Thailand U-turns! This one is all above board, says Highways Dept

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Thailand's U-Turns - no, not the ones to do with vaccination and Covid, the ones on the roads! - have been much criticised.

 

Many think there are too many and cause far too many accidents especially given the propensity for Thais to ignore some of the finer points of the Highway Code, reported Daily News.

 

Others are just plain baffling!

 

One in the north east was really confusing after social media highlighted motorists' concerns.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

It's on the road from Roi-Et to Kasetwisai district.

 

Roi-Et's highways department chief Kiatpong Jiannaithanakij said he had noted the confusion.

 

He has put in some cones, barriers and signage in the meantime.

 

He said that the road is undergoing widening from two to four lanes and the U-turn is not finished yet.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

He blamed pictures on social media showing it to be more problematical than it really is. He hoped that an infographic would make it clearer.

 

When it is finished  it will be a fine U-turn on a road where there is a good safety record, he noted. 

 

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[ArcticFox]

U-turns are unmitigated Death-Traps.  Period.

[bdenner]

From which area in the world did the brains trust here get this U Turn idiocy from?

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

U-turns are unmitigated Death-Traps.  Period.

Bit of a generalised statement.

They have been trials on U-turns on the Chonburi - Bang Saen road for about 6 years, have to admit a bit like watching paint dry. On saying that there has been a lot of adjustments, mainly to cater for HGVs.

The current version would work quite well if it wasn't for the presence of motorists. Instead of using the slip road to gain speed and merge with the moving traffic, the majority want to stop at the end of the slip road and merge from a standing start.

Not the U-turn that is the problem.

 

[DefaultName]

20 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Bit of a generalised statement.

They have been trials on U-turns on the Chonburi - Bang Saen road for about 6 years, have to admit a bit like watching paint dry. On saying that there has been a lot of adjustments, mainly to cater for HGVs.

The current version would work quite well if it wasn't for the presence of motorists. Instead of using the slip road to gain speed and merge with the moving traffic, the majority want to stop at the end of the slip road and merge from a standing start.

Not the U-turn that is the problem.

 

On that one there's room for a car to almost completely turn before joining the other carriageway.  In the OP, a car has little more than its own length to turn, meaning that it will impinge on the fast traffic.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that the road is undergoing widening from two to four lanes and the U-turn is not finished yet.

Maybe a round-about would work better?

[Farmerslife]

Whenever I am asked what I miss about the UK? The first thing that always comes to mind is roundabouts.  

ArticFox has nailed it in the first comment on this thread.

[edwinchester]

1 minute ago, Farmerslife said:

Whenever I am asked what I miss about the UK? The first thing that always comes to mind is roundabouts.  

ArticFox has nailed it in the first comment on this thread.

We have a roundabout in Kanchanaburi that is chaotic because virtually nobody knows the traffic rules that should be followed.

[kidneyw]

What I don't understand is the No U turn signs before a U turn.

[DPKANKAN]

51 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Bit of a generalised statement.

They have been trials on U-turns on the Chonburi - Bang Saen road for about 6 years, have to admit a bit like watching paint dry. On saying that there has been a lot of adjustments, mainly to cater for HGVs.

The current version would work quite well if it wasn't for the presence of motorists. Instead of using the slip road to gain speed and merge with the moving traffic, the majority want to stop at the end of the slip road and merge from a standing start.

Not the U-turn that is the problem.

 

It is the design of the u turns in most cases they make problems. Many have no 'slip' roads in and out, landscaping and trees etc in the way as are the vehicles turning opposite you that block your vision. (plus the speed of Thai drivers). 

I always,  or at least where I can, drive a bit further for traffic lights if available!!!????????????????

[sandyf]

31 minutes ago, DefaultName said:

On that one there's room for a car to almost completely turn before joining the other carriageway.  In the OP, a car has little more than its own length to turn, meaning that it will impinge on the fast traffic.

Your quite right and my point was purely informational.

Fairly obvious the research is not being shared or not being shared with the right people.

[Gsxrnz]

Let's face it - U-turns are extremely hazardous.  But if they didn't have as many u-turns as they have then the alternative is to have 50% (as opposed to the current 5%) of the traffic reversing in the wrong direction to get back to the u-turn they missed.

