Darwin Award contestants

[nkped]

Sunday, on Route 9 (I think) coming south in the general direction of Suvarnabhumi, saw a taxi ahead of me following closely behind the car ahead, both going about 100kph. As I got closer I saw the car in front was also a taxi and was towing the second taxi with a cargo strap which may have been 2 meters in length.

[jacko]

And....

[MM]

And....

I am sort of confused by the OP, not being someone who has towed a car, is 2 meters too short or too long for the cargo strap?

 

Is 100 kph too fast?

 

In other words....And....?

[jacko]

I am sort of confused by the OP, not being someone who has towed a car, is 2 meters too short or too long for the cargo strap?

 

Is 100 kph too fast?

 

In other words....And....?

Well obviously 100kph is a little fast to be towing, particularly with a strap rather than a bar, but for Thailand are we meant to be surprised?

[nkped]

They were both still with us when I passed them.

[MM]

Well obviously 100kph is a little fast to be towing, particularly with a strap rather than a bar, but for Thailand are we meant to be surprised?

Ah, strap vs bar...yes, good point.

 

I wonder if there was a driver in the towed taxi so that the towing car could slow down? Maybe he was going 100kph because he couldn't slow without getting rear-ended

[nkped]

There was a driver in the second taxi. The first I realized there was something more going on than extreme tailgating was when the guy in the second car started waving his arm frantically out the window to signal a lane change.

[MM]

There was a driver in the second taxi. The first I realized there was something more going on than extreme tailgating was when the guy in the second car started waving his arm frantically out the window to signal a lane change.

Hope he had good reflexes!

[Lantern]

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

 

As someone who has been both towed and been in a towed car, many many times, both situations require immense concentration, I'm talking with a strap or chain here. And the longer it is the more reaction time you have. Too long though and some dickhead will try to get in-between the cars.

 

A few years ago towing this way was banned in Australia with the only option now being a bar. Never done this.

[Kev]

A few years ago towing this way was banned in Australia with the only option now being a bar. Never done this.

Had no idea about this, when did that change?

 

Was it in all states or just one because I'm pretty sure you can still tow a car in WA with a rope or chain.

 

http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/licensing/LBU_DL_B_DriveSafePart5.pdf

[yorta2]

Definitely changed in NSW, but I haven't got a bar, so still tow friend's cars with a rope, but very late at night (or actually early in the morning).

[billy69]

Soft tows are still allowed in Western Australia. Jost a maximum and minimum tow rope length and a red flag on the rope in daylight or a red light at night.

[nkped]

Soft tows are still allowed in Western Australia. Jost a maximum and minimum tow rope length and a red flag on the rope in daylight or a red light at night.

At 100kph?

[midlifecrisis]

When I was young we towed vehicles with ropes. Then after too many accidents, where towed vehicles broke loose, we were forced to use tow bars.

 

Ah I yearn for the day of no motorcycle helmets, towing with ropes, sitting unrestrained in the open bed of a pickup truck...

 

I remember an "I Love Lucy" episode or movie where she was in the camping trailer being towed.

 

 

One of the things I love about Thailand is that the risk of modern life has not been completely eliminated.

 

That said, you can't ride a motorcycle on the freeway?

 

lol

Edited May 21, 2016 by midlifecrisis

[MM]

When I was young we towed vehicles with ropes. Then after too many accidents, where towed vehicles broke loose, we were forced to use tow bars.

 

Ah I yearn for the day of no motorcycle helmets, towing with ropes, sitting unrestrained in the open bed of a pickup truck...

 

I remember an "I Love Lucy" episode or movie where she was in the camping trailer being towed.

 

Look at the size of that trailer at a cost of $1800 fully furnished. Wow!

 

Don't forget riding in a car without seat belts.

[midlifecrisis]

Look at the size of that trailer at a cost of $1800 fully furnished. Wow!

 

Don't forget riding in a car without seat belts.

I forgot about no seat belts and fully metal dashboards too!

 

Remember the first funky padding of dashboards?

 

How did we survive to get passed childhood let alone make it to our age?

[firth1974]

Well obviously 100kph is a little fast to be towing, particularly with a strap rather than a bar, but for Thailand are we meant to be surprised?

 

Thailand has nothing on how the Indonesians drive! Some of the things i have seen in the past 2 weeks is enough to put hair back on my head!