Outside Lane

[sierra01]

This is specifically aimed at Chaeng Wattana road but probably applies to all multi lane roads in LOS.

3 times now I've been pulled over by plod for riding in the outside lane of 4 lanes, no no mustn't do it, naughty boy etc. Maybe because I acted the dumb farang (easy for me to do!) I've never been 'fined' for it, just bollocked and sent on my way.

Is it illegal to ride in the outside lane? I'm going as fast as the traffic around me, and using the outside lane to overtake slower vehicles. If it is illegal then how many lanes can I use?

I try to be law abiding on the road, not easy here sometimes, hate undertaking and weaving in and out of fast moving traffic. In the UK it's illegal to undertake (at least I think it is?) so it goes against the grain to do it here, but often it's the only way to make forward progress. I prefer to use the outside lane than undertake but if it is illegal to use the outside lane then it's either undertake or sit behind Somchai in his broken down pick up that's beltching black smoke at me. Maybe even undertaking is illegal here too?

Edited January 10, 2006 by sierra01

[Thaiboxer]

Lots of guys ride in the outside lanes from what I've seen. If the cops get after you for that, use the sidewalk next time

[VTR1000]

Actually, I think it is technically illegal. Having said that I've been up and down the Asia Highway from the south to BKK and beyond and not once been pulled over. In fact last time when I was coming down, I was riding through Chumpon Province at touching 200kph and passed 3 traffic police with their little files. Their reaction ... they clapped and gave me the thumbs up as I went past!?

Maybe in the city, things are different - but out in the boonies I've never had/seen a problem and things seem a lot more relaxed. As Thaiboxer said, stay on the sidewalk with the rest of them and you should be ok

[sierra01]

A couple of years ago I was driving BKK-Pattaya and got pulled over for driving in the outside lane of 2, the road was deserted, only me on it! Plod wanted tea money, my g/f made it clear that he wasn't going to get anything and after a couple of minutes chat with her he bad temperedly sent us on our way.

[steveromagnino]

A couple of years ago I was driving BKK-Pattaya and got pulled over for driving in the outside lane of 2, the road was deserted, only me on it! Plod wanted tea money, my g/f made it clear that he wasn't going to get anything and after a couple of minutes chat with her he bad temperedly sent us on our way.

If you are on a motorcycle, then it is illegal, and you will likely be fined for it. The reason is that it is dangerous enough driving around without motorcycles travelling at lower speeds with cars flying past them. Of course, rules are made to be broken, but that's how it stands.

Undertaking is not illegal here or in other countries such as NZ that I am aware of, although in NZ it could earn you a smack for doing it; here you'll be fine.

And you are supposed to stay left if not overtaking, but that is not a law, just an issue of politeness and safety for the idiot behind you wanting to fly past. However, getting a ticket for it on a empty road would be pretty harsh and unfair. I drive to BangSaen probably on average 1-2 times a week, and the number of people that slow me down by sitting in the outside lane forcing me to undertake and weave is unreal. And a fair few of them aren't Thai either! But for you it was empty road, so maybe different....

[Gazza]

3 times now I've been pulled over by plod for riding in the outside lane of 4 lanes, no no mustn't do it, naughty boy etc. Maybe because I acted the dumb farang (easy for me to do!) I've never been 'fined' for it, just bollocked and sent on my way.

I got pulled over on Phaholyothin in Saphan Mai for riding in the outside lane. I was partly hidden by the car in front of me so I put on my right indicators. When asked why I was in the right hand lane I simply told him I wanted to do a u-turn up ahead and told him I wanted to go to Tesco Lotus that I had just passed.

He allowed me to go on my way.

I'm sure that about a year ago they revoked the law that prevented m/cs from riding in the outside lanes.

But a few months back I got pulled up by a cop on a bike for riding on the highway under the tollway instead of the using the frontage road. I tried to explain to him that it's now possible to do so but he seemed adamant that I was in the wrong. I gave him 100b instead of the 1000b that he asked for but I rode off perplexed not knowing if indeed I had read the news article correctly or not.

I once got stopped by a cop for riding along a 50 metre stretch of road against the traffic. He told me sternly that I should be using the sidewalk. I actually started to argue with him saying that sidewalks are for walking and roads are.......then decided to 'shut the fukc up' before I talked myself into a ticket.

[sierra01]

I was in a car Steveromagnino!

I usually do stay left, more so on my bike, as you say out of politeness. On the other hand, on the open road the inside lane is often chewed to bits by trucks and buses and very bumpy. Then everyone and his dog drives in the outside lane, 30/40/50kmh isn't unheard of, resulting in some very irate drivers stuck behind.

It's the buses that p*ss me off, they make you pass on the inside bumpy lane, but you do it to them and they don't like it one little bit.

I love it Gazza, good post mate!

I thought it was illegal to ride under the tollway, I've never seen any bikes on it, apart from a plod one day. As for the sidewalk...Thai logic?

[mraitchison]

Shit I always ride under the toll way - never any problem there.

[soihok]

Nothing to do about motors but ,Sheff United are to play Brighton on Jan 21...........better visit the Temple now Sierra01

[sierra01]

A 12,000 mile round trip just to see you loads of tossers get stuffed? Nah, I'll read about about it online.

The way the Albion are playing these days you're in for a walk in the park, Without Bobby Zamora they've had it.....what happened to him anyway, don't hear about Bobby these days?

[astral]

The right lane is for overtaking and turning only.

Cars and bikes!!

That is why you got pulled over and why the guy U-turning to Tesco was

allowed to continue.

