Bangkok lane-change crackdown nets 50,000 offenders in two days

[Classic Ray]

One day someone will explain why Thai motorcyclists are banned from many flyovers and tunnels, and large motorcycles are banned from expressways, when in many other countries they can travel quite safely on these roads.

 

The days of mopeds crawling at 20km/h are long gone, they are often the fastest vehicles on the road.

[jmacken306]

2 hours ago, les Dennis said:

Why the ambiguity ! The offense is the same.

If you don't learn from the first ticket, the second time the fine goes up, that's like any ticket or crime. Learn or pay the price.

[dave moir]

3 hours ago, happy chappie said:

How about place the cameras at accident black spots,no can't make much money there.what a earner 50 million baht in two days.this countries roads are going to be covered in cameras within a couple of years.

They already are if you look

[jmacken306]

Just now, dave moir said:

They already are if you look

Yeah I just noticed the other day crossing on a walk over the cameras at the end of the signs pointing each direction. It's no worse than many places in the USA, one example, Las Vegas, Just keep smiling you are on candid camera......no matter where just not in the toilet

...

[Yann55]

 

50 million baht in 2 days ... quite a performance... No doubt this money will go to elderly people, poor children and disabled persons...

 

Yes they catch mostly motorbikes, not just within this particular campaign, but all year round and the reason for that is one that belongs to the dark side of Thailand : cars may be occupied by rich people, influential people, VIPs, army and police big shots etc. whereas small motorbikes present no risk to the officer who does the arrest.

 

As one very funny comedian once put it very clearly : it's a lot more profitable to steal from the poor than from the rich. Why ? because there's so many more of them ! In Thailand he could have added : and they can't fight back !

 

 

Edited May 11, 2018 by Yann55

[zzidenn]

1 hour ago, hansnl said:

Like in your own country where under the guise of raising traffic safety a nice earner for the state coffers has been "organised"?

It’s a win win though and it works excellently 

[jenny2017]

The tickets can result in fines of up to Bt1,000.

 

But people on motorbikes don't have to wear a helmet? Once paid, you're free to ride head, aeeh helmetless all day long. 

[peterb17]

1 hour ago, hansnl said:

Like in your own country where under the guise of raising traffic safety a nice earner for the state coffers has been "organised"?

It works

 

A very good example is the introduction of average speed cameras. In the old days the idiots in their BMW would speed and brake madly before the cameras. People died.

 

Word got around very quickly - now the traffic flows at 50mph .

 

My home country- you are monitored at every moment - you are flagged up if no tax, older car check, no insurance etc. Is that a bad thing? 

I don’t think so - yes a bit of Big Brother- but if you are a law abiding citizen- who cares.

 

If you have a smart phone - everyone knows where you are and what you are doing .

 

Thailand needs to look to the West and see how they control traffic. 

[HOOD Robin]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Why dont put camera's (in most places they are already installed) and arrest the "Red light" offenders?
That would a real big income for the country.

They will never do as this would show too many POLICE cars running the READ light   

[Autonuaq]

4 hours ago, happy chappie said:

How about place the cameras at accident black spots,no can't make much money there.what a earner 50 million baht in two days.this countries roads are going to be covered in cameras within a couple of years.

The roads,they are covered already with cameras they just need to be linked to the system.

 

 

[The Deerhunter]

2 hours ago, hansnl said:

Like in your own country where under the guise of raising traffic safety a nice earner for the state coffers has been "organised"?

That technology is available already.  Automatic camera plate reading & radio 2 kms ahead to a road stop.  Seize car if not paid in cash instantly.   

Velly solly.  Mai me Bicet  (receipt pad.)

Edited May 11, 2018 by The Deerhunter

[Get Real]

3 hours ago, les Dennis said:

Why the ambiguity ! The offense is the same.

You don´t get it. It has to do with how many kilo metal it was that made the wrong shift of lane. 

[grkt]

Anybody bought the number plates spray in Thailand ?

[CGW]

56 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

One day someone will explain why Thai motorcyclists are banned from many flyovers and tunnels, and large motorcycles are banned from expressways, when in many other countries they can travel quite safely on these roads.

 

The days of mopeds crawling at 20km/h are long gone, they are often the fastest vehicles on the road.

This law goes way back, when I first lived in Bangkok (mid eighties) the only legal motorbikes were the ones made in Thailand, back then they were <100cc slow and crap so it made sense to keep them off busy roads and highways. Fast forward 35 years its a different story.........................................................

[RickFarang]

What, exactly is illegal about changing lanes to pass another vehicle? Or am I missing something too obvious to recognize?

[peterb17]

2 minutes ago, grkt said:

Anybody bought the number plates spray in Thailand ?

So you can whizz about at 200 kph , kill people and yourself .

 

The days of wonderful motoring are over- I did twenty years of underpowered little English sports cars  - MG , Triumph etc - it was fun.

 

Now there are millions and millions of cars on the road- driving is not fun.

 

The golden age of driving for enjoyment has gone . 

 

On another thread - have just bought a new car - it’s ultimately quiet , every possible safety feature ( still reading the 400 page manual) - ambient lighting of course and the most amazing music system .  ( and saves the planet ) Is it boring - no

 

Thailand should look to the West - draconian fines etc. If you are caught back home with no insurance your car can be crushed - even a Ferrari. 

[jackdd]

1 hour ago, Classic Ray said:

One day someone will explain why Thai motorcyclists are banned from many flyovers and tunnels, and large motorcycles are banned from expressways, when in many other countries they can travel quite safely on these roads.

 

The days of mopeds crawling at 20km/h are long gone, they are often the fastest vehicles on the road.

Today it's just like this because the Hisos in their Benz who make/influence the laws don't want to be disturbed by people on motorbikes.

