The most frightening taxi ride I have experienced in Thailand was a journey from Bangkok Hualamphong Train Station to Pattaya. The vehicle was a minivan; the driver was a male. There were 6 of us in the van. I’m not sure if the van actually became airborne or not, but the tires screeched in a very similar fashion to those of a plane landing on the runway.
Our heads hit the van roof in the style of a fighter pilot making an emergency ejection, during which his cockpit canopy remained in place. “Never mind.” I know these undulating dips and rises on Highway 7 can easily catch you out.
Especially when you are falling asleep!
In hindsight, I would guess the runway-style landing jolted him back to life. I did notice his head rolling around prior to my own head nearly penetrating the van roof, but I never thought too much of it.
But did start to become a little apprehensive and nervously watched the road ahead. I noticed the driver’s head started to roll again. He put his sunglasses on, took them off, put them on, and took them off. He occasionally slurped on a drink.
He sometimes tailgated for a while.
He made what would have been considered a skillful maneuver on an F1 track. Just inches behind the car in front, he pulled out in an apparent overtaking maneuver, narrowly missing a car that was passing in the right-hand lane. He seemed to take a jolt himself, then pulled back into the lane.
We continued on, and his head continued to roll, and just momentarily, his chin dropped towards his chest. I looked in the mirror, his eyes were closed. I called out, “Hello,” he woke, and I asked him if he was OK. This was the point at which I started fearing for our lives. I told my wife he was falling asleep and to ask him to stop the first chance he could.
She relayed the message and mentioned my concerns about him sleeping. There was a heated exchange between him and my wife, after which my wife remained silent. But he carried on, I had no idea what he was saying at the time, but the tone of his voice was angry.
He never stopped to let us out, but his head stopped rolling; he was angry, but he was wide awake. He got us home. I deleted his number from my telephone.
It was only later on my wife told me that during his outburst he proclaimed his van was worth more than our lives.
Time For a Change
That was just one bad ride too many for me. It was by far the worst nightmare Thailand taxi experience I have had. Many male taxi drivers have made me feel ill at ease with their tailgating, conversing on the telephone, and scribbling notes at the steering wheel.
And then there’s the incessant need for speed. I’m not interested in their vehicle’s top speed going downhill, and I’m never ever going to tell them I’m impressed by their high-speed cornering skills. I just want to get from A to B in one piece.
So from now on it’s female taxi drivers for me. I might be wrong, but I feel women don’t suffer from that “aggression overload” that many male drivers do once they get behind a steering wheel. Maybe I’m being a bit of a grandad, but there’s only one person I trust to drive fast, and that’s me.
Female Taxi Drivers in Pattaya
There are many highly recommended female taxi drivers in Pattaya now, including companies with all-female drivers.
If you are interested, you can find female drivers and taxi services included on this list of Pattaya taxi services.