New Pedestrian Crossings

[chickenslegs]

I have been very surprised to see traffic stopping at the red pedestrian lights on Tai, 2nd Road and Beach Road. It's very encouraging.

I drove the route several times yesterday and today, and also used the crossing outside the RGP as a pedestrian.

Unfortunately, many pedestrians are still not bothering to use the crossings. Several times I saw people crossing the road within just a few yards of the proper place. Maybe some barriers would help.

Another thing, in some places the lights are set to allow 30 seconds or more for pedestrians to cross over. Some locations may require this (maybe the busier parts of Beach Road) but, in most cases 10-15 seconds would be quite sufficient.

If motorists are continually forced to sit for 20+ seconds while nobody is using the crossing, they will soon learn to ignore the red light.

In the UK this type of crossing has red (stop), green (go) and flashing amber (pedestrians have priority but vehicles can go if there are none). During the flashing amber stage pedestrians may continue, if already on the crossing).

Thai motorists are already familiar with the flashing amber signal (caution), so it wouldn't take long to educate them.

IMHO.

Edited November 16, 2010 by chickenslegs

[tropo]

I have been very surprised to see traffic stopping at the red pedestrian lights on Tai, 2nd Road and Beach Road. It's very encouraging.

I drove the route several times yesterday and today, and also used the crossing outside the RGP as a pedestrian.

Unfortunately, many pedestrians are still not bothering to use the crossings. Several times I saw people crossing the road within just a few yards of the proper place. Maybe some barriers would help.

Another thing, in some places the lights are set to allow 30 seconds or more for pedestrians to cross over. Some locations may require this (maybe the busier parts of Beach Road) but, in most cases 10-15 seconds would be quite sufficient.

If motorists are continually forced to sit for 20+ seconds while nobody is using the crossing, they will soon learn to ignore the red light.

In the UK this type of crossing has red (stop), green (go) and flashing amber (pedestrians have priority but vehicles can go if there are none). During the flashing amber stage pedestrians may continue, if already on the crossing).

Thai motorists are already familiar with the flashing amber signal (caution), so it wouldn't take long to educate them.

IMHO.

Making pedestrians use crossings is impossible unless you take steps to prevent them from crossing elsewhere. You'll need barriers and/or heavy jaywalking penalties. I don't think either of these methods would work here.

Personally I wouldn't use the lights to cross any streets here as I don't have any problems crossing the roads and wouldn't make the extra effort, but some people such as PattayaParent would find them a Godsend.

[PattayaParent]

Making pedestrians use crossings is impossible unless you take steps to prevent them from crossing elsewhere. You'll need barriers and/or heavy jaywalking penalties. I don't think either of these methods would work here.

Personally I wouldn't use the lights to cross any streets here as I don't have any problems crossing the roads and wouldn't make the extra effort, but some people such as PattayaParent would find them a Godsend.

I wouldn't need to use them, if I want to get to the other side of the road I just get back in my car and drive over and park on the other side.

It's much safer.

[tropo]

Making pedestrians use crossings is impossible unless you take steps to prevent them from crossing elsewhere. You'll need barriers and/or heavy jaywalking penalties. I don't think either of these methods would work here.

Personally I wouldn't use the lights to cross any streets here as I don't have any problems crossing the roads and wouldn't make the extra effort, but some people such as PattayaParent would find them a Godsend.

I wouldn't need to use them, if I want to get to the other side of the road I just get back in my car and drive over and park on the other side.

It's much safer.

How do you manage to park on Beach Road and 2nd Road? You must have some mad skills or a bulldozer...it's hard enough to find a park for a scooter.

[LennyW]

I wouldn't need to use them, if I want to get to the other side of the road I just get back in my car and drive over and park on the other side.

It's much safer.

Or catch a Baht Bus at one side and get off when he swerves across to the other side - 10 Baht to cross in (relative) safety!!

[RabC]

Been on second and beach road and the lights in and around RGP all had crossing guards, who were enforcing the red lights, worked quite well. However 200m around the corner on to pattaya tai outside the school/ temple no one paying any notice to the lights and constantly running the red light...........

[alstaxi]

Wow that remind me of the last time i had to call the italian embassy to fix an appointment for getting a visa, the staff i had to deal with were all Thais and more or less it went like this:

Me: " hello i need to get a Visa before the 15th as i got a ticket to fly out for that date"

Embassy: " ok Sil, let me see, we have time on the 20th, do you want to come that date?"

Me: " Sorry i think we are having a communication problem here, maybe i didn't explain myself properly, let me try again, i already booked a flight so for the 15th, so i need to get a visa before that date"

Embassy: " ok i undelstand Sil, do you want to come the 19th? "

Me: " ciao"

A mate of mine had exactly the same conversation with the British Embassy.

