Traffic Lights Rawai

[KImoLolo]

Of course during high season it is better to have the traffic lights at Saiyuan and Vises turned off. I like it because I can just roar thru as the weak at heart, newbies, and tourists are scared of the normal traffic. No lights.. love it!

[Wellington]

For "weak at heart"

read; sane!

Edited December 5, 2011 by Wellington

[F1fanatic]

For "weak at heart"

read; sane!

Quite. The Sai Yuan junction is a nightmare - vehicles coming from Sai Yuan rarely bother checking traffic on the main road, they just turn left anyway expecting everyone to get out of their way.

I've found that the best way to approach this junction (from the main road) is to move into the 'fast lane'.

[stevenl]

Quite. The Sai Yuan junction is a nightmare - vehicles coming from Sai Yuan rarely bother checking traffic on the main road, they just turn left anyway expecting everyone to get out of their way.

I've found that the best way to approach this junction (from the main road) is to move into the 'fast lane'.

Coming from Sai Yuan traffic can go anyway, provided safe, so the lights really have nothing to do with this.

[barka]

Why are the lights not being used..is there a problem?

[petercallen]

Why are the lights not being used..is there a problem?

The traffic flows a lot smoother with them switched of, no queues of cars and bikes waiting

[Old Croc]

I've always found it works better when the lights are down.

[glassdude007]

only newbies stop at that intersection anyways ...

Never stop at that light ...loy loy lao lao..

[barka]

Why are the lights not being used..is there a problem?

The traffic flows a lot smoother with them switched of, no queues of cars and bikes waiting

is that your reason or is that the Traffic Polices is reason......

[petercallen]

Why are the lights not being used..is there a problem?

The traffic flows a lot smoother with them switched of, no queues of cars and bikes waiting

is that your reason or is that the Traffic Polices is reason......

Just common sense barka which some of us have, they turn them on in the evening

[stevehaigh]

I've always found it works better when the lights are down.

100% true, you can turn them all off between central and chalong circle for me. the only one i think is really necessary is at the rolly tasker corner

[KImoLolo]

Quite. The Sai Yuan junction is a nightmare - vehicles coming from Sai Yuan rarely bother checking traffic on the main road, they just turn left anyway expecting everyone to get out of their way.

I've found that the best way to approach this junction (from the main road) is to move into the 'fast lane'.

Coming from Sai Yuan traffic can go anyway, provided safe, so the lights really have nothing to do with this.

The would be going left from SaiYuna OK. Now as for the right turn fromk Sai Yuan into Vises that would be a different story.. Have a go at it on your honda jazz!

[KImoLolo]

I've always found it works better when the lights are down.

100% true, you can turn them all off between central and chalong circle for me. the only one i think is really necessary is at the rolly tasker corner

Are you talking about the ones that are less that 6mos old or all lights????

[stevenl]

Quite. The Sai Yuan junction is a nightmare - vehicles coming from Sai Yuan rarely bother checking traffic on the main road, they just turn left anyway expecting everyone to get out of their way.

I've found that the best way to approach this junction (from the main road) is to move into the 'fast lane'.

Coming from Sai Yuan traffic can go anyway, provided safe, so the lights really have nothing to do with this.

The would be going left from SaiYuna OK. Now as for the right turn fromk Sai Yuan into Vises that would be a different story.. Have a go at it on your honda jazz!

Yes, forgot to write 'turning left' but for any thinking reader that was obvious.

Turn right there sometimes, never any problems. Normally though I am coming from Rawai there, sometimes Sai Yuan, going direction Chalong. Quite ofteh also from Chalong to Rawai. I'm glad those traffic lights are not working at the moment.

[Jimi007]

Yes, forgot to write 'turning left' but for any thinking reader that was obvious.

Turn right there sometimes, never any problems. Normally though I am coming from Rawai there, sometimes Sai Yuan, going direction Chalong. Quite ofteh also from Chalong to Rawai. I'm glad those traffic lights are not working at the moment.

I agree. There hasn't been any backups since they've been off. They haven't been there that long and we all did just fine without them. Still wish they could do something about Chalong circle, like making it at least twice the size so it would actually function as a real traffic circle.

Edited December 14, 2011 by LivinginKata

[KImoLolo]

Clairty is important in giving directions etc. R U a retired Russian ATC? I must also disagree a bit on the left.... Look before oyu jump as those proceding north on Vises, Wichet, or Vichet (what ever map one is reading) the trafic is brisk. I use thast intersection often and even look if I have the green, when the light is working. NEVER procede thru and intersection without looking..... The would be in juixtapose with the current safety VFO showen to all whom receive or renew a THAI DL....

[KImoLolo]

Yes, forgot to write 'turning left' but for any thinking reader that was obvious.

Turn right there sometimes, never any problems. Normally though I am coming from Rawai there, sometimes Sai Yuan, going direction Chalong. Quite ofteh also from Chalong to Rawai. I'm glad those traffic lights are not working at the moment.

I agree. There hasn't been any backups since they've been off. They haven't been there that long and we all did just fine without them. Still wish they could do something about Chalong circle, like making it at least twice the size so it would actually function as a real traffic circle.

