impulse Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, SunsetT said: Yes some improvement, but why have they made the pointed central reservation/island severely narrow down at its tip the wide hard shoulder on either side. The wide part will invite vehicles and motorbikes to cut inside vehicles, especially larger slower vehicles keeping in lane, and then be at serious risk of being hit or crushed when it narrows. You can't protect people from the consequences of their own actions. No matter what you install, there will always be those who try to shortcut the system to save a few seconds. You even see it at U-turn bridges and red lights, which should be pretty idiot proof- not to mention expensive. But you can make things safer for sane people who take advantage of the improvements that keep traffic at widely different speed separated. I'd like to think I belong to that group, and the improvements will reduce my own risk of getting crushed. I'll be sad about the crazies who still do get crushed, but my life will be safer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunsetT Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 8 minutes ago, JonnyF said: The design is safer. Trouble is, locals will still use it to U turn the wrong way, untrained drivers will be unable to U-turn in the narrower turning circle, the bollards will be knocked over within days and left in the middle of the main carriageway, someone will setup a grilled pork stall on the central reservation etc. It's a start, but driver training and real policing are the long term solutions. Yes, we have a well-used dual carriageway U turn outside of a BigC well protected by a long wide area of diagonal yellow hatched lines, but 90% of the time there are one or two trucks parked there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunsetT Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 2 minutes ago, impulse said: You can't protect people from the consequences of their own actions. Yes you can. It is called law enforcement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 28 minutes ago, robertson468 said: I thought the same about motor bikes, the only solution is, instead of cones they could have a wall say about 2 to 3 foot high which would force the motor bikes (and cars) to stay within the parameters of the lane they have turned in to. The issue with that comes when a big bus or truck finds out they can't make the turn after they've already committed. You see it all the time now, where a truck or a bus has to go back and forth repeatedly to make a turn. That snarls traffic in both directions. Better to have a bounce-back barrier that they can run over when they can't make the tight circle. Not as many walls and bumpers to replace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabian Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Will only work if they make it impossible to cut in at the front of the queue, because with this new design it still seems they could use the other lanes to push up ahead and then cut in, therefore making it pointless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillian Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Have you ever seen them using a roundabout in the right way ? How do you expect them to use these U-turns in the right manner ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) 13 minutes ago, sabian said: Will only work if they make it impossible to cut in at the front of the queue, because with this new design it still seems they could use the other lanes to push up ahead and then cut in, therefore making it pointless. What queue? With nobody waiting for a break in oncoming traffic, why would there be a queue? This is basically a poor-boy version of a U-Turn bridge, and they rarely have queues. Of course, that's exaggeration, but if the lane is moving, there's much less temptation to jump to the front of it. It's when the lane is backed up 200-500+ meters and not moving at all that people jump the queue. Edit: and even if people do jump the queue, the objective is to keep traffic at different speeds separate while the turning vehicles have some room to accelerate and merge smoothly and safely. Which this design accomplishes. Not perfect, but certainly an improvement. Edited January 25, 2018 by impulse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I wonder Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I’m please that the Highway Department actually acknowledges the fact that the U Turns are not only cause accidents but interrupt the traffic flow. They must have spend billions of THB on Rangsit Nakhon Nayok a few years back widening and improving the U turns with a filter lane at both sides but within a week of being brought into service the cones were being plonked down and now it’s even worse because they use the big plastic barriers at the end of the slip lane so drivers go into the lane only to find it blocked and have to move back across into traffic in the left lanes and every stops because Thai drivers don’t seem able to execute a turn correctly, be it at a 90* corner or a U turn. Along with the impatient, rude, ignorant, louts that try to bully everyone else on the road I have to agree that these new U turns can only help if the standards of road users improves.........dramatically, and we know all know the next response to that likelyhood But good on ‘em for trying to improve things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cylon Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 watch the motorbike go the wrong way into fast lane. they will NEVER learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 6 minutes ago, Cylon said: watch the motorbike go the wrong way into fast lane. they will NEVER learn. Unfortunately they do learn. He shaved a few seconds off his trip and there were no negative consequences. Human nature calls that a "win". That's what he's learned, and judging from some of the foreign drivers I've seen going native, that lesson isn't lost on foreigners who learned better back home (or they wouldn't have drivers licenses for very long). He may get away with it for the rest of his life and never get bit, or he may end up in the obituaries tomorrow. Statistically, he'll never learn safe driving that way. Back home, the guy would get stopped, get a ticket, pay a bunch of money, get points against his license, and pay higher insurance rates. That's a much more effective and humane way to learn safe driving. And that's the biggest shortcoming in Thai traffic safety. Enforcement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natway09 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Oh