Traffic law and bicycles

[bluesofa]

Is there available an English version of Thai traffic law specifically about bicycles?

 

I've got a copy of this, but can't find anything relevant in there:

http://www.thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0140_5.pdf

 

At the bottom of page 12 it just says "Title 10 - Bicycles" with no other text.

I don't know if the translator didn't include it, or if there is no text in the Thai version - and therefore no rules at all?

 

[Aquaman2016]

CHAPTER X

 

BICYCLE

 

Section 79.

Any lane which is provided for riding bicycle, the driver must ride in such lane.

 

Section 80.

For the bicycle riding on the road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle, the driver riding bicycle must provide:

(1) a tinkle giving sound signal to be audible at least thirty meters;

(2) functional brakes which are capable to stop immediately when

used;

(3) at least one headlight installed in front of the bicycle giving white light shining ahead which causes road surface to be clearly seen at least fifteen meters away, and shining lower than eye-level of the oncoming conveyance;

(4) at least one taillight installed at the back of the bicycle giving red light shining backward, or fixing red light reflective material instead, which reflexes upon light shined.

 

Section 81.

During the time to turn on the light under section 11 or section 61, the driver riding bicycle on the road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle, the driver riding bicycle must turn on white light headlight in order to be visible by the driver of oncoming conveyance or oncoming pedestrian.

 

Section 82.

The driver riding bicycle must ride as nearest the edge of road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle as possible; provided that in case there is a bus lane at the extreme left side of the road, he or she must ride the bicycle in the lane next to bus lane.

 

Section 83.

On the road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle, no driver riding bicycle shall:

(1) ride negligently or terribly which may cause damage to a person or property;

(2) ride without handling handlebars;

(3) ride more than two bicycle in parallel, except in the lane provided for riding bicycle;

(4) ride by sitting on the place other than the saddle;

(5) ride by loading other person, except a tricycle for loading a person, under the condition determined by the traffic officer;

(6) load or hold goods, parcel, or anything in the manner obstructing

the handling of handlebars, or which may cause damage to a person or property;

(7) attach to or pull other driving conveyance.

 

Section 84.

Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the driver riding bicycle shall also comply with section 21, section 22, section 23, section 24, section 25, section 26, section 32, section 33, section 34, section 36, section 37, section 39, section 40, section 41, section 42, section 45, section 46, section 47, section 48, section 49, section 50, section 51, section 52, section 53, section 54, section 55, section 56, section 57, section 59, section 60, section 61, section 62, section 63, section 64, section 69, section 70, section 71, section 72, section 73, section 74, section 76 (2), section 78, section 125, section 127 and section 133 mutatis mutandis.

 

 

 

[Vacuum]

34 minutes ago, Aquaman2016 said:

CHAPTER X

 

BICYCLE

 

Section 79.

Any lane which is provided for riding bicycle, the driver must ride in such lane.

 

Section 80.

For the bicycle riding on the road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle, the driver riding bicycle must provide:

(1) a tinkle giving sound signal to be audible at least thirty meters;

(2) functional brakes which are capable to stop immediately when

used;

(3) at least one headlight installed in front of the bicycle giving white light shining ahead which causes road surface to be clearly seen at least fifteen meters away, and shining lower than eye-level of the oncoming conveyance;

(4) at least one taillight installed at the back of the bicycle giving red light shining backward, or fixing red light reflective material instead, which reflexes upon light shined.

 

Section 81.

During the time to turn on the light under section 11 or section 61, the driver riding bicycle on the road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle, the driver riding bicycle must turn on white light headlight in order to be visible by the driver of oncoming conveyance or oncoming pedestrian.

 

Section 82.

The driver riding bicycle must ride as nearest the edge of road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle as possible; provided that in case there is a bus lane at the extreme left side of the road, he or she must ride the bicycle in the lane next to bus lane.

 

Section 83.

On the road, road shoulder, or lane provided for riding bicycle, no driver riding bicycle shall:

(1) ride negligently or terribly which may cause damage to a person or property;

(2) ride without handling handlebars;

(3) ride more than two bicycle in parallel, except in the lane provided for riding bicycle;

(4) ride by sitting on the place other than the saddle;

(5) ride by loading other person, except a tricycle for loading a person, under the condition determined by the traffic officer;

(6) load or hold goods, parcel, or anything in the manner obstructing

the handling of handlebars, or which may cause damage to a person or property;

(7) attach to or pull other driving conveyance.

 

Section 84.

Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the driver riding bicycle shall also comply with section 21, section 22, section 23, section 24, section 25, section 26, section 32, section 33, section 34, section 36, section 37, section 39, section 40, section 41, section 42, section 45, section 46, section 47, section 48, section 49, section 50, section 51, section 52, section 53, section 54, section 55, section 56, section 57, section 59, section 60, section 61, section 62, section 63, section 64, section 69, section 70, section 71, section 72, section 73, section 74, section 76 (2), section 78, section 125, section 127 and section 133 mutatis mutandis.

