Pedestrian Crossings/motor Cycle

[paulfr]

The alternative was to wait for a traffic jam and weave through all the traffic (that stopped right on the crossing of course).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is not safe either. The motobikes will come tearing up a lane even if the traffic is at a dead stop. So you better take it one car lane at a time and look before proceeding to the next lane.

I myself have been nearly killed three times this year in Bangkok traffic. It is the biggest risk of living here without your own car IMHO.

Be careful and safe.

PS I thought a compound fracture meant broken in two or more places too. It is the kind of injury commonly suffered in motobike accidents.

Edited December 17, 2004 by paulfr

[bannork]

Another essential piece of advice for when all else has failed,

When you cross, at a zebra or whatever, always have your knees and calves ready to spring, because when that car refuses to stop you want to be able to jump and roll onto the bonnet and over the roof; landing, relatively softly, on the boot on your side.

Practise at home, stand next to your bed, imagine it's moving towards you at 70m.p.h. ......

bannork.

[Ajarn]

I guess Holloywood movies do leave an imprint on some!

[penzman]

Walking on stilts could be an option... Any bumper would hit the stilts first, saving the bones. You could also be seen by all from far away.

[bkk_mike]

Not sure if it's the rule or not - but basically NOBODY stops at a pedestrian crossing here (unless it's for a crowd of schoolkids).

All the lines seem to mean (and the solid lines leading up to them) is that you can't change lanes on them, so that people can stand between lanes with the traffic going around them without being run over. (I think that's it...)

Personally - I either wait for a traffic jam, or for nothing to be coming, and then only if I don't see a pedestrian bridge... (even one a hundred yards away).

[Thaigrr]

So now i just make a dash for it when i'm crossing the road in BKK.

IMO, the worse thing you can do in Thailand, while on foot, is hurry when in traffic.

The controlled chaos that is Thai traffic works because for the most part Thais do everything slowly.

Just keep in mind that pedestrians do NOT have the right of way, and you'll survive, maybe.

That said, I too like to bang the side mirrors of those pretensious buttheads who think that because they are in a car they are more important than I am because I happen to be on foot. Never once has a driver gotten out of his car, although many many times I wish they would.

[meemiathai]

Strangely I never had difficulties nor felt any danger when crossing the streets.

I do agree though that older people who are a bit slow might find it difficult.

And also at some large and busy intersections, it is risky and difficult.

[thailien8]

This is the kind of information that the benighted Tourism Authority of Thailand should publish in a safety brochure for first-time visitors from countries with different customs. They are so concerned with warning tourists about gem scams. Maybe signs in English posted at zebra crossings to the effect that vehicles will not stop? The American embassy has (had?) a sign inside its compound warning visitors about the dangerous traffic lanes on Wireless Road outside the embassy. Since I doubt TAT has any concern for tourists' safety (there will always be more of us), embassies should enlighten the uninitiated.