Jymbo007.. you are obvioulsy a driver in the area and not just a poster of no daily review.. We are bounding about a scratch on the nom. CC or Ha Yek as it is know in Thai is a real nut house. I agreee that moving the circle back to the size a few year ago will be of great help. One of the PROBLEMS is once you get into the circle itself there is alot of movement trying to get lined up as to you exit route... Lets look at this from Vises.. If it were truely two lanes wide then motorists could position them selves as to the exit road local. If you a moving to somethings other that the first exit road it gets pushy... Factor the evil cement trucks, tour vans and tuk tuks

it gets even more fun. The full scale Hino buses need more room so the have to go wide and slow.

OK, here is the next banter point. I hope we all agree (for those who don;'t go observe the trafficand not just post) that the manditory left from both Patek to Chaoa Fah West and from Soi Sunrise (Ao Chalong Rd) into Vises (aka 3 names) is good even though the manditory U turns are a bit of a pain. I really like the big barriers to keep the pesky motorbikes from turning where ever they like as ruing the que that created a good flow.

Banter Point Par Excellance.... Police supervision.. No, for the flamers lurking I'm not talking about HaRoi Baht Coppers.. They have got it good in the flow. Sure its busy comming out of Rawai in the mornings but you'd never get thru with all the construction trucks tracffic. I congradulate the BIB on a daily job well done as there are far less fender benders and nocked over motorbikes.. I was proceding thru HaYek from Rawai to CF West. A motor bike tried to go from my left on to the circle but fell off between my truck and a Patek bound truck... The BIB rigth there can to the aid of the motorbike nutter but waived me and the other truck to move on. We were totally in the right so keem moving. A big issue is no flow lanes cause there is only one lane comming from two lane roads... Jymyo 007 is spot on, even thought it is high season reduce the size of the circle and increas the traffic flow.

BTW, where are the Xmas decor this year?

[F1fanatic]

Quite. The Sai Yuan junction is a nightmare - vehicles coming from Sai Yuan rarely bother checking traffic on the main road, they just turn left anyway expecting everyone to get out of their way.

I've found that the best way to approach this junction (from the main road) is to move into the 'fast lane'.

Coming from Sai Yuan traffic can go anyway, provided safe, so the lights really have nothing to do with this.

I'd have no problem with this if those turning left from Sai Yuan bothered to check whether the main road was clear...

They don't - they turn expecting everyone on the main road to get out of their way.

Hence my comment that I have found the only way to deal with this is to move into the 'fast' lane when approaching the junction. Even so, I always slow down as there is always the odd idiot that will turn right (from the main road in the opposite direction) that has misjudged the oncoming traffic and is just 'going for it'. Not to mention the odd idiot that comes from Sai Yuan and turns into the 'fast' lane.

Driving a scooter here, I have found that it is best to always assume that everyone else will drive badly. Indicators especially, should always be ignored.

[F1fanatic]

Yes, forgot to write 'turning left' but for any thinking reader that was obvious.

Turn right there sometimes, never any problems. Normally though I am coming from Rawai there, sometimes Sai Yuan, going direction Chalong. Quite ofteh also from Chalong to Rawai. I'm glad those traffic lights are not working at the moment.

I agree. There hasn't been any backups since they've been off. They haven't been there that long and we all did just fine without them. Still wish they could do something about Chalong circle, like making it at least twice the size so it would actually function as a real traffic circle.

Driving a scooter, I have no problem with Chalong Circle. But, I feel sorry for those in cars.

[Jimi007]

Yes, forgot to write 'turning left' but for any thinking reader that was obvious.

Turn right there sometimes, never any problems. Normally though I am coming from Rawai there, sometimes Sai Yuan, going direction Chalong. Quite ofteh also from Chalong to Rawai. I'm glad those traffic lights are not working at the moment.

I agree. There hasn't been any backups since they've been off. They haven't been there that long and we all did just fine without them. Still wish they could do something about Chalong circle, like making it at least twice the size so it would actually function as a real traffic circle.

Driving a scooter, I have no problem with Chalong Circle. But, I feel sorry for those in cars.

I drive both motorbikes and a car. It is a bit better on a motorbike, but still it really doesn't function very well...

[F1fanatic]

Driving a scooter, I have no problem with Chalong Circle. But, I feel sorry for those in cars.

I drive both motorbikes and a car. It is a bit better on a motorbike, but still it really doesn't function very well...

I agree that cars face a long wait during the busy hours, but I find it easy and quick on my scooter.

Obviously you don't agree, but I would be interested to know why.

[Jimi007]

I drive both motorbikes and a car. It is a bit better on a motorbike, but still it really doesn't function very well...

I agree that cars face a long wait during the busy hours, but I find it easy and quick on my scooter.

Obviously you don't agree, but I would be interested to know why.

I stated my reason in an earlier post. It is too small to function correctly as a traffic circle should. It's almost like a stop sign intersection, the traffic can't flow as it should.

[F1fanatic]

You might be right for those in cars, but those on 'bikes don't have the same problem. Which is why I wondered why you found it a problem when riding your 'bike.

[KarenBravo]

The only problem I have going round the circle on the bike is if I have to go past several exits. For example, entering from Rawai and turning into Chalong Pier road.

I have to enter the circle from the right-hand lane so that cars and motor-bikes that are also in the right-hand lane don't side-swipe me if their exit is before mine.

The problem is easing into the left-hand lane whilst on the roundabout before I get to my exit without getting hit by another vehicle.

The circle is very cramped and there is not enough available land to make the circle bigger. Reducing the area of the centre isn't really going to make much difference IMO.