Bangkok police could lower city speed limits to "halve road accidents by 2020"

[Russell17au]

If traffic fines were more realistic, and the actual money went into the treasury and not you-know-where, the whole country would be rolling in money, the hospital emergency departments would be looking for work, fewer funerals, fewer accidents. 

Drivers would have to learn that it's them who cause accidents, not fate.

[Grumpy Duck]

Speeding in Bangkok? Perhaps I have a really limited view of the situation but what I see is bumper to bumper traffic around 18+ hours per day. The average speed I see on Ladphrao Rd, Rachadaphisek, Sukhumvit, & other main roads is less than 10kph. Late at night is another story on some roads, but still I see driving in Bangkok as a free for all, traffic laws seem more like suggestions. I seldom hear of serious accidents in Bangkok they are usually outside of the big city or motorbikes weaving between lines of cars traveling against flow of traffic or running red lights. 

 

I tend to laugh at insurance industry and think tanks blaming +/-75% of accidents on high speed. I believe when traffic is traveling at 80kph and one car/truck is traveling at 20 kph in the inside (fast) lane impeding traffic causing accidents (often not involving them) the cause of the accidents is not speeding vehicles it is the slow put puts impeding traffic flow. I think Germany has the right idea on autobahns, no speed limits, but strict lane control laws that are enforced. 

Edited November 29, 2017 by Grumpy Duck

[thhMan]

They can go as far as to Ban cars.. people will still drive, while enforcement is not there

Some countries got into the automotive age to quick and have no idea how things work.

 

[jaiyen]

But Thai drivers know that car crashes (not accidents !)  are fate and they have nothing do do with it happening, so why worry about speed limits ?

[smileydude]

Statistically I think most of the accidents happen out of the city on main highways where motorcycles, pick ups, commuter vans and very large trucks converge on streets that are not designed with safe merging lanes but rather free-for-all exits and entrances and driving in any available space (including safety lanes) they can squeeze into because it makes them feel smart and effective.

 

Its a no brainer that it is a smorgasbord of recklessness, carelessness and disregard for safe driving sense and traffic laws.  

 

And this isn't even counting all the dogs and chickens crossing the road as a haphazard.

 

The most likely benefit of decreasing city speed limits is more fines handed out and more happy pockets for the RTP.

 

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by smileydude

[wavemanwww]

When I visit Pattaya  and will do again next year I will sit yet again at the bar near the only pedestrian crossing, I think near Soi 8, with traffic lights to cross to get to the beach and in some cases the cops on the other side of those lights not caring about the traffic passing through a red stop light  fine tourist falang for not wearing a helmet or not having a motorbike licence on their rented bike. So I suck on my beer chuckling at all this whilst cars and bikes generally driven by Thais speed through a useless pedestrian crossing when the light is clearly red whilst the cops write out tickets to falangs!

 

Go Thailand No.1 in road deaths. Gold medal !!!! Not that any other country would want that medal plus the cost in hospital fees looking after those that survived.

Edited November 29, 2017 by wavemanwww

[Lupatria]

The average speed for rush-hour traffic is now around 16.5 kilometres per hour.

But that won't keep any drugged and drunk HiSo Ferrari driver from going berserk. 

Edited November 29, 2017 by Lupatria
typo

[Russell17au]

9 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

The average speed for rush-hour traffic is now around 16.5 kilometres per hour.

But that won't keep any drugged and drunk HiSo Ferrari driver from going berserk. 

Well you better get ready for it because it my be that your speed limit will be 8kph so go and buy a pushbike and you will be able to ride on the footpath at 10kph and get home quicker

 

[Bangkok Barry]

The only way to get Thais to slow down is to put speed bumps every 20 metres on every road. And even that wouldn't work with many.

[spectrumisgreen]

15 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

As if a lot of the drivers here are going to take any notice.

It's a good idea, and hopefully, if enforced, it will reduce casualties on the roads.

Good chance of the 'fines' kitty being greatly increased too !

They'll likely soon find that those causing most accidents were going over the limit(s) anyway, so knocking the limits down a few notches will just mean those drivers will likely be going pretty much the same speed as before but therefore now be going even further over the [new] limit(s)!! Hence limit-watchers will be even more screwed by some 'kwai' trying to burst past (from either way!) as the 'good guys' sail happily along as usual in their blissful ignorance that anything untoward could possibly happen on such a lovely sunny day!!!

[spectrumisgreen]

Th

15 hours ago, Ruffian Dick said:

These issues usually boil down to educating the public. In the schools (am I right to assume that driver safety isn't taught in schools?) via billboards and television programs. Then enforcing them in a predictable and meaningful way.
I rarely see a Thai wear a seatbelt; thought they were going to crack down on that?

They have.. they do.. in between Thais driving past with no seat-belts on!! As for the 'educational' aspect, never mind just the seatbelt issue, no-one here understands even why they should wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, other than because they might have to pay a small fine if they get caught not wearing one during one of those particular 'crackdowns'!! Personally, I think a few melons smashed on the floor during school H&S demos/ presentations, might help with that!!!

[masuk]

16 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

As if a lot of the drivers here are going to take any notice.

