B.i.b. Getting Ridiculous Against Motorbikes......

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello.

Ever wondered what's going on with the beloved police force in Thailand, specially in Bangkok? Like, why they are posted every few 100 meters to harass motorbikes?

They really seem to have nothing else to do.

Half an hour ago, intersection Ekkamai/Rama 9: The light goes red, me and a bunch of other motorbikes come to a stop. In front of us jump three (!) cops, seemingly randomly selecting a few of the riders, giving them tickets. For what?

Aha. So NOW it's "sunglasses" and "tinted helmet visors". Of course, a money maker in THIS weather. About a dozen or so motorbikes got their ticket for this "heavy criminal offence" in the three minutes the light stayed red.

Why oh why.... the cops themselves wear pitch-black sunglasses all the time, even at night........

By the way i was NOT approached for i wear real glasses, hence sunglasses are a no-no and i never saw a tinted visor for my "Index" helmet, otherwise i'd have one, too.

So be careful what you wear when you ride.......... i wonder what's next, wearing a wrist watch?

Best regards.....

Thanh

[submaniac]

They give tickets for sunglasses and tinted visors?!?!?! I have never heard of this before. I don't have a tinted visor (couldn't find one for the cheapy Tesco helmet, and frankly didn't care cuz I'm bringing in a U.S. helmet anyways) but constantly wear sunglasses when riding. I really don't think I could see without the sunglasses because I had the lasik surgery, and am blinded by the Thai sun. I have worn them with cops next to me (also wearing sunglasses) and never thought anything of it.

[seagull]

Hello.

Ever wondered what's going on with the beloved police force in Thailand, specially in Bangkok? Like, why they are posted every few 100 meters to harass motorbikes?

They really seem to have nothing else to do.

Half an hour ago, intersection Ekkamai/Rama 9: The light goes red, me and a bunch of other motorbikes come to a stop. In front of us jump three (!) cops, seemingly randomly selecting a few of the riders, giving them tickets. For what?

Aha. So NOW it's "sunglasses" and "tinted helmet visors". Of course, a money maker in THIS weather. About a dozen or so motorbikes got their ticket for this "heavy criminal offence" in the three minutes the light stayed red.

Why oh why.... the cops themselves wear pitch-black sunglasses all the time, even at night........

By the way i was NOT approached for i wear real glasses, hence sunglasses are a no-no and i never saw a tinted visor for my "Index" helmet, otherwise i'd have one, too.

So be careful what you wear when you ride.......... i wonder what's next, wearing a wrist watch?

Best regards.....

Thanh

I am not doubting you, TB. I am sure you said what you saw. But is what you saw really what was happening ? Like getting booked for wearing sunglasses or tinted helmet visor ? They could have been presented with a good citation for good behavior on the road, like stopping at a red light !

[Thanh-BKK]

I am not doubting you, TB. I am sure you said what you saw. But is what you saw really what was happening ? Like getting booked for wearing sunglasses or tinted helmet visor ? They could have been presented with a good citation for good behavior on the road, like stopping at a red light !

Hi.

I know it's about those issues because with several of the riders, who obviously also did not understand what they had to pay for THIS time, the cops clearly pointed out their (mirrored or dark) helmet visors or sunglasses, otherwise i wouldn't have a clue. One guy had to swap helmet with his passenger in order to be allowed to continue on his way, another one had to take the visor (mirrored) off the helmet.

Crazy.

And less than one kilometer later (next intersection) was the next roadblock where they stopped a bunch of motorbikes, i don't know for what as that light was green and i just blew thru.

Don't they have criminals to catch? Oh, i forgot..... that doesn't make money.

Best regards......

Thanh

[stoneman]

This article from this morning's Daily Express might shed some light on the reason for the crackdown

Stoneman

http://www.dailyxpress.net/2008/04/16/city/city_1551.php

Catch a traffic offender

Motorists breaking traffic rules and hoping to get away with it may just find summonses mailed to their homes backed-up with evidence of their violations.

Published on April 16, 2008

Under the "Diamond-eyed Traffic Policemen" campaign, people are being urged to help by taking pictures of the offenders and sending them to the www.trafficpolice.go.th.

