Today I witnesses a staggering display of poor judgment, authorities have implemented a plan announced just last week to introduce cycle lanes on Bangkok’s roads - an idea that already raised eyebrows and has now created complete traffic chaos.

 

The chosen site for this trial of "urban innovation" is Prom-Chit Alley, a two-lane sub-soi connecting Sukhumvit 39 and Sukhumvit 33, home to popular establishments like L’Opera restaurant and Cocotte.

 

What was once a functional dual-lane road has now been reduced to a single lane, with the other coned off to create a dedicated cycle lane.

 

How are cyclists expected to even reach this lane? no one knows.

 

Today, the fallout was clearly visible with disruption turning horrific gridlock that spilled over onto Petchaburi and Sukhumvit roads leaving drivers stuck for hours.

 

Ironically, and somewhat predictably, the cycle lane itself already has become a haven not for cyclists; there are none, but for food carts and motorcycles, which now already occupy the space.

 

This ill-conceived scheme is nothing short of a masterclass in incompetence, transforming an already congested area into a traffic nightmare.

 

I'm astonished at the stupidity and complete lack of awareness of the impact this was going to cause to wider traffic patterns of an already heavily congested area.

 

 

The original announcement last week:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1343308-bangkok-plans-cycling-lanes-to-ease-congestion-in-key-districts/page/3/

 

FM91 Trafficpro's post (on Facebook - in Thai)

https://www.facebook.com/share/kYkuwfFTpd3wJMa4/?mibextid=WC7FNe

 

 

 

 

Mayors office has already responded to huge online complaints.... 

 

In another example out outstanding stupidity and a disconnect from sensible reality - the authorities have agreed to take down 'half of the cycling lane' !!!

 

Astonishingly, they fail to understand that just one fixed cone blocking one of the lanes is sufficient to cause gridlock across the area.

 

The additional measure of complete idiocy is that this combines with the first day or road works at major intersections not far away (Petchaburi flyover near Asoke which is closed from today).

 

 

Cycle lane? They can't even drive on 1 car lane here, I guess most think that the white line in the middle is where you car should be aligned in the middle too. Same when there is space to the left for cycles, they will take the middle of both. Absolute nuts.

We should make a bet on polymarket.com with a end date before those orange things are removed again.

6 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

We should make a bet on polymarket.com with a end date before those orange things are removed again.

 

I suspect they'll be removed tonight - residents in the area have complained massively. 

 

I know a family who took 3+ hours to get home from school when it usually takes 40 mins - upset kids, couldn't get dinner.

I know one family who just parked up (in a building somewhere nearby) and walked home.

 

To many powerful people in the area - I can't see that cycle lane lasting long before residents take matters into their own hands. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I suspect they'll be removed tonight - residents in the area have complained massively. 

 

I know a family who took 3+ hours to get home from school when it usually takes 40 mins - upset kids, couldn't get dinner.

I know one family who just parked up (in a building somewhere nearby) and walked home.

 

To many powerful people in the area - I can't see that cycle lane lasting long before residents take matters into their own hands. 

 

 

They did the same pathetic thing in Chiang Mai during covid, making the entire old city one way over night and putting the exact same pillars on the road for cycling, it took a week and all is gone since. Idiots.

Just pay some junkie 1000 baht to cut them down with a machette lol, tell him its sugar cane.

 

a cycle lane was created in banglampu, bangkok, several years ago, it was badly planned and thought through. for a start there were hardly any cyclists in the area, the lane impinged on the road space available for other vehicles, car owners used it for parking so it was impossible for cyclists to use it, part of it was cordoned off from the road with plastic cones bolted to the road, it took the local buses about two weeks to wipe out most of the cones. a complete waste of time and money.

I don't normally like to bash if they are trying to do their best - even if misguided - but that does look spectacularly dumb in that area.

They did this to my home town in San Jose, California. They stripped a car lane and gave it to bicycles. I have never seen a single bike in the newly created bike lane. But now the cars are backed up for multiple blocks. Thailand and the world... Please stop voting for them. 