But it's got nothing to do with pedestrian crossings has it?

Perhaps there was a pedestrian crossing in front of the embassy?

My favourite crossing is at Mikes Mall. there is a soup cart set up at the curb, blocking the whole thing,only in Pattaya.

[farangpattaya]

The fact that there are pedestrian crossings is ok, but I wonder who has decided where to put them.

Just to mention 2 locations:

- Pattaya Klaang between Foodland and Wattana Computer Shop; why on earth is there a pedestrian crossing?

- 2nd Road approx. 200 meters from the main entrance of Central Pattaya Beach; who will ever use this crossing?

Wouldn't it be better to elevate the pedestrians-crossings/zebra's with 20 cm; in this way cars must slow down and pedestrians have the chance to cross.

Approx. cost per crossing THB 200,000 instead of THB 3mn now.

[PattayaParent]

The fact that there are pedestrian crossings is ok, but I wonder who has decided where to put them.

Just to mention 2 locations:

- Pattaya Klaang between Foodland and Wattana Computer Shop; why on earth is there a pedestrian crossing?

- 2nd Road approx. 200 meters from the main entrance of Central Pattaya Beach; who will ever use this crossing?

Wouldn't it be better to elevate the pedestrians-crossings/zebra's with 20 cm; in this way cars must slow down and pedestrians have the chance to cross.

Approx. cost per crossing THB 200,000 instead of THB 3mn now.

So all the Farangs shopping in Foodland can nip over the road to do some computer shopping too.

[tropo]

Wouldn't it be better to elevate the pedestrians-crossings/zebra's with 20 cm; in this way cars must slow down and pedestrians have the chance to cross.

Approx. cost per crossing THB 200,000 instead of THB 3mn now.

You failed to take into consideration one important fact. In order for a pedestrian to safely cross a road the cars need to stop, not just slow down.

[manarak]

Your post contradicts itself - the rules were made for people with defective brains, who are the people causing most accidents:

- speed to high for the situation (depending on the situation, while 50 KpH can be too much in a city, I think 300 KpH is OK on an empty German Autobahn)

- overtaking without visibility

- safety distance not kept (idiots who are 2 meters behind you at 100 KpH)

- wanting to impress someone

...

I would agree with your aspiration to let computers drive, my prerequisite would be that they should drive at least as fast as a good driver.

Road safety advice from a person who believes 300 Km/h is ok on an empty German Autobahn?

300 km/h is never safe no matter where you're driving,.

True! It is not safe, it is only in the area of "acceptable risk".

There are large chunks of many german highways which are very wide, very straight and very flat. With the proper driver, proper vehicle, ok weather and no traffic (sometimes I pass there at 4am), 300 KpH are as safe as 90 KpH on a motorcycle in heavy traffic.

There are always a lot of factors to consider, but a large part of drivers cannot compute that much factors in a short time in order to take a rational decision on their risk taking.

Therefore, simplistic rules are put into place, and simplistic principles taught.

Let's hope the automated cars become a reality, and that they will be able to speed up to 300!

[tropo]

Your post contradicts itself - the rules were made for people with defective brains, who are the people causing most accidents:

- speed to high for the situation (depending on the situation, while 50 KpH can be too much in a city, I think 300 KpH is OK on an empty German Autobahn)

- overtaking without visibility

- safety distance not kept (idiots who are 2 meters behind you at 100 KpH)

- wanting to impress someone

...

I would agree with your aspiration to let computers drive, my prerequisite would be that they should drive at least as fast as a good driver.

Road safety advice from a person who believes 300 Km/h is ok on an empty German Autobahn?

300 km/h is never safe no matter where you're driving,.

True! It is not safe, it is only in the area of "acceptable risk".

There are large chunks of many german highways which are very wide, very straight and very flat. With the proper driver, proper vehicle, ok weather and no traffic (sometimes I pass there at 4am), 300 KpH are as safe as 90 KpH on a motorcycle in heavy traffic.

There are always a lot of factors to consider, but a large part of drivers cannot compute that much factors in a short time in order to take a rational decision on their risk taking.

Therefore, simplistic rules are put into place, and simplistic principles taught.

Let's hope the automated cars become a reality, and that they will be able to speed up to 300!

Personally I think 90 km/h in heavy traffic is far safer than 300 km/h on an isolated road. Speeding on isolated roads is one of the most dangerous activities of all. In traffic the senses are stimulated and on high alert whereas at high speed on open roads drivers go into a hypotic state. At high speed, any quick movement of the wheel and driver is history. The modern supercars are too comfortable and quiet and one easily loses sense of speed.

[cardholder]

It was like a flag waver's conference yesterday at those crossings !

