Be careful with police in Ploen Chit

[ricklev]

Is there some time period when it's legal for cars and/or motorcycles to go straight through to Sukhumvit?

[roadrunerboi]

Is there some time period when it's legal for cars and/or motorcycles to go straight through to Sukhumvit?

No! It is for access to the highway only... NO THROUGH road for personal vehicles... only buses!

[Matthai]

Does anyone happen to know if there is a way underneath the expressway? So if I would ride my motorcycle down until the last soi before the expressway, and then turn left and later to the right to cut underneath and come back on sukhumvit somewhere before nana?

It's called Petchburi Road, you make a left at the big intersection where the UK embassy used to be, then take a right, there you can go under the expressway and on to the back of NaNa.

Actually if you dismount and push your bike through on the sidewalk, this is technically legal too, but count on the boys in brown to start manufacture or look for faults to do with your vehicle. I've seen the Thais do it when coming upon checkpoints while riding against traffic or without helmets and get away with it by getting out of the bike and start pushing.

Petchburi is a little far to the left for me, I was hoping for a small soi or a sidewalk or something.

A friend of mine a couple of months ago also dismounted his bike and tried to push it past the officers but they didn't fell for it and he still had to pay a fine. Even though he has all his papers, thai driverslicense and is fluent in Thai.

[ricklev]

Strange question I know!

If I gas up my motorcycle at that gas station on Ploenchit before the expressway, is there anywhere to make a u-turn going the other way on Ploenchit before I hit the expressway entrance. It happens to be the closest gas station to me. I actually hate driving the thing in Bangkok and the alternative is Sathorn close to Suan Phlu and that is inconvenient.

Thanks!

[H1w4yR1da]

Interesting, another reason to add to the many others to not drive or ride on a moto in Thailand. That, and the fact it's so lo-so.

Douche Post of the Year Award!

I never stop for the uniformed mafia known as the RTP as I ride a superbike and will get hit for any number of real or imaginary offences. If they can catch me, I'll pay.

[rwdrwdrwd]

Whilst I understand why people don't want to stop, knowing that the intention is a rip off job, it's worth bearing in mind what would happen in your home country if you didn't stop on a motorbike when instructed to by the Police. In some countries you'd be shot pretty quickly if you happened to be in the wrong area (I'm thinking of the US here, with more than one recents shootings of drivers who failed to stop), and in mine (the UK) you'd be chased down and eventually quite severely prosecuted.

[tartempion]

I also witnessed a similar episode in the same area a few weeks ago, I didn't think it was weird but I did think that it was dangerous and that the officer was acting irresponsibly.

Was this the first time you've seen such an occurrence? The only time? Over what period would you say?

Kicking or lunging at a moving vehicle seems, to me anyway, to be extremely dangerous for lunger/kicker? I guess I wouldn't expect them to last long exhibiting this behavior.

I honestly have never, ever seen such a thing - I live/work/drive in this area during the week - over ~ ten years, there or anywhere in Thailand.

Strange you don't know this does happen here, TIT unfortunately.

[ricklev]

Strange question I know!

If I gas up my motorcycle at that gas station on Ploenchit before the expressway, is there anywhere to make a u-turn going the other way on Ploenchit before I hit the expressway entrance. It happens to be the closest gas station to me. I actually hate driving the thing in Bangkok and the alternative is Sathorn close to Suan Phlu and that is inconvenient.

Thanks!

Damn! They done tore that sum bitch down to build a skyscraper.

[hughben]

Because they risk hurting themselves with these actions, It makes me wonder if they are given targets to meet every day - 50 'fines' a day and put it in the pot when back at the station.

[millwall_fan]

Moto drivers are the shock troops of the Yellow Shirts, whereas the police tend toward the Reds. Plenty of scope for animosity.

I had police try to stop me in similar fashion when I'm on my bikes, granted I was taking an underpass that was clearly illegal for motorcycles to enter (Ratchada). They were kicking the traffic cones at my bike and hurled themselves in front of me.

An application of throttle and a wheelie made them think twice and I quickly made a u-turn and sped of into narrow sois to avoid them.

I was clearly in the wrong then and I really should have just stop and paid up, but I wasn't thinking clearly then.

To the police's eye, if they had asked the bike to stop yet the bike continued on, obviously there might be something suspicious, from drugs, no licence or stolen bike, it would have mean more money for the Police definitely.

Maybe thats another reason for the violent method of stopping motorcycles. People like you trying to evade arrest for illegal driving.

[wayned]

Whilst I understand why people don't want to stop, knowing that the intention is a rip off job, it's worth bearing in mind what would happen in your home country if you didn't stop on a motorbike when instructed to by the Police. In some countries you'd be shot pretty quickly if you happened to be in the wrong area (I'm thinking of the US here, with more than one recents shootings of drivers who failed to stop), and in mine (the UK) you'd be chased down and eventually quite severely prosecuted.

Years ago I was on my way to the airport at 5 am, not on a bike, but in a taxi. All traffic was stopped by two BIB because there was a royal procession traveling in the opposite direction. There was space between my taxi and the car next to it and a van decided not to stop and sped through. One BIB threw his flashlight at it but the other drew his gun and emptied it in the direction of the van. It didn't stop but I wouldn't try running if that's what might happen.

[Jasun]

I'm guessing it wasn't the rather large cop who often works that corner, I don't think anyone would get up from that.