Imho Bangkok should introduce an exclusive motorbike lane on every street that has 2 or more lanes (On the inner lane so people don't park there and divided from the car lane so that cars can't drive there). Riding a motorbike would suddenly give you so much advantage over a car, that a lot of people would switch to motorbike instead of cars and way less people would be stuck in traffic jams. Will of course never happen, same reason as above.

 

 

7 minutes ago, RickFarang said:

What, exactly is illegal about changing lanes to pass another vehicle? Or am I missing something too obvious to recognize?

It's about crossing solid lines

Edited May 11, 2018 by jackdd

[Saladin]

Please send some top cops from Bangkok to Chiang Mai as the traffic cops here are completely useless, their activities being limited to roadside checks on licences and helmets for motor bike riders. The regular check, opposite Maya Shopping Mall is operated by 10 cops, 2 of them officers who sit at a desk and write the tickets, while less than 100 meters away is the busy upmarket Nimmanhaemin Road where there is no police presence at all, and riders weave in and out of the lanes, and impatient drivers and riders travel along the wrong side of the double dividing lines. It is apparent that whoever is in charge of the CM traffic police should be transferred to the gardening department and replaced by senior officers who take their road safety responsibilities seriously. 

[Millcx]

5 hours ago, mok199 said:

kah ching  kah ching...jing jing

Yep... They have now realised that its the biggest money maker after toll roads... Few fancy holidays coming up for the boys methinks

 

[midas]

3 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Why dont put camera's (in most places they are already installed) and arrest the "Red light" offenders?
That would a real big income for the country.

aha ! So this is why they haven't lifted a finger to improve the habits of Thai drivers in spite of it being the most dangerous country on the planet to drive a car  ! The authorities have been saving up the opportunity for this cash cow

[ukrules]

9 minutes ago, RickFarang said:

What, exactly is illegal about changing lanes to pass another vehicle? Or am I missing something too obvious to recognize?

This is what I'm thinking as well, the whole thing sounds like a load of made up nonsense.

 

The road markings tell you when you can change lane, if it's a broken white line you can change lane whenever you want - solid white line = no lane changing. This is how it's done all over the world.

 

The photos show a broken line apart from the last few meters which allows lane changes.

 

It doesn't make any sense to me unless they're talking only about people who cross the solid line. Of course this is not made clear at all.

[spidermike007]

Though this might be a somewhat simple minded place to start, some might interpret it as an effort in the right direction. Will it be followed up with any other efforts? Will the inept, incompetent, understaffed, indifferent, untalented,  highway patrol start doing their jobs, or will they continue waiting for accidents, to show up and engage the people?

[janclaes47]

5 minutes ago, ukrules said:

This is what I'm thinking as well, the whole thing sounds like a load of made up nonsense.

 

The road markings tell you when you can change lane, if it's a broken white line you can change lane whenever you want - solid white line = no lane changing. This is how it's done all over the world.

 

The photos show a broken line apart from the last few meters which allows lane changes.

 

It doesn't make any sense to me unless they're talking only about people who cross the solid line. Of course this is not made clear at all.

Look at the picture again. I clearly see a white Honda crossing a solid white line, and another car behind him is following.

[Lampang2]

cameras and computers will  not only do their job.

they will not take bribes , nor do they need salary

 

25K tickets / day

its a brutal figure

 

 

[DjSilver]

1000 baht fine for a traffic violation is nothing but a joke. It should be between 5000-10000 baht so it terifies people from not breaking them.

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, MrMo said:

And outside lane crawlers and undertakers (no, not those guys in the black suits) and no lights bikes and no crash helmet drivers and ten in a pick-up or five to a bike and ........   Just a shame it can't get no licence drivers and drunk drivers too.   Then we would really be close to doing away with the traffic police !

"Then we would really be close to doing away with the traffic police".

I thought that had already been done, apart from the tea money collections.

[peterb17]

15 minutes ago, ukrules said:

This is what I'm thinking as well, the whole thing sounds like a load of made up nonsense.

 

The road markings tell you when you can change lane, if it's a broken white line you can change lane whenever you want - solid white line = no lane changing. This is how it's done all over the world.

 

The photos show a broken line apart from the last few meters which allows lane changes.

 

It doesn't make any sense to me unless they're talking only about people who cross the solid line. Of course this is not made clear at all.

Didn’t you read the Highway Code ?

 

What screws up things here - the drivers who zip past the queues - instead of sticking to the correct lanes - pushing in.

 

Therefore screwing up the other lanes who do not want to take that exit- 

 

it just slows everything down - crush their cars ! 

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, hobz said:

No mention of how fines will be collected or what happens if fines are ignored or "lost in the mail".

Makes me think they didn't think it through.... 5555

Thinking things through?? This is Thailand.

[VBF]

9 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Look at the picture again. I clearly see a white Honda crossing a solid white line, and another car behind him is following.

Yes. When I started reading this thread I thought it was just another "TIT money-grabbing scheme" BUT....if it's just for crossing the SOLID lines then I think it's a good idea. Those lines are solid to show an area where it's actually unsafe to cross, unlike the BROKEN lines which are there to show lane limits (not that many drivers in Thailand take too much notice of them either!)

Isn't there an instruction in the Thai Highway Code to "tear along the dotted line"? 

 

As for cameras... I live in UK - please don't get me started on the ubiquity of THEM! 

[peterb17]

16 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Though this might be a somewhat simple minded place to start, some might interpret it as an effort in the right direction. Will it be followed up with any other efforts? Will the inept, incompetent, understaffed, indifferent, untalented,  highway patrol start doing their jobs, or will they continue waiting for accidents, to show up and engage the people?

I thought denigrating Thais was forbidden on ThaiVisa 

 

Of course not - more clicks - more revenue.