Drivers Warned of Increased Fine for Failure to Stop for Pedestrians at Crosswalks

[anthobkk]

I always stop to let people cross the road at zebras. A few weeks ago while I let a Thai couple cross the road, the car behind me almost hit me and then started to honk because I stopped....

[lkn]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The biggest problem in Thailand are not the laws and fines, but lack of enforcing by the RTP. If the police starts to work an do their job a lot will be improved  together with a proper education for a driver’s license. 

I’m surprised at how many drive around in cars without a driver’s license, and then of course there are those who just pay the standard fee to get the license without having to do any of the studying and testing.

 

 

If they would start by making sure people actually know the law, and had to pass a driving test before they were allowed to drive, we would probably get a long way. Although I also agree, they definitely also need to enforce the laws.

[poyai111]

13 hours ago, Neeranam said:

It's better to be done gradually. I usually don't stop as it could cause and accident with the car or bike behind me overtaking on my inside.

Good point. All the advisory signs that I have seen have been located exactly at the pedestrian crossing giving road users absolutely no time to slow down. Common sense would indicate that such signs should be located a minimum of 100 metres before the crossing

[foreverlomsak]

15 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Great job. Maybe for their next act they can do something about these imbeciles who ride their motorcycles on the sidewalks.

what catch themselves, the RTP are one of the main culprits 

[Henryford]

16 hours ago, ozimoron said:

I was almost hit by a farang on a scooter while crossing on a pedestrian crossing in front of central festival mall this week. The Thais driving cars had all stopped but the farang decided to pass outside the line of cars on the far lane. I'm hoping the fines will be very large.

Has happened to me twice. This is the greatest danger. Cars sometimes stop but motorbikes never do. You are half way across when the bike comes speeding through in between the cars.

[BarraMarra]

How they gonna enforce it ? have a Traffic Cop stand nr every crossing.

[BigStar]

5 hours ago, jaywalker said:

They've had traffic lights at crosswalks in Pattaya for over a decade.

 

They broke after about 2 weeks. The cops must've stole the light bulbs?

No, what really happened was that posters began lying about their not working after two weeks. Thereafter, the "lights don't work" and "drivers don't stop for the lights" became another of those beloved forum myths (one of many from the ANF Forum Poster Nothing Works Principle) for a knee-jerk whenever the subject arises.

 

Here's a pic from 2013 showing the lights working:

 

 

and here's a pic of drivers stopping for that light:

 

 

Quibbles aside (let them begin), overall they worked and drivers mostly stopped if someone could be seen crossing or about to cross. Problem is, stupid tourists push the buttons as they pass by just for fun and vandalism.

 

And drivers are indeed getting used to stopping for the crosswalks if someone's crossing and esp. if there's a light as well. Old habits die hard, as I personally can attest.

 

The gov't has certainly made a move in the right direction. Sneers from our peanut gallery are inevitable and expected.

Edited January 25, 2023 by BigStar

[jaywalker]

4 hours ago, Aussieroaming said:

The RTP could fill the government coffers with motorist fine money daily but they don't generally enforce these road rules unless it's a mandated blitz. The system only works when there is a reasonable chance that they will get a personal gain for the effort

Dude, the tea money has to come from somwhere???

 

Heaven forbid they actualyl have to earn it!

 

I'm ALWAYS sober when I drive. I often wonder if it better to get a buzz and then I'd fit right in though.

 

-----

About the 757th (or so time I got pulled over in Thailand, near Korat, the cop saw my International Driver's license, and said, you're good. yo can just go.

 

I' alway drive sober, keep 200 baht inside my IDL.

 

The cop said "Khap koon khap" and we were off.

 

My wife said "WOW! He was a nice policeman! He didn't even take the money!"

 

 

Edited January 25, 2023 by jaywalker

[samtam]

16 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Great job. Maybe for their next act they can do something about these imbeciles who ride their motorcycles on the sidewalks.

Or use zebra crossings/crosswalks to get from one side of the road to the other.

