Boys In Brown On Sukhumvit

[Ducati]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Now...over the past 2 weeks the BiB have attempted to stop me 3 times...holding up thier hands and waving me over. All 3 times i was at normal speed in either the middle or the lane nearest the pavement (don't tell me i can't ride in those frikkin lanes either!). I say attempted, bcos i just rode straight on and ignored the buggers. Seemed to have worked. Noone came after me or radio'd ahead. Probably too many other victims to harass.

The ignore ploy seems to work.

Any similar experiences...?

Edited October 17, 2009 by Ducati

[Mario2008]

It is what my students do. If they are standing alone, just ignore them and drive on.

[MJo]

By law you are required to drive using the street restaurant lane. Between the tables is ok.

Ignoring them works as long as they are not able to get ahead of you forcing you to stop or radio ahead.

[barrybankruad]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Now...over the past 2 weeks the BiB have attempted to stop me 3 times...holding up thier hands and waving me over. All 3 times i was at normal speed in either the middle or the lane nearest the pavement (don't tell me i can't ride in those frikkin lanes either!). I say attempted, bcos i just rode straight on and ignored the buggers. Seemed to have worked. Noone came after me or radio'd ahead. Probably too many other victims to harass.

The ignore ploy seems to work.

Any similar experiences...?

OK if they are alone, but I bet they are getting to know you now. When one stands directly in front and forces you to stop better be prepared to pay more than 100bht.

[alyx]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Now...over the past 2 weeks the BiB have attempted to stop me 3 times...holding up thier hands and waving me over. All 3 times i was at normal speed in either the middle or the lane nearest the pavement (don't tell me i can't ride in those frikkin lanes either!). I say attempted, bcos i just rode straight on and ignored the buggers. Seemed to have worked. Noone came after me or radio'd ahead. Probably too many other victims to harass.

The ignore ploy seems to work.

Any similar experiences...?

I would agree that ignoring (as in literally not seeing them at all) works when you are in your rights.

Sometimes one of them starts wawing when he sees you are not Thai but the other stay put, letting you go by

Actually I have seen a Thai guy on a bike who had jumped lights , Police tried-running and getting together-to stop them, but the guy just drove between the cops and left (I wouldn't have tried that)

On another occasion I saw an incident which went bad on Ploenchit. Some police officers stopped the traffic to make way to a VIP but you kwo how it works: they stop the traffic for 5 to 10 minutes before the VIP eventually passes before you. A guy (in his fifties) with no helmet decided to take the right lane (from Central Ploenchit to World center); the cop saw him and the only thing he found to stop him was to slap him in the face.

Unfortunately the guy lost his balance and rode directly in the coming motorcade right in the first reider's bike who was lifted in the air. The rest of the motorcade passed without stopping but I saw the person inside the car speaking on the phone and looking back at the fallen guard.

I feel for this guy who, not only must have been badly hurt (I don't know as I could not see and I am not the prying type) but must have been charged and directly sent to prison

In my experience making eye contact with a cop is like Pavlov's dogs. Once I was at a trafficlight waiting for it to turn green. There were a couple of cops not far and I smiled to one of them (actually I thought I knew him from my where I live -no it wasn't him)

The guy approacghed me and from all the 20 bikes around me he picked me. He turned around the bike twice, and eventually asked for my driving licence which I gave him. He tried to speak English to me asking me to go on the side which I refused (in Thai) demanding the reason. He started to say that my plate was illegal sizewise to which I laugh (to avoid) pointing at all the other bikes and saying it had been the first time in ten years that I had been told that (owning the bike for that lenght of time then).

He didn't appeciate my reaction but when he insisted I told him that before I followed him I would have to make a phone call (well it helps to know people too) and presented him with the name card.

Luckily the light had turned green so no more witnesses (he had lost his face which is not too good for us) so he let me off

Of course this is not the topic but I feel it adds a new perspective to it

Regarding your question about the "cycling lane" I THINK that we are not allowed to use it as it is "a cycling lane" so when there is no traffic avoid it (when there is a traffic jam, cops are not there to fine you but to ease the traffic)

On the other hand there is a lane of this kind on Sathorn, and sometimes, opposite the Australian Embassy, there are some bobbies waiting for the punters but all the motorcycles ride this lane and they are not stopped doing that.

