Now it's "Rot Tit" on the sidewalk! Motorcycles - even police - adding to Bangkok pedestrian woes

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, toenail said:

When I am walking on the sidewalks in BKK and these clueless motorbike drivers are coming towards me ( or behind me) I yell out “my-dee” (bad) and yell out “ting-tong” pointing to the soi because I am soooo angry. My Thai friends tell me not to say this because some day a hot head driver will stop and kill me. Their warning is probably correct, so I now keep my mouth shut. You can’t fix stupid or change the culture of disrespecting rules. 

 

Meanwhile the other Thai's on the sidewalk were wondering what on earth is going on with the "ting-tong" foreigner shouting out "Mai-Dee" and "Ting-Tong" !!!... 

 

That said - I agree with your taking a stand. I recall pushing my Son in his Push-chair down the footpath and becoming painfully aware of the dangers as motorcyclists started using the footpath... I was in effect far safer just to carry him in a taxi without a seat belt or infant car seat.

 

Motorcyclists on Pavements is a pet hate - I do wonder what would happen when a motorcyclist hurts a pedestrian. 

 

 

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Meanwhile the other Thai's on the sidewalk were wondering what on earth is going on with the "ting-tong" foreigner shouting out "Mai-Dee" and "Ting-Tong" !!!... 

 

That said - I agree with your taking a stand. I recall pushing my Son in his Push-chair down the footpath and becoming painfully aware of the dangers as motorcyclists started using the footpath... I was in effect far safer just to carry him in a taxi without a seat belt or infant car seat.

 

Motorcyclists on Pavements is a pet hate - I do wonder what would happen when a motorcyclist hurts a pedestrian. 

 

 

Recently in the news one got in trouble for hitting a girl on the footpath. So action is taken just not often. I would never consider riding on the footpath that is just crazy. 

[richard_smith237]

22 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

22 hours ago, Mak25 said:

Instead of fighting against, why not find solutions for motorbikes stuck in traffic jams. Dedicated motorbike lanes (anyway will be blocked by cars), motorbikes allowed on overpasses, ... Having more bikes and less cars could actually ease traffic. Why no effort to make more motorbike friendly traffic?

Essentially motorcycles are allowed to go virtually anywhere except on the expressway and toll way these days. It's been going on for years now without the police doing much. Bikes also go through red lights and travel on the sidewalks with impunity. We also pay only 105 baht in annual road tax. 

 

As a bike rider in Krung Thep I must say it is marvelous. 

 

Rooster ????

 

A valid point Mak25... especially in 3 lane roads such as Sukhumvit, Rama IV, Petchaburi, Rama 9 etc... it would be simple enough to make the inside lanes motorcycle only lanes. 

 

However, it would make that lane faster for motorcyclists and with cars pulling out etc there may be far more accidents. 

 

So, as Jane Dough wrote - motorcyclists can go pretty much anywhere and the city is relatively motorcycle friendly. 

 

The issue here as with pretty much every other traffic issue, the enforcement of perfectly good exiting laws is absent, the apathy displayed by the Traffic Police in Thailand is despicable and it directly contributes towards the daily gridlock and costs Thailand billions. 

[monkeycu]

The headline would have been more interesting if it was Tit Rot 

[Prairieboy]

On 5/22/2019 at 10:51 AM, webfact said:

the law is toothless. 

The laws are there - enforcement is not!

 

[asiaexpat]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:36 PM, BritManToo said:

Yes it is.

Brit way to transliterate Thai, not very accurate in pronunciation.

[Burma Bill]

I have already mentioned this in a previous post but do as the authorities do in Rangoon (Yangon) in Myanmar where motorcycles are BANNED in the city (except police ones for patrol purposes). You cannot even buy a motorbike in the city as there are no showrooms. Everyone gets around by walking, public buses, taxis, cars, commercial vehicles, bicycles and tricycles or suburban trains. So very, very different from Bangkok, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh and much, much safer!

[Assurancetourix]

On 5/22/2019 at 11:06 AM, edixon15 said:

This is business as usual in Vietnam

No, no and no ;

In Vietnam the pedestrians are used for parking the motorbike or for eating not for driving on 

Hanoi in 2007

[edixon15]

You really want to back your statement with more than 10 year old data? I an currently living in Saigon, and can tell you that driving on the sidewalk is a normal everyday situation.



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[essox essox]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:43 PM, grumbleweed said:

Obviously fake news. Motorcycles on sidewalks have been outlawed

 

when???

They should NOT be on sidewalks as WE ALL know....but who gives a **it about LAWS in this country??