What Crazy Reasons Have The Bib Pulled You Over For?

[SantiSuk]

Maybe its just me but are the BIB getting more and more zealous by the day in working over the motorist for tea money?

Drove to Bangkok from Ubon province the other day and between Surin and Burilam on Highway 24 there were no less than 6 roadblocks in about 250 kiloms. I got done on the first for my usual 200 baht (sometimes they will accept half that) for 126 kph - fair cop. Of course all the road blocks were on safe open stretches of two lanes each way. Easy pickings.

On the way back there were only 4 road blocks eastbound and I knew I was doing only 100 kph 'cos I set it on the crusie control of my newly acquired car (hence the low speed). So why is this lone BIB putting his hand up on an open four lane road with no other vehicle in sight - 'driving in the right lane when there is nothing in the left lane mister'!!

Strewth, every Isaan pick-up does that, and at typically a more dangerous 40kph. On the one hand I was quite pleased that it must actually be against the law to use the right hand lane other than for overtaking, since I'm always cursing the slow hoggers in the fast lane and Brits are generally lane-conscious. On the other hand I was incensed to be caught out doing what the Thais do - I must have been here too long. Congrats to the BIB for creative thinking?

Has anyone been similarly booked for that? Or maybe something even crazier?

[Spoonman]

yup, right hand lane travelling bout 40 times in the last 3 yrs.....it shits me !!!

[samran]

it is illegal apparently. If I'm out of BKK and driving in the right lane, I always keep my right indicator on to show I'm overtaking something.

Don't worry, they do pull over thai's for it too. Driving to Rayong a few weeks ago the car behind be was stopped at the road block...I sailed right through....

[thaimate]

In 4 years have been stopped 3 times ,always my fault ,have never been asked for a bribe--Whats wrong with me?

[Geekfreaklover]

I've been pulled over for the lane thing many times.

The strangest one however was being pulled over for driving at daytime with low-beam lights on.

[soundman]

There are always more road blocks early in the month rather than in the middle or close to the end of the month = monthly pay day.

............................

I have been stopped for most conceivable reasons, however, the one that takes the cake was getting stopped around 5.00pm on a Friday afternoon on a secondary road in the middle of Nakon Nowhere. I knew I hadn't done anything wrong, so asked the police officer what the hel_l he was booking me for.

He replied: "Nothing - just want money to buy whisky!"

[Daewoo]

He replied: "Nothing - just want money to buy whisky!"

and still we will soon have all the GOMs on here saying there are no honest cops in Thailand

Daewoo

[changnaam]

Yeah I got done for the right hand lane thing too.... funny thing was I only moved out into the right lane after they came into view and there was a 20 wheeler that had just been booked pulling out so my only option rather than drive straight through a multi tonne truck was to move into the right lane...

<deleted>

[Briggsy]

Licence plate - not the standard size or shape. Despite it being a completely bona fide licence plate produced and embossed by the Ministry of Transport.

Pulled up 5 or 6 times in the space of 3 months 4 years ago; must have been a bizarre crackdown.

[monty]

Licence plate - not the standard size or shape. Despite it being a completely bona fide licence plate produced and embossed by the Ministry of Transport.

Pulled up 5 or 6 times in the space of 3 months 4 years ago; must have been a bizarre crackdown.

Had the same one. Completely genuine license plate, yet the copper insisted it was the "wrong size".

Most creative cop, after trying to get me for something but could not find anything at fault, came up with less then 3 mm thread on one of my tires. Visual check as well as he had no measuring tools...

Also almost got fined for having our business name on our mini-van (sticker on the back window) and not having proof of having paid "advertising" tax. Might exist but I for one never heard of it, nor would I know where to go and pay it!

All of the above highway police. Regular Pattaya police only fined me for genuine offenses, and only with a real ticket to be paid at the police station.

[Digitalbanana]

I've been pulled over twice in as many months in Bangkok for myself or wife not wearing a seat belt when each time we were. Second time the cop suggested I had quickly put it on before I opened the window. Lots of talk and on my way with just the inconvenience of having my time wasted by the bib.

[SantiSuk]

Licence plate - not the standard size or shape. Despite it being a completely bona fide licence plate produced and embossed by the Ministry of Transport.

Pulled up 5 or 6 times in the space of 3 months 4 years ago; must have been a bizarre crackdown.

Had the same one. Completely genuine license plate, yet the copper insisted it was the "wrong size".

