Traffic: Red-runners Is A Fine Mess

[george]

A fine mess

BANGKOK: -- More than 75,000 motorists were caught running red lights in the month after traffic cameras went up at city intersections, but less than 5,000 have paid the fine at the 11 designated locations, a senior policeman said Thursday.

Deputy city police chief Pol Maj-General Panu Kerdlarppol said he would meet with 7-Eleven executives Friday to see if the fines could be paid via the stores' counter service.

Since December 30, tickets have been sent to 75,470 red-light runners, slapping them with a Bt500 fine and a 40-point reduction on their licence, he said. However, only 4,283 have paid the fine so far.

Payment has been delayed in cases where taxis and company vehicles have run red lights, because the tickets had to be forwarded from the company to the drivers, he said. He urged violators to pay the fines at one of the 11 locations identified on the ticket's envelope, or call 1197 for more information.

Panu said officials had been told to focus on the fines and waive the points reduction for now. The points reduction would only be imposed on red-light runners caught by police at the scene, not those caught on camera.

-- The Nation 2009-02-05

[astral]

What will happen to the other 70,000 who did not pay yet??????????

[kurnell]

Can you slip go to 7-11 and slip the cashier 100 baht to erase the record?

[FatherF]

What will happen to the other 70,000 who did not pay yet??????????

Go to the 7-11 while it's still safe?

FF

[neverdie]

I was hoping that 70,000 had COURT ELECTED their fines....can you imagine the backlog of court hearings?

I'm wondering if this is an option with the traffic fine?

Did anyone here get one?

[warfie]

I wonder how many of the "red-runners" were already so far into the intersection that they didn't even know the light changed four times while they were there

Edited February 5, 2009 by warfie

[AussieFarang]

Anyone who drives here in Thailand and isn't afraid most of the time just doesn't know what can happen.

Red Light and Speed cameras fine actual offenders and act as a deterant but should only be used in traffic black spots with high accident or fatality rates

They should not be used as they are in Australia as a defacto form of tax collection.

[tropo]

I really wish they'd do something about red light runners in Pattaya. It's incredible to see idiots speeding through intersections a few seconds after the light has changed to red.

[tropo]

Red Light and Speed cameras fine actual offenders and act as a deterant but should only be used in traffic black spots with high accident or fatality rates

I disagree. Red light cameras should be used everywhere all of the time in Thailand.

There's a big difference between red light 'sneaking' in Australia and high speed red light runners at busy intersections in Thailand. When I approach a green light it's nice to know I can drive through without the risk of a high speed collision from the side.

IMO, green and red light countdowns make intersections far more dangerous and should be abolished. Too many people accelerate to make the lights instead of cautiously anticipating the change.

Edited February 6, 2009 by tropo

[kat]

I have to commend the Thai government for starting a framework to enforce traffic codes and regulations. This is one of the first and basic steps to becoming a more developed nation - the rule of law and enforcements. You can never be a developed nation in a culture where pedestrians are forced to cross the road like scared animals and left for road kill when they are hit, or where motorists decide right-away and liability depending on the richest or biggest car.

It is never easy to change a bad norm that has become part of a culture in society, but this is a start. Looks like Abhisit is earning his money.

[neverdie]

Red Light and Speed cameras fine actual offenders and act as a deterant but should only be used in traffic black spots with high accident or fatality rates

I disagree. Red light cameras should be used everywhere all of the time in Thailand.

There's a big difference between red light 'sneaking' in Australia and high speed red light runners at busy intersections in Thailand. When I approach a green light it's nice to know I can drive through without the risk of a high speed collision from the side.

IMO, green and red light countdowns make intersections far more dangerous and should be abolished. Too many people accelerate to make the lights instead of cautiously anticipating the change.

TROPO,

Not in the eyes of the law there isnt. If you cross the line at the red light, then you've disobeyed the traffic signal, the law doesnt care if its an outback interestion or a busy city nightmare.

