Yet again! Two people hit by motorcycle on Zebra Crossing as Thai media scurries

[tomyami]

PCXed around pattaya for 12 years never saw 1 Zebra but i think they should be rounded up if they are causing accidents and if they are a danger to road users

[ed strong]

8 hours ago, JAS21 said:

In the UK if you put one foot on the crossing cars have to stop.

 

Here if you stop there is every chance that you get rear ended or some motorbike 'flys' past... it really is difficult to sort this problem ....

Black and white lines on the road do not equal a zebra crossing and pedestrians have no right of way.

 

If there are orange flashing lights next to white markings on the road than that is a zebra crossing and cars must give way to waiting pedestrians.

 

I'm presuming there are not may orange flashing lights at these crossings?

 

This has been the rule in the UK since day dot yet most drivers are not aware of this.

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

3 minutes ago, ed strong said:

Black and white lines on the road do not equal a zebra crossing and pedestrians have no right of way

This is just plain wrong. Drivers of ANY vehicle must always give way to pedestrians in the road. Moreover, recent changes to the highway code give pedestrians right of way even when waiting on the pavement.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Led Lolly Yellow Lolly

[KhaoYai]

3 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

I don't accept this excuse. Plenty of British born and bred need years of training and fail their tests repeatedly.

You're missing the point - she'd just passed her Thai test. I'm not saying that some Brits fail their tests repeatedly - the difference is, my ex was allowed out on the roads, Brits failing their tests are not.

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, JAS21 said:

In the UK if you put one foot on the crossing cars have to stop.

Untrue.

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

21 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

You're missing the point - she'd just passed her Thai test. I'm not saying that some Brits fail their tests repeatedly - the difference is, my ex was allowed out on the roads, Brits failing their tests are not.

Just how have I missed the point exactly? Yes, low standards are ignored in Thailand. High standards are strictly enforced in Europe. What did I miss?

 

Enforcement enforcement enforcement.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Led Lolly Yellow Lolly

[connda]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

ASEAN NOW notes that Thai media seem to be falling over themselves to get stories of people being hit on Zebra crossings. 

Good.  Put this issue right in front of everyone's noses so it's impossible to ignore.  As long as it can be ignored, the carnage continues.  If people finally get irate over the slaughter?  Maybe the government does something other than blowing hot-air up everyone's buttocks.

[rott]

11 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Severe punishments enforced to set an example is the only way at the moment as there is no proper driver education or competency management. 

 

Even then it may not work as the Thais are belligerent by nature...

 

However, Vietnam managed to get everyone on motorbikes wearing helmets within weeks with a strategic campaign than included motorbikes being confiscated and destroyed if the rider was caught without a helmet.

Currently, any kind of enforcement would be an improvement. 

 

[SiSePuede419]

Funny. 

 

But I never saw any concrete gray and white zebras. ????

 

I think you mean "crosswalks".

 

This has been yet another English Lesson for British.

 

You're welcome. ????

 

 

[Saraburi121]

It will take a generation of education to change the driving culture if it was started today, especially motorcycle safety.  A well paid and educated police force to enforce rules would be a start, cameras on major routes are not going to solve it although seems to have helped.   National roads are being improved and made better every day which takes care of the engineering part.  In the last few years seen a lot improvements in road engineering and blocking U turns on major highways, kudos!  

 

Took a relative to the local government hospital for an emergency the other night and was a steady stream of vehicle/motorcycle accident victims coming in to a small provincial hospital.  Inexcusable. 

[The Old Bull]

11 hours ago, Deli said:

Why do people think they have rights on zebra crossings ? Fools.

Walk when there are no csrs and bikes. Or wait.

Never trust a crossing anywhere need to see traffic stopped before I cross. No point in being DEAD right.

[bangon04]

14 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

Maybe they now reliase that their are more offences to be prosecuted than just crash helmets

but the RTP need to be ordered regularly to enforce the law, because they easily get bored doing their job.....

[RobU]

What gets me is if they actually start policing and prosecuting motorists with decent large fines etc. the Thai authorities could make a fortune and confiscate vehicles and bikes for serious offences. Attitudes would change very rapidly in the end money (or loss of money) talks

[Brian Hull]

The cause of the problem is not lack of education as getting a licence is not easy (at least in Chiang Mai). You must endure hours of watching videos and then do a written test which I struggled to get through although I had been driving in Australia for 60 years. The problem is that the police don't enforce the rules. In my 6 years living in Chiang Mai I never once saw the police pull over a motorbike or car for anything. Their only activities were grossly over-manned road blocks to check on licences and helmets which, while laudible, does nothing to regulate riding and driving behavior. Any country in the world would have a record just as dismal for road accidents and fatalities as Thailand if their traffic police were not trained, directed and held accountable. Obviously the buck should stop with the lack of action by senior police and the politicians to whom they should be answerable.

[Pique Dard]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

stories of people being hit on Zebra crossings. 

 second time i write this: buy real zebras from africa and place them on zebra crossings! motorists would certainly stop looking at these exotic animals  hence allowing pedestrians to cross the street or the road!

[sirineou]

How would some lines painted on the street protect anyone? 

They need traffic lights. strict enforcement if motorists run lights.and motorist education . 

These zebra crossings contribute to the danger by providing a false sense or promise of security. 

[Andycoops]

And the scandal is the policeman who killed the doctor on a crossing was riding hundreds of thousands of baht of motorcycle

But didn't have insurance, road tax or a license plate all of which cost diddly squat in comparison.

