Lane-changing offences nearing 100,000 after four days of camera work

[bbz404]

36 minutes ago, NextStationBangkok said:

Past two days, i can see the traffic is flowing smoothly.

 

Well done Thai police!

On Sundays, traffic is always smooth.

Yesterday was a government holiday so traffic was halved and thus smooth. 

 

Just wait for next week, when everybody is back at work and school.

[Curmudgeon1]

"Bangkok traffic police had issued nearly 100,000 tickets "

Police issued nothing, did nothing. The clerks processing the photos sent out invoices... give credit where it's due. 

[Happyman58]

16 hours ago, mercman24 said:

i did ask this before, can someone explain the reason for the no lane changing law,  i must be a THAI as i am totally baffled by this. and the  VALID reason is ???

I agree with mercman. Why are people being charged with changing lanes if there is a slow vehicle in front of you? If it is done the correct way in changing what is the problem? They would be better off going for the drivers who run red lights Now that is against the law big time.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, phetpeter said:

Looking at the photograph here the courts would throw out most of the fines, due to the poor road and street signs. They need to get there and repaint the markings so they are very clear. secondly to help force drivers to obey would be to install plastic barriers extending from the fly over or tunnel. Sure it would cut back on these cash cows, but, its about safety education isn't it?

 

Can you cite any cases where courts have thrown out fines for similar offenses due to poor road and street signs please?

 

I can not recall reading of such a thing anywhere.

[Brickbat]

Can never understand the stupidity and selfishness of drivers coming on to main road traffic or changing lanes willy billy and without looking . They just don’t see the consequences of an impact.

Hopefully the govt will also be goaded to install cameras everywhere from the revenue it will bring and the fines will sink in to these twits.  And the carnage may stop . 

[DualSportBiker]

We can't tell if there is a "no right turn" sign outside of frame. It is also plausible that the solid line is not parallel, but a badly painted replacement as someone else suggested.

 

Fixing Thailand's road safety problems will not be done overnight or with an all-encompassing campaign. It needs to be done incrementally. A reasonable place to start is where enforcement can be done by a system with a high degree of accuracy. Add high-volume and visibility and there might be a recognition that discipline is a requirement, not an option. Lane changes and traffic lights are two areas with massive volume of infractions, high impact on traffic flow, significant numbers of accidents. Both can be automated easily and accurately.

 

gr8fldanielle asked what the problem with merging over a solid line is - does it kill anyone? One key purpose for road markings is to define standard and therefore predictable behaviours. If drivers can ignore one rule, why not all? Every time you enter an area with specific markings, you should expect most if not all road users to act in a predictable way. That makes spotting the exceptions easier. When the majority of drivers do precisely what they want and precisely what is prohibited, we have to pay attention to every car in more detail and that makes spotting exceptions harder. So to repeat, they need to start somewhere and this automated system should reduce the problem of commissions and corruption.

 

12 minutes ago, Kurtf said:

That's the way I was taught to interpret two lines side by side like that.

[Baerboxer]

6 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

I agree with mercman. Why are people being charged with changing lanes if there is a slow vehicle in front of you? If it is done the correct way in changing what is the problem? They would be better off going for the drivers who run red lights Now that is against the law big time.

 

The idea of solid lines indicating no lane changes is to try and prevent the weavers who constantly push in and out of other lanes if they think a lane is moving slightly faster than theirs. Usually they change and then try to bully their way back to the correct lane they want. This causes accidents, increases frustration and with so many doing it actually slows up the traffic flow. It is especially dangerous when doing it approaching a hazard such as main junction, traffic lights, merging onto a main road, flyover and underpass. 

 

It was worse in India when I lived there as most drivers simply ignored all traffic rules and would try and start their own queue. Here though, as the figures show, significant numbers do this.

 

[sawadee1947]

1000 Baht fine is ridiculous.

many can afford this many times a month particularly in BKK.