[t.s]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Now...over the past 2 weeks the BiB have attempted to stop me 3 times...holding up thier hands and waving me over. All 3 times i was at normal speed in either the middle or the lane nearest the pavement (don't tell me i can't ride in those frikkin lanes either!). I say attempted, bcos i just rode straight on and ignored the buggers. Seemed to have worked. Noone came after me or radio'd ahead. Probably too many other victims to harass.

The ignore ploy seems to work.

Any similar experiences...?

I would agree that ignoring (as in literally not seeing them at all) works when you are in your rights.

Sometimes one of them starts wawing when he sees you are not Thai but the other stay put, letting you go by

Actually I have seen a Thai guy on a bike who had jumped lights , Police tried-running and getting together-to stop them, but the guy just drove between the cops and left (I wouldn't have tried that)

On another occasion I saw an incident which went bad on Ploenchit. Some police officers stopped the traffic to make way to a VIP but you kwo how it works: they stop the traffic for 5 to 10 minutes before the VIP eventually passes before you. A guy (in his fifties) with no helmet decided to take the right lane (from Central Ploenchit to World center); the cop saw him and the only thing he found to stop him was to slap him in the face.

Unfortunately the guy lost his balance and rode directly in the coming motorcade right in the first reider's bike who was lifted in the air. The rest of the motorcade passed without stopping but I saw the person inside the car speaking on the phone and looking back at the fallen guard.

I feel for this guy who, not only must have been badly hurt (I don't know as I could not see and I am not the prying type) but must have been charged and directly sent to prison

In my experience making eye contact with a cop is like Pavlov's dogs. Once I was at a trafficlight waiting for it to turn green. There were a couple of cops not far and I smiled to one of them (actually I thought I knew him from my where I live -no it wasn't him)

The guy approacghed me and from all the 20 bikes around me he picked me. He turned around the bike twice, and eventually asked for my driving licence which I gave him. He tried to speak English to me asking me to go on the side which I refused (in Thai) demanding the reason. He started to say that my plate was illegal sizewise to which I laugh (to avoid) pointing at all the other bikes and saying it had been the first time in ten years that I had been told that (owning the bike for that lenght of time then).

He didn't appeciate my reaction but when he insisted I told him that before I followed him I would have to make a phone call (well it helps to know people too) and presented him with the name card.

Luckily the light had turned green so no more witnesses (he had lost his face which is not too good for us) so he let me off

Of course this is not the topic but I feel it adds a new perspective to it

Regarding your question about the "cycling lane" I THINK that we are not allowed to use it as it is "a cycling lane" so when there is no traffic avoid it (when there is a traffic jam, cops are not there to fine you but to ease the traffic)

On the other hand there is a lane of this kind on Sathorn, and sometimes, opposite the Australian Embassy, there are some bobbies waiting for the punters but all the motorcycles ride this lane and they are not stopped doing that.

yet an other FOI (Farang of Influence).

I cannot imagine pulling a name card to avoid a tiny bribe. I also cannot imagine any of the people i know in a position to help being all to pleased at having their time wasted for such a trivial issue.

with all your pull it astounds me that you still have the humility to ride a bike. Perhaps you should get one of those royal crests for the fairing, so in future they know you are important without you having to go into your travelling rolodex o' names.

[mca]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?).

Any similar experiences...?

The right hand lane is supposedly for overtaking only (this message obviously hasn't reached the Chan Tour double decker bus drivers yet) which is a bit of a bastard on some sections of Mittraparp Highway where the left hand lane is what I would imagine driving over a frigging moon crate on a tea trolley to be like. Got stopped once for staying in the right lane but my wife told the police I was new in country and didn't know the law so was let of with a warning.

[onnut]

yet an other FOI (Farang of Influence).

I cannot imagine pulling a name card to avoid a tiny bribe. I also cannot imagine any of the people i know in a position to help being all to pleased at having their time wasted for such a trivial issue.

with all your pull it astounds me that you still have the humility to ride a bike. Perhaps you should get one of those royal crests for the fairing, so in future they know you are important without you having to go into your travelling rolodex o' names.

I saw you sitting on the baht yesterday. Looking very hot and bothered, no wonder you are a bitter person.

[TheGoodDoctor]

Good job just ignoring the cop who tells you to stop. Its not like you live there, will drive through there often, they will be standing there again later on, you are disrespecting them.

I have a feeling your story won't end here.

Edited October 17, 2009 by TheGoodDoctor

[daifuku1616]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Any similar experiences...?