No need to get upset - this is Thailand.

 

That is only a small piece of street. The whole Jomtien's beach been f'd up

Much the same in the UK. I'm an avid cyclist, and it's not really necessary in UK - just a wider berth of cyclists which is in law now seems enough.

5 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

I don't normally like to bash if they are trying to do their best - even if misguided - but that does look spectacularly dumb in that area.

Yes well you been ex brain surgeon you certainly would know 

 

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

"urban innovation"

 

Hub of.

10 hours ago, GypsyT said:

No need to get upset - this is Thailand.

 

That is only a small piece of street. The whole Jomtien's beach been f'd up

 

Who's upset - I'm just utterly perplexed at the complete absense of foresight.

 

And, Yes... Its 'only a small piece of street' so why even bother with a cycle lane there ?...   no cyclists can get there without first mixing with what was already an extremely congested area. 

 

Cutting out 'one lane' to created a cycle lane that will only be used by motorcycles already created additional grid lock that extended KM's from the 'choke point'...    so, its not really 'only a small piece of street'... 

 

Jomtien and other area's also need serious traffic measures - but much of that is caused by volume of traffic, though tourbusses can be a major cause of congestion. 

 

 

Many struggle to a coffee shop .

Oh!

9 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Yes well you been ex brain surgeon you certainly would know 

 

???

15 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

9 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Yes well you been ex brain surgeon you certainly would know 

 

???

 

I thought someone was drunk, then I saw who the poster was which kind of explains the inexplicably weird nature of the comment... 

... I see the name and automatically ignore anything written after that...  quite frankly I'm surprised anybody even bothers replying to any of his comments at all.

 

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I thought someone was drunk, then I saw who the poster was which kind of explains the inexplicably weird nature of the comment... 

... I see the name and automatically ignore anything written after that...  quite frankly I'm surprised anybody even bothers replying to any of his comments at all.

 

Yeah, I think he is troubled. Very bizarre behaviour.

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Today I witnesses a staggering display of poor judgment, authorities have implemented a plan announced just last week to introduce cycle lanes on Bangkok’s roads - an idea that already raised eyebrows and has now created complete traffic chaos.

 

The chosen site for this trial of "urban innovation" is Prom-Chit Alley, a two-lane sub-soi connecting Sukhumvit 39 and Sukhumvit 33, home to popular establishments like L’Opera restaurant and Cocotte.

 

What was once a functional dual-lane road has now been reduced to a single lane, with the other coned off to create a dedicated cycle lane.

 

How are cyclists expected to even reach this lane? no one knows.

 

Today, the fallout was clearly visible with disruption turning horrific gridlock that spilled over onto Petchaburi and Sukhumvit roads leaving drivers stuck for hours.

 

Ironically, and somewhat predictably, the cycle lane itself already has become a haven not for cyclists; there are none, but for food carts and motorcycles, which now already occupy the space.

 

This ill-conceived scheme is nothing short of a masterclass in incompetence, transforming an already congested area into a traffic nightmare.

 

I'm astonished at the stupidity and complete lack of awareness of the impact this was going to cause to wider traffic patterns of an already heavily congested area.

 

 

The original announcement last week:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1343308-bangkok-plans-cycling-lanes-to-ease-congestion-in-key-districts/page/3/

 

FM91 Trafficpro's post (on Facebook - in Thai)

https://www.facebook.com/share/kYkuwfFTpd3wJMa4/?mibextid=WC7FNe

 

 

 

 

TIT - in another week or so there will be tables and chairs in the bike lane. 

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Mayors office has already responded to huge online complaints.... 

 

In another example out outstanding stupidity and a disconnect from sensible reality - the authorities have agreed to take down 'half of the cycling lane' !!!

 

Astonishingly, they fail to understand that just one fixed cone blocking one of the lanes is sufficient to cause gridlock across the area.