It's a good idea, and hopefully, if enforced, it will reduce casualties on the roads.

Good chance of the 'fines' kitty being greatly increased too !

50km/g hr is the norm in Australian built-up areas.   60km/h on other roads, 90km/h freeways and 110 intercity.    

To see hoons on large and ultra noisy m/bikes travelling at 80 - 90km/h in central Chiang Mai amazes me, but they're obviously relying on fate, as not many worry about helmets.

CCTV cameras which actually work, recording speeds and fines to match might possibly work.   

[Russell17au]

16 minutes ago, masuk said:

50km/g hr is the norm in Australian built-up areas.   60km/h on other roads, 90km/h freeways and 110 intercity.    

To see hoons on large and ultra noisy m/bikes travelling at 80 - 90km/h in central Chiang Mai amazes me, but they're obviously relying on fate, as not many worry about helmets.

CCTV cameras which actually work, recording speeds and fines to match might possibly work.   

What are these speed limits that you have posted?

[01322521959]

Lower speed limits? What limits? There isn't and never will be any speed limits. I generally keep to 60-80 in Bangkok to keep up with the traffic. I never see any speed limit signs here. Thais know the limit but there's never anything signed in order to remind them. I try to ride at a safe speed but stuff goes past me at 100-120. 

 They could therefore start with signs for Gods sake!

 Makes my blood boil.  

[Jim walker]

No one gives a flying <deleted> about the speed limit now so lowering it to halve the road carnage in Thailand most accidents here are caused by driver stupidity so slower stupid drivers will half the accidents I doubt it. 

[waders123]

A simple solution would be to use cameras to snap photos of violators and send the fines to the owner of the vehicle.  If they don't pay their vehicle will be impounded.  This method could reduce the corruption and danger of the regular "pull over" stops of violators.   I am not a fan of cameras but this would bring in a ton of revenue at first to pay for the system install and then because people would realize they are going to get a fat fine for breaking the law and start doing a better job at obeying the rules.  This system would be monitored by more than a few people so there is a better chance for less corruption.

[Ruffian Dick]

1 hour ago, waders123 said:

A simple solution would be to use cameras to snap photos of violators and send the fines to the owner of the vehicle.  If they don't pay their vehicle will be impounded.  This method could reduce the corruption and danger of the regular "pull over" stops of violators.   I am not a fan of cameras but this would bring in a ton of revenue at first to pay for the system install and then because people would realize they are going to get a fat fine for breaking the law and start doing a better job at obeying the rules.  This system would be monitored by more than a few people so there is a better chance for less corruption.

That's what they do in China. Works for them!

 

[thailand49]

EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT!

Already hundred of rules and laws on the books, you can continue to spin your wheels by making suggestion or just DO YOUR JOB!

[The Teacher]

So now the Bangkok cops are faced with new evidence, That they cannot do the job they were employed to do , go figure

[lvr181]

40 minutes ago, The Teacher said:

So now the Bangkok cops are faced with new evidence, That they cannot do the job they were employed to do , go figure

"That they cannot do the job they were employed to do , go figure"

 

Fire them and their "responsible bosses" (I use that term lightly) all the way up to the top!

Mmmm.......that would mean a whole new RTP? Oh well, it could not be any worse. 

[mogandave]

Yes, if a Thai cop on a mo-ped is not able to to run down, stop and ticket a speeding S500 they should be terminated!


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[MaxLee]

On 11/29/2017 at 4:17 AM, webfact said:

Police could lower city speed limits to "halve road accidents by 2020"

Correction,.... it IS already snail pace due to daily traffic jams  

[Russell17au]

6 minutes ago, MaxLee said:

Correction,.... it IS already snail pace due to daily traffic jams  

Remember it is only in Bangkok. The rest of the country can just continue increasing the road toll because anything outside does not count, not the speed limit, not the accidents, not the peoples lives, it is only important in Bangkok

[Thunder26]

Accidents happen not because the drives go too fast, but because most drivers don’t understand the concept of keeping distance. That’s the main cause in my opinion.

[mike324]

heavy fines and jail sentences will solve most speeding problems

[Russell17au]

9 minutes ago, mike324 said:

heavy fines and jail sentences will solve most speeding problems

It is not just the speeding it is the whole road rules that need heavy fines and possible jail sentences, but the big problem at the moment is finding someone who can get out there in a car or on a motorbike and enforce the laws because the RTP cannot do it they are too busy standing around at the check points in case someone might have an unregistered car or not have a license while all the idiots are going made on the road only about 5 kilometres away, but then the RTP don't have the budget to get cars and decent motorbikes to get out on the roads

[mogandave]

Virtually all accidents can be avoided by lowering speeds


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[metisdead]

Some posts containing offensive references toward Thais have been removed as well as the replies. 

[Maestro]

Isn't it unusual for a country to have a speed limit as high as 80 km/h in built-up areas? 

[Russell17au]

4 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Isn't it unusual for a country to have a speed limit as high as 80 km/h in built-up areas? 

No, Australia has many roads in the suburbs that are 80kph, they are mainly the main connecting roads that are multi-laned