 

 

 

I'd rather walk than learning all these sections of the law.

[from the home of CC]

see some folks riding around Hua Hin, would love to also but I can't look after the wife from a grave site..

[StreetCowboy]

On 12/31/2018 at 4:55 PM, from the home of CC said:

see some folks riding around Hua Hin, would love to also but I can't look after the wife from a grave site..

You’ll probably be surprised at how considerate drivers are to cyclists - there’s not the same jealousy of cyclists’ freedom that rancours the view of Western drivers

[damascase]

17 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

You’ll probably be surprised at how considerate drivers are to cyclists - there’s not the same jealousy of cyclists’ freedom that rancours the view of Western drivers

It probably surprises many, but from my yearly appr. 10k km of cycling in Thailand, I wholeheartedly second StreetCowboy’s statement! 

[bluesofa]

19 minutes ago, damascase said:

39 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

You’ll probably be surprised at how considerate drivers are to cyclists - there’s not the same jealousy of cyclists’ freedom that rancours the view of Western drivers

It probably surprises many, but from my yearly appr. 10k km of cycling in Thailand, I wholeheartedly second StreetCowboy’s statement! 

I'd agree with that generally. I often cycle 30-40km a day, and when on a cycling holiday probably 100km a day.

Drivers here are pretty good, apart from the odd one occasionally.

I haven't cycled in the UK for decades, so couldn't compare it. But from youtube clips I've seen, yes, the drivers there are a lot more 'aggressive/rude', however you want to describe them.

 

[CanuckThai]

It's not uncommon for the wife and I to do a "quick" 20-30km+ round trip on the bicycles for an iced coffee somewhere.  The roads in daylight aren't too bad, as far as considerate drivers.  We keep to the shoulder, and I'm adamant about facing traffic head on.  That confuses and freaks out the locals, but I'll be damned to get "taken out incognito" by a "distracted or snoozing" pride of Issan.   I'd rather see someone coming at me, threatening our lives, and take to the seaweed (ditch).  I'm scared shitless if we get caught in the dark before making it home...

[el jefe]

18 hours ago, CanuckThai said:

It's not uncommon for the wife and I to do a "quick" 20-30km+ round trip on the bicycles for an iced coffee somewhere.  The roads in daylight aren't too bad, as far as considerate drivers.  We keep to the shoulder, and I'm adamant about facing traffic head on.  That confuses and freaks out the locals, but I'll be damned to get "taken out incognito" by a "distracted or snoozing" pride of Issan.   I'd rather see someone coming at me, threatening our lives, and take to the seaweed (ditch).  I'm scared shitless if we get caught in the dark before making it home...

it's a good thing that Thai drivers expect the unexpected and are used to motorbikes on the wrong side of the road. I can't think of anything more dangerous in the US than cycling against traffic, but here it's probably fine.

[CanuckThai]

3 minutes ago, el jefe said:

it's a good thing that Thai drivers expect the unexpected and are used to motorbikes on the wrong side of the road. I can't think of anything more dangerous in the US than cycling against traffic, but here it's probably fine.

Yeah, I agree, same in Canada.  I'm not a fan of it, but it's the only safe way I can think of to be able to react, to a potential catastrophe (see it coming).  I wouldn't do it in an area with a bike/mc lane or reasonable paved shoulder.  On the Issan secondary roads, a less than 30cm (12in)  paved shoulder is quite common.

[StreetCowboy]

43 minutes ago, el jefe said:

it's a good thing that Thai drivers expect the unexpected and are used to motorbikes on the wrong side of the road. I can't think of anything more dangerous in the US than cycling against traffic, but here it's probably fine.

I don't really see how cycling facing against the traffic is any less safe than cycling in the same direction as the traffic, unless you are really hammering along and almost keeping pace.

 

You're closing speed to a passing 80 kph vehicle will be say 100 kph instead of 60 kph, but at least you can see if there is something coming that you need to pull closer into the verge.  Better to pull onto the verge for a few seconds than being clipped on the back of a head by a big truck's wing mirror.

 

I don't like cycling against the flow of traffic, but being blindly oblivious to the traffic approaching behind you doesn't make you as safe as it feels.

 

SC

[StreetCowboy]

47 minutes ago, el jefe said:

it's a good thing that Thai drivers expect the unexpected and are used to motorbikes on the wrong side of the road. I can't think of anything more dangerous in the US than cycling against traffic, but here it's probably fine.