[jaywalker]

19 minutes ago, BigStar said:

No, what really happened was that posters began lying about their not working after two weeks. Thereafter, the "lights don't work" and "drivers don't stop for the lights" became another of those beloved forum myths, one of many, for a knee-jerk whenever the subject arises.

 

Here's a pic from 2013 showing the lights working:

 

 

and here's a pic of drivers stopping for that light:

 

 

Quibbles aside (let them begin), overall they worked and drivers mostly stopped if someone could be seen crossing or about to cross. Problem is, stupid tourists push the buttons as they pass by just for fun and vandalism.

 

And drivers are indeed getting used to stopping for the crosswalks if someone's crossing and esp. if there's a light as well. Old habits die hard, as I personally can attest.

 

The gov't has certainly made a move in the right direction. Sneers from our peanut gallery are inevitable and expected.

Totally agree it has to start somewhere my Friend.

 

I was in Pattaya when those were installed. They were ignored.

 

WAAAY back before DR. FAUCI (I AM SCIENCE) tossed the world into a tailspin, there were 75-80 Chinese tourists walking out in front of traffic all at once.

 

They didn't care, nor ever will aboout cars and trucks, so the cars and trucks don't care about them.

 

Pattaya is just overcrowded...FUN, FUN, FUN place for a 3 or 4 week vacation for sure, be you Chinese, Russian, Yank, Limey or whatever, but I tend to look left, right, up, down, behind me, then repeat that process before I ever attempt to cross a street in Thailand.

 

If one depends on others to obey laws...Good luck.

Edited January 25, 2023 by jaywalker

[jaywalker]

7 minutes ago, jaywalker said:

Totally agree it has to start somewhere my Friend.

 

I was in Pattaya when those were installed. They were ignored.

 

WAAAY back before DR. FAUCI (I AM SCIENCE) tossed the world into a tailspin, there were 75-80 Chinese tourists walking out in front of traffic all at once.

 

They didn't care, nor ever will aboout cars and trucks, so the cars and trucks don't care about them.

 

Pattaya is just overcrowded...FUN, FUN, FUN place for a 3 or 4 week vacation for sure, be you Chinese, Russian, Yank, Limey or whatever, but I tend to look left, right, up, down, behind me, then repeat that process before I ever attempt to cross a street in Thailand.

 

If one depends on others to obey laws...Good luck.

I recall going to Vidalia, Georgia to help out my 86 year old Aunt. She couldn't drive. Kept telling me I was "LOOKING THE WRONG WAY!" at a stop sign in the middle of nowhere.

 

Aunt Mary, I am looking UP, DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT, and then I'll do it all again before I hit the gas pedal.

 

I used to drive in Bangkok. Richard Petty & Dale Earhardt ain;t got <deleted> on me.

Edited January 25, 2023 by jaywalker

[ignore it]

I saw a policeman blatantly cruise through a populated zebra crossing on Pattaya Klang last night.

I was drunk enough to call him out while he was waiting for traffic before busting through a red light.

He was ok guy.  He said he was hurrying because he was late getting to his inactive post.

[BigStar]

15 minutes ago, jaywalker said:

I tend to look left, right, up, down, behind me, then repeat that process before I ever attempt to cross a street in Thailand.

Not good 'nuff. You've missed a couple of important steps. Not to feel bad: even our most authoritative Road Crossing Safety Instructors here always do as well. "The life you save could be your own." Lemme help:

 

 

Edited January 25, 2023 by BigStar

[bang saen guy]

The 4000 baht fine sounds ok but their mini-bike needs to be impounded for a few months as well

[ozimoron]

1 hour ago, BarraMarra said:

How they gonna enforce it ? have a Traffic Cop stand nr every crossing.

Red light cameras can't be far away. They have about a million surveillance cameras in Pattaya now.

[metisdead]

A post using a string of emoticons only in reply to the topic has been removed. This is trolling, this is a discussion forum not a cartoon forum, nor is it Twitter or Line, if you disagree with a post then please either move on or discuss.

[superal]

18 hours ago, worgeordie said:

This could become a good earner for the government ,if

it was enforced ,maybe give 25 % to police then maybe

something would be done ,

 

regards worgeordie

Agree that it could work as an  enhancement bonus and could be developed to be used with most traffic laws . However if it comes down to your word against theirs , only one outcome but if there is video / police dash cam evidence there is no argument . The local police chief would no doubt want his cut from the bounty .