 

 

[BigC]

It’s so easy to get lost in Thailand specially in the toll way. If you miss the exit can get even more lost 

 

maybe if they had roundabouts at bottom of each exit that would help. So one could rejoined the toll way and get off at the right junction 

[Happyman58]

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The idea of solid lines indicating no lane changes is to try and prevent the weavers who constantly push in and out of other lanes if they think a lane is moving slightly faster than theirs. Usually they change and then try to bully their way back to the correct lane they want. This causes accidents, increases frustration and with so many doing it actually slows up the traffic flow. It is especially dangerous when doing it approaching a hazard such as main junction, traffic lights, merging onto a main road, flyover and underpass. 

 

It was worse in India when I lived there as most drivers simply ignored all traffic rules and would try and start their own queue. Here though, as the figures show, significant numbers do this.

 

Well here  we have 2 lanes going either way. Then you get the idiots who think the bike lane is a car lane also making it 3 lanes I can see your point there. These guys expect to just barge into the proper lane. Another problem they have big time are those U turns. When you get an inpatient Thai driver who is making a U turn and has his car halfway across the traffic lane causing most cars to try and change lanes to get around him. I don't know the law in this country regarding U turns but in my country when making a U turn you must give way to all traffic I take it that is the case here also. But if they get rid of some those U turns maybe ease the situation and not make drivers try and change lanes. Or just book the idiot who has his car halfway across the lane.

[Minnehaha]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but, to my knowledge, the car in the picture isn't doing anything wrong.
In the picture (a dotted line + a straight line) it is allowed to cross the line from the left to the right but not from the right to the left.
Or not?
Strange rules.

Agreed. This pic is perfect example. Lanes are not drawn correctly, nor in coordination with signage quite often. Cops know it and wait to ticket. We have all seen it. Right turn lane is backed up half mile and if you try to jump in from middle lane to right the police nab you. The sign is posted at intersection too far to be visible. Its a mess. And must become part of the fun or you will go angry crazy and bitter old man.

[Yann55]

17 hours ago, mercman24 said:

i did ask this before, can someone explain the reason for the no lane changing law,  i must be a THAI as i am totally baffled by this. and the  VALID reason is ???

 

Mercman... perhaps it's time you reviewed your knowledge of traffic laws ... the answer to your question is ON THE PICTURE right here, and couldn't be more obvious.

 

Some people on this Forum are so imbibed with the idea that Thai laws/ideas/initiatives can only be absurd and tingtong (and yes, I know, sometimes they are) that they won't even take 5 minutes to ponder each case with a cool-headed approach.

 

Oh no, you're not Thai, you are (on this particular issue at least) just the typical Thaivisa pundit.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2018 by Yann55

[Shackleton123]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but, to my knowledge, the car in the picture isn't doing anything wrong.
In the picture (a dotted line + a straight line) it is allowed to cross the line from the left to the right but not from the right to the left.
Or not?
Strange rules.

Well aside from the fact he needed to be on the right, but left it to the last minute (see cones) to get as far up the queue as possible, he still crossed a solid white line no matter what "side" it was on. I can't see the argument against this initiative at all - it is endemic in Thailand that nobody obeys lane discipline, so it's absolutely correct that the authorities are cracking down on it.

 

[jkcjag]

I have yet to discover any of my Thai friends or colleagues who have ever paid such fines. They tell me they never pay, they throw the documents away, and they are never followed up.

In addition I was told today that the police have been instructed (apparently at a seminar including this subject) that it is not lawful for them to prevent renewal of the vehicle tax because of non payment of a traffic offence fine, and that they could be sued if somebody so wishes.

[AsiaCheese]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but, to my knowledge, the car in the picture isn't doing anything wrong.
In the picture (a dotted line + a straight line) it is allowed to cross the line from the left to the right but not from the right to the left.
Or not?
Strange rules.

 

In many countries with proper markings, you would be right. But the dotted line in the picture is probably just a left-over from earlier construction work, just like there is one lane over to the left of the arrow. That said, one could probably get the fine thrown out in a court.

[neeray]

2 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Yup make traffic violatiors

Great income earner for the country 

I was just having a PM conversation with another member relative to the "Blocking Ambulance" thread.

