Traffic lights work, but remain ignored due to police indifference

[Rimmer]

Traffic lights work, but remain ignored due to police indifference

PATTAYA:--Pattaya authorities say traffic lights on Beach Road are fully functional but being ignored 40 percent of the time.

 

Traffic and transport officials said March 28 that the much-maligned pedestrian-crossing lights do, in fact, all work, but a lack of enforcement has allowed drivers to simply ignore them.

 

Seventeen of the 42 signals installed eight years ago are located on Beach Road as part of a 29-million-baht project. Last year, before the International Fleet Show, the city fixed the Beach and Second roads lights to give the many foreign visitors a good image of the city, but many of those away from spotlight were ignored and remain broken.

 

Traffic Department Director Anuwat Thongkham said 60-70 percent of the time cars will stop for lights, but those moving at higher speeds blow right on through

 

Read more: http://www.pattayamail.com/featured/traffic-lights-work-remain-ignored-due-police-indifference-206412

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2018-04-06

[darksidedog]

1 minute ago, Rimmer said:

Traffic and transport officials said March 28 that the much-maligned pedestrian-crossing lights do, in fact, all work, but a lack of enforcement has allowed drivers to simply ignore them.

Essentially the same story as everything to do with road laws across the whole country then. No enforcement, leads people to think they can get away with whatever they like. Maybe if the Mayor, or someone else important gets run down, we might see some action.

[robblok]

11 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Essentially the same story as everything to do with road laws across the whole country then. No enforcement, leads people to think they can get away with whatever they like. Maybe if the Mayor, or someone else important gets run down, we might see some action.

They should install traffic camera's with each traffic light they install, an automated system and let them get fined.

 

The police is too lazy anyway.

[maxcorrigan]

Not even surprised at this revelation the police are not interested enough to do anything, maybe not enough cash rewards in it for them, Thai drivers treat a traffic light on red as just a consideration, and motor bikes don't even consider the red light has anything to do with them, and that's any traffic lights not only pedestrian crossing lights mentioned here!

[sawadee1947]

5 minutes ago, robblok said:

The police is too lazy anyway

no, they are not but they have more important things to do.....Line, facebook, envelopes, aso

[George Bowman]

We were sitting at a highway intersection in P-lok the other night, on the way home. A black Mercedes blew by us and ran the red light. It was moving so fast, that I could not even get my camera up for a shot. When the light turned green we went about two kilometers down the road and pulled into a gas station to fill up. This idiot that had run the red light, was sitting in his car also getting gas.

 

While we waited the wife talked to this fool about his dangerous driving. What was hIs response? The gas pedal had been stuck...

[maxcorrigan]

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

They should install traffic camera's with each traffic light they install, an automated system and let them get fined.

 

The police is too lazy anyway.

There would be to many "ifs" there, mainly concerning motor bikes, if it is registered, if it has a number plate at all, if the number plate can be seen and not tucked up under the saddled facing the tyre, and probably more, and this is daytime, got no hope at night!

[mok199]

Lawless Thailand

[johng]

31 minutes ago, Rimmer said:

60-70 percent of the time cars will stop for lights, but those moving at higher speeds blow right on through

Which makes it extremely dangerous for those  crossing the road "fooled" into thinking  its safe to cross.

[mercman24]

Basngkok soi 4 lights right by the police box, you cross on the green to the refuge, then the next lights are green but cars and bikes pay no heed and weave in and out of the pedestrians, cannot wait 3 minutes

[robblok]

21 minutes ago, maxcorrigan said:

There would be to many "ifs" there, mainly concerning motor bikes, if it is registered, if it has a number plate at all, if the number plate can be seen and not tucked up under the saddled facing the tyre, and probably more, and this is daytime, got no hope at night!

At least it would stop cars.. motorbikes are bad but cars are worse. 

[trigpoint]

Pattaya City spent millions installing these lights and just lately maintaining them, never ever seen a cop pull anyone for driving through a red light, seen loads of tourist jumping out the way using a crossing as a car speeds through, baht bus drivers usually stop though.

[KhunBENQ]

These lights are bloody dangerous.

Unexperienced travelers from civilized countries get a false feeling of security.

Tear down and install a series of real rough speed bumpers properly colored and no way around for the little motorcycle artists.

It's the only method to slow down a Thai racer.

 

What do they expect in a country where pedestrians and bicyclists don't exist in license test/education?

Here in the village they honk at children walking to school (no footpath).

 

 

[Thian]

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

Lawless Thailand

And even the generals can't change that in all those years .

[Just Weird]

32 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Here in the village they honk at children walking to school (no footpath).

How inconsiderate, warning children walking in the road of the approach of a vehicle.  Dreadful, that's not what a car's horn is for, is it?  

