NO OVERTAKING SIGNS - End of restriction point

[PETERTHEEATER]

Signs prohibiting NO OVERTAKING are prevalent on Thai roads albeit ingored by many drivers yet you never see an END OF RESTRICTION sign so there must be a prescribed (in the traffic regulation) distance to which the restriction applies, say, 200 metres or any overtaking down road from the sign passed would be a violation even if it was many kilometers distant.

So, when does the end of restriction legally apply?

[Crossy]

Probably immediately before the next blind bend on the brow of a hill that's followed by a hump-back bridge and a pedestrian crossing.

Seriously, I've not actually seen a 'no overtaking' sign, plenty of unbroken centre lines which mean the same.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Strange that you have never seen one but then most Thai drivers haven't either. My Thai wife learned to drive in the UK but, if I ask her to identify an upcoming sign her answer is "what sign"

Clearly they are most commonly seen on two lane roads but I have seen them on four lane highways. Onesection of two lane road which I drive regularly has three NO signs in three hundred meters and I would add, they are all valid for the potential hazards yet ignired by many.

[wilcopops]

I have mentioned the 5 E's many times on TV.

One of the topics frequently overlooked is traffic engineering - this is the design and placement of such things a as road markings, junctions and of course signage. I don't believe that ANYONE in Thailand has any training in this.....quite apart from things like no de-restriction signs what signs there are, are often obscured by billboards or growth of vegetation.

in europe I think most drivers are totally unaware of the amount of science that goes into this stuff and how it can have a major effect on road safety.

[wilcopops]

"prohibiting NO OVERTAKING" - really? - that's a double negative isn't it?

[ezzra]

Road signs in Thailand are for decoration and for the amusement of Thai drivers only..

no safety value what so ever...

[Fookhaht]

The first thought that came to mind was, "Why care? The Thais certainly don't."

[VocalNeal]

The first thought that came to mind was, "Why care? The Thais certainly don't."

Yep. Just come here and enjoy what Thailand has to offer like sunshine, palm trees, laissez faire attitude to life or whatever it was one came here for, and stop fretting about all the minutia of everyday life in South East Asia.

I could paraphrase Douglas Bader "Road signs are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools"

[marieb]

Most no overtaking signs are there in part because no one sees or pays attention to merely a solid yellow/orange? line down the center of the road, to say nothing of the double solid yellow/orange lines (to tell the truth those become quickly blackened out) . Usually one can begin to overtake/pass when there is no more solid yellow/orange line or it becomes a broken line. I'm not sure I've ever seen a sign when there's no solid line......

[Tywais]

Off topic/argumentative posts removed.

[stevenl]

Road signs in Thailand are for decoration and for the amusement of Thai drivers only..

no safety value what so ever...

Amusement, you mean they actually see them?

[rtco]

Signs? What signs! Solid yellow markings? What solid yellow markings! Speed restrictions? What speed restrictions! After 3-years here I am now accustomed to "Thai driving" but I still get the odd occasion where something happens that totally gob smacks me. But seriously get used to the way Thai's drive and adjust your style accordingly. You ain't in the West anymore so forget all you have ever learned and re-learn the fact that "on the highway it's the Thai way".

[shaurene]

To be honest I do not remember ever seeing a no overtaking sign, but the road will have the double yellow lines and coming to the end they will be Brocken lines and that's when the restriction is coming to an end, but do not trust them here 99% drivers ignore these lines. Just use some common sense.

[iamariva1957]

Considering that the solid yellow line own the middle of the road is only considered to be a 'suggestion' and no one really knows how to drive in this country anyway and no one pays any attention to basic 'rules of the road' anyway and road warning lights are simple florescent light bulbs ... why should we think that any sign posts would be paid any attention to. With drivers here on cell phones, driving well over a speed that would be safe ... with passengers in the back of the pickup truck... truck over loaded doing 4KPH in the outside lane one should not be surprised that the signage distributed around the roads is pointless anyway. So... keep your heads on a swivel and be ready for anything. These are Thai roads and Thai 'rules'. There is no rhyme or reason except to get to wherever they want to get to as quickly as possible (personally I love the guys that do 60 MPH to the red light or go screaming by a truck on a hill around a blind corner on the wrong side of the solid yellow line.

Ah well.... Thailand is Thailand. So just keep your eyes open and do what is right and safe by our standards. That will help keep us safer than the Thais out there on the roads. training is everything.