I posted previously on the etiquette of which side to pass another cyclist coming the opposite way, and opinion was divided on whether the person on the wrong side should pull out into the oncoming traffic, since he was in the wrong by being on the wrong side of the road, and should face the danger (and can also see what is coming) or whether the cyclist on the correct side of the road should leave space to his left for the motorcycle to pass, since it is unacceptable  to have traffic approaching on both sides.

 

SC

[damascase]

1 minute ago, StreetCowboy said:

I posted previously on the etiquette of which side to pass another cyclist coming the opposite way, and opinion was divided on whether the person on the wrong side should pull out into the oncoming traffic, since he was in the wrong by being on the wrong side of the road, and should face the danger (and can also see what is coming) or whether the cyclist on the correct side of the road should leave space to his left for the motorcycle to pass, since it is unacceptable  to have traffic approaching on both sides.

 

SC

In my opinion, the person on the wrong side should pull out into oncoming traffic as he can see what’s coming. Riding on the correct side I sometimes - when there is heavy and fast traffic - I force the opposing party into doing that, but I am sure the logic of that is not understood by most of them............ but whY would I have to put myself in (even) more danger if somebody is on the wrong side of the road?

[Andrew Dwyer]

In my opinion, the person on the wrong side should pull out into oncoming traffic as he can see what’s coming. Riding on the correct side I sometimes - when there is heavy and fast traffic - I force the opposing party into doing that, but I am sure the logic of that is not understood by most of them............ but whY would I have to put myself in (even) more danger if somebody is on the wrong side of the road?

I agree with you that the person riding on the wrong side should pull out into oncoming traffic.

But it seems that we are in a minority !

I don’t remember the last time an oncoming mc or bicycle pulled into the road to let me pass !!

On a couple of occasions I’ve blatantly taken the left side line in order for opposing rider to pull over and they have stood their ground and actually stopped forcing me to pull out.

 

I doubt if there is any written law on this but certainly an unwritten one !

[BritManToo]

50 minutes ago, damascase said:

but whY would I have to put myself in (even) more danger if somebody is on the wrong side of the road?

Why not just stop and hold your ground?

[StreetCowboy]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Why not just stop and hold your ground?

My apologies for digressionally derailing the topic, especially when my existing thread seems to have been not yet euthanised.

 

Trying vainly to rerail the topic:

I am surprised that bicycles are not allowed in bus lanes; I would think that would make cyclists very vulnerable to being side-swiped by buses as they pull out to avoid an obstacle in the bus lane.

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

My apologies for digressionally derailing the topic, especially when my existing thread seems to have been not yet euthanised.

 

Trying vainly to rerail the topic:

I am surprised that bicycles are not allowed in bus lanes; I would think that would make cyclists very vulnerable to being side-swiped by buses as they pull out to avoid an obstacle in the bus lane.

As the OP, it's not a problem. Aquaman2016 very kindly answered my question.

Please carry on!

I do agree what you said about cyclists being side-swiped by buses. As we know, the perception of traffic here, and consideration for cyclists is not the same as it is back in our homes countries.

[el jefe]

4 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

I don't really see how cycling facing against the traffic is any less safe than cycling in the same direction as the traffic, unless you are really hammering along and almost keeping pace.

 

You're closing speed to a passing 80 kph vehicle will be say 100 kph instead of 60 kph, but at least you can see if there is something coming that you need to pull closer into the verge.  Better to pull onto the verge for a few seconds than being clipped on the back of a head by a big truck's wing mirror.

 

I don't like cycling against the flow of traffic, but being blindly oblivious to the traffic approaching behind you doesn't make you as safe as it feels.

 

SC

If you're on the wrong side of the road, try going around a right hand curve with limited view for either you or the oncoming vehicle. There is no way that is safer than being on the left side of the road.

 

99% of all the riders I see, and 100% of all the riders I know, only ride on the correct side of the road, whether in Thailand or in the west. There is one section of one of our regular routes where we need to cross a busy road and some of us have decided that the best way to do so is to go against traffic for 100 meters. We all agree that is the most dangerous part of our ride.

 

I've never had a situation, even in retrospect, where I thought I would have been better off riding against traffic. But I've never ridden on your roads and you've probably never ridden on mine. Everyone's experience is going to be different.

 

[StreetCowboy]

8 minutes ago, el jefe said:

If you're on the wrong side of the road, try going around a right hand curve with limited view for either you or the oncoming vehicle. There is no way that is safer than being on the left side of the road.

 

99% of all the riders I see, and 100% of all the riders I know, only ride on the correct side of the road, whether in Thailand or in the west. There is one section of one of our regular routes where we need to cross a busy road and some of us have decided that the best way to do so is to go against traffic for 100 meters. We all agree that is the most dangerous part of our ride.

