Thailand -- Foreigners Please Don't Honk Your Horns

Membership site now open: http://retirecheap.tv/members Driving in Asia is quite the unique experience. It seems to have its own random 'code of ethics' and 'rules of the road'. And it seems sometimes the laws are merely suggestions! And the perception is that each country seems to have its own distinctive twist on road etiquette.

In Thailand even though the driving might seem crazy, there is little if any horn honking other than a tuk-tuk or taxi giving a quick toot to get a possible fares attention.

Compare that with last time I was back in North America. I saw a lot of cursing and single-fingered hand gestures. One guy actually got out of his car and started walking back towards me, as if to start a fight, because he felt I had turned on to a road too soon and a half block wasn't enough of a cushion.
And in some Asian countries like Vietnam, China and Philippines, the horn is as important as the brakes. Possibly even more important, because often times drivers have no intention of stopping.
The horn is used to communicate; it's like a primitive version of Morse code. One beep means something totally different than two or three beeps; and of course the long single wail typically means "get out of my way you %$#@!"
But here living in Thailand every time I hear an angry long horn honk I see an angry foreigner trying to tell Thais that his personal boundaries and rules have been violated as if to teach the whole country how to drive the proper way. As crazy as it seems it works well here without the horn honking. So my plea to travelers visiting and foreigners living in Thailand is become Thaianized and lay off the horn instead of on it. Please don't start teaching this horrible habit that has already become the norm in other Asian countries.
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[southbound1969]

JC, you commented that some people were concerned that you will ruin a great thing in Thailand by telling the world how wonderful it is. That crossed my mind as well, kinda like telling everybody about your favorite fishing spot, huh? haha. Costa Rica comes to mind after being overrun with "gringos" home prices in nicer areas are now more like Santa Barbara than Central America...

[retirecheapjc]

@southbound1969 Well foreigners can't own land here so that won't happen. And it's a big country so I think tourists will affect it more than the expats will.

[fonstock]

Reminds me of something I was taught back in the late 1960's. I was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, and many stationed there were unhappy - as they were expecting to find little America! Germany was very modern and westernized - - but it was NOT little America - it was THIER country, Germany - NOT America! I got along very well, and was NOT unhappy there. Great insight JC, thanks.

[retirecheapjc]

@fonstock You are welcome. It's just my observations and opinions and I'm sure it will make somebody angry. Probably the person who uses their horn here!

[kosamui]

thanks JC, I think the message here isn't just about driving, it's about blending in, about leaving stateside at the airport, about enjoying a calmer life. If you cannot be flexible and open-minded, you will not enjoy ANY foreign country.

[retirecheapjc]

@kosamui Very true! People that have in-flexible rules should stay put because they will end up being frustrated 24 hours a day trying to get this world over here to comply to their set of rules.

[HeeersEllery]

I noticed the lack of horn usage in Chiang Mai also. The only time I would hear a horn would be when I was riding around the Mae Hong Son loop and somebody in a car just wanted to politely let me know they were going to be passing me. I feel safer riding a motorbike in Thailand than I would in Los Angeles.

[southbound1969]

Great point JC. I can’t say that I actually remembered that there wasn’t any horns all the times that I was in Thailand. As far as other countries that do constantly use their horns, I guess after one has been in those places for a few days you kinda get use to it and don’t notice that much. At least that has been my experience. I think the loud motors and constant traffic are almost as bad. By the way, India is the worst by far…

[MrSouwan]

Thanks JC. Please continue with the way things are done in Thailand. Love it.

"Fear,Anger or Calm" What state are in? I find sleeping is better and more people want to be around me. I think it was you that said this JC

[retirecheapjc]

@Sweetlawyer1809 You are welcome Frank. See ya on the inside!

[retirecheapjc]

@p00gle OK.

[retirecheapjc]

@chronicreader Yes, it needed a round-about for sure. But I've seen that there is a challenge using them!!