It caused me to search the "hurt in their wallets..." number for blocking an ambulance (or any EMS vehicle) in Canada. First offence, $400 to $1,000, second $1,000 to $2,000, third, see you in jail. Plus demerit points against license, license suspension and even jail time. $1,000 CDN = 24,000 baht). But sad to say, still we have "me-firsters" who fail to yield.

Personally, I like the camera idea. It will slowly start to change Thai driving habits.

I received my first ticket in 7 years recently. Seems like I pushed the end of a changing traffic light. A camera got me. And our government got $350 of my money. Proof that the camera idea works is that I am now much more aware of changing lights!!!

[atyclb]

3 hours ago, phetpeter said:

Looking at the photograph here the courts would throw out most of the fines, due to the poor road and street signs. They need to get there and repaint the markings so they are very clear. secondly to help force drivers to obey would be to install plastic barriers extending from the fly over or tunnel. Sure it would cut back on these cash cows, but, its about safety education isn't it?

 

 

no, the white lines are clearly solid and not interrupted 

 

 

Edited May 15, 2018 by atyclb

[neeray]

1 hour ago, Kurtf said:

That's the way I was taught to interpret two lines side by side like that.

See post #22 for clarity. I was confused too until I read #22.

[poyai111]

Can someone who is au fait with the regulations pertaining to these transgressions please provide a well appreciated service in outlining briefly those regulations? 

[Millcx]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but, to my knowledge, the car in the picture isn't doing anything wrong.
In the picture (a dotted line + a straight line) it is allowed to cross the line from the left to the right but not from the right to the left.
Or not?
Strange rules.

I would agree with you on that one bud ";o)

[robsamui]

Forget for a moment the fine print and ins-and-outs of arguing the rights and wrongs of how to mark the traffic lanes . . . how the hell are the authorities going to keep track of MILLIONS of fines, never mind actually collect them. 
 

Even when the Thai drivers start to get their fines in the mail, they still won't understand what they're doing wrong, so the offences will continue to pour in, with drivers who daily use the same route accumulating tens of thousands of bahts worth of fines.

Seeing the Thais are soooooo afraid of losing face, isn't it a shame that they're also unable to predict the consequences of anything they do? - because with this clever plan there's a GIGANTIC plate of scrambled egg heading face-on towards the Thai Ministry of Silly Ideas.

The only people who will suffer here are the farangs who get caught up in this - seeing that the seething Thai hordes can't be controlled or regulated, anybody white will get their feet nailed to the floor (as with business registration, paying tax and VAT, declaring income, etc etc.)

Edited May 15, 2018 by robsamui
editing

[stud858]

9 minutes ago, neeray said:

I

One day I saw a policeman fined someone and I noticed it was unfair as the signage was wrong. I asked the policeman to please let him go because the sign was wrong.  He said city hall make the signs. My conclusion. City hall in the wrong first.

[tandor]

..why not get really serious and concentrate on Red light offenders country-wide.

[anon467367354]

this car is not doing anything illegal unless stopping and blocking the right of way is illegal, but doesn't seem to be. So, legal but dangerous. The motorcyclist is doing something illegal but not dangerous. I'll take not dangerous any day. Intersections = dangerous. Overpasses for thru traffic = not dangerous.

[quandow]

Issuing a ticket doesn't guarantee payment of fine . . .

[anon467367354]

 

the reason this is not enforced is because the police would actually have to do something.

 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

100k tickets? All their Songkrans at once for the RTP. Break our the Johnny Black!

[hotchilli]

Thais don't understand the logic of "lanes" or white lines....the road is one wide strip of tarmac where you can do exactly as you please!!!

[essox essox]

3 hours ago, DinoSabanovic said:

What is the issue here exactly? How could they dare to implement a strict ban? This is lala land, drivers can go where they want.

and they DO just what they WANT too

[Golden Triangle]

I'm pretty sure that at some point in time I have committed this offence while trying to find my way around that God awful place called Bangkok, if I ever have to drive into / through or around Bangkok all my senses are kept fully occupied trying to read signs, listening to the Sat Nav and also keeping a wary eye on my fellow road users, so it is highly probable that I have crossed solid White lines unknowingly.

 

On another issue, perhaps they should have similar cameras at box junctions, the amount of times people block these things is a pain in the butt.