Pavlov's Dog

[Valentine]

Today marks the start of the school year's morning & afternoon forays on to Phuket's roads for the purpose of taking my kids to school. There were two incidents, which I have noticed previously, where motorists watch the red numbers countdown & then take off regardless of whether or not the lights have turned green in their favour. It happened at an intersection in Kathu & a few minutes later at the pokey little T junction in Sam Kong. Both time motorists took off when the red numbers had counted down to zero even though the opposing lights were still green.

Is this a case of Pavlov's dog being at fault or just simply sheep.

[baabaabobo]

This morning at the last lights before the Central festival lights a single policeman was controlling the traffic by stopping us on a green and bidding us to go on a red - Needless to say my kids were late for school.

[fiddlehead]

Today marks the start of the school year's morning & afternoon forays on to Phuket's roads for the purpose of taking my kids to school. There were two incidents, which I have noticed previously, where motorists watch the red numbers countdown & then take off regardless of whether or not the lights have turned green in their favour. It happened at an intersection in Kathu & a few minutes later at the pokey little T junction in Sam Kong. Both time motorists took off when the red numbers had counted down to zero even though the opposing lights were still green.

Is this a case of Pavlov's dog being at fault or just simply sheep.

I got a ticket for that once in the states. IT's called anticipating a green light i believe, and they have some number for the offence to write on the ticket.

,

So, are you saying you don't get ready to go when the last few seconds are ticking off?

Or you just patiently wait until you are sure it's really really going to be green? (if so i would really really think you are in the minority, especially here in Thailand)

I admit the showing of the seconds left could be a dangerous trait in some circumstances.

However, there are much worse things going on in the "safe driving " department here in the LOS.

How about the rules of who has the right of way in a traffic circle for one?

[Valentine]

Today marks the start of the school year's morning & afternoon forays on to Phuket's roads for the purpose of taking my kids to school. There were two incidents, which I have noticed previously, where motorists watch the red numbers countdown & then take off regardless of whether or not the lights have turned green in their favour. It happened at an intersection in Kathu & a few minutes later at the pokey little T junction in Sam Kong. Both time motorists took off when the red numbers had counted down to zero even though the opposing lights were still green.

Is this a case of Pavlov's dog being at fault or just simply sheep.

I got a ticket for that once in the states. IT's called anticipating a green light i believe, and they have some number for the offence to write on the ticket.

,

So, are you saying you don't get ready to go when the last few seconds are ticking off?

Or you just patiently wait until you are sure it's really really going to be green? (if so i would really really think you are in the minority, especially here in Thailand)

I admit the showing of the seconds left could be a dangerous trait in some circumstances.

However, there are much worse things going on in the "safe driving " department here in the LOS.

How about the rules of who has the right of way in a traffic circle for one?

I too get ready to go by looking at the countdown, I just know those two sets of lights are a problem especially around 7am. Regards baabaabobo's posting I sometimes feel that manual control is not the way to go as I have seen many instances of the lights being down at Central intersection where everyone approaches cautiously & generally use common sense & good manners with no build up of traffic in any direction waiting to get through.

As you say there are many issues regarding our road driving conditions which no doubt have been discussed on this forum but my query was really about people's mindset. Of course the mindset of the drivers can lead to numerous unsafe & ill mannered driving scenarios.

A simple example. Yesterday when I was pulling out of my driveway to turn left on to the main road & of course I am looking right to gauge the traffic & wait for a chance to go. When I go my GF yells motorbike & I have to quickly stop in order to naroowly miss a motorbike who is on the wrong side of the road & had no intention of stopping for me plus giving me look like "what the hel_l do you think your are doing". I realise after all these years I should know better but occasionally forget & revert back.

[ScubaBuddha]

Today marks the start of the school year's morning & afternoon forays on to Phuket's roads for the purpose of taking my kids to school. There were two incidents, which I have noticed previously, where motorists watch the red numbers countdown & then take off regardless of whether or not the lights have turned green in their favour. It happened at an intersection in Kathu & a few minutes later at the pokey little T junction in Sam Kong. Both time motorists took off when the red numbers had counted down to zero even though the opposing lights were still green.

Is this a case of Pavlov's dog being at fault or just simply sheep.

It's surprising to hear this stated as if it's not the norm. It happens at virtually every light. My Thai GF explains it best. "It's OK. If no police, then no problem. Can do" Which seems to be the prevailing moral barometer here. TIT

[stevenl]

Both time motorists took off when the red numbers had counted down to zero even though the opposing lights were still green.

How do you know, were you able to see both the numbers and the lights? It sounds to me more like the numbers went to zero, the motorists took off while from the opposing side the lights had turned red but they did not care too much about that.

[Valentine]

Both time motorists took off when the red numbers had counted down to zero even though the opposing lights were still green.

How do you know, were you able to see both the numbers and the lights? It sounds to me more like the numbers went to zero, the motorists took off while from the opposing side the lights had turned red but they did not care too much about that.

I have travelled this route for many uears & know it well. In Kathu I could see the reflection of the opposing lights to know they were still green. In Sam Kong it is a T junction & was easy to see the other light was still on green. When the numbers countdown to zero they then turn to 3 bars & remain red but the motorists, generally motorcycles, just take off anyway without nary a second glance.

It is all about dependence on a system & reacting to stimuli, just like Pavlov's dog.

[simon43]

When I first came to Phuket I almost got wiped out by a Merc running through the lights at the Muang Mai junction near to the airport. My light had just changed to 0 on the counter and so I took off fast! Big mistake!

Nowadays, after the counter reaches zero, I chec k my fingernails, scratch my bum and finally move off slowly whilst watching for cars and bikes in both directions/wrong side of the road etc who might be jumping the lights.

Simon