Law Enforcement On Our Roads

[2long]

I admit that it may have been a good idea to include two polls (with the corrupt cops) in one thread.

[chanchao]

Wow, what an excellent poll.. Most difficult choice I ever came across.

[chiang mai]

It's more than mere coincidence, in the case of this thread, that the word poll rhymes with the word troll.

[PeaceBlondie]

Well, I'll roll with the whole troll poll. In spite of the dangers, lax law enforcement lets us drive faster but reasonably.

[chiang mai]

Well, I'll roll with the whole troll poll. In spite of the dangers, lax law enforcement lets us drive faster but reasonably.

Reasonably what, seems like you didn't really finish the sentence. Were you going to say safely, no, that would be a contradiction in terms. By starting the sentence with the words, "in spite of the dangers" you seem to acknowledge that lax law enforcement increases risk and that translates into high casualty and death rates - none of that can be possibly be OK.

But what am I talking about here, the poll's a nonsense because it only considers the absolutes at either end of the policing scale, 100% 0r 0% and neither one is really acceptable and both are probably as bad as each other in their own ways.

[yorkman]

Well, I'll roll with the whole troll poll. In spite of the dangers, lax law enforcement lets us drive faster but reasonably.

Reasonably what, seems like you didn't really finish the sentence. Were you going to say safely, no, that would be a contradiction in terms. By starting the sentence with the words, "in spite of the dangers" you seem to acknowledge that lax law enforcement increases risk and that translates into high casualty and death rates - none of that can be possibly be OK.

But what am I talking about here, the poll's a nonsense because it only considers the absolutes at either end of the policing scale, 100% 0r 0% and neither one is really acceptable and both are probably as bad as each other in their own ways.

PB's post makes perfect sense to me, after only very brief consideration

However I agree with your second paragraph. The statement that there is no middle ground is indeed a nonsense. If this poll is to be worth anything (was that the intention?) then the option of somewhat more rigorous enforcement of the existing laws, not just those that garner "tea money", would need to be included. Although the outcome of the poll would, I think, be then obvious

[chiang mai]

PB's post makes perfect sense to me, after only very brief consideration

Not to be pedantic, no strike that, I will be pedantic: one can drive quickly, slowly, dangerously, safely and probably in a variety of other ways also. But one cannot drive reasonably since reason describes a limit of something that is not defined in the statement.

[Dr. Burrito]

I won't argue the merits of the poll. I will say I don't mind the lax enforcement. I was trained young to be aware at all times while driving so I am. I find it limits my heartburn and allows me to get to the golf course in 30 minutes instead of 45.

Dr. B

[pop3]

The problem is everyone thinks themselves as a good or excellent driver.

How many people do you know that will admit to being average ?

It's always the other guys fault.

Until people except we are not as perfect drivers as we make out to be the roads will never change.

[yorkman]

How many people do you know that will admit to being average ?

I will freely admit I am average. Just the experience of holding a licence for 33 years, and having developed the ability to usually be able to predict what is going to happen keeps me out of trouble. I still have my "moments" and "ohh nearly's". Like Dr B I was taught to be aware, and thats what keeps me away from trouble. Ahh..thats asking for an accident tomorrow isnt it ?

@ Dr. B however, and I don't want this to develop into an argument, just a sensible discussion. "I don't mind the lax law enforcement" ? Phew really? Would you be of the same view if, as I have, seen (yes with my own eyes) a friend's 17 year old son ploughed down by a pickup who did not stop after the lights had long gone red. To add to this the offender did a runner, and was only caught (not by the police) a couple of kilo's later after crashing into a wall. He was so appallingly drunk he could barely walk. To cut a very long story short, with a mixture of police incompetance and corruption, he did not get prosecuted.

There is, I would submit, a middle ground. It's a serious subject (at least to some) and painting things as black or white does little to gather views. It's a duff poll, and while I won't label (as post #3) the OP as a Troll, it might have, I submit, been better thought out.

Whatever......., the views of anybody on here are not going to change anything are they?

John

[LivinLOS]

Well, I'll roll with the whole troll poll. In spite of the dangers, lax law enforcement lets us drive faster but reasonably.

Reasonably what, seems like you didn't really finish the sentence. Were you going to say safely, no, that would be a contradiction in terms. By starting the sentence with the words, "in spite of the dangers" you seem to acknowledge that lax law enforcement increases risk and that translates into high casualty and death rates - none of that can be possibly be OK.

But what am I talking about here, the poll's a nonsense because it only considers the absolutes at either end of the policing scale, 100% 0r 0% and neither one is really acceptable and both are probably as bad as each other in their own ways.

PB's post makes perfect sense to me, after only very brief consideration

However I agree with your second paragraph. The statement that there is no middle ground is indeed a nonsense. If this poll is to be worth anything (was that the intention?) then the option of somewhat more rigorous enforcement of the existing laws, not just those that garner "tea money", would need to be included. Although the outcome of the poll would, I think, be then obvious

I agree the poll is kinda daft..

I would also say that I think speed cameras throughout many western countries is just another legitimized tea money system.

increased basic road safety yes.. Actually punishing those that do really dumb things, yes.. Not having a realistic sense of what is acceptable (speeding on a clear road, no)..

[ignis]

I have found that when there is any Law enforcement do checks they set up the bocks is the craziest of places…… like on one stretch which is 3 fast lanes each way in the middle [2 lanes on each side of the middle] the blocks will be set just the other side of a bridge hump.. impossible to see until your on the hump… you can always tell if there can been one in the past couple of days because of all the skid makes on the road.

Another great place is on the approach to a VERY busy slip road.. you go over the hump on the inside lane because you are going off this highway to the main road to go to the main road into Bangkok 5lanes or up to the top road.. anyway going over the hump you come to stopped lorries/ checks…….. Cannot make out why they are there so often, have seen many accidents over the years because of it.. because they are doing there check there so often I find that many drive on the 3^rd lane over the hump, if there not there doing there checks then you have to try quickly to get back to the inside…

As for speed limits what do they do ? Unless the limit signs can be changed to driving condition at the time you are driving down that road, I see no point to them [not only in Thailand, anywhere in the world] I am not talking about in a City/residential area..

Eg: take the high road into BBK from the west past Pinklao the limit is 80km, yet between 7 – 9:30 going in your lucky to average 20km, if I go into the City I go around 10am and drive around 90 – 100 cars will pass me, there is so few cars at that time of day it is perfectly safe to drive at 100 – 120 on a dry day. [never seen anyone stopped along the 16km I use marked at 80km]

[JUDAS]

Traffic laws are there for a very good reason. To save lives. Laws though, without enforcement, are meaningless.

http://www.grsproadsafety.org/?pageid=28

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1208

Sorry, I haven't figured how to do a link. Interesting reading before you vote.

[2long]

If you want to find a troll, look under a bridge, not at me.

Using the road every day, and only having one Western road-using friend whom I regularly talk about this topic with caused me to reach out and see what you Westerners/Ex-pats/Farangs really feel.

Driving in London just a few moths back was hel_l. I didn't know if I was allowed to stop, u-turn, talk to a friend on my phone for directions. It was awful. Therefore, I like to remind myself (usually after being cut up by a pick up or seeing a three month old baby doing 80km/h on a Honda Wave) that it's better than the Nazi regime we have back home.