Not sure if it turned out to be an effective road safety tactic, or the start of a Boy Scout jamboree.

[harrycallahan]

Looking at that video it would actually be dangerous if a driver did stop because the herd behind them would keep going and clean them up.

BTW there is a public education campaign going on too there are billboarded trailors going around and audio telling them to stop at a red light. It's all so hard and complicated.

[gk10002000]

Just curious if anybody can post a copy of the Thai Driver's Manual? This is of course assuming that Thais actually have to pass some sort of driver's exam or that the drive's licences are ever obtained.

Unfortunately, the nature of 2nd road and all the little shops is that it evolved from a walking road. People just wander up and down and across side to side as they need. The idea of traffic flow, stopping and going is really foreign to them. I can picture the innerds of the Thai drive going down the street and then having to stop at a redlight when there are no pedestrians in the road. Non sequiter. I think the same thing sometimes in the states when late at night I come to an intersection that has a redlight and there isn't any traffic coming for miles.

[PattayaParent]

I had occassion to use the new crossing on Third Road tonight, the one just by The Village, as there was too much traffic too pull a uey.

I had to walk back about 20 metres from where I'd parked to get to the crossing but I thought the extra effort was worth it to be safe and to check out the functioning of these new lights.

As there were no crossing guards I had to push the button myself which was a bit of an effort as it was a couple of foot above my head height, but on the third jump I managed to hit the button and the counter on the other side of the crossing started to count down from 10 before the traffic lights changed to red and the vehicles stopped at the red light. Well, except for the motocy that was driving on the wrong side of the road but as we all know, in Thailand you don't have to obey ANY traffic rules if you're already breaking ONE of them.

The crossing lights (with sound) gave me 15 seconds to cross which was easily accomplished and the stopped traffic was on it's way before I'd even looked back over my shoulder to check.

The return journey was much the same, button too high, 10 seconds to wait before crossing, but this time a few motocy and 1 car didn't stop, and 15 seconds to cross.

Safely back on the other side I noticed a big banner in English telling pedestirans to push the button and motorists to stop at the light and wondered why the sign would need to be in English, surely Thai would have been more appropriate?

[manarak]

Your post contradicts itself - the rules were made for people with defective brains, who are the people causing most accidents:

- speed to high for the situation (depending on the situation, while 50 KpH can be too much in a city, I think 300 KpH is OK on an empty German Autobahn)

- overtaking without visibility

- safety distance not kept (idiots who are 2 meters behind you at 100 KpH)

- wanting to impress someone

...

I would agree with your aspiration to let computers drive, my prerequisite would be that they should drive at least as fast as a good driver.

Road safety advice from a person who believes 300 Km/h is ok on an empty German Autobahn?

300 km/h is never safe no matter where you're driving,.

True! It is not safe, it is only in the area of "acceptable risk".

There are large chunks of many german highways which are very wide, very straight and very flat. With the proper driver, proper vehicle, ok weather and no traffic (sometimes I pass there at 4am), 300 KpH are as safe as 90 KpH on a motorcycle in heavy traffic.

There are always a lot of factors to consider, but a large part of drivers cannot compute that much factors in a short time in order to take a rational decision on their risk taking.

Therefore, simplistic rules are put into place, and simplistic principles taught.

Let's hope the automated cars become a reality, and that they will be able to speed up to 300!

Personally I think 90 km/h in heavy traffic is far safer than 300 km/h on an isolated road. Speeding on isolated roads is one of the most dangerous activities of all. In traffic the senses are stimulated and on high alert whereas at high speed on open roads drivers go into a hypotic state. At high speed, any quick movement of the wheel and driver is history. The modern supercars are too comfortable and quiet and one easily loses sense of speed.

are you a driver, and if yes, what are you driving?

[manarak]

It's human nature - why stop when there is clearly nothing to stop for except an arbitrary red light?

In most countries you don't have a choice. You stop on red no matter what your "human nature" tells you or get a fine.

Leaving these things up to "human nature" is lethal.

ummm... do you know anybody who got out of that "Life" thing alive?

[tropo]

are you a driver, and if yes, what are you driving?

Ferrari 599 GTO.

Edited November 20, 2010 by tropo

[PattayaDavid]

I was driving down beach road yesterday and observed that the crosswalks were functional and were attended by crossing guards to ensure that vehicles stopped before assisting pedestrians in crossing the road, however once the pedestrians had crossed, the crossing guard started waving for the cars to proceed even though the light was still red; a bad precedence in my opinion.

[ricklev]

Expecting Thai drivers to stay stopped after the pedestrians have crossed is hopeless.

However, as in Chiang Mai and in the pedestrian crossings at Khao San Road, they will stop (usually) with a red light and when they see a pedestrian in the zebra area. That's a great thing compared to what it used to be like trying to cross.