RiP the doctor.

[RocketDog]

13 hours ago, zyphodb said:

Ha, you'd measure your life in seconds in Bangkok lol

Yes. I have experienced this phenomenon in Na Trang VN. You simply walk slowly in a straight line and marvel as the bike wave flows around you. Panic, run, and you're dogmeat.

That said, I did see minor scrapes as bikes collided sideways, but never any injury, also they're not speeding.

 

But that involves a level of trust that I don't and can't extend to Thai riders.

[VocalNeal]

15 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

observe next time you're out.

You'd be surprised how observant one is when riding a motorcycle.

[Mr Meeseeks]

16 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Why not install traffic light controlled "Pelican Crossings" or would this be more of a disaster????

Could experiment with one and see what happens - could be interesting!

 

They have them in Pattaya along beach road and nobody stops for them.

 

Gives pedestrians a false sense of security which is even more dangerous.

[transam]

15 hours ago, TheScience said:

My point exactly. Never will.

 

No. It doesn't need to because the shocking traffic crimes really don't occur - in civilized countries.

 

Thailand is quite literally at the same level of order as the US west in the 1840-1880s.

 

Nothing will come of fines because nothing has come of fines. What's the definition of insanity?? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Your country doesn't lock people up for minor road stuff because the fines are probably hefty, that's why your drivers tend to behave on the road.

 

As a teen 1965, I ended up in front of a judge for excessive noise on my scooter, I was fined 2 quid, half my week's wages. ????

 

Tell me what other countries lock folk up for minor traffic offences, I mean, if you think you know best, then there must be others doing it, pray tell...

[Mr Meeseeks]

16 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Driving in Thailand I encounter motorcycles coming out of side roads without looking all the time for example - its as if there's a bracket fixing their head in the same direction as the handlebars.

This is because they don't have the skill to look the other way when turning and moving in the other direction. 

 

A basic skill essential to safe bike riding and 99% of them don't have it.

 

This is especially dangerous if you are turning right across the left lane into traffic.

 

That's why they don't look when turning left or shoot out when turning right, or another common tactic when turning to the right is turn anyway into the left lane and try to filter in from the right. 

 

They simply don't know what they are doing. 

[TheScience]

13 minutes ago, transam said:

Your country doesn't lock people up for minor road stuff because the fines are probably hefty, that's why your drivers tend to behave on the road.

 

As a teen 1965, I ended up in front of a judge for excessive noise on my scooter, I was fined 2 quid, half my week's wages. ????

 

Tell me what other countries lock folk up for minor traffic offences, I mean, if you think you know best, then there must be others doing it, pray tell...

What's the solution for those living hand to mouth and are fined half a days wages and unable to pay that?

 

Oh, right...in our countries it's jail.

[Henryford]

I was on Pattaya Beach Road the other day and a Porsche parked across a zebra crossing, directly opposite the Soi 9 Police station. No doubt if questioned the driver would have said "don't you know who i am".

Edited January 29, 2022 by Henryford

[stupidfarang]

22 hours ago, grain said:

They seem to have no idea what zebra crossings are for, just like they seem to have no idea what indicators and brake lights mean. But the gov' is trying. Last time I renewed my Thai DL, about 3 years ago, we had to watch a lengthy road safety movie that dealt with all these issues.

Yes they have the long hour video and when I took the drivers test and had to watch the video I was surprised by the number of people playing on their phones, one person sleeping and a couple going out for a while and coming back later. So all a joke.

[stupidfarang]

3 hours ago, Brian Hull said:

The cause of the problem is not lack of education as getting a licence is not easy (at least in Chiang Mai). You must endure hours of watching videos and then do a written test which I struggled to get through although I had been driving in Australia for 60 years. The problem is that the police don't enforce the rules. In my 6 years living in Chiang Mai I never once saw the police pull over a motorbike or car for anything. Their only activities were grossly over-manned road blocks to check on licences and helmets which, while laudible, does nothing to regulate riding and driving behavior. Any country in the world would have a record just as dismal for road accidents and fatalities as Thailand if their traffic police were not trained, directed and held accountable. Obviously the buck should stop with the lack of action by senior police and the politicians to whom they should be answerable.

so true, the BIB need to enforce the law and the fines should go up, 500 baht for speeding? People only learn when it has a direct impact on them and the best way is enforce the law, fine them and if no insurance or road tax then take the car and hold it until they have shown the car insuance and tax. That is the only way you are going to get through to them

[KhunLA]

11 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I was on Pattaya Beach Road the other day and a Porsche parked across a zebra crossing, directly opposite the Soi 9 Police station. No doubt if questioned the driver would have said "don't you know who i am".

Sorry, I was only there for a few minutes.  Had to pay my parking ticket from soi 6.????

Edited January 29, 2022 by KhunLA

[grain]

17 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Did anyone watch?

I did. ????

[transam]

16 minutes ago, TheScience said:

What's the solution for those living hand to mouth and are fined half a days wages and unable to pay that?

 

Oh, right...in our countries it's jail.

So you want to treat all as "might not be able to pay" and send them straight to jail.....????

 

In my country, if a fine is given, they are asked how they want to pay, it is sorted in court taking into consideration salary etc, I believe the same everywhere, but you want then locked up at the expense of the taxpayer instead of bolstering the taxpayers coffers, how bright.......????

[2long]

19 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

My Foza is called Big Boy. A honda click called Derik , gotta larf eh.

My Nouvo's called Noo Noo and my Aerox is called Roxy