[MyphuketLife]

tickets have been sent to 75,470 red-light runners, slapping them with a Bt500 fine and a 40-point reduction on their licence, he said.

When / If all pay thats a large revenue stream

75,470 * 500 = 37,735,000BAHT a month....

With that kind of money from a few intersections it won't be long until all of bangkok is covered with the camera's and other cities will follow Bangkoks lead....

[sumrit]

Red Light and Speed cameras fine actual offenders and act as a deterant but should only be used in traffic black spots with high accident or fatality rates

I disagree. Red light cameras should be used everywhere all of the time in Thailand.

There's a big difference between red light 'sneaking' in Australia and high speed red light runners at busy intersections in Thailand. When I approach a green light it's nice to know I can drive through without the risk of a high speed collision from the side.

IMO, green and red light countdowns make intersections far more dangerous and should be abolished. Too many people accelerate to make the lights instead of cautiously anticipating the change.

I think the countdowns actually make it safer. Without a countdown as people aproach traffic lights that are on green the majority tend to put their foot down because they don't know when they're going to change and they want to make sure they get across the junction before they do. With a countdown everybody can see if they have time to go through the lights on green so they don't tend to speed up. It's only the odd person that speeds up to try and make it across when they're close to the change.

When I was back in the UK last year watched almost everybody speed up as they aproached a set of lights because they wanted to get across the junction before the lights changed and they didn't know when that happen. It meant they were all going through the lights too fast and people were jumping the lights, dangerously, at speed at almost every light change because when the lights did change they didn't have time to slow down and stop. The speed limit on the road was 40MPH but I would think most people were going much faster actually crossing the junction and nobody was 'cautiouslyanticipatingthe change'.

Edited February 6, 2009 by sumrit

[jonwilly]

I have lived here since 2001.

My Thai friends assure me that there are two kinds of Red Traffic Lights.

Red and Blood Red, Traffic lights only become Blood Red after a few seconds depending on traffic flow.

john

[KireB]

That why you should never pull up first when the lights turn green.

[prospero]

That why you should never pull up first when the lights turn green.

Green means "go"

Yellow means "go faster"

Red means "go anyway"

[Seneque]

What is this point reduction thing on the driving licence ? ... Never heard of this before or i missed it ...

How many points to start with do we have on the licence ...

[ballpoint]

What is this point reduction thing on the driving licence ? ... Never heard of this before or i missed it ...

How many points to start with do we have on the licence ...

One point for every baht in your wallet

[Rtwo]

IMO, green and red light countdowns make intersections far more dangerous and should be abolished. Too many people accelerate to make the lights instead of cautiously anticipating the change.

I think the countdowns actually make it safer. Without a countdown as people aproach traffic lights that are on green the majority tend to put their foot down because they don't know when they're going to change and they want to make sure they get across the junction before they do. With a countdown everybody can see if they have time to go through the lights on green so they don't tend to speed up. It's only the odd person that speeds up to try and make it across when they're close to the change.

When I was back in the UK last year watched almost everybody speed up as they aproached a set of lights because they wanted to get across the junction before the lights changed and they didn't know when that happen. It meant they were all going through the lights too fast and people were jumping the lights, dangerously, at speed at almost every light change because when the lights did change they didn't have time to slow down and stop. The speed limit on the road was 40MPH but I would think most people were going much faster actually crossing the junction and nobody was 'cautiouslyanticipatingthe change'.

Quite wrong. In the UK people know exactly when the lights are going to change because the Green is followed first by a solid Yellow, meaning that the vehicle should stop unless it is unsafe to do so and only then by a solid Red, the timing of the sequence is matched to that of the speed limit so that provided you're not exceeding that, there is usually ample time to cross. If you go through a junction too fast some of the latest ones will get you for speeding too so be warned! Here in Chiangmai I guarantee that you'll see at least a couple of vehicles run red lights at every major junction and often very many more, the lights aren't controlled by anything more than a simple time switch and most people seem to treat them with contempt. It amazes me is that there aren't more accidents as a result. All that countdowns did was to provide another 'source of income' to the people who supplied them but they contributed nothing to safety in fact quite the reverse, turning streets into drag racing strips. If traffic cameras on the other hand can bring a bit of law and order to driving in Thailand, I for one am all for it although I fear the problems associated with enforcing the fines however may well make the whole thing little more than a pipe dream.

