Lamai One Way Street

[Trapper]

This is becoming a joke, driving down there today and there were cars as well as hundreds (ok, tens) of motorcycles going down the wrong way.

What is the point of this one way system if the BiB are not going to police it?

If they set themselves up at the bridge at the north end of the beach road the BiBs would make thousands of Baht for a few hours work.

What pissed me off today were drunks on their bikes riding the wrong way up the road yelling abuse at an elderly Thai woman with kids on her bike as they were riding the right way down the road and turning in to Soi Nurse Pens.

There was very nearly a nasty accident and these idiots think they were the ones in the right!

Why the hell doesn't somebody do something about it?

[Boater]

they used in inforce it when it first came in

[Rooo]

I just run them off the road.

[Birdman]

much more at Chaweng Beach Rd, Farangs/Thais/Arabs/Indians/Chinese...., daily, mostly in the morning . But that's quite ok, because it is so and doesn't bother at all

btw, you better never ride a car on 44 to Krabi province. On that four-lane highway, which is separated in the middle, there are a lot of vehicles coming toward you on your side....not to mention the cows

[Trapper]

much more at Chaweng Beach Rd, Farangs/Thais/Arabs/Indians/Chinese...., daily, mostly in the morning . But that's quite ok, because it is so and doesn't bother at all

btw, you better never ride a car on 44 to Krabi province. On that four-lane highway, which is separated in the middle, there are a lot of vehicles coming toward you on your side....not to mention the cows

Done that drive to Krabi a few times never bothered me that people drive on the wrong side of the road.

But Lamai is just crazy especially when it is quite busy down there and people (Thais and Farangs) are speeding the wrong way as if they own the road.

Roo, I leave bikes very little if any room when I drive down there, when they give me a dirty look or say summit as they are pulling their bike halfway up the foot path I just tell them they are going the wrong way down a ONE WAY STREET!

I should mention I have a fairly heavy set of bullbars on the front of the Toyota

[Tropicalevo]

But Lamai is just crazy especially when it is quite busy down there and people (Thais and Farangs) are speeding the wrong way as if they own the road.

Roo, I leave bikes very little if any room when I drive down there, when they give me a dirty look or say summit as they are pulling their bike halfway up the foot path I just tell them they are going the wrong way down a ONE WAY STREET!

I should mention I have a fairly heavy set of bullbars on the front of the Toyota

That'll do it.

As an aside - how long has the road been one way? (Note to self - must get out more!)

[Lite Beer]

As an aside - how long has the road been one way? (Note to self - must get out more!)

It was one way when I lived there 5 years ago.

[Eric1949]

And don't forget Lamai has 2 one way roads!!!

[insertmembernamehere]

I just run them off the road.

You might try that with the foreigners, but not with a Thai male. . .

There is another thread on this with many posts somewhere.

The fact is that it was poorly thought out in the first place since if you observe the rule, you end up having to get back on the ring road and make a big circle if you passed the place you wanted to stop.

The rule was only occasionally enforced some years ago and the signs are just vestiges of a plan that has been abandoned. They should be removed, but that would entail someone actually doing work, so they remain.

Anyone who advocates the one-way system does not spend much time in Lamai. If you are at MacDonald's, for example, and wanted to go to have a massage near the river bridge, you'd have to drive away from the bridge, turn right at Outback and drive up to the ring road, turn right again watching out for the nearly blind curve of speeding, oncoming traffic, go past Wat Lamai and cut into the road by the market (or take the backroad that ends up right on the bridge). Time consuming, lengthy and puts you out in more dangerous driving situations (and at higher speed) than you would face with a two-way beach road.

Instead of getting angry, or being aggressive to other drivers (junior vigilante traffic cops), just go with the flow and be thankful you don't have to drive all around the place.

As for crazy drivers and drunks, you certainly can't point to the Lamai beach road as causing or exacerbating this; the craziness is everywhere...

[Rooo]

So what do you do if you are abiding by the current system & obviously the law, someone driving a car coming the opposite way, you have nowhere to pull over, as bikes are parked on both sides of this narrow road. & they ask you to back up.

