Bkk Traffic Jams

[think_too_mut]

Two years ago it was ubearable. (I wasn't there in 1995-6.)

How is it now? Have the petrol prices reduced the traffic?

[Butterfly]

Two years ago it was ubearable. (I wasn't there in 1995-6.)

How is it now? Have the petrol prices reduced the traffic?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, actually 3 or 4 years ago it was still OK. You could drive anywhere without too much problem. Now ? impossible. In the last 2 years, with those cheap borrowing rates, everyone is buying a car and the traffic situation has become as bad as it was prior to 1997

In the last few weeks, however I did see some improvment. So I guess it must have had an impact. But for how long ? soon the new price will be expected and I think the bad habits will come back.

Let's hope it goes to 30 baht and force some people to rethink their commuting habits. Rush hours are impossible. I got stuck 45 min on a bridge last week because the stupid policeman doing the traffic fell asleep or had his head somewhere else. Bad. Very bad.

[Felix Lynn]

I think what's making it particularly bad now is all the construction that's going on. It has such a carry over effect on surrounding roads. I really hope they still with the new rail and subway plans, but that is now in doubt.

[Firefan]

I was here in 96/97 and that was a mess....

Anyway - I DO believe that the gasoline price will start to hurt and that traffic will improve due to that.

For taxis running on gasoline it will get VERY hard to make a profit when 10 km will cost them 30 Baht (plus the rent of the taxi) so some of them might be the first to go.

But all those people paying monthly on the car will suddenly also feel the pinch as the gasoline costs gets closer to their monthly car payments (which naturally is the MAX the dealer/bank would give them).

I am hoping to buy a cheap sports car when all these cars go back to market...might be dreaming...

Cheers!

[bendix]

I dont think the problem is the quantity of cars on the road .. i think the bad traffic is caused by crap driving and a complete inability to stay in lines, wait patiently for your turn etc etc? It's the same in Manila and Jakarta. Ironically, SE Asian countries where the population have a bit more self-discipline (or respect for the law) eg Singapore, KL etc seem to have no problems in this regard.

Is there a correlation between a country's people's ability / inability to follow basic driving and road courtesy disciplines and that country's economic health? Indo, PI, Thailand .. economic basket cases, traffic chaos, complete disregard for road rules. KL, Singapore, HK . . the opposite.

Go figure

[Heng]

I don't drive anywhere during the main rush hours (around 7-9am and 4-7pm) so as to avoid traffic. I do all of my banking at sub branches that are open till 8pm. If you keep your driving, shopping, eating, etc. habits in between 8pm and 6am, you can drive as fast and free as you want.

[tom yum goong]

If you keep your driving, shopping, eating, etc. habits in between 8pm and 6am, you can drive as fast and free as you want.   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think after 8pm is still a little optimistic. Drive after midnight and u will be mostly ok. Course, then by then most things are closed.

[andyfletch]

I dont think the problem is the quantity of cars on the road .. i think the bad traffic is caused by crap driving and a complete inability to stay in lines, wait patiently for your turn etc etc?    It's the same in Manila and Jakarta.  Ironically, SE Asian countries where the population have a bit more self-discipline (or respect for the law) eg Singapore, KL etc seem to have no problems in this regard.

Is there a correlation between a country's people's ability / inability to follow basic driving and road courtesy disciplines and that country's economic health?  Indo, PI, Thailand .. economic basket cases, traffic chaos, complete disregard for road rules.    KL, Singapore, HK . . the opposite.

Go figure

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having lived in KL for 6 years, and driven there for all of that time, I cannot say that the Malaysians are any more disciplined on the road or have any more respect for the law.

The major difference is that the population of Greater BKK is 4-5 times the size of the Klang Valley poulation in Malaysia, therefore signifcantly more vehicles on the roads. Also traffic management systems are better in KL, with a network of good highways/expressways even in to the city centre.

However even there you can find yourself taking anything from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours for a 20km journey in the rush hour!!!!

[aaaaaa]

u r right, andy !

I've lived in KL, Ipoh, Penang - and saw a lot of what u r talking about. also traffic with long tails....

I suggest those who are concerned about traffic jams - go visit Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh, to get an experience of their traffic jams ! after that Bkk or KL would seem like a big difference !

according to the Lonely Planet guide book published in '94 - there was only oficially 500'000 bicycle-rikshas there. now, 11 years later - surely there are much more. so, Dhaka is called like "riksha capital" in the world. the reason I mention it - there , unlike even neighbouring Kolkata in W. Bengal , India - these rikshas are allowed prcatically everywhere except only few realy big roads which can be counted on fingers of one (not even two) hand. and those guys don;t comply with any rules. and then - there are "baby-taxi" or what they call "tuk-tuk" there. these are just faster than ordinary rikshas, otherwise they not help to prevent traffic jams either ! and stench of exaust fumes if you are caught in one of traffic jams in one of such ! because obviously no amount of traffic police can manage to control the level of their toxins....

N. Dheli or Kolkata (never been in Bombay myself yet) or Chennai (Madras) would also rival Bangkok on this matter, although not as bad as Dhaka .....

[Plus+]

I've posted in some other thread that Bangkok doesn't have enough roads to accomodate all the cars here, something like two-tree times less than is required for a smooth traffic flow.

There is so much construction going on this year - about a dozen of flyover bridges in central Bkk that rising prices have no visible effect. This Tuesday I spend an hour on a stretch of Tollway form DonMuang to Ratchada exit. I was getting late so I called my collegue only to hear that she stuck for an hour on Chaeng Wattana expressway just like me.

Most projects should be finished in a couple of months - let's see then.