Some 'Why?' questions I'd like the answer to...

[Vital Spark]

Why do most Thais reverse into parking spaces?
I've asked this question to a few of my Thai friends and got the following answers:
1) So that you can get away quickly.
2) It's easier because you can look in the mirrors and see exactly how far away you are from the other parked cars.
3) So I can practice my driving skills. I feel really good when I manage to do it. (How does he feel when he doesn't quite manage it...?)

Every time we go to Makro or Tescos we have to wait for someone going backwards, forwards, backwards, forwards, and finally backwards into a parking spot. Why? It's far easier to reverse into the wider isle, than try to squeeze backwards between two cars.

Why do most Thai ladies flush the toilet as soon as they walk into the cubicle?
I haven't plucked up the courage to ask this one, so I'll leave it to those of you who are married to Thais.

VS

[lindosfan1]

Number 2 is correct, if you are reversing out of a small space your view of oncoming traffic is restricted, therefore driving out forwards is safer.
The same rule applies for drives and smaller roads into larger roads. In fact I believe it is part of the highway code.

[Vital Spark]

Lindos: I totally agree about the safety aspect of reversing onto roads - but this hasn't been offered (so far) as a reason... Anyway we're in a relatively quiet car park.

VS

[lindosfan1]

VS If the answers were all from Thais I would put it down to bad driving skills. Number 3 is an example of that.

[dtaai-maai]

Anyway we're in a relatively quiet car park.VS

Get a house, VS - problem solved.

[lomuamart]

VS, I was always taught to reverse into parking spaces- on the street or into a space in a car park. It's the way to do it rather than go front ways on.
As has been said, there's the safety angle and I also really don't believe Thais have a clue how to reverse properly. They use mirrors rather than turn their heads. They have no idea of distance.
Just look at the feeble attempts to reverse, especially laterally. It's a joke and a danger.

[lomuamart]

DM,
They'd reverse into the driveway, sideways whilst always going forward.

[GLCQuantum]

VS, I was always taught to reverse into parking spaces- on the street or into a space in a car park. It's the way to do it rather than go front ways on.

Yep .... it's what they teach in the Western world.

A BIG whoooops there Vital Spark. There are numerous reasons for it...

[hhfarang]

I was never taught to reverse into a space in a car park, and no one in the U.S. does that to my knowledge. Of course you reverse into a parallel parking space or you can't get close to the kerb (if it's a tight space). I'm with VS on the car park... can't tell you how many times I've sat for five minutes watching a Thai driver go back and forth to reverse into a space while blocking all the traffic coming into the garage. Besides, if I reverse into my space, the rear door of my SUV will be blocked by the car in the space behind making it impossible to load the groceries in without moving the vehicle out into traffic a bit.

[Vital Spark]

Anyway we're in a relatively quiet car park.VS

Get a house, VS - problem solved.

Don't worry about us, DM. We've got a nice cardboard box, and we lick the carpark clean before the shop opens. Then we work 36 hours a day for 100 baht every four years...

Sorry

Mr. VS says the men flush the urinals before they have a pee. Why? They also often don't flush after they've had said pee. Yuk!!

VS

[PeteC]

I think men will flush a urinal first if it smells bad. It's also a good test of water pressure as many a man has flushed after the fact while zipping up and gotten soaked because of dodgy plumbing. Nothing worse than walking out with your pants soaked and having people stare at you for 20 minutes as if you've pissed yourself.

I think Thai women do it to assure no snakes or pee (the spiritual kind) are in there. Pete

[richard]

VS, I was always taught to reverse into parking spaces- on the street or into a space in a car park. It's the way to do it rather than go front ways on.
As has been said, there's the safety angle and I also really don't believe Thais have a clue how to reverse properly. They use mirrors rather than turn their heads. They have no idea of distance.
Just look at the feeble attempts to reverse, especially laterally. It's a joke and a danger.

Me too. I was taught to always reverse into a parking space

[pharvey]

Well, I can understand the points made...

I was also taught to reverse into a parking space - for safety, however there are exceptions..... As HHF says, why make life difficult when shopping........ give easy access to the boot (sorry HHF... trunk). Reversing onto a road - there are safety concerns, however in a car-park, a) you don't expect people to be driving at 30 MPH plus, b) other drivers would be IMHO fairly bereft of IQ and/or driving skills if they were unable to notice a car/truck/van reversing from a parking spot c) I can ''multitask'' (under certain conditions ), so am able to reverse, be aware and breath at the same time!!

[dtaai-maai]

b) other drivers would be IMHO fairly bereft of IQ and/or driving skills if they were unable to notice a car/truck/van reversing from a parking spot

You don't actually live in Thailand yet, do you pharvey?

[pharvey]

b) other drivers would be IMHO fairly bereft of IQ and/or driving skills if they were unable to notice a car/truck/van reversing from a parking spot

You don't actually live in Thailand yet, do you pharvey?

You have a very valid point there DM ........ fairly daft comment considering I live in Chongqing where the driving is vastly Inferrior to anything I've seen in HH or Thailand. Look, it's Rugby World Cup time, I'm Welsh and I'm trying to be optimistic!!