Over 700 motorcyclists arrested and fined in first day of crackdown on footpath riding

[Lite Beer]

Over 700 motorcyclists arrested and fined in first day of crackdown on footpath riding

BANGKOK: -- The first day of the crackdown on motorcyclists riding on footpaths netted more than 700 violators, metropolitan police said.

The crackdown was the effort of the metropolitan police to bring safety to pedestrians walking on footpaths in the capital following numerous complaints that motorcyclists always ride on footpath, ignoring safety of pedestrians.

Under the campaign called “Safe Footpaths, Careful Riding,” starting today motorcyclists who ride on footpaths will be caught and fined.

Violators will face a fine ranging from 400 to 1,000 baht.

On the first day today, police reported more than 700 motorcyclists were arrested and fined.

Police also advised pedestrians to help take video clips of violators and send them to the police to take action, in order that footpaths will return safe place to walk once again without having to worry about these motorcyclists sharing the footpaths with them.

The campaign today focused on footpaths along Paholyothin and Sukhumvit roads, sky train and subway train stations, and schools.

The campaign will continue unabated with more instructions to each of the 88 police stations throughout Bangkok to set up at least one check point to enforce the law.

The police hoped that the campaign would also help to reduce accidents and curb snatches by robbers riding in motorcycles on footpaths.

Deputy commissioner of Metropolitan Police Bureau Pol Maj-Gen Nipon Charoenphol said the campaign would be more intense during rush hours.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/700-motorcyclists-arrested-fined-first-day-crackdown-footpath-riding

-- Thai PBS 2014-11-19

[Pib]

When they say "arrested and fined" that means both actions occurred; I think the article meant to say "arrested or fined." Just can't see them arresting 700 motorcyclists because they were riding on footpaths; fining them yes, but arresting them no. But hey, saying arrested makes it sound tough!!!

[Aussieroaming]

Who is going yo fine the police for perpetrating the same crime

[daveAustin]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

[Bakeman]

Tea Money Heaven.......

[whybother]

I nearly got hit by 3 motorcycles on the footpath outside my apartment tonight on Asoke. Obviously there were no police around here.

[Time Traveller]

I had to re-read this several times.....for the last 15 years I've been waiting for police to do their jobs and stop bikers riding on the walkways and footpaths......has this really happened?

[trainman34014]

I had to re-read this several times.....for the last 15 years I've been waiting for police to do their jobs and stop bikers riding on the walkways and footpaths......has this really happened?

Don't get too excited, 'Crackdowns' normally last about 48 hours tops !

[manarak]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

aah - when I find myself riding on the footpath, it's usually because the street is cluttered with vendors, pushcarts and other miscellaneous sidecar riffraff, not to mention tour bus sized coaches and idiot drivers positioned like checkers in order to block any motorcycle passage...

there are many other things which should be much higher on the list of priorities.

[JohnThailandJohn]

When they say "arrested and fined" that means both actions occurred; I think the article meant to say "arrested or fined." Just can't see them arresting 700 motorcyclists because they were riding on footpaths; fining them yes, but arresting them no. But hey, saying arrested makes it sound tough!!!

Arrest / Detained ... translation issue. Thai PBS often uses the word arrest for what we wouldn't consider arrested.

[RichardThailand]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

aah - when I find myself riding on the footpath, it's usually because the street is cluttered with vendors, pushcarts and other miscellaneous sidecar riffraff, not to mention tour bus sized coaches and idiot drivers positioned like checkers in order to block any motorcycle passage...

there are many other things which should be much higher on the list of priorities.

Just wondering. Don't you feel it's dangerous when you ride your bike on the footpaths that in many cases are already not wide enough for pedestrians?

[manarak]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

aah - when I find myself riding on the footpath, it's usually because the street is cluttered with vendors, pushcarts and other miscellaneous sidecar riffraff, not to mention tour bus sized coaches and idiot drivers positioned like checkers in order to block any motorcycle passage...

there are many other things which should be much higher on the list of priorities.

Just wondering. Don't you feel it's dangerous when you ride your bike on the footpaths that in many cases are already not wide enough for pedestrians?

When I do this, there are no pedestrians in sight - I'd never do it if the footpath was being used by pedestrians.