[wilcopops]

Considering that the solid yellow line own the middle of the road is only considered to be a 'suggestion' and no one really knows how to drive in this country anyway and no one pays any attention to basic 'rules of the road' anyway and road warning lights are simple florescent light bulbs ... why should we think that any sign posts would be paid any attention to. With drivers here on cell phones, driving well over a speed that would be safe ... with passengers in the back of the pickup truck... truck over loaded doing 4KPH in the outside lane one should not be surprised that the signage distributed around the roads is pointless anyway. So... keep your heads on a swivel and be ready for anything. These are Thai roads and Thai 'rules'. There is no rhyme or reason except to get to wherever they want to get to as quickly as possible (personally I love the guys that do 60 MPH to the red light or go screaming by a truck on a hill around a blind corner on the wrong side of the solid yellow line.

Ah well.... Thailand is Thailand. So just keep your eyes open and do what is right and safe by our standards. That will help keep us safer than the Thais out there on the roads. training is everything.

Following on from my criticism of TRAINING of the traffic engineers - have you noticed WHERE they put the single/double lines????? So often they are in a completely inappropriate place or too long or too short.

furthermore the color! After a bit of wear and tear, they disappear, On the 4 lane road by my house the white lines have survived but the yellow line in the middle has vanished - so drivers think that the white line is the middle and happily drive straight into oncoming traffic thinking they are on the correct side of the road.nationally there isn't ben consistency in the4 COLOR of the centre lines......... this isn't just a mistake it could and has been the cause of accidents - which of course the police will call driver error.

[keithet]

I thought rules only applied to Thai with Thai???

I thought if a Thai was at fault it would be our fault. Because if we were not here then it would of never happen.

[DLP]

The Thai way is overtake only if you think you can do it without hitting anything.

[rayongchelsea]

The Thai way is overtake only if you think you can do it without hitting anything.

But if you do hit someone first look to see if it is a foreigner , otherwise flee the scene..

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[DLP]

The Thai way is overtake only if you think you can do it without hitting anything.

But if you do hit someone first look to see if it is a foreigner , otherwise flee the scene..

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

CORRECT

[wilcopops]

The Thai way is overtake only if you think you can do it without hitting anything.

But if you do hit someone first look to see if it is a foreigner , otherwise flee the scene..

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

if that is your attitude after a collision then you are on a hiding to nothing.

[wilcopops]

I thought rules only applied to Thai with Thai???

I thought if a Thai was at fault it would be our fault. Because if we were not here then it would of never happen.

and todays facetious post award.......

[PETERTHEEATER]

"prohibiting NO OVERTAKING" - really? - that's a double negative isn't it?

Quite correct, an error on my part that I have edited. Thanks.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Having been driving in Thailand for 2 months a year for thirty years and daily for the last eight I am well aware of all the short comings.

The answer to my question should lie in the Thai Traffic Regulations but I have not been able to find a source of a copy receiving only blank face responses when asking at Motor Vehicle Licencing Offices. I doubt that there is an English language version but neither does there seem to be a Thai version. I was offered things like 'fly sheets' showing signs and meanings. I asked an examiner at the local office and his response was 'when it is safe to do so'

[DLP]

Having been driving in Thailand for 2 months a year for thirty years and daily for the last eight I am well aware of all the short comings.

The answer to my question should lie in the Thai Traffic Regulations but I have not been able to find a source of a copy receiving only blank face responses when asking at Motor Vehicle Licencing Offices. I doubt that there is an English language version but neither does there seem to be a Thai version. I was offered things like 'fly sheets' showing signs and meanings. I asked an examiner at the local office and his response was 'when it is safe to do so'

Exactly what i have already said. If you think you can overtake without hitting anything GO FOR IT.

[PETERTHEEATER]

For me that would be 'if you know you can overtake without hitting anything'...........

[DLP]

For me that would be 'if you know you can overtake without hitting anything'...........

I was talking the Thai way

[Rorri]

The same with speed signs, coming into a town there is, somethimes, a speed reduction sign, you never see the speed increase sign. Mind you as we all know, even the reduction sign is ignored. e.g., for those on Phuket, there is a 60Kph speed sign just south of check point, there is no increase speed sign..

[Rorri]

PETERTHEEATER, on 01 Apr 2014 - 17:39, said:

Having been driving in Thailand for 2 months a year for thirty years and daily for the last eight I am well aware of all the short comings.

The answer to my question should lie in the Thai Traffic Regulations but I have not been able to find a source of a copy receiving only blank face responses when asking at Motor Vehicle Licencing Offices. I doubt that there is an English language version but neither does there seem to be a Thai version. I was offered things like 'fly sheets' showing signs and meanings. I asked an examiner at the local office and his response was 'when it is safe to do so'

try this http://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthailaws.com%2Flaw%2Ft_laws%2Ftlaw0140_5.pdf&ei=WZ87U8jMMsKXrgf31oGYCQ&usg=AFQjCNEnRHGrJM4_orfTUyG6tnkh368d1w