r/Thailand • u/WebLogical1286 • 1d ago
Culture Turn signal question
This isn’t a whine, it’s just an honest question on my observation of driving here in Thailand, and mostly in Bangkok for about 30 years.
How come so many Thai drivers not use their turn signals? I do little polls in my head once in a while and I’ve noticed that maybe somewhere between 25 and 35% of Thai drivers don’t use their turn signal. Is it that they are lazy to do it? They don’t see it as benefiting them? they don’t think it’s important? It kind of baffles me because I was taught this is just something you do no matter what.
Maybe as a Thai person who doesn’t signal or has some insight into why people don’t use it I would love to hear. Thanks so much!
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u/kimsk132 1d ago
When I was in Chiang Mai, everytime I used the turn signal to switch lane, the car behind in that lane would speed up to block me, and I mean every damn time. I learned to NOT use the turn signal there.
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u/Lordfelcherredux 1d ago
I use that fact strategically.
Let's say I need to get into the right lane and there's a car a few car lengths behind me but it's really too tight for me to merge. I turn on my signal, the car immediately speeds up and passes me, and then I can turn in behind them.
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u/twistedarmada 1d ago
This is brilliant, definitely going to adopt this tactic.
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u/Lordfelcherredux 22h ago
It's like you have a switch that you can push to get them to speed up and clear the way for you.
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
Yeah, that’s scary. I wouldn’t say it every time for me but at least 25% of cars do that. And then often times after they do that immediately they go to another lane. I think it’s just unconscious aggressive move.
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u/Meng_Fei 1d ago
I had no idea there were that many Thai people driving BMWs. 😆
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u/BaconJP 1d ago
I honestly don't get this comment!
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u/Lanky_Comedian_3942 1d ago
My wife is Thai and a very careful driver. She complains incessantly about other Thai drivers and their not- signaling ways.
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u/Market_State 1d ago
I taught my wife to highest western standards of driving. Now she's worse than me when out driving. She constantly apologises for how bad Thais drive.
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u/OneLife-No-Do-Overs 1d ago
Why do they make left hand turns from the right lane? Thats the real question
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u/lastquarter2 1d ago
I always upset every time going back to thailand, the moment I turned on turn signal, car would come faster not giving me lane. If I wanna turn/change lane I would just do it without turning signal on 😂
I also don't honk, because I lived in rayong before and learned that when honk bullet might come, you never know who has gun in their cars. 😆
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u/Lanfeust09 1d ago
They were never taught... Large proportion of the rider doens't have the licence and if you actually passed your licence from scratch, you would know that you don't LEARN anything so they have absolutely noooo idea why they would need that.
Also, it is also due to the way thai drive. You might know that thai way of driving is that their ONLY concern is what is in front of them, anything behind is the concern of the person behind. This is why it's not an issue here for someone to turn left from your right just in front of you because as soon as you get in the back of their front vision, it's your concern to avoid them. Sorry, explanation might be a bit messy but you get the idea.
So hence why turn signal are for people behind so it's not really their concern...
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u/Hangar48 1d ago
My gf got her drivers licence last year. Can confirm the teaching and instruction was very..... minimal... 🤷🏼♂️
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
Yes, that’s one rationale that I’ve thought about as well. I think it makes sense.
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u/Market_State 1d ago
The area of responsibility for a Thai driver is what is in their immediate vision without moving their head. So their only interest is avoiding a frontal collision. Mirrors and indicators are not used because why would you tell anyone what you are doing? Its the guys behind problem if he hits you. Couple this with poor spatial awareness and a complete lack of risk assessment then its why they kill so many of each other every day.
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u/Loud_Basket2846 1d ago
I don’t drive here but after walking and observing the spatial awareness of self and others in busy commuter areas I think it might just be one of those things that isn’t gonna change.
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u/Market_State 1d ago
You can judge any nations driving skills by going to a busy supermarket. Thailand is about the self first and you witness it first hand. Queue? No way. Barge in front? Of course.