This happened to me about 4 weeks ago they came down the one way heading towards Outback.

I couldn't go anywhere & they had no idea on how to reverse a car.

The roads were never built to accommodate so much traffic, perhaps if you want a 2 way stop people from parking.

[joe84330]

I never give anyone of any nationality any space to drive the wrong way in lamai. Lofl at don't try that with a Thai. Bullshit.

[Mr lamai]

I just run them off the road.

You might try that with the foreigners, but not with a Thai male. . .

There is another thread on this with many posts somewhere.

The fact is that it was poorly thought out in the first place since if you observe the rule, you end up having to get back on the ring road and make a big circle if you passed the place you wanted to stop.

The rule was only occasionally enforced some years ago and the signs are just vestiges of a plan that has been abandoned. They should be removed, but that would entail someone actually doing work, so they remain.

Anyone who advocates the one-way system does not spend much time in Lamai. If you are at MacDonald's, for example, and wanted to go to have a massage near the river bridge, you'd have to drive away from the bridge, turn right at Outback and drive up to the ring road, turn right again watching out for the nearly blind curve of speeding, oncoming traffic, go past Wat Lamai and cut into the road by the market (or take the backroad that ends up right on the bridge). Time consuming, lengthy and puts you out in more dangerous driving situations (and at higher speed) than you would face with a two-way beach road.

Instead of getting angry, or being aggressive to other drivers (junior vigilante traffic cops), just go with the flow and be thankful you don't have to drive all around the place.

As for crazy drivers and drunks, you certainly can't point to the Lamai beach road as causing or exacerbating this; the craziness is everywhere...

Agree fully and i have never heard any Thais complaining! 1 way for cars and 2 ways for bikes. This is Thailand and it works...

[insertmembernamehere]

I never give anyone of any nationality any space to drive the wrong way in lamai. Lofl at don't try that with a Thai. Bullshit.

Why? Considering that virtually everyone drives both ways, Thai and foreigner alike, what is your point? Just being a XXXXXXX or a tough guy? Do you also go around not giving any space to people not wearing helmets? Knock them over in hopes a good brain hemorrhage will show those SOB lawbreakers a thing or two? Do you go around the island pulling down all the illegal advertising signs, or just set them on fire?

Relax, take it easy, King of Lamai. Go get another tattoo on your forehead; it will make you feel better.

Rooo:

This happened to me about 4 weeks ago they came down the one way heading towards Outback.

Either way you go, heading towards Outback is not against the one way. From the bridge toward Outback is the "correct" way; the mini intersection at Outback is the start of the one way segment. The one way segment is from the bridge (and not before it) to the Outback intersection, in that direction.

If someone was heading towards Outback, they were going the "correct" and lawful way, no matter which way they were going.

I appreciate the sentiment of obeying the law, but there are some instances where the law is so justifiably ignored that it becomes effectually mute.

However, I do think that cars should be banned from going two-ways, and 99.90 percent of the time cars do not try to go in the Outback-bridge direction for the simple reason that there really is no room in some spots to pass each other. I think that is a valid regulation, but I see no reason that bikes can't go either way; they've been doing it for years without the sky falling.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Rooo
Flame removed.

[Rooo]

If someone was heading towards Outback, they were going the "correct" and lawful way, no matter which way they were going.

Perhaps I failed in explaining myself.When I reached the end of the one way at The ouback ,I turned right to head towards the ring road, this is a one way street.

[itishothere]

I walk the street backwards. With my arm out indicating left. That confuses the bugg#rs.

[insertmembernamehere]

If someone was heading towards Outback, they were going the "correct" and lawful way, no matter which way they were going.

Perhaps I failed in explaining myself.When I reached the end of the one way at The ouback ,I turned right , to head towards the ring road, this is a one way street.

I believe when the program was first started, there was one sign at the ring road saying something to the effect of "One way," but no other signs existed on that girlie bar stretch and the ring road sign was removed ages ago. However, as I said, and this is certainly true at the ring road intersection, there isn't really enough room for two cars to pass, although they manage to do it once the road widens.

