For Expat Returning To Calif. - New Tough Traffic Law?

[stateman]

New California Law effective 7/1/07

New Driving Fines for 2007

1. Carpool lane - 1st time $1068.50 starting 7/1/07 (The $271 posted

on the highway is old). Don't do it again because 2nd time is going to

be double. 3rd time triple, and 4th time license suspended.

2. Incorrect lane change - $380. Don't cross the lane on solid lines or

intersections.

3. Block intersection - $485

4. Driving on the shoulder - $450

5. Cell phone use in the construction zone. - Double fine as of

07/01/07. Cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving.

6. Passengers over 18 not in their seatbelts - both passengers and

drivers get tickets .

7. Speeders can only drive 3 miles above the limit. < BR>

8. DUI = JAIL (Stays on your driving record for 10 years!)

9. As of 07/01/07 cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving.

Ticket is $285.

They will be looking for this like crazy - easy money

for police department.

---------------------------

Please note that I received the info above in an email from a reliable source, but haven't verified it with the newspaper yet. Another source was telling me the same thing.

Keep these changes in mind when you drive in Calif. next time. Best is to strictly OBEY the law. It is becoming quite unfriendly to drivers!

[puuchai299]

WOW Peng mak.think stay here and pay 200 baht.

[johnsurin]

New California Law effective 7/1/07

New Driving Fines for 2007

1. Carpool lane - 1st time $1068.50 starting 7/1/07 (The $271 posted

on the highway is old). Don't do it again because 2nd time is going to

be double. 3rd time triple, and 4th time license suspended.

2. Incorrect lane change - $380. Don't cross the lane on solid lines or

intersections.

3. Block intersection - $485

4. Driving on the shoulder - $450

5. Cell phone use in the construction zone. - Double fine as of

07/01/07. Cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving.

6. Passengers over 18 not in their seatbelts - both passengers and

drivers get tickets .

7. Speeders can only drive 3 miles above the limit. < BR>

8. DUI = JAIL (Stays on your driving record for 10 years!)

9. As of 07/01/07 cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving.

Ticket is $285.

They will be looking for this like crazy - easy money

for police department.

---------------------------

Please note that I received the info above in an email from a reliable source, but haven't verified it with the newspaper yet. Another source was telling me the same thing.

Keep these changes in mind when you drive in Calif. next time. Best is to strictly OBEY the law. It is becoming quite unfriendly to drivers!

It looks like the U.S. is starting to catch up with the U.K. Tony Blair followed George W Bush in your war of terror on Iraq and Afghanistan. Now it looks like George W is copying Tony's personal vendetta on motorists.

Thailand isn't to different they have many road blocks looking for drivers breaking the law, the only difference is, is that for farang it's reasonably cheap. On the other hand for thai's a 200 baht fine, in most cases is two days work, so not so cheap when you put it in perspective.

[chinthee]

should be a closed topic.

Edited June 30, 2007 by chinthee

[redwood13]

Hoax: http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/california.asp

-redwood

[johnsurin]

should be a closed topic.

As posted by chinthee i agree. The thread is not thailand related, however it might affect some people staying in thailand returning or planning a trip home.

Perhaps the OP could have tried to word it better or tried to relate it to thai road fines, in order for it to slip through the net.

Edited June 30, 2007 by johnsurin

[jEFFREYk44]

George Bush has nothing to do with California traffic laws and this thread has nothing to do with Thailand

[sbk]

MOved to the travel forum as it could be useful for those travelling to the US.

[johnsurin]

George Bush has nothing to do with California traffic laws and this thread has nothing to do with Thailand

The George Bush thing was a joke, some people have a sense of humor.Is it Arnold Shwarzenegger? he's big friends with Tony!!! However as I stated I believe the OP was trying to warn people living in thailand about new laws that might affect some people on returning home.

After all, there are loads of threads on TV where people ask or post questions about other topics that might not directly relate to thailand, but are asking or advising people in thailand. There is a thread running in general topics now about travelling to vietnam or burma, what does this have to do with thailand??? Perhaps you ought to take a step back and relax.

Edited June 30, 2007 by johnsurin

[Thanyaburi Mac]

New California Law effective 7/1/07

New Driving Fines for 2007

1. Carpool lane - 1st time $1068.50 starting 7/1/07 (The $271 posted

on the highway is old). Don't do it again because 2nd time is going to

be double. 3rd time triple, and 4th time license suspended.

2. Incorrect lane change - $380. Don't cross the lane on solid lines or

intersections.

3. Block intersection - $485

4. Driving on the shoulder - $450

5. Cell phone use in the construction zone. - Double fine as of

07/01/07. Cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving.

6. Passengers over 18 not in their seatbelts - both passengers and

drivers get tickets .

7. Speeders can only drive 3 miles above the limit. < BR>

8. DUI = JAIL (Stays on your driving record for 10 years!)

9. As of 07/01/07 cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving.

Ticket is $285.

They will be looking for this like crazy - easy money

for police department.

---------------------------

Please note that I received the info above in an email from a reliable source, but haven't verified it with the newspaper yet. Another source was telling me the same thing.

Keep these changes in mind when you drive in Calif. next time. Best is to strictly OBEY the law. It is becoming quite unfriendly to drivers!

FYI, you're OK.  I checked the California DMV www site (www.dmv.ca.gov), nada on this.

So I went on to check the handy dandy www.snopes.com "urban legend" site and got the following:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/california.asp

Hmmm, for some reason I can't do a "copy" on their www site right now so just go to the url for the info.

Mac

[LaReina]

False or not, too bad these laws do not apply in Bangkok. At times I wish I could be an honorary cop for just 1 day. JUST ONE DAY! Ohh the money I could make for the police dept.

Forget crossing a solid line to change lanes how about deliberately holding up traffic because you are bound and determined to make a right hand turn from a land that is supposed to be going straight! Speak less of the nits wits who have their blinkers indicating the are switching to the right lane when in reality it is the left that they switch to.

Ohh and the best are the intersections where cars merge.. in the middle of the intersection because although common sense dictated that who ever drew the arrows on the road should have made that lane a turning lane ONLY, they thought it would be cute to make it a "turn and or go straight" lane with no lane for the cars to go staright on.

Sorry.. its been bugging me for a while.

[Jimmyd]

redwood you're awesome

[Jingthing]

Internet hoax:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...BAGAFQOV6F1.DTL

[stateman]

Thanks to redwood13 and thanyaburimac for the great detective work. This is just what I wished to have verified.

Whew, what a good outcome!

As the OP, I too feel this topic may now be closed.

Thanks for all the interests. Hope this didn't cause anyone a near-heart-attack.