10 hours ago, NanLaew said:

And thus the popular western myth that speed cameras are just for making money and have nothing to do with road safety finally comes to Thailand.

 

Here's a clue; if one doesn't break the speed limit, one doesn't get a speeding ticket.

 

Of course we all know that farang drivers are much safer when breaking the speed limit than the locals are.

You forgot one important fact: TiT This is Thailand.

 

On the highway to HuaHin, I am aware of at least 2 ridiculous low speed limits of 45 km/h near some curve, where even an below average driver should manage to take those with 90km/h...

 

And around Bangkok it is the same - highways, which had 10-15 years before even awful bumps in front and behind the Klong bridges, where your old taxi driver in his worn taxi managed to take them with 150 km/h ... and now, with improved streets and some speed cameras, they set the speed limit to 90. 555

 

The kindergarden mentality same as in Europe and the US increasing in LoS.

 

 

12 hours ago, Odisan said:

Why don't they make it so that every police officer gets 25% of each fine as commission. That should sort it out by next weekend.

The arresting officer(s) do get a percentage of traffic fines.  I believe it's 40% so that doesn't hold water.

 Thailand, I Love Her Dearly, BUT!  Things like, if the Department of Anti-Corruption raided many a Thai Copper’s home, they’d fine many ‘fingerprints’ from Drivers who had paid their fine, believing it would be going to a good cause, such as, to help upgrade Thai Roads.  By the way, “COP” comes from, if you don’t know, “Constable On Patrol”, where here in Thailand it would more like refer to, “Constable On a Payroll” from wherever or whoever they can get it from.  Oh Thailand, please please wake up, as it’s up to you to get your ‘Act’ together should you wish not to be the “Laughingstock” of many a Farrang.

21 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The system - that still has a few minor glitches to iron out - will be in operation from July 1st.

????

18 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Yes you got that right as we are taught better and have more road experience under many different circumstances and environments. 

The significance that this all-empowering "road experience under many different different circumstances and environments" is acquired 100% outside Thailand and thus unlike anything that they will ever experience on the roads in Thailand appears to be lost on you.

 

18 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Yes you also got that right. As it is only a money maker for here as in reality they really don't care. I would bet the cops speed in their personal cars, get hit by radar and the ticket never gets to them or has to be paid. In California now, they don't seem to bother with above speed limit drivers on the highway (within reason) as they know moral majority speed as a whole. But in the cities themselves, nope, they are on you like a fly on crap.

Speeding fines in the west were becoming an increasingly irrelevant inconvenience until penalties were significantly increased, ie. bigger fines, a points system, commensurate rate hikes on insurance and ultimately license suspension. Thailand's miscreant driver is used to just paying the cops for speeding tickets to go away. That has changed. Cops write tickets now and licenses are held until fines are paid. But more and more speeding tickets from totally automated radar traps are coming in the post so no chance of bribing the roadside cop any more.

 

It's good to see Thailand beginning to care albeit more about the money they need to pay than the potential for reducing injury or death. If they culturally didn't bat an eyelid at the tally for each "7 days of death" nonsense, maybe they will when there's a whole slew of linked financial penalties that ratchet up each time they ignore it. Speeding ticket... ignore, can't renew tax... ignore, can't get insurance... ignore, can't renew license... ignore until they're in the deepest, most expensive part of the hole they dug themselves called jail.

Edited May 19, 20197 yr by NanLaew

I heard 92 % of fines are never paid.  The other 8% are paid by farangs.

21 hours ago, NanLaew said:

And thus the popular western myth that speed cameras are just for making money and have nothing to do with road safety finally comes to Thailand.

 

Here's a clue; if one doesn't break the speed limit, one doesn't get a speeding ticket.

 

Of course we all know that farang drivers are much safer when breaking the speed limit than the locals are.

Agreed. Also there's that pesky physics thing about momentum being proportional to the square of velocity. So yes, speed makes a huge difference in the kinetic energy expended in an inelastic collision..(such as an auto accident) 

 

Actually I'm quite happy to putt along at 90 or slower as I watch folks pass me on their frenetic way to their fate. 

