Pattaya tries again to make drivers stop for pedestrians

[Boyblue]

there are lots of Zebra Crossings in A0 Nang, no one bothers to stop, i have many times, but the problem is as soon as you do some idiot overtakes you and nearly takes out the person you are letting cross. If you educated them, would it matter, it is in the Thai Highway Code, but no one has ever read it..... selfish drivers, everyone for himself........ it not going to change till you make people take (real) driving tests and you have a police force who actually police it.... mostly it is ignorance of the rules......

[PaulDee]

Maybe if the Mayor issued another press release incorporating all of the above thoughts, criticisms

and concepts.???? (We know how receptive Thais are to suggestions from farang.)

[tifino]

an earlier Post somewhere... was about putting up dummy cops at particular locations.

 - what about standing bikini clad store dummies at each crossing? - it would surely slow any blue blooded rider (and Tom) 

[rbpeters]

17 hours ago, sometime said:

It should read

Pattaya tries again to make Thai drivers stop for pedestrians

Sorry but expat drivers in Thailand and tourists on motorbikes are just as bad.

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

they would do the same even if educated

A person can be well educated, but have little common sense, and the vast majority of Thais do lack common sense, OK so I'm Thai bashing here, but I'm just telling the truth.

[NoshowJones]

9 hours ago, scorecard said:

Agree, many Thais, including educated folks don't know the law, including many aspects of many areas of law and includng the actual laws re pedestrian crossings. 

 

Several times european exchange students in my MBA courses have asked the Thai students about the laws re zebra crossings, typical Thai responses (these are not teenagers, mostly mid twenties and older, most working):

 

- 'There are no laws on this subject'

 

- 'The white marks are there to make the roads look professional but have no actual meaning.'

 

-'Simple, cars should always come first because of cultural 'rules' about more wealthy people'.

 

-'Cannot ask drivers to stop, that's not polite / too difficult to stop quickly.'

 

-'Have to stop but only for one person then the vehicles can proceed'.

 

and more

 

And the best one; one of the students called her uncle who is a senior cop, his response (on speakerphone) the Thai law says all vehicles must stop when people are walkng on the zebra crosing or are obviously about to start to walk on the crossing, and must wait until the pededstrians are all on the opposite footpath, but if I see people distrupting the traffic flow I will punish them.

I am against zebra crossings in any country, pedestrian crossings should all have lights, should be regularly checked, and repaired immediately if they develop a fault.

[FarangFB]

As a car driver and as a pedestrian I see that BOTH sides are wrong sometimes. 

 

I do stop for pedestrians on every zebra crossing, but despite putting loads of crossings  on beach road, many brainless pedestrians cross OUTSIDE the damn crossing walks - completely ignoring a well placed crosswalk with a big nice button to trigger the red light for cars.

 

Many also ignore the fact that when the light is green for cars they're supposed to WAIT. I'm talking about the new crosswalks, not those on 3rd road junctions when pedestrians have no choice because it's always green for cars from one direction.

 

As a pedestrian I try my best to follow the rules, and in places where we have a proper crosswalk and traffic I do USE them as intended - I press the button and cross when it's green for me and red for cars. For me a much more dangerous issue are motorbikes going the wrong way in some roads (2nd road for example), it can definitely be a risk for pedestrians who technically are supposed to look just one way but might be surprised. 

 

Another thing that ticks me off are pedestrians that don't use the sidewalk (when there is a usable one). 

[Searat7]

In Silom last month they conducted what I now think was an elaborate experiment at a crosswalk near Patpong on Silom Road. They painted the crosswalks with blue stripes and the approaches in all three lanes ( in both directions) were painted with large blue arrows for at least 100 feet. They even erected illuminated metal frames on the sidewalks which you would walk through to enter the crosswalk. Early last week the frames were removed and workers came out at midnight for a few days to scrub away all of the blue paint. I can only assume that this experiment had no effect on drivers’ behavior so they removed all traces. I find there is safety in numbers...only when you have a large group of people do the drivers stop. 

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, UPDEHSOI said:

Saw this in Mexico ( not the tire store ) Worked like a charm. Also saw flexible spikes installed at about a 35 degree angle on one way streets. You drive one way...the correct way...no pronplen. You drive against the traffic, the improper way.....ZINNNG go yer tires.

I saw it happen to a driver in Santa Monica Los Angeles, just off the Pacific Coast Highway, there was an entrance leading towards a pathway to the beach, this entrance had a notice up, the driver then started kicking his tyres, he wasn't very pleased.

[Skallywag]

1 hour ago, DannyCarlton said:

Mine neither, have you ever tried walking the length of 2nd road? I could agree with making Soi Buakhao one way traffic and making business owners clear the pavements of their junk.

BTW, Bali Hai Pier to end of beach road (North PattayaRd.)  is only 3.8 kilometers, about 5000 steps.  I know guys older than me who walk 6-10 kilometers per day easy.   Second road or Soi Buakhao are no fun to walk, that is for sure.

