Riding In Wrong Lane, They Take Licence?

[saorsa]

I was riding down srinakarin today and got pulled twice by the cnuts in brown in space of 1km. 1st time, was docs check where they said i had to display some kind of tax thing that i didnt have...i told them i paid 1.3 million for the bike so all taxes were in place and it was legal. the BIB tried for 100THB out me, but i said no and he gave up and told me to go after one of his buddies tried to chat up my GF who was on the back (my thai is shit, so i didnt notice, she told me later).

Less than 1km down the road, another checkpoint, pulled over again, this time for being in outside lane...fair enough, i was in it and i am pretty sure that bikes should not use it. But, the copper that pulled me for it wrote a ticket for 200THB, but wanted to take my licence (international drivers thing from UK) for 20 days. My GF talked to him and eventually, they changed the ticket to say i didnt have my licence with me or something like that (GF did all the talking) so i could keep my licence with me.

Is that normal for them to try to take your licence for riding in wrong lane? In the end, all i did was pay 200THB and got proper ticket to prove it for a change (probably due to their captain sitting there while they pulled me). Also, is Srinakarin always this bad for coppers? I was on way to Kao Yai for a run and that is quickest way for me from On Nut, but if i am going to get hassled so often, i will find a different route. In the end, it pissed down before i got to prachin buri, so i just did a 300km round trip with some food at chachoengsao instead of kao yai and i was in foul mood from all the shit with the cops.

On different note, I got my bike back yesterday with stage 1 tune (rinehart pipes, new filter and super tuner computer thingy) what a difference, bike runs like a dream with more power right through rev range. See pics for new pipes...had to get them special ordered from USA, but worth it.

[saorsa]

oops..sorry about double pic post...no idea how i f#cked that up or how to fix...

[neverdie]

Yes, I've had that thing where they tune ur girlie while ur sitting there, each and everytime (after initially telling them i speak no thai) embarrassed the <deleted> out of the officer and his mates have laughed at him. Too Funny. They are the most confident men I have ever met wearing such sexy tight fitting brown suits.....you couldnt pay me to wear one.

[dave_boo]

Dude, not to sound like a smart ass or anything, but you really need to read the forum more. The SOP for the cops is to take your liscense. You go to the cop shop, pay your fine, and when you get back to where your bike is, you get your card and keys back. You then go on your merry way. Happened to me when I took a fly-under and they were waiting for the whole pack of us.

I'd assume that your first encounter soured you and led to the second encouter's escalation. A friendly smile and a couple of pink notes in my passport gets me through any police stop in a hurry.

And yes, Srinarkarin is really bad, especially just past the Bang Na overpass...stay in the left most lane and you'll be fine.

Oh, and while I wouldn't ride a chopper, yours is nice and clean.

[neverdie]

^dave whilst you are completely right, I just wonder about that freaky looking cat of yours....<deleted>?

[coolfusion]

Ok the story is they will try and take your license and hold it as a ransom so you pay the ticket and yes this is normal ( in Thailand ). The main reason is that they have no computer system for tracking tickets so if they issue you a ticket and you dont pay then there is not alot they can do about it...i heard this directly from the cops in Rama IV and that was the last ticket i ever paid. Now if i am clearly in the wrong and bang to rights so to speak i will demand a ticket and i show them my license whilst holding on to it very tightly if im not in the mood for the pantomine ill slip them 100 baht to get out of there quickly.

This happened me yesterday and it was a 20 minute standoff and i had to speak to 3 coppers one after another and i was demanding a ticket off them all and they refused because they all knew it was a complete waste of paper and eventually they knew they were not getting my license off me and just let me go on my merry way ( i had no tax on my mates honda wave ).

[dave_boo]

^dave whilst you are completely right, I just wonder about that freaky looking cat of yours....<deleted>?

Puss in boots....

just a really old russian picture of a cat they shaved up. Only showing my age.

[LivinLOS]

Down our way they usually just take your keys.. then their taxi mates are all in a line to take you on 2 double priced rides there and back to the cop shop.. If you smile enough you can usually suck up and he will hold your license, allowing you to ride there and back under your own steam (even helmetless or whatever offense you got the ticket for) so its a saving.

Have had a couple of major annoyances where they have packed up and left, with my license before I got back.. Then having to chase them for days at the cop shop to get it back.

