Longest Traffic Light (red) In Bkk?

[corkscrew]

Going west on Sathorn there is a traffic light at Surasak that remained red for 5+ minutes. When it turned green the clock said it would remain green for 28 seconds. This at 3 PM today (a Saturday).

Any other candidates?

[beano2274]

The other day at Phong Phet intersection the red lights counted up instead of down, stayed there for about 4 minutes I guess, was funny counting up instead of down, even a Police Motorcyclist next to me was chuckling.

Edited June 13, 2009 by beano2274

[mdechgan]

Going west on Sathorn there is a traffic light at Surasak that remained red for 5+ minutes. When it turned green the clock said it would remain green for 28 seconds. This at 3 PM today (a Saturday).

Any other candidates?

Yeah that light is a killer, time killer, time literally stands still.

That one on Sathorn road I think is the most annoying and congested.

Its also annoying how traffic on Sathorn (both ways) road stands still while Surasak is free moving to the tollway.

I heard there was a reason why the timers where set that way. More people on Surasak has more influence and generosity than the people on Sathorn eventhough there are more cars on Sathorn.

I once saw a stop light that had the red counter counting down from 280 seconds. I don't remember, it could have been somewhere near the giant swing.

Edited June 13, 2009 by mdechgan

[MJo]

280 is quite common in bigger intersections. Last time was more than 15 mins (no clock though) in Rama I just before Siam.

One of the shortest is in Petchaburi when turning right to Asoke. Last time it was set to 20 sec green...

[Texpat]

Odd ain't it?

The Thai cops invest in this traffic flow technology -- but override it half the time.

They know better than the computer models.

And there's always a percentage of drivers that just won't wait. Nice if you're short some pocket change....

Edited June 13, 2009 by Texpat

[MJo]

Odd ain't it?

The Thai cops invest in this traffic flow technology -- but override it half the time.

They know better than the computer models.

And there's always a percentage of drivers that just won't wait. Nice if you're short some pocket change....

That's the thing, get rid of say half of them (start from those guys in their fish tanks messing up with the lights). Use the savings to double the salaries for the remaining. That would propably bring down the tea money reguests a bit...

[mr_hippo]

Ram Intra/KhuBon Road heading towards Minburi - 19 minutes.

Lat Phrao101 onto Lat Phrao Road - 16 minutes

[mdechgan]

Odd ain't it?

The Thai cops invest in this traffic flow technology -- but override it half the time.

They know better than the computer models.

And there's always a percentage of drivers that just won't wait. Nice if you're short some pocket change....

There's a saying, wherever there are cops there is traffic. They cause traffic all the time. Either by scewing around with the traffic lights or those coincidental shakedowns.

i.e. Ever wonder why there is so much traffic on Kanchanaburi Rd from Rama II to Bang Bua Thong? Last time I went through something like 5 checkpoints. Some of the checkpoints are so congested they cause accidents because people start to rear end each other.

I.e. When crossing Rama VIII bridge from east going west. The cops for some reason hold up traffic on the end of Rama VIII bridge to let people from Ratchadamoen and PK bridges roll instead. One is better off just making a detour and cross via PK bridge instead. I once spent 2 hours on the bridge while the PK bridge was flowing.

[Texpat]

High tech lights are great.

Until the bib need some cash.

Then its a crap shoot.

Thai police are the single biggest problem in this country.

[basjke]

High tech lights are great.

Until the bib need some cash.

Then its a crap shoot.

Thai police are the single biggest problem in this country.

My experience is that the cops in this country are very good in creating traffic jams.Don't know why they still believe the ship lock system between traffic lights improves traffic flow.

[TopDogger]

280 is quite common in bigger intersections. Last time was more than 15 mins (no clock though) in Rama I just before Siam.

One of the shortest is in Petchaburi when turning right to Asoke. Last time it was set to 20 sec green...

Soi On Nut turning right onto On Nut 71/1.. Less than 5 seconds.. 3 car's thru then red

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

For me it's one of the lights on Petchaburi road crossing Asoke. There is a flyover but motorbikes are not allowed to use it (typical, the cops are waiting at the end for motorbikes that do use it regardless). I have to pass there quite regularly and have seen anything from 480 seconds on the counter to 12 minutes without the counter being used, with all directions getting "green" multiple times before my direction was allowed to go for 18 seconds(!) Needless to say that created a nice traffic jam as the road leading to that traffic light is (due to the flyover) only one lane which is used for going straight (mainly motorbikes) as well as turning right and one lane for turning left (which doesn't have to observe the light). That "turn left" lane is routinely blocked by the large buildup of motorbikes crowding the area at the light as the actual left turn is right there, just about one car-length from the actual intersection.

Why are cars (waterproof!) allowed to use the flyover while motorbikes have to wait such insane times in pissing rain..??? Or is that just to create more income for the cops..... as motorbike riders obviously know of the crazy waiting periods at that light and are tempted to take that flyover anyway. There are many more intersections like that with flyovers barred for motorbikes and insanely long "red" lights for those (motorbikes!) that want to go straight on.

Best regards.....

Thanh

[jcon]

Hey corky, where have you been, haven't seen you for awhile...