[Skallywag]

24 minutes ago, FarangFB said:

Another thing that ticks me off are pedestrians that don't use the sidewalk (when there is a usable one). 

The Indians seem to be a culture that ignores sidewalks and enjoy walking 3-4 abreast down roads????

[Krataiboy]

If these crossings were constantly monitored by cameras linked to copshops, rogue drivers could be identified by their registration numbers and quickly brought to book. 

 

Knowing they were being filmed in the act would also deter jaywalkers.

 

This already happens in hi-tech China. where millions of street cameras monitor citizens behavior under a "social credits" scheme which rewards good behavior and punishes antisocial acts.

 

Thailand is probably not (yet) sufficiently brainwashed to accept such intrusive mass surveillance. But might it not be worth sacrificing at least a little privacy to cut the carnage on our dreadful roads?

[hobz]

Set up cameras everywhere (they probably have already).

 

Hire a large crew (or automate) to view the footage and send out fines to offenders. Keep doing this permanently.

 

They did this in an intersection near my house and now almost everyone stops for red/yellow there... Thais respond to persistent enforcement.

[Mick501]

Easier just to fit all pedestrians with air bags.

[paulikens]

having a laugh. they don't give way or let anybody cross ever and never will. no manners. they don't even know what to do if you give way to them,there so shocked and its never happened to em they just stare at ya,so eventually I drive on cuz they do nothing

[Humpy]

Try as they may , nothing will change. The video shown at the Licencing Departments is a waste of time. The round about signs, near our little market town, are sited 5 meters from the roundabout .  Traffic won't stop for those already in the roundabout. The police do nothing and are guilty of the practice. Local police ride around the town on motor bikes wearing their uniform peak caps...... as they ride by a sign saying ''Helmet 100% ''. .....school kids, 4 on a bike pass by them and no action is taken. City Hall your wasting your time.

[KenKadz]

"despite the sorry or nonexistent state of most Pattaya sidewalks"

I think this might be in the control of a competent City Government!

[malibukid]

4 hours ago, newnative said:

No, they are not really trying again.  Just lip service and not one concrete idea mentioned.  If they were trying, they would station a cop at every other pedestrian traffic light on Pattaya Beach Road for a few weeks to ticket drivers, including motorcycle drivers, that don't stop.  They easily have the manpower.  Then do it a couple times each week after that.  Take cops off their motorcycle helmet enforcement and station them at other busy intersections--with instructions not to just stand there but do some actual ticketing.

Thai's ticketing Thai's?  now thats a laugh

[DrTuner]

Unless you shoot the drivers in the head with a shotgun for not obeying the red light, maibpenrai.

[sambum]

19 hours ago, tinca tinca said:

thais WILL NOT STOP for anyone crossing a zebra crossing... THEY HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED to the fact that people have the RIGHT to cross in safety....and is LAW to stop and let them cross....!!!

I wonder how many drivers have been prosecuted for ignoring this law!

[Road Warrior]

19 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

they would do the same even if educated

i agree with TINCA TINCA

[manhood]

Something that would help: fines to everyone,  especially motorbikes, and the fine must hurt! Otherwise all is good for nothing!

[Sonyboy]

What,you mean those 'Go Faster' stripes ? the Thai drivers must have received the wrong information.

[huntandcollect]

Just forget it. Already his statement "he TRIES" to make them stop says it all. OK, let's assume 80 % will stop and 20 % will not stop in the future. That would mean it is still a suicidal mission to cross a road in Thailand. Same same, different.

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, KenKadz said:

"despite the sorry or nonexistent state of most Pattaya sidewalks"

I think this might be in the control of a competent City Government!

Well, if it's in the control of someone it's the only thing in pattaya that's controlled.

[IvorBiggun2]

2 hours ago, Searat7 said:

They painted the crosswalks with blue stripes

They've had these in Buriram for some time now.

 

 

[natway09]

Once a Thai has a car they move up the food chain.

A mere mortal on a crosswalk is of no relevence 

[Parsve]

Of course, they want to stop at a traffic light. The problem is that they are so short that they have to look upwards and then they are dazzled by the red stop light, and see nothing. 

[Cake Monster]

If this attempt at getting the Moronic Pattaya drivers to stop when the Red light is showing on a Pedestrian Crossing goes anything like the last attempt, then it will never work.

The last attempt even enlisted the help of guys with a Large Red Flags walking on to the crossings when the lights changed  Red.

Even then the arrogant Thai drivers just barreled on through at break neck speeds almost killing these guys with the flags.

Many Thais will not stop, as believe they will get rear ended by the Driver behind.

Reason .... Tailgating

 

[HHTel]

5 hours ago, Puccini said:

The law does not require drivers to stop and let pedestrians cross at a pedestrian crossing.

See post #76