According to taxi drivers, the left lane coming from sukhumvit is only meant for turning left into Soi 71/Pridi (Phra Kanong). So if any car or motorbike using the left lane to go straight on to Onnuch, will be waved over by the police. They usually stand in front of the market to catch you. I myself seen them there numerous times.

The taxi driver did not offer any explanation except that the left most lane is meant for turning left. Also bear in mind that if you are coming from Soi Pridi into Sukhumvit Road, the left most lane is what the Thais call (sai ter lord) meaning one can turn left as long as there's no traffic.

I suppose they don't want to create another bottleneck.

[Ducati]

guess i'll keep running away from the law. these 4 incidents were all at prakanong via a long stretch from near sukhumvit 62 to Asok ...so seems a regular 'brown' spot there.

As for disrespecting the BiB...what can i say....oooooohhh, i be shittin me pants now.

btw. seems quite a few bitter people out there in ThaiVisa land....

[RusticCharm]

 

you are disrespecting them.

What? You want us to show respect to a bunch of organised crime thugs?

Get real!

The only reason I don't give them the finger as I blast through one of their road blocks is that they're armed.

[TheGoodDoctor]

you are disrespecting them.

What? You want us to show respect to a bunch of organised crime thugs?

I don't want you to do anything. Heck, if anything, I'd want you to keep doing what you're doing in hopes that I will be sitting in my fully air conditioned vehicle and observe it all, just for the laugh.

Edited October 17, 2009 by TheGoodDoctor

[GungaDin]

Re:tj

I saw you sitting on the baht yesterday. Looking very hot and bothered, no wonder you are a bitter person.

[Deke]

Be careful if you try to run through a check point. I've seen the cops try to knock people down who were doing that.

[alyx]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Now...over the past 2 weeks the BiB have attempted to stop me 3 times...holding up thier hands and waving me over. All 3 times i was at normal speed in either the middle or the lane nearest the pavement (don't tell me i can't ride in those frikkin lanes either!). I say attempted, bcos i just rode straight on and ignored the buggers. Seemed to have worked. Noone came after me or radio'd ahead. Probably too many other victims to harass.

The ignore ploy seems to work.

Any similar experiences...?

I would agree that ignoring (as in literally not seeing them at all) works when you are in your rights.

Sometimes one of them starts wawing when he sees you are not Thai but the other stay put, letting you go by

Actually I have seen a Thai guy on a bike who had jumped lights , Police tried-running and getting together-to stop them, but the guy just drove between the cops and left (I wouldn't have tried that)

On another occasion I saw an incident which went bad on Ploenchit. Some police officers stopped the traffic to make way to a VIP but you kwo how it works: they stop the traffic for 5 to 10 minutes before the VIP eventually passes before you. A guy (in his fifties) with no helmet decided to take the right lane (from Central Ploenchit to World center); the cop saw him and the only thing he found to stop him was to slap him in the face.

Unfortunately the guy lost his balance and rode directly in the coming motorcade right in the first reider's bike who was lifted in the air. The rest of the motorcade passed without stopping but I saw the person inside the car speaking on the phone and looking back at the fallen guard.

I feel for this guy who, not only must have been badly hurt (I don't know as I could not see and I am not the prying type) but must have been charged and directly sent to prison

In my experience making eye contact with a cop is like Pavlov's dogs. Once I was at a trafficlight waiting for it to turn green. There were a couple of cops not far and I smiled to one of them (actually I thought I knew him from my where I live -no it wasn't him)

The guy approacghed me and from all the 20 bikes around me he picked me. He turned around the bike twice, and eventually asked for my driving licence which I gave him. He tried to speak English to me asking me to go on the side which I refused (in Thai) demanding the reason. He started to say that my plate was illegal sizewise to which I laugh (to avoid) pointing at all the other bikes and saying it had been the first time in ten years that I had been told that (owning the bike for that lenght of time then).

He didn't appeciate my reaction but when he insisted I told him that before I followed him I would have to make a phone call (well it helps to know people too) and presented him with the name card.

Luckily the light had turned green so no more witnesses (he had lost his face which is not too good for us) so he let me off

Of course this is not the topic but I feel it adds a new perspective to it

Regarding your question about the "cycling lane" I THINK that we are not allowed to use it as it is "a cycling lane" so when there is no traffic avoid it (when there is a traffic jam, cops are not there to fine you but to ease the traffic)

On the other hand there is a lane of this kind on Sathorn, and sometimes, opposite the Australian Embassy, there are some bobbies waiting for the punters but all the motorcycles ride this lane and they are not stopped doing that.

yet an other FOI (Farang of Influence).

