New Traffic Lights - Suthep Road - Chiang Mai

[bikerider21]

The new traffic lights were finally commissioned yesterday 16th January 2014

They just cause long delays and traffic jams. The video was taken around 5 pm yesterday and shows long traffic jams building up and very few cars making U-turns so the traffic was held up unecessarily.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amXIG_wM16w

[samsara]

thats canal road.

[masuk]

Works well for me. Now I can U turn with out too much fear of being tee-boned!

[eyecatcher]

I was at the lights by the 7/11 early evening and I saw two problems.

Firstly I think they just need to adjust the timings as the main thro traffic was waiting a couple of minutes for the u turners and those going up towards wat u mong.

At the mae hia lights further back they get 25 seconds and 28 in rush hour.

But then after 2 minutes the back up is very long and on green its like the start of a grand prix......with after 20m all and sundry parked as hoc,food carts, bikes etc on the highway outside the 7 and the lotus express.

accident waiting the happen....yes frequently I should think.

Still the police box is only across the road.

Its a bad junction but the waiting time on the highway should be reduced to 30 seconds as well.

[Dante99]

Traffic lights have been a pain in the ass for years. I remember when guys were getting pissed off because they installed the 7th and 8th lights in municipal Chiang Mai, 6 was more than enough.

[Mapguy]

Traffic ?! What traffic ?!

[bikerider21]

I was at the lights by the 7/11 early evening and I saw two problems.

Firstly I think they just need to adjust the timings as the main thro traffic was waiting a couple of minutes for the u turners and those going up towards wat u mong.

At the mae hia lights further back they get 25 seconds and 28 in rush hour.

But then after 2 minutes the back up is very long and on green its like the start of a grand prix......with after 20m all and sundry parked as hoc,food carts, bikes etc on the highway outside the 7 and the lotus express.

accident waiting the happen....yes frequently I should think.

Still the police box is only across the road.

Its a bad junction but the waiting time on the highway should be reduced to 30 seconds as well.

Its all about commissioning which means being there to observe the traffic and adjusting the timing accordingly. Does this happen?

This moring at 6:05 at the lights near to Airport Plaza which lets the traffic onto Mahidol Road, the red lights counted down to zero but didn't change to green. They stayed on red for another 30 seconds or so.

I never anticipate lights as many motorcyclists do, start moving 3 seconds before green when the opposing lights are (normally) red. In this case, doing so would mean a definate accident (this morning 3 cars whizzed by at speed) and I'm surprised there hasn't been any as these lights have been like this for some time and no one seems to notice. If I was Thai, I would report it.

These same lights used to work good at 6 in the morning being on short cycle until about 6:30. For a long time now, they have been on long cycle only or possibly short cycle with the same timing. I now have to wait for 30 seconds looking at 99 and then the 99 starts counting down. In the mean time, there are only 2 or 3 cars passing by. I suppose the light technicians are still in bed at these times so they never see the problems.

I wish they would make it the same as it was before. I just feel helpless and frustrated.

Edited January 18, 2014 by jeffinchiangmai1

[bikerider21]

thats canal road.

Yes

[BlackArtemis]

I drive this road daily to work, so happy to have 2 more lights to deal with. But the real annoyance? In the last 2 years of driving out there, I have NEVER seen a survey crew there to calculate traffic flow so they can determine the appropriate timings of these light. Just another another one of the myriad of examples of shit planning in Thailand. Oh well, rant over and back to just letting it roll off my back.

Because let's be honest, the one after Vision pub is a 3 way and everyone on motorcycles is just going to ignore it and ride in the far lane, albeit a bit slower.

[samsara]

I was at the lights by the 7/11 early evening and I saw two problems.

Firstly I think they just need to adjust the timings as the main thro traffic was waiting a couple of minutes for the u turners and those going up towards wat u mong.

At the mae hia lights further back they get 25 seconds and 28 in rush hour.

But then after 2 minutes the back up is very long and on green its like the start of a grand prix......with after 20m all and sundry parked as hoc,food carts, bikes etc on the highway outside the 7 and the lotus express.

accident waiting the happen....yes frequently I should think.

