Yesterday my Wife received a ticket for using her phone while driving... but she wasn't using her phone !... 

At Asoke Junction the BiB pulled her over and told her she was using her phone. She pleaded her case that she wasn't... her phone was plugged in on the centre console... the Policeman said he saw her looking at it, my wife said she'd glanced at the centre console sat nav-dial. I believe my Wife.

 

She lightly argued her case but what could she do... it was a he said - she said situation and once pulled over the BiB are never going to give in.

 

 

So today, same junction my Wife is pulled over, once again for using her phone. Except her phone was in her handbag on the back seat.... 

The Policeman still tried to argue that she had been using her phone !!!... quite impossible, but nevertheless he had his catch and wasn't letting it go. 

But.. without a phone in the front compartment the Police officer could not accuse her of phone usage while driving and admitted he 'may' have made a mistake and that she was probably using the dial on the centre console of the sat-nav. 

 

So... it would seem that the BiB are making stuff up - or at least two days in a row they are accusing people of phone usage and it can't be disproven. 

 

So.. phones in the hidden away in the centre console box from now on may keep the pesky chancers at bay. 

 

*I actually agree with their policy of stopping phone usage while driving - but the BiB are making no effort to get it right !...

 

Edited September 20, 20187 yr by richard_smith237

Pattaya also out at unusual times ticketing people.

 

maybe their budget has run out so emergency top up needed .

The key to understanding your situation is "same junction". This police officer or his senior officer at Thong Lor Police Station probably needs cash or tickets issued. Each police station acts relatively independently of the others.

 

Of course, your wife could have just produced the ticket from the previous day which under the Thai system gives an inexplicable 7-day no further fines period.

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

The key to understanding your situation is "same junction". This police officer or his senior officer at Thong Lor Police Station probably needs cash or tickets issued. Each police station acts relatively independently of the others.

 

Of course, your wife could have just produced the ticket from the previous day which under the Thai system gives an inexplicable 7-day no further fines period.

 

Yep...  after a little back and forth, when asked for her license my Wife presented yesterdays ticket...  to which the Police officer said (paraphrase)... "you were also using your phone here yesterday".. of course, my Wife pointed out.. "No... the Police officer made the same mistake you did today and wouldn't accept his mistake... which is why the phone is now in a handbag on the backseat !!!!"....

 

I know we're going to get flamed by the 'holier than thou' brigade but a ticket is fair consider the amount of traffic laws which get stretched or violated on a daily basis by just trying to navigate the city...  the first of which is a right turn at the end of my sub-soi which technically is not permitted but everyone does.... 

It is that time of the month again at Asoke junction I see. 

Just buy a cheap dome camera and stick it on the headlining of your car. Then when the BiB next stops you and you put your window down, just ask him to smile nicely at the camera and request you go to see his superior at the police station stating you will replay the in-car recording.

13 hours ago, Briggsy said:

The key to understanding your situation is "same junction". This police officer or his senior officer at Thong Lor Police Station probably needs cash or tickets issued. Each police station acts relatively independently of the others.

 

Of course, your wife could have just produced the ticket from the previous day which under the Thai system gives an inexplicable 7-day no further fines period.

I bet you are right.., but I thought it was 24 hours validity?

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

. I believe my Wife

Smart move.

Where I live, I do see Thais using their smartphone while riding a scooter, no one cares.

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Yep...  after a little back and forth, when asked for her license my Wife presented yesterdays ticket...  to which the Police officer said (paraphrase)... "you were also using your phone here yesterday".. of course, my Wife pointed out.. "No... the Police officer made the same mistake you did today and wouldn't accept his mistake... which is why the phone is now in a handbag on the backseat !!!!"....

 

I know we're going to get flamed by the 'holier than thou' brigade but a ticket is fair consider the amount of traffic laws which get stretched or violated on a daily basis by just trying to navigate the city...  the first of which is a right turn at the end of my sub-soi which technically is not permitted but everyone does.... 

This is why many locals do not like the BiB..Most know from their life that they are after pocket money. Now if the hierarchy are giving bonuses for ticket issue, which means "legal" payments,  we can expect a lot more "stops"..

15 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Of course, your wife could have just produced the ticket from the previous day which under the Thai system gives an inexplicable 7-day no further fines period.

I was told 3 days, clarification anyone?

Christmas is coming, the Mia Noi's have submitted their gift requirements already!!

Must be time to fund the police party

 

On that junction the police also often stops motorcycle drivers without helmet.

Yesterday I rode there, with a helmet, and I saw maybe 10 police officers. Most of them looked like new recruits learning the job.

They stopped me for no reason and asked for the driver license.

I told them I have no license, I have only the paper from the police that I should go to the station and pay a fine to get my driver license back.

They looked at the paper, gave it back to me, and that was it.

I asked one of the officers and they told me they are training.

 

Officially when the police writes a ticket it must be paid within a week or so. The police collects the license and give the driver the paper.

But in my experience it's a good idea to keep that paper forever. Because the next time the police want to see a license there is no license to collect. And that means there is no money to make. And they let you go again...