[QED]

Ok the story is they will try and take your license and hold it as a ransom so you pay the ticket and yes this is normal ( in Thailand Bangkok).

[neverdie]

^dave whilst you are completely right, I just wonder about that freaky looking cat of yours....<deleted>?

Puss in boots....

just a really old russian picture of a cat they shaved up. Only showing my age.

yes you are, but sadly i know what ur talking about. thanx for that, thought it might of been ur cat

[gragra]

Dunno what to say mate - but perhaps if I relay my epic battle with the <snip> yesterday it might help - the <snip> have been out in force BIG TIME over the past few days.

I'd been out around here - Sathorn/Rama3 area yesterday for a few hours - testing out my bike, had a great lunch and was feeling good during the ride back home - coming up Narathiwat road - and stopped at the lights at Rama 3. Middle lane. I don't follow this left hand side shit and I never will. I ride where I think it's safest.

Anyway, stopped at the lights - and I notice there's a cop under the flyover - on the left side of it, and a bunch of BIB about 50m further up Narathiwat.

So I'm thinking while stopped at the lights...I'll go to turn right, intstead of go straight - onto Rama3, then up NangLinchi to home.

As the light approach green, the traffic builds up under the flyover - making swift direction changes impossible.

So as I pull away - the cop from the right rushes out to trap me amongst the traffic - which is not yet moving - and I have a bunch of cars up my arse - I look right - there are RED cnutting lights there - so with this brown bogey on my tail - i decide to go straight.

Bad idea? Well - there was a pig up ahead on the right - and two other <snip> at least coming out from the left - I was <snip> for all money - and short of literally running one of the <snip> over - I ended up stopping in the far right lane.

<snip>...

Anyway - the <snip> actually takes my key out - little <snip> - and I end up pushing the bike across 4 lanes to the left where they start to put on their funny little show.

My licence plate bracket broke off some months ago - and I have been running without a licence plate since then. Wrong/illegal - who knows and I don't give a <snip>. I'll accept that one.

Anyway - they get this woman on the phone who is the so-called translator - she basically tells me the guy wants to ping me for two reasons - one is the rego plate - and no registration - the other is the right lane shit.

I tell her that I was planning to turn right - and then the other cop confused me, so I went straight - then got <snip> by being in the right lane. She seemed to understand.

I also explained about the license plate mishap - and that if the stupid <snip> would return my keys, i could show the rego etc...

After she relayed this to <snip>, he said that he was too scared to give the keys, because i would run away...!!!!

She says to show him my licence - so I do so, thinking I'm away - BIG <snip> MISTAKE. I have shown licence before, and then been left to leave - but this <snip> takes it - looks at it - then hangs up the phone with the translator and starts to write me a ticket for 1000 baht.

So then I ask him what the thousand baht is for - and he points to all the shit all over again. Gives me the ticket, and keeps the licence.

Anyway - to cut a long story short, I ride immediately to the station at expressway junction on Rama4 - and tell all this shit to the so-called captain.

In the end, I get a ticket for the Licence plate - 500 baht - and the rest is understood. The booking <snip> is called to the station to return the licence.

I thought I would try to bluff around the whole ticket thing and tried various "new" ways to deal with the situation - nothing of which really worked.

You see, i did not simply pull-over, I played real hard ball with them, they lost face at least in some small way - and dealing with these <snip> in a foreign tongue really is difficult.

Normally, i would try to evade - not because i'm doing anything illegal - and <snip> off to anyone who mentions the left lane thing - but because it's a pain in the arse. And if forced to stop - just try to smile/play dumb and not show licence or anything...eventually pay a bribe of 100 baht or something.

Motto of the story? Don't know. What would I do differently - definitely hunt for a better route around the BIB, and if stopped probably go back to my old style and try to whittle it down and pay a bribe. It's not worth my time and effort to go through all that shit again - and if the <snip> have you dead to rights, then going about it through the proper channels is only more costly and time consuming. Only SHOW the licence if you are definitely in the right - and NEVER show or give it if you aren't. Then it's just a dam_n inconvenience to go pick it up. I have a Thai licence for both car and bike by the way.