 

The additional measure of complete idiocy is that this combines with the first day or road works at major intersections not far away (Petchaburi flyover near Asoke which is closed from today).

 

 

Up next - downtown turned into one massive walking street to "Save the Planet."  I can't wait. 

14 hours ago, it is what it is said:

 

a cycle lane was created in banglampu, bangkok, several years ago, it was badly planned and thought through. for a start there were hardly any cyclists in the area, the lane impinged on the road space available for other vehicles, car owners used it for parking so it was impossible for cyclists to use it, part of it was cordoned off from the road with plastic cones bolted to the road, it took the local buses about two weeks to wipe out most of the cones. a complete waste of time and money.

"Build It And They Will Come."

Only in A Field Of Dreams.

9 minutes ago, connda said:

TIT - in another week or so there will be tables and chairs in the bike lane. 

 

It was already happening on the first day !!!

 

 

A friend lives in Soi 39. Said it normally takes 15 minutes from his office but yesterday it took 30 minutes. Wow.

He told me they have already taken out the bollards. I didn't go look.

7 minutes ago, Purdey said:

A friend lives in Soi 39. Said it normally takes 15 minutes from his office but yesterday it took 30 minutes. Wow.

He told me they have already taken out the bollards. I didn't go look.

 

Was he walking ????   

On 11/19/2024 at 6:37 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Today I witnesses a staggering display of poor judgment, authorities have implemented a plan announced just last week to introduce cycle lanes on Bangkok’s roads - an idea that already raised eyebrows and has now created complete traffic chaos.

 

The chosen site for this trial of "urban innovation" is Prom-Chit Alley, a two-lane sub-soi connecting Sukhumvit 39 and Sukhumvit 33, home to popular establishments like L’Opera restaurant and Cocotte.

 

What was once a functional dual-lane road has now been reduced to a single lane, with the other coned off to create a dedicated cycle lane.

 

How are cyclists expected to even reach this lane? no one knows.

 

Today, the fallout was clearly visible with disruption turning horrific gridlock that spilled over onto Petchaburi and Sukhumvit roads leaving drivers stuck for hours.

 

Ironically, and somewhat predictably, the cycle lane itself already has become a haven not for cyclists; there are none, but for food carts and motorcycles, which now already occupy the space.

 

This ill-conceived scheme is nothing short of a masterclass in incompetence, transforming an already congested area into a traffic nightmare.

 

I'm astonished at the stupidity and complete lack of awareness of the impact this was going to cause to wider traffic patterns of an already heavily congested area.

 

 

The original announcement last week:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1343308-bangkok-plans-cycling-lanes-to-ease-congestion-in-key-districts/page/3/

 

FM91 Trafficpro's post (on Facebook - in Thai)

https://www.facebook.com/share/kYkuwfFTpd3wJMa4/?mibextid=WC7FNe

 

 

 

 

Are they going to put cameras up to catch motorbikes going up the cycle lane? They will make a fortune if they do.

14 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Are they going to put cameras up to catch motorbikes going up the cycle lane? They will make a fortune if they do.

 

Given the publicity and level of complaints this received (Thai media / forums) I imagine this has been removed already.

Another failed attempt of the World Economic Forum...

Just now, richard_smith237 said:

 

Given the publicity and level of complaints this received (Thai media / forums) I imagine this has been removed already.

They did smart speeding / no helmet camera's in Chiang Mai too, also only lasted a week, I framed the photo of myself.

On 11/19/2024 at 11:20 PM, ChaiyaTH said:

Cycle lane? They can't even drive on 1 car lane here, I guess most think that the white line in the middle is where you car should be aligned in the middle too. Same when there is space to the left for cycles, they will take the middle of both. Absolute nuts.

Today at language class,    the words for sidewalk  taang tao and  fut baat came up  ( excuse the spelling/punctucation )

  I quickly added ,,  don't they call that a motocy  lane in Bangkok ?   teacher almost pee'd his pants