Still the police box is only across the road.

Its a bad junction but the waiting time on the highway should be reduced to 30 seconds as well.

I just feel helpless and frustrated.

because of traffic light timings?

after going through them late last night, id say:

- vision light is overkill.

- police box is MUCH needed, but should go to blinking yellow after 11.

both were still using full countdowns at 1230 last night. lots of waiting for nothing.

Edited January 18, 2014 by samsara

[eyecatcher]

A good one today.

Coming from suthep end, just past the fuel station is the first set of lights.

Two or three bikes waiting at red on the lottery ticket lane.

Then the next 3 bikes swerved off left into the new bar area, along the side of the building,behind the trees and re emerged on the highway 20m past the lights.

Now if I owned that place I would have so much fun placing razor wire on the ground.....

[baywatch82]

I also think timing is the problem. I used to live in Australia for couple of years. They have smart light system. I do not know how it actually works, but if you driving with average speed you are catching green light on every intersection you passing.

I never seen there any police box on any intersection, but cameras, and I think somebody is controlling traffic centraly.

I was many times catched by those cameras for speeding or driving through "late yellow" and fined, so I still like Thailand better

Edited January 18, 2014 by baywatch82

[bikerider21]

I was at the lights by the 7/11 early evening and I saw two problems.

Firstly I think they just need to adjust the timings as the main thro traffic was waiting a couple of minutes for the u turners and those going up towards wat u mong.

At the mae hia lights further back they get 25 seconds and 28 in rush hour.

But then after 2 minutes the back up is very long and on green its like the start of a grand prix......with after 20m all and sundry parked as hoc,food carts, bikes etc on the highway outside the 7 and the lotus express.

accident waiting the happen....yes frequently I should think.

Still the police box is only across the road.

Its a bad junction but the waiting time on the highway should be reduced to 30 seconds as well.

I just feel helpless and frustrated.

because of traffic light timings?

after going through them late last night, id say:

- vision light is overkill.

- police box is MUCH needed, but should go to blinking yellow after 11.

both were still using full countdowns at 1230 last night. lots of waiting for nothing.

Agree.

No not for light timings, that just makes me angry when I have to wait unecessarily. It can easily be avoided by adjusting the timings.

I feel helpless because I'm falang.

[bikerider21]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN7UZ-47PL4

Unecessary waiting due to incorrect short cycle timing

[NancyL]

Jeff, it's too bad this is causing you so much stress and a feeling of helplessness. Is it possible you're taking the situation a bit too personally? I don't think the wait is because of your race. I suspect that Thai people are also being similarly inconvenienced. As you pointed out, the light is newly installed. Isn't it possible that it takes several days, or maybe a few weeks for the traffic authorities to gather some data to determine the best way to set the timing of the light? Is it possible for you to take another routing in the meantime to avoid the intersection since it is causing you so much stress?

Edited January 19, 2014 by NancyL

[bikerider21]

Jeff, it's too bad this is causing you so much stress and a feeling of helplessness. Is it possible you're taking the situation a bit too personally? I don't think the wait is because of your race. I suspect that Thai people are also being similarly inconvenienced. As you pointed out, the light is newly installed. Isn't it possible that it takes several days, or maybe a few weeks for the traffic authorities to gather some data to determine the best way to set the timing of the light? Is it possible for you to take another routing in the meantime to avoid the intersection since it is causing you so much stress?

Your unqualified assumption that stress is involved with traffic light timing is totally wrong.

I already posted that there are lights which count down to zero and then stay on red for another 30 seconds which are highly dangerous for reasons given and nothing had been done about it for months.

You might be right that traffic lights are of little concern and perhaps I should have stayed silent and just accepted the statu quo - TIT etc. but one shouldn't be unconcerned about the hight rate of traffic accidents, especially when my life and my families lives are in danger.

My helmet camera records people going through red lights, crossing lanes and more every day. I just don't know what to do with the data.

Edited January 19, 2014 by jeffinchiangmai1

[eyecatcher]

Another good one today.

At the same Vision lights which I have now had to stop each and every time.