But I'm not in Bangkok. A good example is Pattaya Tai road coming from Sukh before the junction with third road. At times, the road is blocked, but the sidewalks have absolutely no traffic from approx. the Shell station until the small soi before the intersection, because there aren't a lot of buildings there.

I'm also unsure why they recently banned the turn left on red at many Pattaya corners, at least for 2 wheel vehicles.

Edited November 19, 2014 by manarak

[mgjackson69]

”Arrested” does not mean ”taken to jail”.

[JohnThailandJohn]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

aah - when I find myself riding on the footpath, it's usually because the street is cluttered with vendors, pushcarts and other miscellaneous sidecar riffraff, not to mention tour bus sized coaches and idiot drivers positioned like checkers in order to block any motorcycle passage...

there are many other things which should be much higher on the list of priorities.

Just wondering. Don't you feel it's dangerous when you ride your bike on the footpaths that in many cases are already not wide enough for pedestrians?

When I do this, there are no pedestrians in sight - I'd never do it if the footpath was being used by pedestrians.

But I'm not in Bangkok. A good example is Pattaya Tai road coming from Sukh before the junction with third road. At times, the road is blocked, but the sidewalks have absolutely no traffic from approx. the Shell station until the small soi before the intersection, because there aren't a lot of buildings there.

I'm also unsure why they recently banned the turn left on red at many Pattaya corners, at least for 2 wheel vehicles.

Sorry but there is just no rational for thinking it is okay to drive on a sidewalk. Common sense should tell us all this. While it is an acceptable practice that Thais have done for a while, there is NO excuse for a farang from a developed nation to do this. Bad enough when they do it but come on, just absolutely no excuse for us to do this.

[smedly]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

aah - when I find myself riding on the footpath, it's usually because the street is cluttered with vendors, pushcarts and other miscellaneous sidecar riffraff, not to mention tour bus sized coaches and idiot drivers positioned like checkers in order to block any motorcycle passage...

there are many other things which should be much higher on the list of priorities.

Just wondering. Don't you feel it's dangerous when you ride your bike on the footpaths that in many cases are already not wide enough for pedestrians?

When I do this, there are no pedestrians in sight - I'd never do it if the footpath was being used by pedestrians.

But I'm not in Bangkok. A good example is Pattaya Tai road coming from Sukh before the junction with third road. At times, the road is blocked, but the sidewalks have absolutely no traffic from approx. the Shell station until the small soi before the intersection, because there aren't a lot of buildings there.

I'm also unsure why they recently banned the turn left on red at many Pattaya corners, at least for 2 wheel vehicles.

creating clearway zones (strict no parking) at peak times on major roads and enforcing might negate the need for the footpath option especially in Pattaya were forward planning was non existent and the roads are now too narrow - people take up 1/3 of the road with parking where and when they feel like it, maybe time to introduce traffic wardens and a ticketing system once they have identified all the no parking zones and times coupled with city parking areas were they can charge for parking - sorry dreaming again

Thais are generally lazy, I've seen them double parked on major routes even when there are spaces 10 meters away

[surangw]

how many had to pay several times ?

[CUNJU]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

where do u live?? r u sure it's Bangkok?

[manarak]

Just wondering. Don't you feel it's dangerous when you ride your bike on the footpaths that in many cases are already not wide enough for pedestrians?

When I do this, there are no pedestrians in sight - I'd never do it if the footpath was being used by pedestrians.

But I'm not in Bangkok. A good example is Pattaya Tai road coming from Sukh before the junction with third road. At times, the road is blocked, but the sidewalks have absolutely no traffic from approx. the Shell station until the small soi before the intersection, because there aren't a lot of buildings there.

I'm also unsure why they recently banned the turn left on red at many Pattaya corners, at least for 2 wheel vehicles.

Sorry but there is just no rational for thinking it is okay to drive on a sidewalk. Common sense should tell us all this. While it is an acceptable practice that Thais have done for a while, there is NO excuse for a farang from a developed nation to do this. Bad enough when they do it but come on, just absolutely no excuse for us to do this.

When stuck in traffic with hordes of asshat drivers blocking every possible way to get forward because they cram 3 columns of cars into the space planned for 2 lanes (or pushcarts or sidecars or vendors, whatever), and knowing taking the "shortcut" will save at least 2 long red phases of breathing the tour buses' exhaust fumes, there is no good reason to not use that portion of pavement when there are no pedestrians using it.

