Driver baffles passersby by changing tyre caught in wheel clamp, but still pays fine

By Preewadi Wichaiprasit 
The Nation

 

 

Usually when drivers find their cars immobilised by wheel clamps in no-parking zones, they usually rush to the nearest police station to pay the fine and return to their the cars to wait for police remove the impediment.

 

However, the driver of a black Toyota sedan in Chon Buri’s Samet district instead came up with a novel solution.

 

The man, whose name was identified only as Thanabodi, returned to his vehicle to find a wheel clamp on one tyre and a ticket on his windshield. An accompanying message explained that his car had been parked illegally and instructed him to pay the fine at a police station to have the clamp taken off.

 

Thanabodi had different ideas. Removing the immobilised wheel, he replaced it with his spare tyre and was free to drive away.

 

One might think that such an act of civil disobedience might lead a driver to flee the scene, but Thanabodi again defied expectations and drove the car directly to the Samet Police Station and paid his fine.

 

Such behaviour, however, did not go unnoticed as a passerby notices Thanabodi circumventing the wheel clamp, took photos of the unusual act and posted them on Facebook, where they went viral and elicited humorous responses from many. 

 

Meanwhile, Pol Colonel Pisit Proeyrungroj, Chon Buri’s deputy police chief in charge of traffic, said Thanabodi’s action was technically illegal but that the intention was honestly to pay the fine, so possibly the driver had simply been trying to solve the problem and did not realise he was breaking the law.

 

There was no further information about when the unusual move occurred.

 

He also requested that other drivers telephone police at the phone number specified on the ticket if presented with a similar situation.

 

Bunjob Piemjai, 47, a witness at the scene, said he had assumed that the driver changing his tyre was just having regular vehicular problem. But when the driver left, leaving the tyre still encased in the wheel clamp, Bunjob said was surprised that was the first time he had seen such a creative – if illegal – solution to a common problem.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30326689

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-9-14

wheel cost more than the Fine, and so wanted his tyre back?

Foolish....but not stupid!!

Maybe he was in a hurry and didn't have time to wait for them to turn up and remove it so he took it directly to the cops for payment and instant removal ?

 

I'd be interested in knowing the law making it illegal to remove the blocked wheel.

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

Maybe he was in a hurry and didn't have time to wait for them to turn up and remove it so he took it directly to the cops for payment and instant removal ?

 

He left the wheel by the side of the road. I will guess that will mean instant removal is out of the question.

Well let him try this one from the West....

I got clamped on 2nd Road - 6 inches into a red zone.  Took a motor bike taxi to Police station.  Paid 300? - in and out in five minutes.  I waited an hour with my car; no one came.  Returned to the Cess Pit with a Thai speaker.  She was told I ought to have tipped the 'fine' officer if I had wanted express service.  Returned to my car 20 minutes later 2 boys about sixteen years of age turned up with a key!

Service as such in the LoS

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Driver baffles passersby

Happens daily in LOS.

3 hours ago, Thian said:

Well let him try this one from the West....

I can never understand the logic of clamping car wheels.

If they are clamped because of illegal parking doesn't that exacerbate the problem....the car can't be moved for an even longer period by the driver.

Should just tow the vehicle and clear the obstruction.

I still can't fathom this. Why would he replace the tyre instead of more easily replace the wheel and tyre combined? He must have taken the clamped wheel off also... Bad translation?

 

Wise drivers would have pulled the bolt cutters from their tool kit and cut off the cheapo Chinese padlock. Snapped on a new cheapo Chinese padlock and driven to the BiB 's coffee shop to pay the fine and return the clamp.

3 hours ago, maxpower said:

Yes that has been used already but it makes so much noise so bypassers will call the police...

 

Who gets clamped in Amsterdam or even towed away better brings his savingsaccount. I think 4-500 euro even is not enough..

21 hours ago, maxpower said:

That should work a treat. Cut the extortionists tool up into small pieces and send to them in the post with a note, with something cheery written on on it.

On 9/15/2017 at 0:38 AM, manarak said:

I'd be interested in knowing the law making it illegal to remove the blocked wheel.

I don't think so, but what else can the cops say?