What Do Zebra Crossings Painted On The Road Mean In Bkk?

[jinjinswing]

Im not holding up well lately, the car menace on BKK roads has begun to really bug me, the fact that Thai drivers totally ignore humans including there own countrymen trying to use zebra crossing.

Ive spoken a few words from under my breath, pointed to the crossings on a number of occasions, i often force the issue or i will never get across...even got the TGF doing it now.

Now ive noticed them parking there cars on the footpaths, motorbikes using the footpaths, stalls on the footpath..were the bloody hell are we meant to walk?

And another thing when they gonna fix the footpaths? its a minefield, i tripped over in Chiang Mai early this year hurt my knee enough that i could not kneel on it for 2 mths.

I suggested to the TGF that they should tax property owners like they do in AU for upkeep of public property, i also told her back home there is no way a shopping center would allow stalls to sprout up around it, and while im at it the police were busy keeping the freelancers away from there haunts today by interviewing both farangs and thai women in a few spots around nana today, what a waste of time, get your <deleted> out to ladphrao and get them drivers off the footpath and fine who dont stop at zebra crossings.

ps the working girls were back on there beat by 5 pm when the police had knocked off for the day..what a waste of tax payer money..havent they got anything productive for them to do?

[Payboy]

Speed up?

[jinjinswing]

And that means? Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Crossy]

They are merely ambulance parking zones so they know where to pick up passengers.

[WarpSpeed]

They are merely ambulance parking zones so they know where to pick up passengers.

Buuuuut as the OP stated, no where to park anymore .. I agree OP and I mentioned it when they first began installing them here now they seem to be mostly for motcy's making Uturns .. And I just love to remain stopped the full length of the light holding traffic back too as invariably there is some one who rushes the end just before the light turns and someone is going to get creamed right in front of me ..

Curious though, is your nik choking up a fur ball??

Edited April 10, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[Pib]

Welcome to Thailand.

[RakJungTorlae]

when i got my licencee few years back i asked about the zebra crossings, as i recall i was told it was the safest part of the road for pedestrians but enter at your own risk. i have herd pattaya have installed red and green pedestrian crossing as there are no over head walkways.

china is alot worse .

[givenall]

Speed up?

Don’t you know the cars are more important than people in Thailand. Even the garage guards keep pushing the cars to go even when a lot of people are crossing the crosswalks

[CNXSTEVE]

What Do Zebra Crossings Painted On The Road Mean In Bkk?

Nothing, but they look nice.

[Geekfreaklover]

I don't what those black and white stripes mean but those new motorcycle lanes on the sidewalk seem to be popular with motorbikes around Ekkamai. At least I think they're motorbike lanes, the picture shows a bicycle, but hey, this is Thailand.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Geekfreaklover

[pipo1000]

Zebra crossings are legally marked suiciding zones.

[Payboy]

Speed up?

Don’t you know the cars are more important than people in Thailand. Even the garage guards keep pushing the cars to go even when a lot of people are crossing the crosswalks

Never would've guessed that.

[Payboy]

What Do Zebra Crossings Painted On The Road Mean In Bkk?

Laws of the jungle apply in this zone?

[richard_smith237]

Some official went to another country, saw them and thought 'that's a good idea'.... It didn't take. They forgot to have driving tests to tell people about them...

[01322521959]

Oh dear oh dear. I made the mistake of crossing on the zebra with my hand up, caused terrible arguments with the other half, who was with me at the time. Strange my action, as I ride a motorbike and don't tend to stop at zebras as I am scared of being rear ended by some t**t in a Merc or something. I am now of the attitude "when in Rome" and I keep saying to myself "it's a culture thing" been here on and off for 20 years and lots things still make my blood boil on a daily basis.

[pisico]

Speed up?

Don’t you know the cars are more important than people in Thailand. Even the garage guards keep pushing the cars to go even when a lot of people are crossing the crosswalks

I know that this comment will not be well received by those who have invested money (houses in the name of the Thai wife), time and effort to live here but, what the thread means is clear: Thais as a whole, have a Third World mentality. Barring few exceptions of course.

When a motorized vehicle trumps human life that speaks volumes of the humanness of that way of life.

"I run you over with my car: solly! (brief smile flashing on face) now I am leaving the scene of the accident."

Laws in Thailand, traffic and most otherwise, are mere suggestions. The police lacks training, ethics and a system of accountability. I had a short stint of a few months in Chiang Mai and I could verify that even when in one of the rare and few crosswalks with flashing lights that actually worked, drivers consistently ignored them. I was about to get run over by about 2 cars and a motorcycle while the red lights were on and I was in the middle of the crosswalk. One can change the geography (as I found out in Chiang Mai and Udo Thani) but the bad habits (san dan) of the Thai people date back to several generations and no matter how loud we scream here or at the drivers that almost run us over, will not have an iota of effect on their self absorbed Thainess. Thais are not evil; they are just thoughtless for the most part and self absorbed in the ways they have always done tings. A superficially modern society with archaic traits and behavior.

