Motorbike Ban in Pattaya Underpass Sparks Heated Debate

[OneMoreFarang]

48 minutes ago, JayClay said:

 

If you break down in a car you have a great big box around you to protect you from any impacts.

 

You seem certain that there will be another car "behind" you soon. I'd suggest there's a significant chance that the other car would be on top of the broken down bike, rather than behind it.

And is that only the case in a tunnel or anywhere on the streets?

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Same route that used before the tunnel perhaps !

IE straight on, as now.

[digbeth]

the law was from an era where the bikes are slow to accelerate and would be a hindrance on slope such as bridges

modern bikes handles these overpass and underpasses just fine

 

but bikes filtering between cars can be a problem, in Bangkok, the overpasses can be narrow with no shoulders, sure if traffic is slow enough or at standstill there's no danger

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

For the bike,( and often in the truck), I am usually on The Railway Line Bypass Rd and will use Soi SIam CC. and cut through near Numchai/ Bangkok Bank. 

Yeah, I guess that makes a lot of sense if you live over that side, but out of the question for me, living on the opposite side to the Dark Side. I really don't have a problem with the tunnel/scooter prohibition. I used to use it before somebody on this forum pointed out there was a very large sign with a no bikes graphic on it. Never felt very safe though. No escape from being squeezed by fast moving vehicles. And if you want Klang of course it's out of the question.

[Darksidedude]

As i understand it i thought they were banned since it opened

[LennyW]

Difficult to see when you enter the tunnel, your eyes take a second to adjust from the blazing sunshine to almost darkness, not good if there is a motorbike just beyond the shadows, safer for them not to be allowed in the tunnels.

[Kinnock]

A good Thai phrase is "Pak chee roi naa" (Parsley used as decoration on top of rice .... or window dressing).

 

A pointless activity intended to make it look like you are doing something of value.

 

[gargamon]

One(of the few) things the Philippines got right, motorcycles over 400cc can drive legally anywhere a car can. Including the toll highways.

[JayClay]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And is that only the case in a tunnel or anywhere on the streets?

 

Are you just trying to argue for the sake of it?

 

Can you really not see how a narrow enclosed tunnel is more dangerous to be trapped in than an open road?

[OneMoreFarang]

49 minutes ago, JayClay said:

Are you just trying to argue for the sake of it?

 

Can you really not see how a narrow enclosed tunnel is more dangerous to be trapped in than an open road?

 

I ride motorcycle since almost 30 years in Thailand. Over bridges, in tunnels, and all that. And mostly I don't really care if it is legal or not.

I think I never saw any standing bike or someone pushing a bike in tunnels or bridges.

The idea about tunnels and bridges is to make traffic smoother. That works with any kind of vehicle.

Sure, motorcycle riders have a higher risk. They all know that, and they accept that.

Next. 

[JayClay]

44 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

I ride motorcycle since almost 30 years in Thailand. Over bridges, in tunnels, and all that. And mostly I don't really care if it is legal or not.

 

 

I didn't make the law. I'm also not necessarily a fan of it. I'm suggesting a potential justification for it's existence, which is what you questioned.

 

If you don't believe this is the official justification, then provide your own theory.

 

If you believe the theory is correct, but the law is still unjust, I am really not the person you need to be convincing.

 

If you were just looking for an excuse to tell us all how you don't care about the law, then that's been duly noted.

 

Next.

[OneMoreFarang]

6 minutes ago, JayClay said:

 

I didn't make the law. I'm also not necessarily a fan of it. I'm suggesting a potential justification for it's existence, which is what you questioned.

 

If you don't believe this is the official justification, then provide your own theory.

 

If you believe the theory is correct, but the law is still unjust, I am really not the person you need to be convincing.

 

If you were just looking for an excuse to tell us all how you don't care about the law, then that's been duly noted.

 

Next.

My own theory? Official justification?

There is no logic in Thailand. And for that reason, it doesn't make sense to search for any logic. It is not there, it was never there, and for that reason it can't be found.

 

The only constant logic in many Thai laws and regulations is that it helps the police to collect money for not enforcing the laws. TiT

 

[Andycoops]

I saw 3 motorcycle or scooters riding through there yesterday afternoon at 3pm...

[NoshowJones]

On 6/1/2024 at 9:30 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

I think many (most, all) new bikes have the lights on all the time, or automatically switched on.

The police could enforce this - if they would want to do it.

I pass a highway police station at least once a week and there is always at least one highway patrol car parked there. No prizes for guessing what the cars crew are doing when they should be out patrolling the highway helping to keep it safe.

Edited June 2 by NoshowJones

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, Purdey said:

Most countries understand that slow motorbikes should not use roads where traffic is very fast. Better to allow those with 200-250 cc engines up as they can keep up. I see policemen on the expressways in Bangkok riding their 125 cc bikes on the hard shoulder. I have ridden bikes on European motorways at 100 mph without trouble. I fear Thais are just not trained to do that at present.

You cannot train stupid.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, LennyW said:

Difficult to see when you enter the tunnel, your eyes take a second to adjust from the blazing sunshine to almost darkness, not good if there is a motorbike just beyond the shadows, safer for them not to be allowed in the tunnels.

Bigger bikes over 250cc should be able to go where cars can go.

[Fruit Trader]

7 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

When first built the tunnel had no motorbike signage, the signage was removed about 6 months later.