Most creative cop, after trying to get me for something but could not find anything at fault, came up with less then 3 mm thread on one of my tires. Visual check as well as he had no measuring tools...

Also almost got fined for having our business name on our mini-van (sticker on the back window) and not having proof of having paid "advertising" tax. Might exist but I for one never heard of it, nor would I know where to go and pay it!

All of the above highway police. Regular Pattaya police only fined me for genuine offenses, and only with a real ticket to be paid at the police station.

I can validate your Pattaya comment. Its the only place I've been stopped where the BIB confiscated my bike and sent me to the copshop to pay the legitimate fine. Absolutely no body language suggesting tea money would be fine - quite the reverse, very officious. Perhaps the Pattaya expats should recognise that their brownies aren't quite as corrupt as they are made out to be.

[bangkokeddy]

On the way to Surin I got fined because there was beer dripping out the back of my pickup. My drunken builder had fallen asleep in the back and the bottle had fallen over. Beer constitutes a hazard on the highway. I hid my wallet and said I had no money, offered the copper 70 baht. He leaned in took the money and twisted my nipple. I haven't taken that road again.

[Briggsy]

On the way to Surin I got fined because there was beer dripping out the back of my pickup. My drunken builder had fallen asleep in the back and the bottle had fallen over. Beer constitutes a hazard on the highway. I hid my wallet and said I had no money, offered the copper 70 baht. He leaned in took the money and twisted my nipple. I haven't taken that road again.

I take it you are male!

[neverdie]

Yeah the old right hand lane scam that they continually try to hit people up with. I was a wake up to that one years ago.

One day Im riding along in the left hand lane & I want to complete a U-turn at the next U-turn about 100 metres away, I see the BIB up ahead about 50 metres, put my right hand indicator on and move thru a break in the traffic to do my U-turn. As I approach the U-turn the BIB frantically wave me to the LHS of the road. I stop, produce licence & bike papers and enquire, "Whats up". He commences to give me the RHL speil & I inform him that Im doing a U-turn, his reply, "Cannot", I say, "Why not" and he points to the U-turn sign provided at the U-turn and instructs me the writing under the letter 'U' states that motorcycles cannot do a u-turn at that location. I then read to him from the sign in thai, "Vehicles over 6 metre cannot U-turn". His reply, "Ohh, they changed the sign" ......sure they did Anyway, officer then stops all vehicular traffic so I can complete my U-turn and be on my way .....see ya next time.

Section 34 of the Traffic regulations actually states:

If the road is divided into two or more traffic lanes in the same direction, the driver shall keep to the outermost left-hand side lane. If the outermost left-hand side lane is a bus lane, the driver shall keep close to the bus lane, except in the following situations:-

a.) there is an obstruction on the road,

b.) the road is prescribed as one-way,

c.) it is necessary to enter the correct lane upon approaching a junction (intersection),

d.) when overtaking another vehicle

e.) when driving faster than vehicles in the left-hand side lane.

Ive never actually been booked for that scam

[Curt1591]

On a bike, the left lane is mandatory.

A variation of the "wrong size" scam is the "illegal" white frames that are so popular now. My mother-in-law got nicked for it.

[SantiSuk]

Coming from a country where the police are still respected (outside the big cities), when I first met my wife I was surprised by the vehemence of her and her friends disrespect, bordering on hatred, of the Thai police.

Now I understand entirely. Their behavior towards motorists (even more towards motorcyclists) is a cancer that rots the fabric of a critical national institution. I guess its just too big and too dangerous an issue for one politician to take on, notwithstanding how popular that would make the politician.

My experience of the BIB off-road is quite the contrary. They dealt with a robbery with great courtesy, speed and effectiveness - although that's a sample of one only.

[soihok]

Had the right hand lane fine also.

Got stopped for carrying a Farang in the back of the pick up near Sikhu, luckily had a couple of Thais in the motor so lots of smiling and banter and he let us go, still with my Farang friend in the back.

More of an advert than an offence.

[neverdie]

On a bike, the left lane is mandatory.

Absolute rubbish. Thats what they want you to think. If the left hand lane is mandatory on a bike, how is a bike suppose to execute a right hand turn at an intersection? If there is an obstruction in the left hand lane then the bike has just as many rights to use the next lane available to get around the obstruction, as in the rules I posted above.

[teddy_bare]

Get a on board camera, pays for itself in no time and provides me with personal enjoyment of not having to further corruption. The look on their faces is priceless.

[Curt1591]

On a bike, the left lane is mandatory.

Absolute rubbish. Thats what they want you to think. If the left hand lane is mandatory on a bike, how is a bike suppose to execute a right hand turn at an intersection? If there is an obstruction in the left hand lane then the bike has just as many rights to use the next lane available to get around the obstruction, as in the rules I posted above.

OK; the left lane is mandatory, except to pass and turn right. Although this is true for all traffic, motorcycles will get pulled over.

Yes, there is always the debate as to how near the right turn one is before merging!

[finner]

Just made this same reply in another post but thought it would be worth repeating here

I drive back and forth from Sattahip to Surin about once a week in a pickup (speed limit 90). I get stopped 3-4 times every trip (7 times once) but since I don't drive over the speed limit they always get me for driving in the wrong lane which I also never do. I got so tired of paying these jerkoffs that I finally said NO MORE and argued with them till they let me go. They always tell me that if I don't like paying fines, "go back to my country". Only paid once when I had the old girl with me and didn't even know it till she told me later that she had slipped him B100 when I wasn't looking. So I've paid only once since I rebelled in over 100 times being stopped.

BTW, they always seem to stop me just before their lunch time............

[LuckyFive8888]

driving on the right lane in a curve although is 2 lanes.

[zzaa09]

Ridding ourselves of the petty BIB graft and corruption. As a collective force we have power, that's only if we remain unified. Teamoney extension should be ignored. Just say no. This applies to all residents and tavellers, alike. Thai, Farang, whomever......the only way such authoritarian criminal activity will cease is to collectively refuse to play their game. Don't rely on legal and judicial systems to work for you, because they come under the same brotherhood. People {as a unified collective} have to take their rights back. If enough folks told these cheating buggers to go f*** themselves........

[KhaoNiaw]

Thai Rath does not believe that travelling in the right-hand lane is illegal on roads where there is a physical division between the traffic directions.

Edited November 14, 2009 by KhaoNiaw

[Thaifan2]

Have been driving in Thailand for 2 years and never got stopped .Then last week got stopped twice in the same day on a visit to Bangkok .

First got stopped on Sukhumvit for no seat belt .Fine B400 ,to be paid at a road side stall .

Next got stopped at the first toll booth at Bang Na ,on the Bkk to Chonbury raised expressway .When you drive up the ramp there is about 1 km drive till you reach the toll booth .I was doing 100 km/hour ,and was told the limit is 90 km before the toll booth .My TGF pleaded with him that i did not know and anyway we had just paid another fine 30 min before .The policeman was laughing and joking and let us go without paying a fine .Some of the BIB are OK .

[Stumbo]

OK, so I pull up at a 4 way intersection in Chiang Mai with the intention of going straight ahead. When there is a break in the traffic I proceed. On the other side a police sergeant pulls me over for NOT using my hazard lights when going straight ahead. Asking him why they are called hazard lights to no avail nor suggesting that if neither of my indicators was on wouldn't it be obvious which way I was going. Didn't get fined but left me bewildered.

[johng]

Yesterday I was fined 200 baht for having a Xenon headlight that was

" to bright and not the same colour as other bikes "

[ArthurPewty]

I was stopped for not being Thai in an all Thai zone. He got me, bang to rights!

[onnut]

Have been driving in Thailand for 2 years and never got stopped .Then last week got stopped twice in the same day on a visit to Bangkok .

First got stopped on Sukhumvit for no seat belt .Fine B400 ,to be paid at a road side stall .

Next got stopped at the first toll booth at Bang Na ,on the Bkk to Chonbury raised expressway .When you drive up the ramp there is about 1 km drive till you reach the toll booth .I was doing 100 km/hour ,and was told the limit is 90 km before the toll booth .My TGF pleaded with him that i did not know and anyway we had just paid another fine 30 min before .The policeman was laughing and joking and let us go without paying a fine .Some of the BIB are OK .

I get pulled in all the time at that tollway. And many times I do not speed as I guess they will be there, but still get pulled in. Now I drive under the motorway and come up at the next toll gates.

I don't mind paying fines or getting tickets if I do something wrong, but really hate it when it's all bullshite. Many thai cops are <deleted> and I can't stand them. I do know a couple of good ones but then thinking about it, they come in for free food and drink everyday AND I still have to pay them every month. Yep, they are all <deleted>.