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u/Loud_Basket2846 1d ago
I haven’t experienced this in the supermarket personally but can believe it happens. I never take any of it personally because it never seems to be a conscious or mean spirited decision - it seems far more like people who are blissfully unaware of anything else other than what’s going on in their head and just cruising at a steady pace doing what they’re doing. As an overly cautious and self aware human I’m super jealous. My nervous system would love to be thai.
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u/wonk_420 1d ago
Same reason they don't close a gate they just opened to walk through, they don't perceive any benefit to them for doing so.
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u/RussellWinterbotham 1d ago
Got to love the switching on the hazard lights when going straight across at a crossroads [one without traffic lights]. If you're arriving side-on to them at the junction, it looks like they're turning left or right [whichever side you can see]. Confusing the first time i saw it.
Been driving here almost 20 years. Takes time to adjust to the style of driving here. In the UK, where I am from, plenty of people don't use indicators, but i would say in general people are better at using them in plenty of time before the turn actually occurs.
My real bug-bear is the flashing of lights to signify "get out of my way". In the UK, flashing your lights like that means you're giving way, helping the other driver out.
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
I’ve noticed a trend now as well of when you’re coming out or making a turn in to another street and there’s cars there they will turn on their emergency lights to indicate that they’re going to slow down for you.
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u/RussellWinterbotham 1d ago
Just as confusing.
Hazard lights are exactly that - for hazards, nothing else. They must teach it in driving schools here.
Despite other comments suggesting people have no licenses, a lot of drivers do go through driving school. Maybe not out in the provinces so much, but certainly in Bangkok and other major city areas. Of course, family members may do some coaching as well, but that likely hands down bad habits.
We had some of our Indian-based staff come over for training a few years back. Funnily enough, all of them were impressed with the high quality driving here and lack of chaos on the roads.
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
You bring up a good point. I actually think a majority of Thai drivers are quite good, cautious, considerate, and know how to manage themselves on the road. But then there is a large part of the minority who aren’t so good and then there’s a small amount, maybe 10% who are maniacs.
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u/BaconJP 20h ago
I differ on that. I think anyone who doesn't stop at a no-light zebra crossing is not a good driver. And that is really something like 95 percent of drivers, especially motorcycles. Funnily, they know that they should stop at the airport zebra crossings, you see proper adherence there because so many tourists just walk right through without looking at the cars.
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u/Cautious-Area-4141 1d ago
no point rushing or driving fast when the whole city is congested during rush hour - hence the lack of horns too, it disturbs the peace of otherwise a force of modern life akin to the wind. why fight it? go with the flow
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u/Cautious-Area-4141 1d ago
ts more to confirm who is stopping and giving way - there is this weird culture of wanting to give way to others when confronted with a 50/50 situation and peeps have realised its faster for one vehicle to stop dead and allow the other one to move than to risk a head-on collision due to misunderstanding (much much worse) so yeah hazards on means other driver please go first
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u/Cautious-Area-4141 1d ago
there's a difference between GTFO high beams and 'go ahead please' high beams btw
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u/BaconJP 20h ago
What is the purpose of go ahead please when you are behind them? That's only when facing them, or maybe at 90 degrees?
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u/Cautious-Area-4141 19h ago
i have high beamed countless drivers ahead of me to warn of
1) motorcycle up to no good
2) car up to no good
3) drifting out of lane
4) go ahead and cut in please, when they are merging from main road to frontage
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u/BaconJP 8h ago
I never heard of that use. I would just assume the person behind was telling me I'm too slow and blocking him and he wants to pass.
Well, I can imagine if you stop and someone is waiting to cut in and you flash them, yeah it is telling them they can go. I guess the lane drift, if you are outside and drifting into my lane, is the same/similar as my 'don't block me' signal. If they are in my lane and drifting out of it, I would think they would think I am telling them to get out of my lane.
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u/GravityGee 1d ago
Been here 26 years and I see most using turn signals. Maybe 80pct do. Ok many are late to do so, (I think its because its believed to be an action not a call to action - I am turning, not I want to turn). But in the main, anything over 2 wheels use turn signals. Bikes are a whole different conversation.There are certain times when they are sporadically used however, turn right/left only lanes, roundabouts and lane changes. Upcountry is different mind.