 

There also used to be no motorbike signage leading on the 7 motorway here... that too got removed.

 

 

 

The large blue signs on Sukhumvit Road  mean after the intersection you are on a motorway. Motorcycles are not allowed on motorways so there should be no need for additional warning.

 

But, as you pass through the Pattaya toll gate coming from Chon Buri there is an entrance to the motorway without any blue signs and an incorrectly positioned no motorcycles sign. In other words you drive onto the motorway then get a warning.

 

The entrances to Thailand's toll free motorway sections are a mess of contradiction.

Last time I passed through the tunnel there were warning signs on the right side. Its amusing to watch cars and trucks dodging slow moving food seller carts sneaking through the tunnel.

 

[thailand49]

Reality, if it is forbidden then enforce it instead of promotion standing on the bridge and taking picture of themselves as if they are doing something.

 

Months back the Mayor close the tunnel so he could do a promotional walk through the tunnel claiming over 4000 bikes use the tunnel each day. The is one big lie at best. More and more are using the tunnel why because they know they can because all they do is talk talk and more talk. From North to East if they are serious have a police place themselves at the entrance with radio notify another at the other end further from the exit near Soi Khao Noi or further down the police station and pull them over miss them back up at the Signal light Sukhumvit and Pattaya Tai.  The word will get out do it daily instead of when they get an itch in their behind.

 

Personal, out of all the problems why this issue, I've not heard of one accident inside the tunnel when there are millions of more pressing matter.  You can easily put camera but of course like current tickets sent out for violation there is near two million not collected. This is a force the light is on but no one is home.

 

Since the beginning, the tunnel at night is use to play kid games they challenge themselves speeding to see whether they can beat each other who get there first. I seen at night bikes regularly one goes through the other go above.

[jacko45k]

21 hours ago, Darksidedude said:

As i understand it i thought they were banned since it opened

This is true, but policing seems to have gone out of fashion and you know how things go here. 

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think I never saw any standing bike or someone pushing a bike in tunnels or bridges.

I saw two incidences while out driving yesterday whereby a motorcycle was being pushed along by another one.. with the guy on the rear one with his foot stuck up. That would be interesting in the underpass. If they let bikes in,  next it is samlors, and they are really too slow and might struggle on the slight upward ramp.

[OneMoreFarang]

14 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

If they let bikes in,  next it is samlors, and they are really too slow and might struggle on the slight upward ramp.

And then next maybe bicycles, and pedestrians, and people in wheelchairs?

 

Why don't we concentrate on what this is now about? Motorcycles.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And then next maybe bicycles, and pedestrians, and people in wheelchairs?

 

Why don't we concentrate on what this is now about? Motorcycles.

Electric mobility scooters and those little bikes with tiny motors! Not much to discuss, motorcycles are not permitted and and that seems a fair decision. Is there also a restriction on types of vehicles allowed on the elevated toll roads in Bangkok too? 

[OneMoreFarang]

18 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Electric mobility scooters and those little bikes with tiny motors! Not much to discuss, motorcycles are not permitted and and that seems a fair decision. Is there also a restriction on types of vehicles allowed on the elevated toll roads in Bangkok too? 

It seems you don't know what a motorcycle is. You could look it up. It's not so difficult. 

[JayClay]

19 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

My own theory? Official justification?

There is no logic in Thailand. And for that reason, it doesn't make sense to search for any logic. It is not there, it was never there, and for that reason it can't be found.

 

The only constant logic in many Thai laws and regulations is that it helps the police to collect money for not enforcing the laws. TiT

 

 

Sorry. I misinterpreted the question "why?" in the post to which I responded.

 

I thought you genuinely wanted people's opinions on the reason that the restriction is in place. Pretty daft of me 🤷🏻‍♂️.

[jacko45k]

32 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It seems you don't know what a motorcycle is. You could look it up. It's not so difficult. 

What a stupid thing to say. Why would I not know  what a motorcycle is? Got my license when I was pretty young. Why do you feel a need to provoke?

[Irish star]

On 6/1/2024 at 9:30 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

I think many (most, all) new bikes have the lights on all the time, or automatically switched on.

The police could enforce this - if they would want to do it.

It’s not the electronics it’s the laziness and cheapness , plus they don’t want ghost following them lol

[brianthainess]

On 6/1/2024 at 9:03 AM, Callmeishmael said:

Back in California, motorcycles under 200cc cannot go on the highway, but bikes over 200cc can go anywhere a car can go.  In Thailand all motorcycles are legally the same, whether they are tiny mopeds or giant Harleys!

It's only 50cc in the uk that can't go on motorways, in the UK you must have a full license. 

An A1/A2 license is required for bigger bikes 125cc are fine Max speed on motorways is 70 MPH/ 112.65 Kph 

[brianthainess]

23 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

I pass a highway police station at least once a week and there is always at least one highway patrol car parked there. No prizes for guessing what the cars crew are doing when they should be out patrolling the highway helping to keep it safe.

Studiously watching CCTV cameras ? 

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And then next maybe bicycles, and pedestrians, and people in wheelchairs?

 

Why don't we concentrate on what this is now about? Motorcycles.

 I'm sure this guy could no probs 

[OneMoreFarang]

4 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

 I'm sure this guy could no probs 

He can race with this one: