Open Thread
9 hours ago
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Yesterday, I drove into Bangkok...
...and my wife was very proud of me for this feat, and it was a feat! Bangkok has the worst traffic jams in the world (gridlock rules), BUT, it has only one traffic jam per day; it's all day (standard joke here)! Almost true; but it was good because, I hate vans and buses. Van drivers drive mechanical wrecks at 100-110 kph and buses, which wouldn't be allowed on American roads, do the same. Death from traffic related accidents here would end the existence of motorized vehicles in the west(they'd bring back donkey carts and stage coaches). For 6 years I've gambled my life riding public transportation here and I finally said "Enough"! If I die it will be at my own hand, behind the wheel of my own car. It's the first time I actually enjoyed a trip into Bangkok. Once there, we parked our car at a big department store and took taxis every where else; excellent, very good. No more vans and no more buses; now that's freedom.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Your post reminded of a story I heard years ago. I think it was Saudi Arabia or some Middle eastern country. As cars became more available and driver's licenses were the exception and Not the Rule. A reporter and his driver ventured out one day and came to a Rail Road crossing and stopped for an approaching train. As the slow moving train passed a car pulled along side on the shoulder, then another in the Oncoming lane on this two lane road, Then the Opposite shoulder! When the train passed low and Behold a similar conflagration welcomed them from the Other Side of the Tracks ! They said you had a better chance of getting killed from an auto accident than from Cancer.
Post a Comment