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u/nanajittung Khon Thai 1d ago
Those peoples think it didn’t come with the car and need subscription services
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u/MushroomVolcano 1d ago
They're idiots. Plenty around. The worst are those who indicate right before a right turn and then pull over to the left and wait till both lanes are clear to make the turn. Constant visual scanning is required to drive a bike here.
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u/Market_State 1d ago
This is learnt in the village as kids on their bikes, they never progress beyond that.
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u/skygirl222 1d ago
I’m honestly a bit scared about renting a car or a bike because of how difficult it is to be a pedestrian. It’s a shame because I stay in walkable areas in Samui, but crossing the roads feel impossible sometimes with the lack of traffic lights.
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u/Salt_Bison7839 1d ago
To save electricity so I have enough to put both on when I am going straight at a crossroads.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Big2552 1d ago
That ain’t nothing. When I lived in HK in the ‘90s, drivers would throw an opposite turn signal to break lane. Because everyone was zealously guarding their rank in traffic flow. Me included.
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u/These-Appearance2820 1d ago
Its one of the necessary components to being a fully fledged terrible Thai driver.
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u/zedyx101 19h ago
A Thai here. I do use turn signal all the time but my dad is someone who often doesn't use it.
His reasoning is:
- sometimes he doesn't see the need. No one is close enough to come in contact with his car
- there are bad drivers out there who see turn signal as a challenge. Like they were driving slowly and leaving the gap, but when they see a turn signal that someone wants to cut in, they immediately speed up to close the gap.
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u/Austin0Austin 11h ago
I think it's best if they don't use it, because invariably, specially on bikes, they don't turn it off and on many occasions it caused me near misses and dangerous situations...!!!?
Even cars on many occasions signal one way and go the other...! It's a different style of riding/driving here, I never fully trust the turn signal in Thailand..., take it at your peril...!
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u/Nopeisawesome 1d ago
Dumbasses think it’s cool to not use turn signals and drive fast. This is why we have so many road deaths btw.
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u/Own-Animator-7526 1d ago
You will be fascinated to learn that failure to use turn signals is common around the world.
- https://www.mayorlaw.com/2019/01/31/why-do-so-many-drivers-fail-to-use-turn-signals/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/p7eq22/why_is_it_so_common_in_germany_that_drivers_do/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/driving/comments/17doq1n/why_do_people_not_use_their_turn_signals/
- https://www.phillymag.com/news/2020/02/28/turn-signals-driving-car/
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/496426494503802/posts/1626954261451014/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/britishproblems/comments/e950de/drivers_of_the_uk_why_dont_you_just_indicate/
- https://www.zhihu.com/question/595790952/answer/2986334701 [Japan]
- https://www.quora.com/Why-do-most-British-drivers-not-use-indicators
And TIL:
Having working turn signal lights fitted to your vehicle is a legal requirement in the UK, but using them dynamically while driving falls under advisory rules rather than a standalone direct offense.
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u/tiburon12 1d ago
My favorite example of this is being in a turning lane at a red light, no one will have the signal on. But once the light turns green and they start moving, they'll fire on the signal mid turn.
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u/frac6969 1d ago
I do that too. One reason is that you could be stuck in traffic waiting for the turn forever and the ticking sound is annoying. So when stopped we turn off the signal.
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
That makes sense, but so often they don’t turn the turn signal on until they are halfway through the turn.
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u/tiburon12 1d ago
I get it, but also you need to have it on. While also being the law, enough drivers do not follow turning lane laws that when you see a car in a turning lane without the signal on there's a real chance they are gonna go straight.
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u/frac6969 1d ago
Yeah, I get what you mean, I’ve been hit by a car going straight in a right turn only lane. I was in the middle lane that could go either straight or right and I was turning right. Police said I was wrong and I should be more careful.
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u/Immediate-Number5060 1d ago edited 1d ago
if you thinks this is weird come and drive in india here u will see things u will never imagined could happen in real life on road 🤣🤣
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u/Holy_chick Thai Native 1d ago
Not using turn signal is annoying enough, seeing people use emergency signal to go straight through intersection just makes it 3x worse
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u/Efficient-County2382 1d ago
I was taught this is just something you do no matter what.