[kawaiimomo]

I personally don't care about food stalls on the sidewalk, but I do care about this zebra crossing thing and the motosais driving in the sidewalk fast. I found the best thing is to cross with confidence but keep looking :-P

I think the big problem is the policemen accepting bribes, because even if they tried to enforce the law one could always bribe them. It is the same when you speak with Thai people about this thing and they told you this is never going to change. How the hell is this going to change is you are the first one willing to pay some authority to avoid legal troubles? LOL

EDIT: Today my best Thai friend had a very small crash with his car against a motorbike, just some insignificant scratch in the car but I believe the motorbike driver did fall to the ground. He stop, apologize, etc and that's all. No insurance papers because "that could raise the insurance price next year" :-P I can not really complain about that because it is the same in my shitty european country.

Edited April 10, 2012 by kawaiimomo

[ignis]

What Do What Do Zebra Crossings Painted On The Road Mean In Bkk?s Painted On The Road Mean In Bkk?

The same as they do in most places around the world, best place to see if anyone is coming then cross if nothing is coming ........... I almost learn't the hard way in France 45 odd years ago

Only UK and Australia the meaning is different.. if you step on a Zebra Crossing then the traffic must stop to let you cross......

Same if you drive a car, flash of headlights by another car in UK = you can go, here = look out I am coming get out of my way.

[necronx99]

Starting Grids for the Motocy Taxi Grand Prix.

[David48]

No Zebras in Thailand ...

[Ulysses G.]

What Do Zebra Crossings Painted On The Road Mean In Bkk?

Speed up so that the pedestrians will not dare to cross in front of you.

[roiethome]

Zebra Crossings mean double points if you can knock them over on the white spaces-hehehe

If you live in Thailand you must accept all the things the OP raved on about. Personally I like all the casualness and disregard to OTT rules which dominate life in the west. Lets keep Bangkok the way it is and never "go west"

[boggle]

"And another thing when they gonna fix the footpaths? its a minefield, i tripped over in Chiang Mai early this year hurt my knee enough that i could not kneel on it for 2 mths."

On this point a freind of mine walking down a Suk Soi stepped on a concrete drainage man hole cover and went through it. His leg got pierced by reo bar. In and out of hospital with all types of nasty sh1t. Cost him heaps and has never ending problems since.

But just to put in perspective he complaind to the BMA and for his trouble and he received a bill for the reapir of the the manhole cover.

Makes you wonder some times.

[jcw]

I wonder how many people on holidays have been killed thinking that car actually respect these in Thailand.

[RedNIvar]

Think of it this way, the Thai driver is the "Singha" (lion) and Zebra crossings is where the prey cross. So it is only normal for the lion to pounce on the prey.

[Payboy]

No Zebras in Thailand ...

Must be all that whitening cream.

[PattayaPhom]

Motorcycles can legally drive on footpaths and have presidence over pedestrians. every footpath has a slope to enter or exit, why do you think they are there...its definatly not for wheelchair access.

[jalansanitwong]

Zebra crossings are for zebras wishing to cross to the other side.

Thats why they're called zebra crossings. Simple really.

Footpaths are for motorcycles with minimum speed of 20 km /h and max speed...up to you.

People are supposed to drive Benz's.

If you walk then do so at your own peril.

[KeyserSoze01]

Zebra crossings in Thailand are a cruel joke played on unsuspecting farang that visit the kingdom. Lured in by the notion that motorists will stop for pedestrians just like they do at home, farang walk out into oncoming traffic. They usually only do it once, as they either get run over by Somchai or learn very quickly that they ain't in Kansas anymore.

[pisico]

It will be no joke when one of the posters making light of something clearly uncivilized is run over by a motorized vehicle and lands in hospital with injuries and a large bill to pay. Funny to speak of Zebras and lions and whitening cream but when that happens (it's only a matter of time) it will not be amusing anymore.

Bangkok is a megalopolis that has its attractiveness and it can be relaxing and unnerving at the same time. A city is not about buildings and roads but about the people who plan, live and manage it. Draw your own conclusions from this last statement.

Image, being first and foremost in Thailand, when a high number of casualties as a result of irresponsible traffic occurrences make the news around the world and the pocket books start hurting, only then (maybe) the powers that be will start thinking about doing something to mitigate (not solve) the image problem. It will truly be a miracle if that ever happens in this Amazing Thailand.