At any rate, even the police gave up on this idea years ago.

My vote is to have one way for cars and two ways for bikes and live and let live.

[maccaroni man]

I just run them off the road.

You might try that with the foreigners, but not with a Thai male. . .

There is another thread on this with many posts somewhere.

The fact is that it was poorly thought out in the first place since if you observe the rule, you end up having to get back on the ring road and make a big circle if you passed the place you wanted to stop.

The rule was only occasionally enforced some years ago and the signs are just vestiges of a plan that has been abandoned. They should be removed, but that would entail someone actually doing work, so they remain.

Anyone who advocates the one-way system does not spend much time in Lamai. If you are at MacDonald's, for example, and wanted to go to have a massage near the river bridge, you'd have to drive away from the bridge, turn right at Outback and drive up to the ring road, turn right again watching out for the nearly blind curve of speeding, oncoming traffic, go past Wat Lamai and cut into the road by the market (or take the backroad that ends up right on the bridge). Time consuming, lengthy and puts you out in more dangerous driving situations (and at higher speed) than you would face with a two-way beach road.

Instead of getting angry, or being aggressive to other drivers (junior vigilante traffic cops), just go with the flow and be thankful you don't have to drive all around the place.

As for crazy drivers and drunks, you certainly can't point to the Lamai beach road as causing or exacerbating this; the craziness is everywhere...

or walk 3 minutes

[cdnvic]

I deleted one insult. Please try to either be civil, or at least ignore people you take a dislike too.

[jamesbrock]

I agree wholeheartedly with insertmembernamehere and Mr lamai.

When I first moved to Lamai four months ago and was directed the wrong way, I protested but was told the rule was "not for motorbikes". Not knowing any better, I accepted this as just another Thai quirk, and have been happily riding with everyone else up and down said roads every day since. It wasn't until reading this thread that I realise that it may not be an official exception!

Despite this revelation, apart from the odd occasion where we get some arrogant out-of-towner who can't bear to share a road, or some tourist who can't read the all but redundant one way signs, it actually works. The taxis, songthaews, delivery vehicles, resort mini-vans and others who use this road daily can accept it without having an aneurism, and there certainly aren't any more idiots doing it than there are going the 'right' way!

[Samuian]

Get real, why is it the farangs complaining about something which isn't any of their piece of the pie.... get real!

Anyone advocating the neurotic behavoir of the western "civilisation" - GO BACK THERE NOW and NEVER RETURN, nobody asked or forces you to stay here in this "uncontrolled mess"!

Things are just fine, it works, all over asia, africa in most countires of central and southern america and in the southern european states as well - as long as everyone takes care of himself and adjusts to the requirements of any given situation - it's fine - go easy!

The only thing it take is - pulling back ones ego a wee bit - which certainly doesn't hurt, but makes things a bit more nice and has a good chance to enhance quality of life by a nick or two!

think about it!

(edited to add text..)

Edited January 4, 2012 by Samuian

[notmyself]

The unofficial cars one way and motorbikes two way seems to work quite well.

[PoorSucker]

My small carrabian takes as much space as a Aussie on a PCX, is it ok I go the wrong way?

[Pia]

Some of the comments here are beyond belief.Want to see what reaction you will have if you loose someone from an accident , by someone driving the wrong way.

If someone jumps of a bridge you don't have to follow suit just because they did. True about most people leave their brains in neutral when they get here.

[Samuian]

Some of the comments here are beyond belief.Want to see what reaction you will have if you loose someone from an accident , by someone driving the wrong way.

If someone jumps of a bridge you don't have to follow suit just because they did. True about most people leave their brains in neutral when they get here.

Nothin' to do with "brains", it's just simple common sense - free style! Got to have a real bad day to "lose some one" in an traffic accident on the one way road in lamai beach, if so, "som nam naa"!

I on my behalf prefer to live in a relative free and relaxed environment then in the neurotic overcontrolled so called "civilised world", where on everycorner, on every move a ticket or overclocked coppa's are waylaying to devour you!

Hell no!

Thanks to the "little differences" down here!