 

I've never had a situation, even in retrospect, where I thought I would have been better off riding against traffic. But I've never ridden on your roads and you've probably never ridden on mine. Everyone's experience is going to be different.

 

You are right that emerging from a blind corner is dangerous.

 

That reminds me of the only road that I recall that i 'regularly' rode wrong-road (although since I've used the term 'salmoning' , there must be others, but I can't recall).  It's a busy highway, and our depot is on the Northbound side, so easy enough to get to - not so comfortable on the way home, though, with a 3 km detour to a U-turn that brings you on to a fast converging junction from the left.  Easier to ride on the broad shoulder 1.5 km against the flow of traffic, except for a stretch of maybe 100 m of high construction barrier that obscures your view and that of the approaching traffic.  And of course they have not seen you from afar before you reach that stretch,m because you and they are approaching from opposite directions.

 

There's another section that I recall, coming back from the orphanage, where its easier to ride wrong-road up to the traffic lights than head off away from home and look for a safe U-turn.

 

I guess my point is that being legal doesn't ipso facto make it safer, and there are some times when it is prudent to consider the rules, and carefully, and cautiously, with due circumspection, break them.

 

[StreetCowboy]

On 1/2/2019 at 7:40 PM, BritManToo said:

Why not just stop and hold your ground?

Stop? and burn off all that momentum that you worked so hard for?

Next thing you'll be suggesting stopping at red lights...

[RocketDog]

On 12/31/2018 at 3:37 PM, Vacuum said:

I'd rather walk than learning all these sections of the law.

Probably safer too, but I use the term loosely here as there is actually no place safe in any reasonable proximity to a road, path, or sidewalk. 

 

If only the motorcycles would follow these rules too, we'd all be better off and safer. Again I use that almost meaningless word, but you know what I mean. 

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

On 12/31/2018 at 3:37 PM, Vacuum said:

I'd rather walk than learning all these sections of the law.

Probably safer too, but I use the term loosely here as there is actually no place safe in any reasonable proximity to a road, path, or sidewalk. 

 

If only the motorcycles would follow these rules too, we'd all be better off and safer. Again I use that almost meaningless word, but you know what I mean. 

Talking of walking, one afternoon last year I couldn't find a local tuk-tuk - they're quite rare in a our village. As my wife was elsewhere and couldn't give me a lift, I started walking into town to meet some friends at a bar - about six kilometres.

After only two km, a woman on a motorbike stopped and asked me in English where I was going. I initially thought it was an attempted chat-up.

Told her I was going into town. Her face looked horrified, telling me how dangerous it was. I laughed, having lived there for five years.

She was serious, and insisted on giving me a lift half-a-kilometre further on, and telling a motorbike repair shop to call a tuk-tuk driver to pick me up, then she drove off.

She wouldn't take any money, and was genuinely concerned for my safety, which still baffled me. Very kind of her though.

 

[RocketDog]

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Talking of walking, one afternoon last year I couldn't find a local tuk-tuk - they're quite rare in a our village. As my wife was elsewhere and couldn't give me a lift, I started walking into town to meet some friends at a bar - about six kilometres.

After only two km, a woman on a motorbike stopped and asked me in English where I was going. I initially thought it was an attempted chat-up.

Told her I was going into town. Her face looked horrified, telling me how dangerous it was. I laughed, having lived there for five years.

She was serious, and insisted on giving me a lift half-a-kilometre further on, and telling a motorbike repair shop to call a tuk-tuk driver to pick me up, then she drove off.

She wouldn't take any money, and was genuinely concerned for my safety, which still baffled me. Very kind of her though.

 

You know what? I'm not surprised at all. Despite the consensus on theses forums I have found that there are quite a few genuinely decent people in this country. I daresay many countries have nice people I them. 

Thanks for the story. 

 

Unfortunately I have a walking story too. 

I was walking along a divided road in my town, not a small Soi, not a large one. It had a sidewalk which was grown over in many places so I usually walked right next to the curb. Note that each side of the divided road would easily accommodate two cars side by side. 

 

So I'm walking along keeping my eyes open when I notice a small car apparently arriving directly at me. I was walking against the traffic flow since I decided long ago to face death head on. When the car continued toward me diagonally across the lanes I jumped up on the curb when the car was 15 feet away. Apparently my action caught the driver's attention and he corrected before proceeding, but never slowed down.  He came within a foot of the curb and I have no doubt that he would have hit me and jumped the curb to boot if I hadn't jumped. 

 

A friend of mine was crossing the street at a red light with two other folks on bicycles. A kid on a motorbike hit all three of them, sending them to the hospital while he continued heedlessly on his way. 

 

Lesson learned and my head is always on a swivel now when I'm anywhere that is possible to reach in/on a vehicle of any type. Call it survival instinct.