Maybe you should forward your idea to your local chief or government rep . 

[NoshowJones]

12 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Lol. Are you guys just off the boat? Try and stop at some of the crossings where I am and you will likely be killed. Many of them are right across busy highways…. poorly placed and poorly lit. We all want the roads to be safer but trying to ascribe western systems all of a sudden won’t work well. As pointed out, it needs to be brought in gradually with zebra crossings that are PROPERLY PLACED!

Why not just do away with these crossings altogether and put pedestrian crossings in their place, surely that would be much safer. That applies to any country, not just Thailand.

[ozimoron]

10 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Why not just do away with these crossings altogether and put pedestrian crossings in their place, surely that would be much safer. That applies to any country, not just Thailand.

Zebra crossings are pedestrian crossings.

[biggles45]

'maybe give 25 % to police then maybe something would be done' 

 

No need, they already get 100% of the money they demand! 

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, BarraMarra said:

How they gonna enforce it ? have a Traffic Cop stand nr every crossing.

That would involve real work. Not gonna happen. 

[sammieuk1]

They have worked out long ago to just run them over and leg it is cheaper than stopping.. if your on your way to the all you can eat noddle bar and hungry select reverse also ????

Edited January 25, 2023 by sammieuk1

[metisdead]

A post with a trolling image has been removed.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, BigStar said:

No, what really happened was that posters began lying about their not working after two weeks. Thereafter, the "lights don't work" and "drivers don't stop for the lights" became another of those beloved forum myths (one of many from the ANF Forum Poster Nothing Works Principle) for a knee-jerk whenever the subject arises.

 

Here's a pic from 2013 showing the lights working:

 

 

and here's a pic of drivers stopping for that light:

 

 

Quibbles aside (let them begin), overall they worked and drivers mostly stopped if someone could be seen crossing or about to cross. Problem is, stupid tourists push the buttons as they pass by just for fun and vandalism.

 

And drivers are indeed getting used to stopping for the crosswalks if someone's crossing and esp. if there's a light as well. Old habits die hard, as I personally can attest.

 

The gov't has certainly made a move in the right direction. Sneers from our peanut gallery are inevitable and expected.

I drive daily in Pattaya and I see cars not stopping at red lights for pedestrian crossings on a regular basis.

 

Is it getting better? Not in my experience. In fact I would suggest driving standards and behaviour are actually getting worse.

 

Impressive that you took the time to actually photograph traffic to prove your point though, give yourself a big pat on the back. ????

[NoshowJones]

11 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Zebra crossings are pedestrian crossings.

Zebra crossings are painted on the road while pedestrian crossings have lights where someone wanting to cross the road presses a button to show a red light which is supposed to stop the traffic.

[ozimoron]

6 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Zebra crossings are painted on the road while pedestrian crossings have lights where someone wanting to cross the road presses a button to show a red light which is supposed to stop the traffic.

No, they are the same. Some pedestrian crossings have lights and some don't. What are they called when they have both? Zebra crossings is slang. Do they have red and white zebras in Thailand?

Edited January 25, 2023 by ozimoron

[NoshowJones]

Just now, ozimoron said:

No, they are the same. Some pedestrian crossings have lights and some don't. What are they called when they have both? Zebra crossings is an Americanism as far as I can tell. The term is not used in Australia.

Zebra crossings are the term used in the UK, pedestrian crossings are the term used for the crossings which have lights for the pedestrians to stop the traffic.

[blackshadow]

so just how are these drivers going to be caught????

need cctv on all zebra crossings.....to help catch drivers !!!!

[ozimoron]

Just now, NoshowJones said:

Zebra crossings are the term used in the UK, pedestrian crossings are the term used for the crossings which have lights for the pedestrians to stop the traffic.

So what are they called when they have both stripes (normally red) and lights?

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

So what are they called when they have both stripes (normally red) and lights?

I have described the UK way, different nationalities will use different terms just like you mentioned the Australian way.