I cannot imagine pulling a name card to avoid a tiny bribe. I also cannot imagine any of the people i know in a position to help being all to pleased at having their time wasted for such a trivial issue.

with all your pull it astounds me that you still have the humility to ride a bike. Perhaps you should get one of those royal crests for the fairing, so in future they know you are important without you having to go into your travelling rolodex o' names.

Oh my God

A platinum member: noone has asked you to read between the lines: the businesscard was my lawyer's; and this is correct I would not bother an influencial for such a trivial matter (but to know that you can and the other side knows it, well, it helps)

And if you read better: I was not trying to avoid any fines as I had not done anything wrong; I just don't like being pulled because it is a farnag's day (I use this word because yopu mentionned it)

Regarding the remark about my humiltiy riding a bike.....you haven't seen it (anything but humility in it ), it beats the traffic and of course maybe it is not the only vehicle I have

Another thing:you are saying "with all your pull". Maybe you have read my answer several times (in order, maybe, to understand it) giving you the impression I had been talking about my experiences all along; read it again I only talked about one experience

I wouldn't go for a Royal crest as I am certainly not allowed to (but you seem to have long sleeves so..) but any country club (important that is) will do at the front of the car

Last but not least you have answered nothing regarding the content of the original message

So thank you for passing by

[alyx]

And Onnut and TS read this again (which was more important).

On another occasion I saw an incident which went bad on Ploenchit. Some police officers stopped the traffic to make way to a VIP but you kwo how it works: they stop the traffic for 5 to 10 minutes before the VIP eventually passes before you. A guy (in his fifties) with no helmet decided to take the right lane (from Central Ploenchit to World center); the cop saw him and the only thing he found to stop him was to slap him in the face.

Unfortunately the guy lost his balance and rode directly in the coming motorcade right in the first reider's bike who was lifted in the air. The rest of the motorcade passed without stopping but I saw the person inside the car speaking on the phone and looking back at the fallen guard.

I feel for this guy who, not only must have been badly hurt (I don't know as I could not see and I am not the prying type) but must have been charged and directly sent to prison

[onnut]

Alyx, I read it the first time thank you. I have lived here long enough to not be shocked by something as shocking as that.

That is if it is true of course!!!

I replied to T.js post because I thought he was mocking your post, and mocking you for riding a bike. I don't know who you are And I do not care but I thought he was being unfair to you. That will be the last time I stand up for someone on Thai Visa.

Edited October 17, 2009 by onnut

[alyx]

First of all I do apologise but...as I read your post the first time I did not see the "quote" (which is only at the end of the sentence) and took everything for me including the 'I saw you..bitter"

As you may have noticed the first answer was aimed at T.S, and it is only when I had posted that I saw yours and, obviously, I wasn't going to read the same thing again + another sentence (usually the quote is in blue and the actual post in black)

So I hope you believe me when I say that my mistake was genuine and thank you for pointing out your post (next time I will read more thoroughly)

And thank you for standing for me and any other posters

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

I have personally witnessed police force a motorcycle rider to "stop" after said rider bypassed a small two man BIB blockade. I seriously doubt he survived after slamming sideways on into a stationary truck at 80 km/h.... still , as they say, "som nam naa". why didn't he chose to stop?

Maybe he didn't have 200 bhat on him.

[powderpuff]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Now...over the past 2 weeks the BiB have attempted to stop me 3 times...holding up thier hands and waving me over. All 3 times i was at normal speed in either the middle or the lane nearest the pavement (don't tell me i can't ride in those frikkin lanes either!). I say attempted, bcos i just rode straight on and ignored the buggers. Seemed to have worked. Noone came after me or radio'd ahead. Probably too many other victims to harass.

The ignore ploy seems to work.

Any similar experiences...?

You not worried they are gonna take down your plate number? I stop.

[tlcwaterfall]

Good job just ignoring the cop who tells you to stop. Its not like you live there, will drive through there often, they will be standing there again later on, you are disrespecting them.

I have a feeling your story won't end here.

Good point. And what would you do in his situation? Pay the corrupt cop/cops or is there a better way of dealing with this situation?

