Road rage? What road rage?

Road rage, I think, is a Western or "Farang" concept. Here in Thailand, and in Vietnam and in China for that matter, it just doesn't exist. It takes some getting used to people honking their horn at you when they're going to pass you. It's a way of letting you know they're there....so you can move out fo the way and let them through. It has nothing to do with me or my driving, whether on a bike, motorbike or car. Ok so it takes a while to not turn around in a fuss on scream "WHAT!!!!!" at the fellow driver, who has no clue what you're so worked up about.

Driving amidst a swarming sea of motorbikes, cyclists and tuk tuks makes drivers very aware of their surroundings. The trick is advancing without hitting anything or anybody, but advancing nonetheless. There is respect on the road. What I love the most is when you make a mistake, or drive the wrong way and come up to someone, in Thailand you receive a companionship smile. It rubs off and eventually you realise people are not out to get you, cut you off, or race you. People re just going about their business, and like you, are sometimes in a rush, sometimes on cloud nine, and sometimes just want to get on with things like the rest of us. What a different and beautiful concept. It is quite harmonius....that is of course until someone forgets to look as they pull out of a parking spot, making me loose control of the bike in my attempt to avoid them and end up on the floor, with a very bruised thigh and praying quickly that the brakes I hear screeching behind me will stop just in time to avoid a human pancake. The next thing I know, the cars have disappeared, and I am being helped up by my friends and a couple of foreigners, plus the stares of a few business owners around. No worries, my lucky star was out there protecting me. In the meantime, I continue to ride the bike, but on the other lane this time....it's funny how I am more trusting of the vehicles moving than of the ones standing still.

So life goes on, 3 and 4 a piece continue to ride their bikes, and interestingly, parents with helmets, carry infants without helmets. How does that work? Is it lack of awareness, folly, or a trust of the drivers around them. Apart from my own, I have not yet seen a traffic accident in the 3 months I've spent travelling. Knock on wood, this will be the last one!