came to Thailand, crossing the street in Bangkok was rather terrifying to me. It got to the point where I would wait until a couple of Thais were going to cross and then I would go stand on their left side (thinking I'd have time to jump somewhere when I heard a car thump the first one!) and just step out when they stepped out. The tricky part was the "shuffle" I'd do once we got to the center of the road - the shuffle being that I would quickly jump over to the right side of the group crossing the road so I wouldn't be the first person whacked by the cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trailrider Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Friends, if you ever come to Franconian Region of Germany be sure to visit my old pub brewery in the small village of Speilbach and I will give you one of my beers. It will make you more brave to cross the roads in Thailand and Vietnam. My Christmas ale is one of the best in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Friends, if you ever come to Franconian Region of Germany be sure to visit my old pub brewery in the small village of Speilbach and I will give you one of my beers. It will make you more brave to cross the roads in Thailand and Vietnam. My Christmas ale is one of the best in the world. Not a bad idea, thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 When I first came to Thailand, crossing the street in Bangkok was rather terrifying to me. It got to the point where I would wait until a couple of Thais were going to cross and then I would go stand on their left side (thinking I'd have time to jump somewhere when I heard a car thump the first one!) and just step out when they stepped out. The tricky part was the "shuffle" I'd do once we got to the center of the road - the shuffle being that I would quickly jump over to the right side of the group crossing the road so I wouldn't be the first person whacked by the cars. My only problem with traffic in Thailand is that everybody is driving on wrong side of street so I turn my head wrong way. I think they should gradually switch to driving on right and switch should start with taxis first just to see how it works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest abang1961 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Most Asian countries except Japan, China and Taiwan et al, follows the British way of driving. So instead of asking them to switch (as seen in post #11), why dont we accept it? Anyway, how often did TS cross the road/streets in Pattaya? Isnt most roads around the touristy area one way? ..Practice makes perfect... there are (still) some zebra crossings and traffic lights/junctions there.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Most Asian countries except Japan, China and Taiwan et al, follows the British way of driving. So instead of asking them to switch (as seen in post #11), why dont we accept it? Anyway, how often did TS cross the road/streets in Pattaya? Isnt most roads around the touristy area one way? ..Practice makes perfect... there are (still) some zebra crossings and traffic lights/junctions there.. I thought Japan drives on the left, not sure though. No problem accepting British way of driving but I thought it would be enormous fun to observe gradual switch to right-side driving in Bangkok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest abang1961 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Sorry to disappoint the Americans on board lah! Switching the driving side could means sending millions back to driving school... Anyway I do remember an occasion when I had to dash from Boat Bakery to Boys Town...that was frightening... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Anyway I do remember an occasion when I had to dash from Boat Bakery to Boys Town...that was frightening... But you were rewarded with good food they have there. / for newbies on the board, Boat Bakery is right across the street from Boyztown and is nice alternative to their more pricey food options , this hair raising dash may save you 70 baht on breakfast compare to , say Cafe Royale / Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokopelli Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 ..Practice makes perfect... there are (still) some zebra crossings and traffic lights/junctions there.. Abang, that was a good one, best laugh I had today. Even a zebra would not be stupid enough to put any faith in any type of "crossing zones". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 One can always do what my neighbor did another day. Sidewalks are very icy, she went shopping to the plaza across the street and being about 80 was scared to return on foot so grabbed taxi to bring her home about 300 meters away. I'm not making it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