Maybe stop. pay the fine and if you think it is wrong get the badge numbers of relevant cops and report them. Would this work?

[TheGoodDoctor]

I wouldn't go for a Royal crest as I am certainly not allowed to (but you seem to have long sleeves so..) but any country club (important that is) will do at the front of the car

I thought you said you were on a motorcycle. Which important country club are you a member of?

[TheGoodDoctor]

Good job just ignoring the cop who tells you to stop. Its not like you live there, will drive through there often, they will be standing there again later on, you are disrespecting them.

I have a feeling your story won't end here.

Good point. And what would you do in his situation? Pay the corrupt cop/cops or is there a better way of dealing with this situation?

Maybe stop. pay the fine and if you think it is wrong get the badge numbers of relevant cops and report them. Would this work?

Well, first you should learn the traffic rules and be prepared to be ticketed when you break them.

As for what I'd do, I can't imagine Id get worked up over 200 baht.

[Ducati]

I'm personally not planning to run thru any roadblock in a dukes of hazzard reenactment.....and the odd 200 baht here and there is fine....but when the BiB try to pull that stunt another 3 times in 2 weeks...and i might add that those were the ONLY three times i ventured out...that does make me a little pissed and therefore my choosing to ignore boss hog and his BiB's.

If it was 3 times over a month's worth of daily riding, that's perhaps annoying but tolerable.....but when it's 3 times and only those 3 times i have ridden...that's a little too much!

BTW, The latter 3 times i thought i was riding legally...but i just discovered researching last night that it is apparently illegal to have a tinted visor (according to posts on Thai Visa)...if true, that might just be what the BiB are trying to pull me over for. Might explain it...doh.

Better make a trip to Paddock to get that visor changed back to clear.

[alyx]

I wouldn't go for a Royal crest as I am certainly not allowed to (but you seem to have long sleeves so..) but any country club (important that is) will do at the front of the car

I thought you said you were on a motorcycle. Which important country club are you a member of?

hey

In the same post I also said that it was not my only vehicle

As for the part of the club: it was just to answer the idotic comment of some platinum members

Well, sorry , I am not that well off

[alyx]

So...on the new bike 2 weeks ago down Sukhumvit and pulled over by the BiB in the 'fast' lane near Prakanong. Told me i could not ride in that lane...(is that true?)...anyway to avoid a trip down to the cop shop to collect my license i handed over 100 baht.

Now...over the past 2 weeks the BiB have attempted to stop me 3 times...holding up thier hands and waving me over. All 3 times i was at normal speed in either the middle or the lane nearest the pavement (don't tell me i can't ride in those frikkin lanes either!). I say attempted, bcos i just rode straight on and ignored the buggers. Seemed to have worked. Noone came after me or radio'd ahead. Probably too many other victims to harass.

The ignore ploy seems to work.

Any similar experiences...?

You not worried they are gonna take down your plate number? I stop.

They do not seem to be doing that but since there are CCTV drivers seem to be more careful when they are driving. Sometimes a driver (car) has tried to ignore and drives off but the cop gets on his bike and... you know...traffic

[onnut]

First of all I do apologise but...as I read your post the first time I did not see the "quote" (which is only at the end of the sentence) and took everything for me including the 'I saw you..bitter"

As you may have noticed the first answer was aimed at T.S, and it is only when I had posted that I saw yours and, obviously, I wasn't going to read the same thing again + another sentence (usually the quote is in blue and the actual post in black)

So I hope you believe me when I say that my mistake was genuine and thank you for pointing out your post (next time I will read more thoroughly)

And thank you for standing for me and any other posters

all is forgiven

[RusticCharm]

you are disrespecting them.

What? You want us to show respect to a bunch of organised crime thugs?

I don't want you to do anything. 

Rhetorical question, dummy. 

[alyx]

First of all I do apologise but...as I read your post the first time I did not see the "quote" (which is only at the end of the sentence) and took everything for me including the 'I saw you..bitter"

As you may have noticed the first answer was aimed at T.S, and it is only when I had posted that I saw yours and, obviously, I wasn't going to read the same thing again + another sentence (usually the quote is in blue and the actual post in black)

So I hope you believe me when I say that my mistake was genuine and thank you for pointing out your post (next time I will read more thoroughly)

And thank you for standing for me and any other posters

all is forgiven

I appreciate