2 hours ago, Phredd said:

 Thailand, I Love Her Dearly, BUT!  Things like, if the Department of Anti-Corruption raided many a Thai Copper’s home, they’d fine many ‘fingerprints’ from Drivers who had paid their fine, believing it would be going to a good cause, such as, to help upgrade Thai Roads.  By the way, “COP” comes from, if you don’t know, “Constable On Patrol”, where here in Thailand it would more like refer to, “Constable On a Payroll” from wherever or whoever they can get it from.  Oh Thailand, please please wake up, as it’s up to you to get your ‘Act’ together should you wish not to be the “Laughingstock” of many a Farrang.

I’m afraid Wiki disagrees with you, from the Latin capere, one who captures. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_police-related_slang_terms

I’m afraid Wiki disagrees with you, from the Latin capere, one who captures. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_police-related_slang_terms

 

You could be correct, as I only got 4% for Latin back in 1959. ????  Then again "Old Italian" does make it right, as I prefer my belief of its origin. Take care.

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

19 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Yes you got that right as we are taught better and have more road experience under many different circumstances and environments. 

The significance that this all-empowering "road experience under many different different circumstances and environments" is acquired 100% outside Thailand and thus unlike anything that they will ever experience on the roads in Thailand appears to be lost on you.

I have been driving here for over 25 years and over a million miles in my young life so far. And yes, most, and I will say MOST foreigners are quick to adapt here after just a short time on the road. More of a defensive attitude..

 

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

19 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Yes you also got that right. As it is only a money maker for here as in reality they really don't care. I would bet the cops speed in their personal cars, get hit by radar and the ticket never gets to them or has to be paid. In California now, they don't seem to bother with above speed limit drivers on the highway (within reason) as they know moral majority speed as a whole. But in the cities themselves, nope, they are on you like a fly on crap.

Speeding fines in the west were becoming an increasingly irrelevant inconvenience until penalties were significantly increased, ie. bigger fines, a points system, commensurate rate hikes on insurance and ultimately license suspension. Thailand's miscreant driver is used to just paying the cops for speeding tickets to go away. That has changed. Cops write tickets now and licenses are held until fines are paid. But more and more speeding tickets from totally automated radar traps are coming in the post so no chance of bribing the roadside cop any more.

 

It's good to see Thailand beginning to care albeit more about the money they need to pay than the potential for reducing injury or death. If they culturally didn't bat an eyelid at the tally for each "7 days of death" nonsense, maybe they will when there's a whole slew of linked financial penalties that ratchet up each time they ignore it. Speeding ticket... ignore, can't renew tax... ignore, can't get insurance... ignore, can't renew license... ignore until they're in the deepest, most expensive part of the hole they dug themselves called jail.

Edited 1 hour ago by NanLaew

There has been a point system in the US for EONS. I have had my small share of tickets in the past and this does prevent one from blatantly doing a no no there for the most part. I was just there 2 months ago and rented a car. I was just there in December and rented a car. Family reasons is why I went. The cops are so hard in the cities so you definitely watch the P and Q's inside the limits.

 

Fines are going to get paid here as it usually is the ones who have some money who speed. So is irrelevant. Speed traps with radar is an irrelevant issue as they are in places that do not make any sense. In rural areas it is 90 in soooo many places now, but when you look at Bangkok it is 120KM Ridiculous- Don't Figure! The system is non functional and absurd. 

 

 

22 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Indeed... 

 

The only reason I brake the speed limit on a quiet expressway is because at times I believe it to be safe I know I'll get away with it.

120kmh limit is 74mph - when its quiet I find myself doing 140kmh+ which is 87mph, not a speed too dissimilar to that which I used to drive on the UK motorways (in keeping with the general flow of traffic). 

 

Its when the traffic conditions are busier and flowing at speeds ranging between 80-120kmh and a driver chooses to drive at 140kmh threading their way through that the danger really exists. 