The decision is made quickly.

I don't need an excuse for it because I don't disturb anybody - except maybe the feelings of some over-conforming Westerners?

Where is the harm? (I repeat: footpath is EMPTY).

There's another thread about making bicycle lanes in Thailand, I say they could start with making lanes for 2 wheel vehicles. But enforcement is the key. If they can manage to keep 2 wheel vehicle lanes free of clutter, I'd bet motorcyclists will leave the pathways alone.

[SteveFong]

Bike paths in Bangkok,

now, that's funny

[Robert2006]

When they say "arrested and fined" that means both actions occurred; I think the article meant to say "arrested or fined." Just can't see them arresting 700 motorcyclists because they were riding on footpaths; fining them yes, but arresting them no. But hey, saying arrested makes it sound tough!!!

And when they say “Violators will face a fine ranging from 400 to 1,000 baht” I think the article meant to say “Violators will face a fine ranging from 400 Baht for Thai’s and up to 1,000 Baht for the farang that we tolerate in our country”.

[noitom]

A field day for Thai police, but now it seems they have to turn over all the money. How in the world do they ride motorcycles on BTS stations and MRT stations?

[lust]

Google the word "arrest".

[BSJ]

How did they manage to ride on the footpaths? Whenever I try there are too many vendors, cars, lampposts and other crap to even walk, let alone ride, on them.

aah - when I find myself riding on the footpath, it's usually because the street is cluttered with vendors, pushcarts and other miscellaneous sidecar riffraff, not to mention tour bus sized coaches and idiot drivers positioned like checkers in order to block any motorcycle passage...

there are many other things which should be much higher on the list of priorities.

Just wondering. Don't you feel it's dangerous when you ride your bike on the footpaths that in many cases are already not wide enough for pedestrians?

When I do this, there are no pedestrians in sight - I'd never do it if the footpath was being used by pedestrians.

But I'm not in Bangkok. A good example is Pattaya Tai road coming from Sukh before the junction with third road. At times, the road is blocked, but the sidewalks have absolutely no traffic from approx. the Shell station until the small soi before the intersection, because there aren't a lot of buildings there.

I'm also unsure why they recently banned the turn left on red at many Pattaya corners, at least for 2 wheel vehicles.

"I'm also unsure why they recently banned the turn left on red at many Pattaya corners, at least for 2 wheel vehicles." Watch out for that! 'Left turn on Red light' doesn't mean you can make a left turn when the light is red! Someone on another forum explained that there are 2 signs and it's the other one which allows you to turn left on red. The diffrence is the wording and the colour of writing. 'Left turn on Red light' has red on it. Red and black writing on white back ground.

[SteveFong]

would that be the same meaning as NO LEFT on red light, but they left out a little in the translation?

[rijit]

the worst violators are the motorcycle taxis, if they're caught they should have their license taken away

[The stuttering parrot]

If they were all fined 1000 baht that's 700,000!

As one poster said it will probally on last 48 hours a bit like the helmet crackdown.

Nice little earner so where's all this collected money end up?

[Chao Lao Beach]

Just shows how useless the BIB are the rest of the time when not enforced, remember there are BIB on nearly every corner.

[SABloke]

"Police also advised pedestrians to help take video clips of violators and send them to the police to take action"

No need to do this in my area, the guys drive straight past the police...

[jacko45k]

I had to re-read this several times.....for the last 15 years I've been waiting for police to do their jobs and stop bikers riding on the walkways and footpaths......has this really happened?

Don't get too excited, 'Crackdowns' normally last about 48 hours tops !

Yes, all that money burning a hole in their pockets, time to go shopping!

[AlQaholic]

Yes they should have separate motorcycle lanes, that way the motorcyclists can have their stupid and unnecessary (due to ignorance of basic driving safely) accidents all by themselves in their own lane without involving cars or pedestrians.

In fact where I live outside BKK in our industrial estate we have some motorcycle lanes inside the industrial estate and there are always these accidents among the motorcyclists. Most of these accidents happens because the drivers are looking at everything except the road or traffic, such as waving happily to a friend across the road and careening out into the traffic at the same time, or looking at the exhaust pipe, or chatting with one of the 5 passengers on the bike...etc..etc....