[gharknes]

The right lane is for overtaking and turning only.

Cars and bikes!!

That is why you got pulled over and why the guy U-turning to Tesco was

allowed to continue.

this is correct, the highway code here is very similar to the UK and most other countries, if you need to overtake then you are supposed to do it on the right hand lane, bike car makes no difference, now if you are caught in the outside lane on a bike where you are not passing anyone then you will be fined by police more so than if you are in a car .......... especially if you are farang

motorcycle laws here need a review, there is no legislation for large bikes, we are not allowed to travel on toll highways because the law is written for slower low capacity machines that would be a danger on a fast motorway, can you imagine opening up the toll way round bangkok to hundreds of crazy sub 125cc bikes riding all over the place with no idea about the rules of the road, no lights on, going the wrong way, 6 on one bike, my god it would be slaughter

[sierra01]

The right lane is for overtaking and turning only.

Cars and bikes!!

That is why you got pulled over and why the guy U-turning to Tesco was

allowed to continue.

this is correct, the highway code here is very similar to the UK and most other countries, if you need to overtake then you are supposed to do it on the right hand lane, bike car makes no difference, now if you are caught in the outside lane on a bike where you are not passing anyone then you will be fined by police more so than if you are in a car .......... especially if you are farang

motorcycle laws here need a review, there is no legislation for large bikes, we are not allowed to travel on toll highways because the law is written for slower low capacity machines that would be a danger on a fast motorway, can you imagine opening up the toll way round bangkok to hundreds of crazy sub 125cc bikes riding all over the place with no idea about the rules of the road, no lights on, going the wrong way, 6 on one bike, my god it would be slaughter

So what law is being broken by riding/driving in the outside lane when you're not passing anything? Maybe they see it as a threat to national security or something

Does ANY Thai rider/driver have ANY idea about the rules of the road?

[Gazza]

There's only two rules that I know of;

Rule #1. There are no rules.

Rule #2. Don't forget Rule #1.

Edited January 12, 2006 by Gazza

[PeaceBlondie]

For two years, I commuted both ways, almost 35 kilometers each way, on the superhighway, five days per week. I stayed to the left when I wasn't passing, but I went between 70kph and 141 kph in the left lane most of the time (usually above 110 kph). Never got stopped; never. Now, you can't do that on a Honda Dream 110, but you can do it on a proper 150 sportbike, or bigger.

They easily could have caught me, stopped and fined me. They just never did.

[sbkpeterpan]

The right lane is for overtaking and turning only.

Cars and bikes!!

That is why you got pulled over and why the guy U-turning to Tesco was

allowed to continue.

this is correct, the highway code here is very similar to the UK and most other countries, if you need to overtake then you are supposed to do it on the right hand lane, bike car makes no difference, now if you are caught in the outside lane on a bike where you are not passing anyone then you will be fined by police more so than if you are in a car .......... especially if you are farang

motorcycle laws here need a review, there is no legislation for large bikes, we are not allowed to travel on toll highways because the law is written for slower low capacity machines that would be a danger on a fast motorway, can you imagine opening up the toll way round bangkok to hundreds of crazy sub 125cc bikes riding all over the place with no idea about the rules of the road, no lights on, going the wrong way, 6 on one bike, my god it would be slaughter

In Thailand, the 3rd rule is always carry 100 Baht in your pocket.

[sierra01]

In Thailand, the 3rd rule is always carry 100 Baht in your pocket.

Oddly enough but I've never had to pay tea money while on my bike, in my car yes, but never on my bike.

[sierra01]

Lots of guys ride in the outside lanes from what I've seen. If the cops get after you for that, use the sidewalk next time

A couple of hours ago I got pulled over for riding in the outside lane (I was actually passing a slower car) on a 2 lane stretch of road. I'm starting to run out of options now, your suggestion is beginning to look attractive Thaiboxer

[Thaiboxer]

"A couple of hours ago I got pulled over for riding in the outside lane (I was actually passing a slower car) on a 2 lane stretch of road. I'm starting to run out of options now, your suggestion is beginning to look attractive Thaiboxer"

Just the other day when I went jogging with some boxers there were many bikes riding on the sidewalks. Some of them were going pretty fast too. Just make sure you don't run over any lottery ticket vendors; it's ok to run over high school kids though:)

[Gazza]

The last few posts reminded me of the popular T-shirt slogan in the '70's.

"Keep death off the roads.......ride on the pavement."

Aaah..they don't write t-shirt slogans like that anymore.

[sierra01]

"A couple of hours ago I got pulled over for riding in the outside lane (I was actually passing a slower car) on a 2 lane stretch of road. I'm starting to run out of options now, your suggestion is beginning to look attractive Thaiboxer"

Just the other day when I went jogging with some boxers there were many bikes riding on the sidewalks. Some of them were going pretty fast too. Just make sure you don't run over any lottery ticket vendors; it's ok to run over high school kids though:)

It probably won't do any good anyway, I'll still get pulled over. Damned if I do, damned if I don't, and damned if I'm not sure!

[englishoak]

Whatever the real laws the police love to muddy the waters. I ride in the outside lane when overtaking and when i'm outside bkk.

Get stopped quite regular ( once per month on average) just costs a few bht everytime. I kinda see it as road tax The way I see it, it's far safer than the inside bus /Taxi lane and i'd rather pay the police than a hospital fee.

[penzman]

I remember thhis from the exam book from last year. Undertaking IS allowed if there are 3 lanes or more. The right lane is for overtaking only.