Bangkok police want bus lanes

[Loles]

The buses already act like they own the place (not me driving the bike):-

The cops want to give them more rights??

Man, you are enough dangerous for yourself.

[Crossy]

Man, you are enough dangerous for yourself.

As I noted, not I driving (I can't get my truck to go that quick down Suk). Waiting for green is I agree somewhat unusual for the motorcycle fraternity here.

[Gsxrnz]

Apparently there are 7 Million cars (and climbing with the tax rebate) in BKK and the roading capacity is about 1.5 Million. And that doesn't count busses or bikes.

I'm sure a bus lane would achieve absolutely zero improvement.

Conservatively, lets assume that 10% of car drivers do 3 illegal/unsafe things every day. That's (7.5M x 10/100) x 3 = 2,250,000 offences each day.

Optimistically, let's assume that the police were "effective" and managed to stop and fine 20% of those offences. That's 450,000 stoppages per day. Can you imagine the logistics of having 450,000 cars stopped every day and how many BIB that would take? If each BIB stopped 10 per working day, you'd need 45,000 traffic cops on each shift. There are about 230,000 RTP in the whole of Thailand.

Bangkok is out of control with traffic. The only possible remedy is a severe congestion tax that is automated, heavily taxed, and prepaid. The world's oil reserves will run out before the government even considered this to be a priority, let alone actually doing something about it.

[tonytigerbkk]

Apparently there are 7 Million cars (and climbing with the tax rebate) in BKK and the roading capacity is about 1.5 Million. And that doesn't count busses or bikes.

I'm sure a bus lane would achieve absolutely zero improvement.

Conservatively, lets assume that 10% of car drivers do 3 illegal/unsafe things every day. That's (7.5M x 10/100) x 3 = 2,250,000 offences each day.

Optimistically, let's assume that the police were "effective" and managed to stop and fine 20% of those offences. That's 450,000 stoppages per day. Can you imagine the logistics of having 450,000 cars stopped every day and how many BIB that would take? If each BIB stopped 10 per working day, you'd need 45,000 traffic cops on each shift. There are about 230,000 RTP in the whole of Thailand.

Bangkok is out of control with traffic. The only possible remedy is a severe congestion tax that is automated, heavily taxed, and prepaid. The world's oil reserves will run out before the government even considered this to be a priority, let alone actually doing something about it.

There are in fact 7.3 million vehicles registered in Bangkok.

However, your maths is seriously flawed, as this total includes motorcycles and second cars (some people own more than one car).

Also, there would never be a casewhen all 7.3m vehicles are on the roads of bangkok on the same day (but it does sometimes feel like it).

[kevc]

How about motorbike lanes so people can walk safely with their kids on the pavement.

[Gsxrnz]

Apparently there are 7 Million cars (and climbing with the tax rebate) in BKK and the roading capacity is about 1.5 Million. And that doesn't count busses or bikes.

I'm sure a bus lane would achieve absolutely zero improvement.

Conservatively, lets assume that 10% of car drivers do 3 illegal/unsafe things every day. That's (7.5M x 10/100) x 3 = 2,250,000 offences each day.

Optimistically, let's assume that the police were "effective" and managed to stop and fine 20% of those offences. That's 450,000 stoppages per day. Can you imagine the logistics of having 450,000 cars stopped every day and how many BIB that would take? If each BIB stopped 10 per working day, you'd need 45,000 traffic cops on each shift. There are about 230,000 RTP in the whole of Thailand.

Bangkok is out of control with traffic. The only possible remedy is a severe congestion tax that is automated, heavily taxed, and prepaid. The world's oil reserves will run out before the government even considered this to be a priority, let alone actually doing something about it.

There are in fact 7.3 million vehicles registered in Bangkok.

However, your maths is seriously flawed, as this total includes motorcycles and second cars (some people own more than one car).

Also, there would never be a casewhen all 7.3m vehicles are on the roads of bangkok on the same day (but it does sometimes feel like it).

Ok, 7.3M vehicles, (but was that yesterday or today?). My maths isn't flawed, the theory might be.

But that's the wonderful thing about oddball theories of this nature - it just highlights the ridiculous traffic situation that successive administrations have allowed to develop uncontrollably.

[takkatan in the land]

So they want make the bus go by bus lanes.... when I was kid I wanted to be musician

I suggest them to take it easy.

Otherwise, have the bangkok police ever traveled inside a bus going sukhumvit or rama 4 down?

You would be safer in a roller coaster. They are constantly speeding, changing line and breaking all circulations laws. Not so different than usual people by the way.

They normally use any single lane they want when they want, also I have seen several times in intersections and traffic lights they block the lane waiting for change to the right or left and join to other lane that is in red light. Actually the road is theirs with the police complicity or careless of course.

I don't want imagine how faster can drive a bus driver in an exclusive lane just made for him, also how more difficult could be crossing the pedestrian lanes if they finally have the bus lane.

In other countries people who use to speeding modify their cars sometimes against the law building more engine power, chips, and exhaust but with the risk of being fined if caught.

If you take a look around here public buses sound like WRC. This is telling you too much about the place.

And yes for when a motorcycles lane to can be able to walk by the sidewalk with no danger?

[MaxYakov]

The buses already act like they own the place (not me driving the bike):-

The cops want to give them more rights??

Thanks for the great Bangkok bike-rider's survival (not) training video. Makes me want to go out and buy a muscle-bike ... NOT. I hope the rider has his or her affairs in order and emergency contact names and numbers displayed prominently and often.

The bus was in it's dedicated bus lane, i.e. any asphalt in front of the bus. Plus it had the MMVRoW - Most Massive Vehicle Right of Way. Note that the motorbike taxi (with a passenger, no less) got off the line quickly enough to beat the bus. Whereas Mr. Muscle-bike took out his frustration in a display of brute power down Sukhumvit. I was disappointed that he didn't quite hit the standard Sukhumvit 150 (kph).

The right turn from southbound Asok to westbound Sukumvit (as demonstrated by the video) is very dangerous (see attached map of the intersection - I thought it was disallowed at first, but apparently not). The westbound Sukhumvit to northbound Asok (right-turning) traffic is difficult to judge especially when it's a high-inertia bus that doesn't want to stop for the right-turn red. Impatient (and/or inebriated), jay-walking Soi Cowboy pedestrian visitors and escapees are well-aware of the situation (or become so).

Edited November 19, 2013 by MaxYakov

[Satcommlee]

Enforcement camera's on the front of every bus, triggered by the bus driver (who could earn a few baht per click)

If a Bus's path is blocked by a car, say at the end of the bus lane where it meets a junction..

Then a ticket comes through the car owners door.

Simple as that..

Self funding back office operation.

[Jim walker]

Most of the police don’t know the traffic laws anyway doing away with traffic police would free up the traffic in town and save them blocking up the traffic collecting T money as for the bus lanes get contractors to set up cameras and collect the fines for violations and pay them on commission from the fines.

[Bagwan]

Why not give police officers a commission for traffic law breakers with a percentage of the fine given to them as tea money? That way you still screw law breakers whilst keeping officers actually wanting to do their job. Thai police are obviously corrupt and now we need to get creative in order to still provide them an incentive. Have all officers wear head mounted cameras so all interactions with civilians are recorded.

I do not believe in paying people twice for doing their jobs. I do believe in firing people who don't.