I doubt that its very much more dangerous now for tourists who don't understand the system than it was when they were trying to cross a busy street with no light.

[cardholder]

I had occassion to use the new crossing on Third Road tonight, the one just by The Village, as there was too much traffic too pull a uey.

I had to walk back about 20 metres from where I'd parked to get to the crossing but I thought the extra effort was worth it to be safe and to check out the functioning of these new lights.

As there were no crossing guards I had to push the button myself which was a bit of an effort as it was a couple of foot above my head height, but on the third jump I managed to hit the button and the counter on the other side of the crossing started to count down from 10 before the traffic lights changed to red and the vehicles stopped at the red light. Well, except for the motocy that was driving on the wrong side of the road but as we all know, in Thailand you don't have to obey ANY traffic rules if you're already breaking ONE of them.

The crossing lights (with sound) gave me 15 seconds to cross which was easily accomplished and the stopped traffic was on it's way before I'd even looked back over my shoulder to check.

The return journey was much the same, button too high, 10 seconds to wait before crossing, but this time a few motocy and 1 car didn't stop, and 15 seconds to cross.

Safely back on the other side I noticed a big banner in English telling pedestirans to push the button and motorists to stop at the light and wondered why the sign would need to be in English, surely Thai would have been more appropriate?

If Maigo6 was still around he would tell you that all the bad drivers are Farangs masquerading as Thais

[PattayaParent]

Safely back on the other side I noticed a big banner in English telling pedestirans to push the button and motorists to stop at the light and wondered why the sign would need to be in English, surely Thai would have been more appropriate?

If Maigo6 was still around he would tell you that all the bad drivers are Farangs masquerading as Thais

I noticed on my travels today that there are quite a few signs around town in Thai also.

Now if only they could educate the masses to read as there were many Thais ANDFarangs crossing the road within 10 metres of the crossings without even bothering to use them. One couple were actually attempting to use a crossing without pushing the button which was a couple of feet above their eye level so they probably didn't even notice it I suppose.

[midas]

So i wonder what happened on beach road today ?

Not a single light working - not even flashing orange - just blackness everywhere

And not a SINGLE crossing attendant to be seen either .....

The other day we had TWO attendants per crossing and they

were stopping the traffic no matter what colour the light was

but today it looks like everything has been abandoned ????

One would have thought that without lights at least one

attendant per crossing would have been less confusing

for the tourists ??

[Tokay]

I watched an older falang get cliped by a speeding baht bus a few days ago in front of Royal Garden. Red light, he walks out and several bikes and a speeding baht bus flew through, the bus clipping the guy and knocking him down. He almost got hit by another car running the light while he was on the ground. Just crazy. I could only think if he was a parent holding a baby or something, there is no telling where the baby would have rolled.

These lights will eventually cause a causality.

[Jingthing]

Currently, it definitely is safer for pedestrians to "jaywalk" rather than to be so foolish as to trust the driving public here to stop at these crossing lights. That is, when they work, and when they work in a reasonable amount of time, which in my limited experience, isn't much. (In my experience they either don't work or take something like five minutes to engage ... too long). You can't expect pedestrians to risk their lives for this social experiment (likely some kind of money deal for some people).

Edited November 21, 2010 by Jingthing

[PattayaParent]

So i wonder what happened on beach road today ?

Not a single light working - not even flashing orange - just blackness everywhere

And not a SINGLE crossing attendant to be seen either .....

The other day we had TWO attendants per crossing and they

were stopping the traffic no matter what colour the light was

but today it looks like everything has been abandoned ????

One would have thought that without lights at least one

attendant per crossing would have been less confusing

for the tourists ??

They were all working fine around 1pmiss as I drove the length of Beach Road after lunch.

Maybe the crossing guards turned them off when they went for lunch?

[Rimmer]

Inflammatory post removed from view

[midas]

So i wonder what happened on beach road today ?

Not a single light working - not even flashing orange - just blackness everywhere

And not a SINGLE crossing attendant to be seen either .....

The other day we had TWO attendants per crossing and they

were stopping the traffic no matter what colour the light was

but today it looks like everything has been abandoned ????

One would have thought that without lights at least one

attendant per crossing would have been less confusing

for the tourists ??

They were all working fine around 1pmiss as I drove the length of Beach Road after lunch.

Maybe the crossing guards turned them off when they went for lunch?

Oh yes.......quite possible !

But i do hope they abandon this " quaint " Thai habit after their nuclear

power station is eventually charged up

[Jingthing]

I have noticed the system looks to be working better (vehicles stopping) better on Jomtien beach road where there is only one lane of traffic going each way than on the wider Pattaya streets.