It's a shame that the so-called road rules concerning bikes - and that this also applies to large capacity machines - and that the corruption and desire to fleece for a hundred or two is so endemic.

The <snip> tried to tell me that riding without a licence plate is illegal- which I can buy into - but then kept interrupting me when I tried to relay the experience I had when I first bought the bike legit here in thailand - no plate upon purchase - and had to wait for a month. I WAS stopped by <snip> during this time, showed the purchase receipt and paperwork, and was left alone.

A corrupt hypocrisy?

And I know there are probably lots of spelling errors here - but guess what? I don't give a <snip>.

Edited July 23, 2009 by soundman
You might not giva a .... , however, I do, so try to keep it clean in the future. Thank-you.

[coolfusion]

Well said man , i feel your pain.

[gragra]

Well said man , i feel your pain.

The thing is, that normally I would be more vigilant for the usual suspects - when they're there, it's always the same place - but I was so pleased the bike was running well...too much feel good.

If/when it happens again, I will remove the key myself. I will hold licence with vice-like/isaan virgin vagina grip!!!

Edited July 23, 2009 by gragra

[rixalex]

I don't follow this left hand side shit and I never will. I ride where I think it's safest.

Agreed. I was stopped recently for being in the middle lane. The reason i was in that lane was because the road was about to fork and i wanted to take the right fork. If you stay in the inside lane right until you are on the fork, as the pig told me i should do, it means you then have to cut across into the middle lane as cars come flying by - extremely dangerous. It's a stupid law and one i refuse to abide by for the sake of my life!

[QED]

Dunno what to say mate - but perhaps if I relay my epic battle with the cnuts Dunno what to say mate - but perhaps if I relay my epic battle with the <snip> yesterday it might help - the <snip> have been out in force BIG TIME over the past few days.

I'd been out around here - Sathorn/Rama3 area yesterday for a few hours - testing out my bike, had a great lunch and was feeling good during the ride back home - coming up Narathiwat road - and stopped at the lights at Rama 3. Middle lane. I don't follow this left hand side shit and I never will. I ride where I think it's safest.

Anyway, stopped at the lights - and I notice there's a cop under the flyover - on the left side of it, and a bunch of BIB about 50m further up Narathiwat.

So I'm thinking while stopped at the lights...I'll go to turn right, intstead of go straight - onto Rama3, then up NangLinchi to home.

As the light approach green, the traffic builds up under the flyover - making swift direction changes impossible.

So as I pull away - the cop from the right rushes out to trap me amongst the traffic - which is not yet moving - and I have a bunch of cars up my arse - I look right - there are RED cnutting lights there - so with this brown bogey on my tail - i decide to go straight.

Bad idea? Well - there was a pig up ahead on the right - and two other <snip> at least coming out from the left - I was <snip> for all money - and short of literally running one of the <snip> over - I ended up stopping in the far right lane.

<snip>...

Anyway - the <snip> actually takes my key out - little <snip> - and I end up pushing the bike across 4 lanes to the left where they start to put on their funny little show.

My licence plate bracket broke off some months ago - and I have been running without a licence plate since then. Wrong/illegal - who knows and I don't give a <snip>. I'll accept that one.

Anyway - they get this woman on the phone who is the so-called translator - she basically tells me the guy wants to ping me for two reasons - one is the rego plate - and no registration - the other is the right lane shit.

I tell her that I was planning to turn right - and then the other cop confused me, so I went straight - then got <snip> by being in the right lane. She seemed to understand.

I also explained about the license plate mishap - and that if the stupid <snip> would return my keys, i could show the rego etc...

After she relayed this to <snip>, he said that he was too scared to give the keys, because i would run away...!!!!

She says to show him my licence - so I do so, thinking I'm away - BIG <snip> MISTAKE. I have shown licence before, and then been left to leave - but this <snip> takes it - looks at it - then hangs up the phone with the translator and starts to write me a ticket for 1000 baht.

So then I ask him what the thousand baht is for - and he points to all the shit all over again. Gives me the ticket, and keeps the licence.

Anyway - to cut a long story short, I ride immediately to the station at expressway junction on Rama4 - and tell all this shit to the so-called captain.

In the end, I get a ticket for the Licence plate - 500 baht - and the rest is understood. The booking <snip> is called to the station to return the licence.