Whether it is Thai's or Foreigners it is when a driver chooses do drive like this when the speed really becomes a danger to innocent others and the driver.

 

The fundamental flaw in safety over here is the lack of intelligent decision making and concept of consequence when someone decided to drive the way they do. 

 

 

------

 

Last year (between my Wife and I) we had 3 tickets (speeding and crossing a white line) we renewed or Tax in Feb without an issue or notification of having to pay the fines (they remain unpaid) - I'll see what happens next Feb.

good idea probably NOTHING will happen....

21 hours ago, Odisan said:

Why don't they make it so that every police officer gets 25% of each fine as commission. That should sort it out by next weekend.

that only encourages them to issue even more tickets for made up offences.

So in the future many people will decide to not pay the tax anymore, and this probably also means they will not pay for compulsary insurance, which means a higher burden on government hospitals.
Especially motorbikes might decide to just take off their license plates.

I don’t think motorbikes can get speed tickets, most if not all cameras take picture from the front...


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On 5/18/2019 at 2:06 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Indeed... 

 

The only reason I brake the speed limit on a quiet expressway is because at times I believe it to be safe I know I'll get away with it.

120kmh limit is 74mph - when its quiet I find myself doing 140kmh+ which is 87mph, not a speed too dissimilar to that which I used to drive on the UK motorways (in keeping with the general flow of traffic). 

 

Its when the traffic conditions are busier and flowing at speeds ranging between 80-120kmh and a driver chooses to drive at 140kmh threading their way through that the danger really exists. 

Whether it is Thai's or Foreigners it is when a driver chooses do drive like this when the speed really becomes a danger to innocent others and the driver.

 

The fundamental flaw in safety over here is the lack of intelligent decision making and concept of consequence when someone decided to drive the way they do. 

 

 

------

 

Last year (between my Wife and I) we had 3 tickets (speeding and crossing a white line) we renewed or Tax in Feb without an issue or notification of having to pay the fines (they remain unpaid) - I'll see what happens next Feb.

Your reasons are still only an excuse for breaking the law. Not paying the fines is another breach, just because you think you are above the law, does not make it so,

You are not in the UK you are in Thailand, their country, their rules. Not someone from UK with a sense of entitlement.

 

22 hours ago, mehrdad said:

Question!! ? 

1 : how about some people who bought second car and traffic fines for old owner ???

2 : how about fines in 2016 ,, 2017 ,, 2018 ???

3 : from what time system calculates traffic fines ???

4 : what about many car with no number plate and red plate ???

Not fair !!!☹️☹️☹️

As for the 1st one they can know who the car was registered too and can be made unable to sell until all fines are paid. Thus the car can nevet be registered in anothers name while the owner has an outstanding ticket balance. And to transfer ownership both original and new ownee must go in person to do the title ownership. As for the red plates the dealerships have the records of everyone they provide a red plate too and can make a change in rules. If after 1 week a ticket has not been paid the dealership takes the car back till fines are paid. As for 2 and 3 im sure it will be from how ever far back the unpaid fines are from. So if you have unpaid tickets going all the way back to 2013 or so chances are you will be losing your car till their paid off 

Maybe they need to think about linking drivers licences, passports and fines, and if you have a fine unpaid, you pay in before clearing immigration no pay no board.

It occurs with child support in Australia, so why not fines in Thailand.

 

21 hours ago, Sir Swagman said:

The blanket speed limit of 90 on this route is a PITA. Some stretches should be 120, others below 90. It adds at least an hour of driving to the trip. 

What's the rush?

On ‎5‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 2:25 PM, Sticky Wicket said:

A lot happening on July 1st!

Was not me, my sister, my brother my cousin drive car not me get ticky.

No ticky no shirty.

Pay up!

 

Experienced this in Phuket 10 years back..

Had to go see the cops in the villiage I parked badly in , pay the fine and bring back a receipt before I could re-register my car .