[EmU]

That why you should never pull up first when the lights turn green.

Green means "go"

Yellow means "go faster"

Red means "go anyway"

perhaps there are many people in thailand that are just colorblind and can't distinguish the difference between red and green.

[Splatter]

Let's see...

the police hold up traffic for 5 to 10 minutes phases before manually changing the signals...

...and they are surprised that so many people jump the lights... orhooooorh....

Where else in the world are the signals held for such long stretches of time?

Where else in the world does a policeman sit in an air con box to watch cars block the junctions?

Where else do complete sections of roads get frozen to let "Very Impotent Politicians" ride home quickly?

etc etc etc.

Edited February 6, 2009 by Splatter

[tropo]

Red Light and Speed cameras fine actual offenders and act as a deterant but should only be used in traffic black spots with high accident or fatality rates

I disagree. Red light cameras should be used everywhere all of the time in Thailand.

There's a big difference between red light 'sneaking' in Australia and high speed red light runners at busy intersections in Thailand. When I approach a green light it's nice to know I can drive through without the risk of a high speed collision from the side.

IMO, green and red light countdowns make intersections far more dangerous and should be abolished. Too many people accelerate to make the lights instead of cautiously anticipating the change.

TROPO,

Not in the eyes of the law there isnt. If you cross the line at the red light, then you've disobeyed the traffic signal, the law doesnt care if its an outback interestion or a busy city nightmare.

Yeah, I'm well aware of the law but you've misunderstood my comment. Red-light running in Australia is a little more laid back and not quite as dangerous. They also don't have the red-light count down in most states so people don't accelerate from 200 meters away to make the crossing on time as they do in Thailand and end up doing 100 km/h through the intersection after the light has already turned.

[tropo]

It's only the odd person that speeds up to try and make it across when they're close to the change.

I don't know where you live, but you should check out Pattaya. Just about everyone speeds up when the countdown is almost complete....from a long way off too.

[warfie]

With the countdown on the red light many drivers/riders here begin to move off before the green, with a "red runner" and a "jump starter" at the same intersection and I've seen so many close calls and actual incidents than I'd care to number...

I agree that the cameras are a good idea but the digital timers are not. Now to actually enforce the law and make them pay the fines, but then, TiT

[Hobart]

It's only the odd person that speeds up to try and make it across when they're close to the change.

I don't know where you live, but you should check out Pattaya. Just about everyone speeds up when the countdown is almost complete....from a long way off too.

I live close to Pattaya and know that area so well that when the light turns green I count to 5 and then go. Even then there is always some idiot who flies on through without a care in the world. I think I will now count to 6.

Cheers

Edited February 6, 2009 by Hobart

[Miserere]

Next step speed Gatso's.

[kartman]

How many pictures did they get with with the registration plate 'Yaris,Vios or Fortuner' i presume the tickets for these will be sent to Toyota to be forwarded to the offending drivers .

[jbhh]

I hope they install them in Hua Hin, especially the first red light when coming from BKK is deadly... almost every time I come from town and have to turn right, a car runs the light with flashing headlight going at least 100km/h.

[exexpat]

Yes good, there are too many cars in Bangkok for people to act like its Isaan. Totalitarian is the worst, followed by anarchy, but a good balance between law and order and tolerance is of course, the best.

[exexpat]

Yes good, there are too many cars in Bangkok for people to act like its Isaan. Owning a car shouldn't be as cheap as it is in developing Asia, there are so many costs involved, why should the state foot the bill? Totalitarian is the worst, followed by anarchy, but a good balance between law and order and tolerance is of course, the best. Thailand could use a bit of traffic law and order.