That intersection at Rama 4 and Wireless/Sathorn is brutal. Some 200+ seconds red and 8 (YES EIGHT) seconds green - sometimes the first car doesn't even wake up from his mini-nap in time to put the car back in D to get off that light... I find if you stick to the left-most lane, you can usually sneak up and get past that light.

The Surasak intersection you refer to is heinous as well, as are many in that area (Sathorn/Rama4/Surasak).

Another poster mentioned the Phong Phet intersection - Oh yeah, that one gets nutty sometimes with all the traffic going to the Mall Ngamwongwan, and it's directly on my way to my house, so I get stuck on Prachacheun very very often... (brutal road, Prachacheun)....

My vote for worst intersections has to be the Petchburi/Rama9/Asoke area. If going southbound from Ratchada, good lord sometimes you can be stuck there for hours...

Right now I'm back in the good old USA, and the only traffic jam I've been in was about 20 minutes on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago... heaven compared to the traffic in BKK... I don't miss the traffic one bit!!!

P.S. Corky do you still keep that S-class in BKK?

[Plus]

Give the cops a break. They must satisfy folks on all four sides of the intersection, not just you, and also keep in mind that traffic backup in certain direction might paralise half the city, so it gets priority.

It's a bloody hard work, and very stressful.

I still remember reading in a guide book how one cop had a mental breakdown and just ran away screaming from one of Rama4 intersections.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hehehe.....

In theory you are right, Plus..... sure traffic backup in one direction would paralyze half the city however thanks to the cops we will have free-flowing traffic (more or less) in that one direction - and total jam in the other three directions, paralyzing 3/4 of the city in the process

Or, worse - they keep the light "green" for one direction which is already completely jammed up while all the other directions *could* go thanks to empty roads - however red lights make them back up as well. That's Thai cop logic.

Regards.....

Thanh

[corkscrew]

I spent 10 weeks in S. Florida where the traffic was so free-flowing that I wished for a red light so that I could change out a CD. Now back in BKK where I can catch up on my reading at the red lights.

Yep, still have the same wheels.

How long will you be in Chicago?

Hey corky, where have you been, haven't seen you for awhile...

That intersection at Rama 4 and Wireless/Sathorn is brutal. Some 200+ seconds red and 8 (YES EIGHT) seconds green - sometimes the first car doesn't even wake up from his mini-nap in time to put the car back in D to get off that light... I find if you stick to the left-most lane, you can usually sneak up and get past that light.

The Surasak intersection you refer to is heinous as well, as are many in that area (Sathorn/Rama4/Surasak).

Another poster mentioned the Phong Phet intersection - Oh yeah, that one gets nutty sometimes with all the traffic going to the Mall Ngamwongwan, and it's directly on my way to my house, so I get stuck on Prachacheun very very often... (brutal road, Prachacheun)....

My vote for worst intersections has to be the Petchburi/Rama9/Asoke area. If going southbound from Ratchada, good lord sometimes you can be stuck there for hours...

Right now I'm back in the good old USA, and the only traffic jam I've been in was about 20 minutes on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago... heaven compared to the traffic in BKK... I don't miss the traffic one bit!!!

P.S. Corky do you still keep that S-class in BKK?

[Plus]

traffic backup in one direction would paralyze half the city however thanks to the cops we will have free-flowing traffic (more or less) in that one direction - and total jam in the other three directions, paralyzing 3/4 of the city in the process

In theory you are right. In reality they juggle these needs and choose the best option - half the city in the west or 3/4 in the south.

They also have a pretty good idea of traffic conditions up and down the roads, thanks to walkie talkies.

[mdechgan]

traffic backup in one direction would paralyze half the city however thanks to the cops we will have free-flowing traffic (more or less) in that one direction - and total jam in the other three directions, paralyzing 3/4 of the city in the process

In theory you are right. In reality they juggle these needs and choose the best option - half the city in the west or 3/4 in the south.

They also have a pretty good idea of traffic conditions up and down the roads, thanks to walkie talkies.

I was listening to one of their frequencies one day. A friend of mine likes to hang out where the poh tek tung trucks are. Most of the crap they talk about on the radios are like where they are going to hang out later and bunch of other jokes.

Personally I think the worst traffic jam is on the Rama VIII bridge going westbound. Its unbelievable how the Rama VIII bridge is jammed for hours yet the PK bridge has something like 5 lanes free flowing.

Yet going East across the river the 5 lanes going East converge into 1 , yes 1 lane. Its not a traffic light but the cops sure know how to screw up traffic.

[corkscrew]

A couple of years ago when I was 'stuck' at that same red light (Sathorn at Surasak heading west) I saw the driver in front of me get out of his car, walk to the soi food arcade that is on the SW corner, order something and bring it back to his car. But, by the time he got back to his car there were so many motorcycles in the immediate area he had trouble even opening his door.

[jcon]

LOL ^^^^ Only in Thailand! That Sathorn/Surasak area is insane. And you live around there too, IIRC on Wireless?... I would go crazy!

I'm in Michigan now Corky, Chicago on weekends. Will be in the USA for the rest of the summer.

Did you get to drive your AMGs in Florida? Stretch their legs a bit? Good to see you back. Who takes care of your cars when you're away (both in Thailand and in the USA)?