And yeah, well it's up to each and everyon eto either enjoy or complain, complain, complain and see a fault in every thing - how do they say here?

"Up to you!"

[jamesbrock]

Some of the comments here are beyond belief.Want to see what reaction you will have if you loose someone from an accident , by someone driving the wrong way.

If someone jumps of a bridge you don't have to follow suit just because they did. True about most people leave their brains in neutral when they get here.

Yes, some of the comments here are beyond belief. Especially the one by the OP about his "heavy set of bull bars on the front of the Toyota", and one by a moderator inferring that he intentionally runs people off the road if they opt for personal safety over an non-enforced, long forgotten 'law'! Even your comment about losing someone from an accident while doing this screams of ignorance. Have you ever lived in Lamai? Have you ever been down this road? Do you realise the authorities know this has been going on for years, but do nothing about it because it actually works? Do you realise the only dangers the locals face when doing this are the self-righteous buffoons in their four-wheel drives who think they own all roads they happen to drive upon? I'm guessing the answers to these questions are 'no'.

I'm sure none of these drivers EVER speed, drink-drive, overtake on blind corners, or - another of my favourites - turn left against a red light...

Do people realise that when they leave us "very little if any room" and tell us we "are going the wrong way down a ONE WAY STREET!", we just laugh at them, and call them names that can't be posted here? It's people with attitudes like this that causes the very problems that are being complained about! (And who has a fairly heavy set of bull bars fitted to the front of your vehicle when the most likely thing you'll ever come into contact with is a fellow human who is riding a motorbike??) Here's a tip: lift your right foot ever so slightly, and turn that big round thing in front of you about 5 degrees - it won't kill you to go a little slower and be a little more accommodating to other road users.

As insertmembernamehere wrote, anyone who advocates the one-way system does not spend much time in Lamai, nor have they had to turn right out of Had Lamai 1 onto the ring road. This intersection is an accident waiting to happen and I, like most Lamai locals, avoid it like the plague; it in itself is proof of how badly the concept of the one way system was thought out, why the locals rejected it, and why the authorities have all but accepted that rejection. All we need now is for the out-of-towners to stop being so self-righteous and accept that this is how it is in Lamai - if they don't like it, and can't adapt to the situation, stay away. We'll all be a lot safer.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Rooo

[Rooo]

Perhaps not putting a smiley after my post was a big mistake.Running people off the road is not on my agenda.It was a response to the big bullbars.

[sbk]

Indeed, clearly tongue in cheek to me as well, but best use smileys Rooo, so that people who don't know its meant to be humorous can figure it out.

And, in that light, here's a great story of my FIL who was driving the wrong way down a one way in his pickup. When stopped by the local police he was asked if he didn't see the one way sign and he said, "When I am driving I don't look at signs, I look at the road".

He got a ticket.

[jamesbrock]

Perhaps not putting a smiley after my post was a big mistake.Running people off the road is not on my agenda.It was a response to the big bullbars.

Good to hear! Apologies for taking the post at face value - I am relatively new here! (TVF and LoS)

[PoorSucker]

Do you realise the only dangers the locals face when doing this are the self-righteous buffoons in their four-wheel drives who think they own all roads they happen to drive upon? I'm guessing the answers to these questions are 'no'.

How about pedestrians crossing the street not counting on some local driving the wrong way?

I'm sure none of these drivers EVER speed, drink-drive, overtake on blind corners, or - another of my favourites - turn left against a red light...

Turning left against a red light is legal as long as it does not disturb traffic, get a Thai driving license.

Edited January 6, 2012 by PoorSucker

[itishothere]

I am confused. I don't go to Lamai often so I really do not understand.

Is it a one way street or isn't it?

I am not flaming here, but I am trying to work out what the average tourist sees and does. Is it clearly signposted as one way or not? How do they react? It is all well and good us 'locals' saying it works fine, but that is because we have experience of the system. But what about the tourist who doesn't? They must make up a large percentage of the traffic.

Thankfully it would seem that whilst the situation is confusing, or frustrating, at least it doesn't appear to be too dangerous. But is that luck or judgement?