[smedly]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Essentially the same story as everything to do with road laws across the whole country then. No enforcement, leads people to think they can get away with whatever they like. Maybe if the Mayor, or someone else important gets run down, we might see some action.

been saying it for a long time - absolutely 100% spot on

 

there are of course other issues but lack of law enforcement and proactive policing is primary

 

I actually now believe that because those in authority  are primary "law abusers/breakers" that they don't want things to change, they would prefer Thai roads remain lawless regardless of the massive cost in human life because of the carnage, it is ultimately a product of putting uneducated people in responsible positions

[smedly]

2 hours ago, johng said:

Which makes it extremely dangerous for those  crossing the road "fooled" into thinking  its safe to cross.

it also makes it extremely dangerous for those wanting to stop with the risk of getting  rear ended - especially if you are on a motobike

[Shaunduhpostman]

It's most dangerous for tourists who aren't trained in paying close attention to all of the hazards facing anyone walking down a street in Thailand. The way the traffic laws are being handled or not handled, by installing the red lights they actually end up making things even more unsafe. The nice broad beach walk way further lulls you into a sense of no need to be alert, so you arrive at the fake pedestrian crossing half asleep. There's even a police station right in front of you, as you wait for the light, so you would dare not do anything other than push the button to get your green cross the street signal. "please wait 4 minutes for your turn to be broadsided by Ms. Chuckles on her pink Honda Scoopy too busy with her phone to be bothered." You'll be inclined to be looking at the light after having waited for the seemingly interminable wait periods Thai traffic lights give you, not at oncoming traffic. The wait for the green creates a level of impatience that will make the pedestrian less willing to want to wait again and look left to see if there are any motorcycles whizzing by out of the far corners. Ironic that many of these lights would be set up in the very place they would be most dangerous, where people who have no experience or skills to safely cope with simply stepping out of their rooms will most likely make the mistake of trying to use them. Still, there is no icing on the cake, they need to also have  a crackdown on tourists who don't use the fake pedestrian crossing signaled cross walk on beach road.  Mandatory tourist wifi wrist bracelets replete with nano computing device could take care of the need for police to interrupt their activities to look after such trivialities and an encoding signal could be transmitted from a device at the crosswalk that would transmit information stored on the nano bracelet whether the tourist crossed Beach road at the light or not. Fines payable at the mandatory Pattaya police checkout/checkin center. They'd do all that before they'd enforce traffic laws.

[mommysboy]

The headline just about sums up driving in Thailand.

[phetpeter]

Heres an idea, put spikes on the road which raise when the light goes red. I would pay for a seat to watch that! or a barrier that comes down like at rail crossing.  or organize a large group of people to stand and take photos of everyone who jumps the lights and send them to the chief of police as they are doing it!

[balo]

During daytime I would say 80% respect the lights, even the big buses . Every time I ride my bicycle on beach rd I stop for the light. Some vehicles just continue but it seem to be more respected now.

Anyway you are almost forced to stop because of the hords of Chinese groups crossing from the beach.

 

At night it's probably a different story, nobody cares about the lights.

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

It's just the usual Me First attitude. My (Thai) wife and I lived in the UK for a while, and she was amazed that the first car, and if not the first then certainly the second, stopped at a crossing. Always. Because it's not only the law but the polite thing to do. The only polite action the Thais know is to wai after they've done something wrong - like injure someone on a crossing.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, phetpeter said:

Heres an idea, put spikes on the road which raise when the light goes red. I would pay for a seat to watch that! or a barrier that comes down like at rail crossing.  or organize a large group of people to stand and take photos of everyone who jumps the lights and send them to the chief of police as they are doing it!

 

I was going to write exactly the same thing about spikes.

[BuaBS]

6 hours ago, mok199 said:

Lawless Thailand

And that's why some of us still like it here.

[thailien8]

I use the pedestrian lights every day, and would say more drivers are stopping now, as they get used to the novel idea of pedestrian crossings.  Now if only the cops would show up.

[janclaes47]

3 hours ago, phetpeter said:

or a barrier that comes down like at rail crossing.

 

You ever had a look at a railway in Thailand when the barrier is down? 

[janclaes47]

3 minutes ago, thailien8 said:

I use the pedestrian lights every day, and would say more drivers are stopping now,

 

No doubt that now more drivers stop, even if only 1 car stops that would be more than when the lights are switched off.

 

You figured that all out by yourself?

[stevenl]

19 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

No doubt that now more drivers stop, even if only 1 car stops that would be more than when the lights are switched off.

 

You figured that all out by yourself?

Sad trying to ridicule others when the intention of the post is very clear.

[janclaes47]

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Sad trying to ridicule others when the intention of the post is very clear.

 

Maybe he's also a dive master so couldn't figure out why some were stopping now, in contrast with none when the lights weren't active.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

These lights are bloody dangerous.

Unexperienced travelers from civilized countries get a false feeling of security.

Tear down and install a series of real rough speed bumpers properly colored and no way around for the little motorcycle artists.

It's the only method to slow down a Thai racer.

 

What do they expect in a country where pedestrians and bicyclists don't exist in license test/education?

Here in the village they honk at children walking to school (no footpath).

 

 

There are speed humps designed to allow cars to drive over them at or below the speed limit without inconvenience, but really bump drivers going too fast. I'd love to see those installed and the speeders flying through the air before crashing, or breaking their suspension. That would certainly instill some sensible speeds into drivers.