beauty, now 2 cars at a time can go around. The trouble with most Thai drivers (who off the road are gentle folk) is that on the road it is all about ME,,,ME,,, ME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HHTel Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I don't see what's new. Lots of U-turns (not all) have slip lanes at both sides. The only difference is that the slip lane is 'protected' by bollards although I've seen plenty of U-turns currently with the necessary bollards. One of the problems is that many drivers don't know how to steer a tight turn and consequently need to use a lane for oncoming traffic. The ones on Rama II look impressive because the space is there. You could only install these on wide roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moti24 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 "There is no need to cut in front of traffic or take unnecessary risks." That's got to be the punchline of the year! There never is a need, apart from the selfish me, me, me attitude of Thai drivers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabian Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 1 hour ago, impulse said: What queue? With nobody waiting for a break in oncoming traffic, why would there be a queue? This is basically a poor-boy version of a U-Turn bridge, and they rarely have queues. Of course, that's exaggeration, but if the lane is moving, there's much less temptation to jump to the front of it. It's when the lane is backed up 200-500+ meters and not moving at all that people jump the queue. Edit: and even if people do jump the queue, the objective is to keep traffic at different speeds separate while the turning vehicles have some room to accelerate and merge smoothly and safely. Which this design accomplishes. Not perfect, but certainly an improvement. Yeah that was part of my point if it did get busy, just because of volume of traffic. A better idea though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAIBKK Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 2 hours ago, evadgib said: Thais would get lost on this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman34014 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Seems they have plenty of money for Submarines, High Speed Trains(don't laugh), Tanks, Aircraft and Armoured Personnel Carriers , so why not forget all that unneeded junk and spend the money on building proper Roundabouts, upgrading most of the roads which are in a deplorable state and concentrate on proper driving tuition and testing. Proper Testing Stations for all Public Service Vehicles and Drivers of same would also be useful. Just all too sensible for this bunch of Flag Waving chest beaters i guess ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryasimight Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 4 hours ago, madmitch said: The missus was very surprised at how well roundabouts work in the UK, where drivers are actually taught how to use them and generally respect the rules. Of course such a system is much safer and better for general traffic flow than any system involving u-turns, but without proper driver training they don't work, hence the u-turn culture. Works in Surin OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Bloggs Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Not a chance it relies on the merge at the end, my only really bad experience locaaly was a merge where the clown would not give way under any circumstance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wavemanwww Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 "Could the Highway Department's new design help save lives and mark the beginning of the end of Thailand's infamous status as number one in the world for road accidents." Only when I see Pigs Fly. More Acid please then I may believe in Thai solution! Ooops there goes one pig , I now believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selftaopath Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 7 hours ago, YetAnother said: at the end of the day we are asking thais to obey rules; they can't or won't do that They would if there were consequences for not obeying rules. But there is basically no rule of law or effective police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
300sd Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 "Could new U-Turn design be the beginning of the end of road carnage in Thailand?" Perhaps one should begin by enforcing the helmet law! (with decent helmets) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redline Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Oh yea, forget the police in the equation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cake Monster Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Absolutely not. Any kind of slow moving traffic that is trying to merge with fast moving vehicles is an accident just waiting to happen. I always try to find the next set of lights in order to do a u-turn in relative safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLW Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Replace the cones with a solid concrete barrier and it's a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salavan Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I only have one thing to say If you want u turn you turn The farang Is NOT For turning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sstuff3 Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 The only way to keep Thai drivers in the proper lanes is to construct solid concrete walls between the lanes. Solid lines and cones are useless, as seen in this video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 On 25/01/2018 at 6:17 AM, PAIBKK said: Thais would get lost on this one... Thats for beginners. ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selftaopath Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 On 1/25/2018 at 10:35 AM, Classic Ray said: Physical preventive barriers are essential to stop Thai driving flexibility. Trouble is it costs money. Proper law enforcement with fines etc. would drastically change Thailand. But w/o effective/consistent law enforcement laws might just be suggestions or guides to how much a bribe should be. TIT. Will it ever change? lol Not in my lifetime I'm betting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artisi Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 This arrangement looks fantastic, Thai driver will now be able to u-turn 3 abreast, it might take then a few days to perfect it - but they will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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