In the front row of the grid were a honda cbr 500, a kawasaki 600?, and two ducati beasts....all growling,all revving, all thai riders, all eyeing each others machines.

On green who was first away?.......

......surprisingly it was the grandad riding his honda wave.

Made me laugh anyway.

Beginning to like the lights now as always something of interest.

[NancyL]

If you're concerned about the your life and the lives of your family at this intersection, then you most surely should avoid it. Perhaps you should purchase a car, which will protect better than a motorbike. (Although it is very, very good that you're wearing a helmet) Perhaps you should move into the central city where you can walk everywhere and not have to drive.

Is anyone in your family Thai? Do you have any Thai friends? What do they suggest you do with the "data" you've collected? What would you do with "data" like this in your home country?

Edited January 19, 2014 by NancyL

[bikerider21]

20th January 2014 - Chiang Mai

http://youtu.be/eDvQRAohko4

[bikerider21]

Works well for me. Now I can U turn with out too much fear of being tee-boned!

I made the U-turn today and was utterly confused. The outside lane which used to be used as the slow down lane for turning right now has yellow stripes all over it which means it's out of bounds.

So I waited in the next lane, indicating to turn right whilst the lights in fornt were on red. The traffic was stopped on the other side too. On the bridge, the two sets of lights were on green, 1. to go ahead (to no where?) and 2. to turn right. Trafic was crossing the road from the small soi, crossing the bridge and turning right.

After the lights changed, my road started moving forward and I turned right onto th bridge to me met by RED lights.

That means only two cars can park on the bridge at a time and make the U turn at each light change.

Anyone wanting to make the U turn would have to wait in the outside lane holding up traffic which wanted to go straight. It's not signed that the far lane is for U turns only, neither is their any No U-Turn sign that I noticed.

I still can't figure it out. Can anyone shed LIGHT on how it's supposed to work?

[funcat]

...no clue... ...just do what do you think is...SAFE...and keep on,dude...

[DaamNaam]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN7UZ-47PL4

Unecessary waiting due to incorrect short cycle timing

You complain of having to wait too long yet you show no regard for speed limits.

Get over it, please.

The Thai's would find this as ridiculous as I do for sure.

[samsara]

he certainly has a bizarre fascination with the things. think he records every time he heads out?

[funcat]

...you guys,you have no clue either....it's simple,don't get pissed off,of things you can NOT control....simple??!!

[bikerider21]

he certainly has a bizarre fascination with the things. think he records every time he heads out?

Yes he does since he was side swiped at 6 in the morning while getting ready to turn unto wing 41 from hospital road. The lights were on green and a car suddenly made a U turn from the inside lane slamming into him, in spite of the No-U-turn sign. He was lying on his side next to the 1300cc bike and luckily for him no trucks or busses were coming the other way. Due to appropriate safety gear, no damage to his bike.

He was also knocked off a pedal bike next to PanTip plaza. This time 4000 Baht for stitches. Others aren't so lucky.

When he bought the camera, he joked that it's for his wife to see how he was killed.

Sorry everyone thinks safety issues are weird and wearing a camera is only for weirdos. So no more posts on this subject.

Edited January 21, 2014 by jeffinchiangmai1

[BlackArtemis]

Today was the first time I rode this road to work, I had been sleeping elsewhere for the past week.

I hit the first light a vision and like I knew I would, I just blew by ont he shoulder with a bunch of other bikes, but got caught at the policebox light.

Man these lights cause a fustercluck of traffic. My ride to work used to be great, 3 lights, just get a head of the pack and you don't have to worry about riding in traffic with morons. But now it's just herds of moving buffalo on the road.

[hml367]

My trips on the canal road have not been much different time wise. It is just less cars at each light for me rather than far too many cars at the Suthep Road light. I actually reach my destination faster.

I travel between the Middle Ring Road and Suthep street. Ring Road to Suthep about 4:30 pm. Suthep Road to Ring Rod about 8:00 pm.

Actually, the trip from Suthep Road to Middle Ring Road seems safer to me now.

Edited January 21, 2014 by hml367