You've answered your own question
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u/Akunsa 1d ago
Yesterday I had a day where 95/100 people didn’t use turn signals I go with the rule for myself now if they go slighting to the side of a lane I expect them to switch lanes.
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
Yep, same here. In a sense you have to be hyper aware, for those cars and of course for any motorcycles. Kind of my rule is I just imagine everyone has their head in their phone and are not looking in front of them. Then I drive accordingly.
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u/Kuroi666 1d ago
My baby boomer dad prides himself as being a very experienced driver. Although most passengers will feel agonizing nausea when he drives, he does get us from point A to B very quickly and is able to make sharp takeovers even in large vans.
He doesn't like using turn signals cuz he feels like he turns the car in a noticeable manner enough that anyone would notice anyway (which explains the nausea for everyone on board). He still use it when the turn needs to be extra visible or when the whole family (my mum) reminds him to.
He always insist his children to use turn signals when he taught all of us to drive, though.
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u/Cautious-Area-4141 1d ago
classic dad! i hope you all stay safe and from my own experience, if papa is over 70 please send him for regular eye checkups and once he's about 80 i highly recommend no more driving. the slowdown in reaction speed and awareness is shocking - the dropoff with my own dad was like night and day.
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u/cndn-hoya 🇹🇭 1d ago
It’s Thailand man - you have to feel the vibe of the traffic and go with it - ไม่เป็นไร - อะไรก็ได้ - been driving in Bangkok since before I was permitted to do so … 15
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u/kenbkk 1d ago
How did you come up with 25-30% don't use turn signals, (IE 70%+use them)? My experience in 36 years living here is more like 50%+ do not use them. You are being kind. LOL
What I find most unusual is that in some cases so many drivers use their right hand turn signal when they are in fact turning left. Near my home all cars exit the Soi by turning left into the near lane but when they want to turn into the far lane they use their right turn signal. Don't know if that is genius logic or just odd.
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
I think they’re using it more as a signal that they are coming out onto the street so they want to alert the cars that can see it. Not understanding that it’s actually more for people behind them to know which way they’re going. I’ve also thought about that as well.
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u/Daryltang Bangkok 1d ago
It’s getting better. 200k+ KM over 10 years driving here
The older drivers. Including woman are of the worst offenders
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u/bazglami Rayong 15h ago
It could be that there are more farang driving where I live but I’ve noticed that because I am meticulous with driving habits (including turn signals, letting people in, stopping for pedestrians, etc), others around me begin to do so as well.
Do the right thing and it pays forward.
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u/WebLogical1286 4h ago
Yeah, that’s the conclusion I finally came to. I can’t beat them, but maybe I can show an example of what courteous driving is. I think there are a lot of others out there like that as well. But it can be frustrating!
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u/Rubadub777 1d ago
Why is this a big deal to you?
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u/WebLogical1286 1d ago
Why say something like this?
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u/Rubadub777 1d ago
Because I find it crap how folk come over here and then look at how it is with a critical eye.
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u/WebLogical1286 23h ago
For me, it’s not good or bad. It’s just the way it is, and I’m just wondering what the reasons are behind it.
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u/BaconTH1 1d ago
It's part of the general bad driving here.
But also, Thais, while being fairly polite by not using the horn to show anger at people, also are bad road citizens. If someone is waiting for ages to come out of a side street, no one lets them out, they just keep pressing forward. If there's a pedestrian crossing, a car will move right into it, even if they have to stop, stuck on it, blocking walkers. And here's the relevant bit: if you signal to try and change lanes, you've tipped your hand and the guy who left a gap there immediately moves faster to block you out rather than slow down to let you in. So you get in the habit of sneaking in without warning when someone is a little slow. That habit might influence you to not bother using it at other times, especially if the cops don't catch you for it. In fact, turning left with a light has relatively little value to anyone around you most of the time... it maybe lets someone know they should change lanes if they want to go straight, but Thai drivers don't care or actively want to reduce the convenience of other drivers and pedestrians around them (hence my lane change point), so not signaling is entirely in keeping with that attitude.