I thought I would try to bluff around the whole ticket thing and tried various "new" ways to deal with the situation - nothing of which really worked.

You see, i did not simply pull-over, I played real hard ball with them, they lost face at least in some small way - and dealing with these <snip> in a foreign tongue really is difficult.

Normally, i would try to evade - not because i'm doing anything illegal - and <snip> off to anyone who mentions the left lane thing - but because it's a pain in the arse. And if forced to stop - just try to smile/play dumb and not show licence or anything...eventually pay a bribe of 100 baht or something.

Motto of the story? Don't know. What would I do differently - definitely hunt for a better route around the BIB, and if stopped probably go back to my old style and try to whittle it down and pay a bribe. It's not worth my time and effort to go through all that shit again - and if the <snip> have you dead to rights, then going about it through the proper channels is only more costly and time consuming. Only SHOW the licence if you are definitely in the right - and NEVER show or give it if you aren't. Then it's just a dam_n inconvenience to go pick it up. I have a Thai licence for both car and bike by the way.

It's a shame that the so-called road rules concerning bikes - and that this also applies to large capacity machines - and that the corruption and desire to fleece for a hundred or two is so endemic.

The <snip> tried to tell me that riding without a licence plate is illegal- which I can buy into - but then kept interrupting me when I tried to relay the experience I had when I first bought the bike legit here in thailand - no plate upon purchase - and had to wait for a month. I WAS stopped by <snip> during this time, showed the purchase receipt and paperwork, and was left alone.

A corrupt hypocrisy?

And I know there are probably lots of spelling errors here - but guess what? I don't give a <snip>.

An enjoyable read which I fear may be deleted soon, hence I have quoted you. Well said and 2 thumbs up.

They are a pain in the arse anywhere in Thailand, but you boys in BKK get more than your fair share I reckon.

Edited July 23, 2009 by soundman

[coolfusion]

Probably opening a can of worms here , but i heard somewhere that its actually not a law to keep in the left???

[dave_boo]

Well said man , i feel your pain.

The thing is, that normally I would be more vigilant for the usual suspects - when they're there, it's always the same place - but I was so pleased the bike was running well...too much feel good.

If/when it happens again, I will remove the key myself. I will hold licence with vice-like/isaan virgin vagina grip!!!

My wife would ask "you-neigh" to that highlighted section....

[gragra]

Well said man , i feel your pain.

The thing is, that normally I would be more vigilant for the usual suspects - when they're there, it's always the same place - but I was so pleased the bike was running well...too much feel good.

If/when it happens again, I will remove the key myself. I will hold licence with vice-like/isaan virgin vagina grip!!!

My wife would ask "you-neigh" to that highlighted section....

Granted. After a bit of riding, the hands do become a bit sweaty and slippy...

[saorsa]

I was paying (well, GF was paying) the 200THb at the roadside, so no need to take licence as security.. Oh well, it expires next month and I am off to russia for 6 weeks work on saturday, so when I get back, I will take the old IDP and new IDP which I applied for yesterday and if they rty to keep IDP, they can have the old one that is out of date. went through another 3 or 4 checkpoints on same run, but managed to duck into right hand lane behind cars/pickups so they couldnt pull me over on those ones. CLearly on a big teamoney drive! tossers!

[saorsa]

Probably opening a can of worms here , but i heard somewhere that its actually not a law to keep in the left???

There is never any signs to state that, so I dont really see how it can be a law...been fined twice for it now though...still, it is less than £4 a time for fine, so not exactly major hardship, just annoying having to deal with the cnuts!

[RusticCharm]

Dunno what to say mate - but perhaps...

Bad luck on getting stopped. You're usually pretty adept at avoiding them. Maybe it was karma for taking the piss re. my steering damper debacle. 

The CIB (I assume the 'snip' refers to the 'C' word ) have tried ( ) to stop me on the past three rides out of Bangkok and as you know, two of them were with you.

They seem to be getting closer though. The trip to Kanchanaburi, they were far too slow, waving their ticket books in annoyance as we flew by. Coming back from Don Hoi Lot, two were waiting for us at the junction with Suksawat and Rama II. Blocked our path but it was all too easy to go around them after pretending to stop.