Reward

Deputy Bangkok police chief Pol Maj General Phanu Kerdlarpphol did not say how these Good Samaritans would be rewarded. Police will however rely mainly on surveillance cameras installed throughout Bangkok at major roads and intersection to catch violators. Corrupt traffic policemen will also face drastic action if caught demanding bribes from motorists.

Mobile phone use

The ban on the use of mobile phones by motorists will be in effect from May 8. Violators can be fined a maximum Bt1,000.

Bangkok-based traffic police will also get tough on the use of red-colour license plates at night or used beyond the legal limit - one month, or a total of 3,000 kilometres.

Other offences to face a crackdown are highly-reflective visors on motorcycle helmets and heavily-tinted windows on cars.

Daily Express

[Tywais]

Bangkok-based traffic police will also get tough on the use of red-colour license plates at night or used beyond the legal limit - one month, or a total of 3,000 kilometres.

Seems that the dealer should be fined for that and not the driver since he doesn't have a lot of control over it.

[seagull]

I am not doubting you, TB. I am sure you said what you saw. But is what you saw really what was happening ? Like getting booked for wearing sunglasses or tinted helmet visor ? They could have been presented with a good citation for good behavior on the road, like stopping at a red light !

Hi.

I know it's about those issues because with several of the riders, who obviously also did not understand what they had to pay for THIS time, the cops clearly pointed out their (mirrored or dark) helmet visors or sunglasses, otherwise i wouldn't have a clue. One guy had to swap helmet with his passenger in order to be allowed to continue on his way, another one had to take the visor (mirrored) off the helmet.

Crazy.

And less than one kilometer later (next intersection) was the next roadblock where they stopped a bunch of motorbikes, i don't know for what as that light was green and i just blew thru.

Don't they have criminals to catch? Oh, i forgot..... that doesn't make money.

Catching criminals are way too troublesome for them, and dangerous.

Best regards......

Thanh

Ok, got your point. As Stoneman too second you on that one with a link on the subject. Cheers.

[stoneman]

Bangkok-based traffic police will also get tough on the use of red-colour license plates at night or used beyond the legal limit - one month, or a total of 3,000 kilometres.

Seems that the dealer should be fined for that and not the driver since he doesn't have a lot of control over it.

I have several Thai friends thta have used red tags for over a year...They say they are waiting for special "lucky" number plates.

Stoneman

[goldfish]

Bangkok-based traffic police will also get tough on the use of red-colour license plates at night or used beyond the legal limit - one month, or a total of 3,000 kilometres.

Seems that the dealer should be fined for that and not the driver since he doesn't have a lot of control over it.

I hope this to never be the case or it will wipe out the sale of tinted visors. At the moment they can be bought in any country for track use, a loophole in many laws. I could not ride a bike in this country without a tinted visor and sunglasses. Even in the UK I would need one or the other on any sunny day and a hot day in europe I would need both.

These is one of those laws where it's best just to grin and bear and pay the fine

[JimsKnight]

'Gee Capt, fuels up, foods up, what are we supposed to do for cash ? I mean the mia nois, whisky and partying aren't getting any cheaper!'

'Hmmm, what can we rustle up this time at the traffic lights / roadblocks now....'

I hope this is just a BKK flash-in-the pan thing 'cause I daily ride about with a tinted helmet visor when in LOS.

I wish this 'hard-line' <deleted> I keep hearing of would cease. The style and attitude of them seems to be getting more and more unfriendly over the passing years.

[BlackArtemis]

Gotta love living in CM, where lifintg a wheel on a unplated bike in front of a cop while wearing no helmet = nothing.

[madjbs]

They always put stuff like that in the paper, they wont actually do much apart from use a different excuse when they collect your "fine". Unfortunately they seem to be talking a lead from western countries where they love to implement silly traffic rules like this.

[kash]

Gotta love living in CM, where lifintg a wheel on a unplated bike in front of a cop while wearing no helmet = nothing.

morons will pay sooner or later, hopefully soon though.

[tahaan]

Gotta love living in CM, where lifintg a wheel on a unplated bike in front of a cop while wearing no helmet = nothing.

I joined the organised ride after the Khon Kaen Bike party and the mostly unplated bikes got a 120kph "blues and twos" style police car escort through all the red lights on route TiT!

[JimsKnight]

Cool to hear that Tahaan

At least in the provinces (the Real Thailand) they still have the decent sense to go easy on us biker dudes