 

A dilemma of neo-classical proportions.  

 

 

 

 

[sandyf]

10 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

We have a roundabout in Kanchanaburi that is chaotic because virtually nobody knows the traffic rules that should be followed.

Probably the most fundamental problem, and like the old saying, you can't teach old drivers new rules. Something that is not unique to Thailand.

Enforcement is the only way to make any headway.

There are old drivers and there are bold drivers

but there are no old bold drivers.

[Scott Tracy]

35 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Maybe a round-about would work better?

Have you watched Thai drivers at roundabouts? Usually, it's giveway, or yield to traffic on the roundabout. There's a new roundabout in Kantaralak. No one, and I mean, no one knows how to use it. Drivers stop on the roundabout and give way to those approaching. A few days ago, signalling left in the left lane, I had a vehicle pass me on the hard shoulder. Had the wife not mentioned it, I probably would have been hit.

[Scott Tracy]

Perhaps, when someone decides to close a U turn, they will put water or concrete in the red barriers.

 

in a place near me where they have been widening the road and putting in central reservations and new U turns, the red barriers are placed to close them off. Except, the red barriers are constantly being moved so bikes, and sometimes even cars use them.

Some main roads have had barriers on the U turns for a long time. Bikers move them, use the U turns...

 

water or concrete please. Or just concrete the bloody things closed properly.

[EricTh]

It's better to close the U-turns when it's only 1 km drive ahead for the next U-turn/traffic

 

I've seen many daredevil run-across from lazy Thai who just don't have a sense of safety for incoming traffic.

 

They are just too lazy to drive less than 1 km for the traffic light.

[tingtongfarang]

thais have zero idea about roundabouts, mostly they will just take the shortest route and go around the wrong way

[Will B Good]

The seriously dangerous ones are where the U turns are combined......neither side can see clearly past the other side that is also queueing.

[dlclark97]

40 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

The seriously dangerous ones are where the U turns are combined......neither side can see clearly past the other side that is also queueing.

You beat me to it.  They are the most dangerous and poorly designed U Turns I have seen in any country I have driven in.  The two direction U Turns should be separated by 50-100 meters so each facing driver can see oncoming traffic.  

[Will B Good]

3 minutes ago, dlclark97 said:

You beat me to it.  They are the most dangerous and poorly designed U Turns I have seen in any country I have driven in.  The two direction U Turns should be separated by 50-100 meters so each facing driver can see oncoming traffic.  

Seems like a no brainer until you realize where you are....555

[GreasyFingers]

6 hours ago, bdenner said:

From which area in the world did the brains trust here get this U Turn idiocy from?

Come up to Highway 12 where most of the dual carriageway is separated by concrete barriers, even through villages. Sometimes people need to turn around and not go 20-50 km like in the west. Yes they can be dangerous but that is the problem of the drivers, not the road.

I have today made 5 u-turns on a 6 lane (3x3) highway and am still typing this.

Edited November 3, 2021 by GreasyFingers
added

[Grusa]

2 hours ago, DPKANKAN said:

It is the design of the u turns in most cases they make problems. Many have no 'slip' roads in and out, landscaping and trees etc in the way as are the vehicles turning opposite you that block your vision. (plus the speed of Thai drivers). 

I always,  or at least where I can, drive a bit further for traffic lights if available!!!????????????????

Where u-turns are illegal, mostly. Quick filler for the bib rice bowl. Like helmets, etc.

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, kidneyw said:

What I don't understand is the No U turn signs before a U turn.

That's a bit like a red light at a crossing, seems to be optional.

[Nojohndoe]

14 hours ago, kidneyw said:

What I don't understand is the No U turn signs before a U turn.

I was confused about that until I learned that an accompanying sign says no u turn for trucks/buses etc. Because the road width is too narrow for their turning circle.

[Alotoftravel]

Hard to accept that Highway department can continue to cost lives in today age, With all the smart phones , apps, banking online, policies. Highway department must install safer roads for people to drive on. Very sad indeed for the accidents, death and the ones who build the death traps as their job .