Police road check ahead, officer directs me to the side of the road, you speeding, no, I am using speed control which was set at 75km in an 80km hour speed zone, oh ok then, you then travelling in the wrong lane, right lane for overtaking, you should be in the left lane, couldn't argue with this cop as I knew it was all about the money. He asked me for 400 baht, I said, I will pay in the tent, he said you can pay me, I said no, I will pay in the tent and got out of the car, being about a metre taller and about 40kg heavier than him, he didn't argue.

 

The guy at the tent smiled at me and said where you from, I said Timbuktoo, near Ulladulla, he just smiled while I gave him my license and issued me with the ticket, 400 baht please, so little I said to him as I pulled out 20k baht from my right pocket, the officer outside wanted me to pay him, but I said no, with a smile, maybe he want to put it in his pocket with the cop issuing me with the ticket all of a sudden having a serious look on his face.

 

Chicken feed really, not going to get upset over it, corruption is rip in Thailand and you have to throw your principals out the window for such a small amount, I do believe in KARMA, who knows maybe someone will mow this guy over one day ? 

 

 

15 hours ago, BestB said:

Pattaya also out at unusual times ticketing people.

 

maybe their budget has run out so emergency top up needed .

No.....it's just pure greed!

so it is illegal to use your phone with google maps to navigate?

what is it with those a hole Asoke police? rotten to the core!

I have seen BiB texting while driving mb. Can I do a farang's arrest?

After the OP mentioned Asoke junction, the BIB, and a "fine", the rest of his post was superfluous. 

 

Interesting story, but it was completely irrelevant.  Fortunately, Asoke junction and the Thong Lo district is only a percent or two of Bangkok's area.  Unfortunately, some people just can't avoid it.  For example, I worked there for 6 years.

 

1 hour ago, siamcrut said:

Where I live, I do see Thais using their smartphone while riding a scooter, no one cares.

I have seen cops in Hua Hin texting when on their scooters.

MANY TIMES

 

20 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Police road check ahead, officer directs me to the side of the road, you speeding, no, I am using speed control which was set at 75km in an 80km hour speed zone, oh ok then, you then travelling in the wrong lane, right lane for overtaking, you should be in the left lane, couldn't argue with this cop as I knew it was all about the money. He asked me for 400 baht, I said, I will pay in the tent, he said you can pay me, I said no, I will pay in the tent and got out of the car, being about a metre taller and about 40kg heavier than him, he didn't argue.

 

The guy at the tent smiled at me and said where you from, I said Timbuktoo, near Ulladulla, he just smiled while I gave him my license and issued me with the ticket, 400 baht please, so little I said to him as I pulled out 20k baht from my right pocket, the officer outside wanted me to pay him, but I said no, with a smile, maybe he want to put it in his pocket with the cop issuing me with the ticket all of a sudden having a serious look on his face.

 

Chicken feed really, not going to get upset over it, corruption is rip in Thailand and you have to throw your principals out the window for such a small amount, I do believe in KARMA, who knows maybe someone will mow this guy over one day ? 

 

 

As if being taller and heavier would have scared a cop who has a gun on his hip... ?

3 minutes ago, Ks45672 said:

As if being taller and heavier would have scared a cop who has a gun on his hip... ?

Gun on his hip or not, he was taking steps backwards as he would FYI

 

7 minutes ago, Ks45672 said:

As if being taller and heavier would have scared a cop who has a gun on his hip... ?

......don't forget the 20k he was flashing. A real hi-so.

30 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I will pay in the tent and got out of the car, being about a metre taller and about 40kg heavier than him, he didn't argue.

 

Just curious as to how your size compared to that of the cop relates to the matter?

 

Did you anticipate a physical confrontation?

15 minutes ago, Ks45672 said:

As if being taller and heavier would have scared a cop who has a gun on his hip... ?

 

11 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Gun on his hip or not, he was taking steps backwards as he would FYI

 

 

 

 

11 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

Just curious as to how your size compared to that of the cop relates to the matter?

 

Did you anticipate a physical confrontation?

Sounds like an Inflated sense of self importance.. ? 

44 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

so it is illegal to use your phone with google maps to navigate?

Yes, if your phone is in your hand you can get a ticket,

 

doesn't matter if you are on Facebook,WhatsApp, Google maps or anything else 

 

If it's mounted though, I think it's fine

 

 hands free kits were still legal last I checked for making or taking calls

48 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

so it is illegal to use your phone with google maps to navigate?

I suspect it could be unless you have your phone mounted... 

56 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

On that junction the police also often stops motorcycle drivers without helmet.

Yesterday I rode there, with a helmet, and I saw maybe 10 police officers. Most of them looked like new recruits learning the job.

They stopped me for no reason and asked for the driver license.

I told them I have no license, I have only the paper from the police that I should go to the station and pay a fine to get my driver license back.

They looked at the paper, gave it back to me, and that was it.

I asked one of the officers and they told me they are training.

 

Officially when the police writes a ticket it must be paid within a week or so. The police collects the license and give the driver the paper.

But in my experience it's a good idea to keep that paper forever. Because the next time the police want to see a license there is no license to collect. And that means there is no money to make. And they let you go again...

 

The insanity of living in a country where the receipt for receiving a ticket is potentially of more use than your license....