My solo return from the Ducati Bang Saen meet on Saturday was met with 4 very eager CIB's rushing out into the road at OnNut, just past where the buses stop. Fortunately, traffic was moving off and I went around one who showed his anger by hitting me on the left shoulder. Wearing a full-protection Ducati Corse leather jacket came in handy.

The U.N. have stated that they regard the Thai Police Force as 'organised criminals'. You...don't...say. 

Boy! I hope the CIB's don't read this forum.

If they do, my name's Tony and I ride an ER6N. 

[fatbastard68]

If they do, my name's Tony and I ride an ER6N. wink.gif

:D :D :D

[thrilled]

If I had to go thru that on A regular basis i believe I would try and out run them.

Especially if I had something with some power.

[singa-traz]

Ok the story is they will try and take your license and hold it as a ransom so you pay the ticket and yes this is normal ( in Thailand ). The main reason is that they have no computer system for tracking tickets so if they issue you a ticket and you dont pay then there is not alot they can do about it...i heard this directly from the cops in Rama IV and that was the last ticket i ever paid. Now if i am clearly in the wrong and bang to rights so to speak i will demand a ticket and i show them my license whilst holding on to it very tightly if im not in the mood for the pantomine ill slip them 100 baht to get out of there quickly.

This happened me yesterday and it was a 20 minute standoff and i had to speak to 3 coppers one after another and i was demanding a ticket off them all and they refused because they all knew it was a complete waste of paper and eventually they knew they were not getting my license off me and just let me go on my merry way ( i had no tax on my mates honda wave ).

Apparently, the cops have not rights to keep your license, so even best to handover a photocopy, if they wish ...

[coolfusion]

oops read the above post wrong...my bad

Anyway yes you are right , but try and tell them that when they have it in their hands and wont give it back..i did , i accused them of stealing but never got it back , hence i never give it anymore.

Edited July 23, 2009 by coolfusion

[benton]

Ok the story is they will try and take your license and hold it as a ransom so you pay the ticket and yes this is normal ( in Thailand ). The main reason is that they have no computer system for tracking tickets so if they issue you a ticket and you dont pay then there is not alot they can do about it...i heard this directly from the cops in Rama IV and that was the last ticket i ever paid. Now if i am clearly in the wrong and bang to rights so to speak i will demand a ticket and i show them my license whilst holding on to it very tightly if im not in the mood for the pantomine ill slip them 100 baht to get out of there quickly.

This happened me yesterday and it was a 20 minute standoff and i had to speak to 3 coppers one after another and i was demanding a ticket off them all and they refused because they all knew it was a complete waste of paper and eventually they knew they were not getting my license off me and just let me go on my merry way ( i had no tax on my mates honda wave ).

Apparently, the cops have not rights to keep your license, so even best to handover a photocopy, if they wish ...

Exactly right my friend..get some coloured photo copies done of your licence..front and back and have them laminated..keep the original at home and hand out copies if stopped..even an out of towner would have to come back to the station later to collect their licence within 14 days according to the traffic poilce..this will put an end to that. I've heard a lot of foreign diplomats do the same.

[Travelmate]

This is nothing new. And been around since the dawn of Thai-man. Just except it as part of Thai biking.

Be polite and you are on your way.

I got stopped last Saturday, coming back from Khanchanburi. I was speeding, weaving in & out of traffic, the sort of biking that Harleys cannae do. Cops waved, I pulled over. A little chat. Cop pats my bike. Say "make good police bike". I say "I am motorcycle police officer". They laugh and give me some directions, which I always ignore.

[PeaceBlondie]

Ok the story is they will try and take your license and hold it as a ransom so you pay the ticket and yes this is normal ( in Thailand Bangkok).

Only in Bangkok, only for bikes that cost as much as 20 CBR's, or to drivers/riders with IDL's, etc. I use the freeway and the fast lane every day, without being stopped.

[BigBikeBKK]

If they do, my name's Tony and I ride an ER6N.

Eh... I resemble that comment...

[LivinLOS]

Probably opening a can of worms here , but i heard somewhere that its actually not a law to keep in the left???

Yes bikes (of any size from scooter to busa) have to stay in the left hand lane..

And while I sympathize with the above rant.. You have a large bike, and the plate falls of, and knowing Thailand unregistered bike problems you continue to ride around plateless in the city ??? And your mad at the cops ??