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

[outboard]

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!!!

Learn to English arrested means stopped, they are not going to fine them without stopping them are they

[Globeman]

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?

Yes, this week and not again until the next 'crackdown'.

[Pattaya46]

Google the word "arrest".

Google the word "arrested"

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/arrested

1.Having been stopped or prevented from developing

How do you fine them if you don't stop them first ?

[Larry001]

I applaud this. Only hope it is now policed for ever a day. Also in Phuket, Pattaya, Chang Mai and other large cities. Then the police can start doing their job with people who run red lights, particularly pedestrian crossings. Only a matter of time before someone is killed in Phuket where large buses and others refuse to slow down or stop at a red light.

[daveAustin]

what I do is walk RIGHT ACROSS THE BLOODY ROAD WITH MY HAND UP FOR THEM TO BLOODY STOP. They are genuinely surprised, as are the Thai pedestrians I sometimes tag along with me.

It always made me cringe when my folks did that, until I had a word. The problem is, they don't really how it is here. Get in front of the wrong, mixed up dude ploughing along in his Merc, or yabaa'd up punk on his plastic pig, and try that and you could garner yourself the privilege of a free ride... i.e. dragged half a mile down the street backwards.

[sailblue]

Can someone send this to the mayor of Pattaya, please !!

I can even recall a promise to make the Pattaya sidewalks wheel chair friendly.

[harryfrompattaya]

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.

I am deeper sad today As I love to tide on the footpath Will this force me to leave my wife and Thailand

[Pundi6446]

Fines ranging from 400 to 1000 baht, they should say Thais 400 baht, farangs 1000 baht, would be more accurately phrased.

[jonesthebaker]

quite amaizing that the police have to be informed that it is illegal and dangerous for motorcycles to travel on footpaths. is there any IQ entry level for police recruits!

[NoshowJones]

Soon there may be, he will be in hospital after riding into another Farangs fist.

Manarak the Asshat has gone a bit quiet, maybe he's met that fist he so richly deserves already.

I hope so, but if he has, don't look at me, I'm 250 Ks north of Bangkok.

[NoshowJones]

Surprise, Surprise. I have just rode past about six BiBs having stopped what looked like an underage motorcyclist here in my home village about 250 Ks north of Bangkok. Are things really starting to look up now?

[Freed1948]

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

They haven't been to Arun Amarin. Motorbike Taxis AND the police are notorious for using the footpaths as shortcuts.

Mind you there is a Police box with an uninterrupted view of all the footpaths.

[chris hayes]

helmets next ?????? oh we've had that one uuuuuurrrrrr

Edited November 20, 2014 by chris hayes

[SRC]

Well I would never expect a MC, car or bus to stop for me. I can't help but wonder what would happen if one of these motorcyclists on the foot path accidently got knocked over as he tried to run me over. Self defense? The driving sounds annoying for sure. I think I'll take a bicycle. Tons of shortcuts on a bike.

[BigSkip]

how many had to pay several times ?

Apparently not enough.......... what happened to the big crackdown on driving the wrong way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[connda]

So once they get the motorcycles off the footpaths, will they start moving the cars that park on them? If they remove the cars and motorcycles, will they remove the signs, telephone booths, utility poles, mailboxes, etc that are right in the middle of the walkways forcing pedestrians into the street? Once they remove the signs, telephone booths, utility poles, mailboxes, etc., will they remove all the trees planted right in the middle of the walkways forcing pedestrians into the street?

Didn't think so.

[Jimbolai]

I have done it. Sometimes and very carefully. Not in Bangkok. I am all for fining the offenders and stopping the bad habit. $1000 may just do it.

Should I turn myself in? I have no proof though.

True, wrong is wrong but for Pete's sake take all the vendors of the side walks. Especially in front of the 7/11 on Pattaya beach rd. Next to the police station. One can barely get into the parking lot to go to the 7/11.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Jimbolai

[blastface]

Can never get over how so many people can relocate to another country and hold the indigenous people in such disdain.

Irony and disrespect by the shovelful doesn't begin to describe these ingrates.

I predict that you will "get over" it very quickly the first time you are hit by a motor bike on the sidewalk (or are a victim of any number of reckless activities perpetrated by motor vehicle operators in Thailand)

Exactly! Maybe once motor bike hit you for the 50th time like the rest of us you'll learn to hate the local people. Those of uss that have been killed at least ten times by typical thais no better than you.

[blastface]

Arrested and fined in this situation means "caught and fined". It's just a knee jerk reaction anyways. Everyone in this country drives or rides like a schmuck so footpath riding has been a way for motorcyclists to circumvent that issue.

BOTH of my nanas were killed by these typical thai lunatics. Maybe once they've killed your family members like many of us on here you won't think it's a 'kneejerk reaction' then! Of course we all know who they will say drives on the footpath *cough* Burmese *cough* couldn't be thai oh no! smh

[JohnThailandJohn]

So once they get the motorcycles off the footpaths, will they start moving the cars that park on them? If they remove the cars and motorcycles, will they remove the signs, telephone booths, utility poles, mailboxes, etc that are right in the middle of the walkways forcing pedestrians into the street? Once they remove the signs, telephone booths, utility poles, mailboxes, etc., will they remove all the trees planted right in the middle of the walkways forcing pedestrians into the street?

Didn't think so.

I hope your just in a doom and gloom mood and this is not your general outlook to news of something improving. If this is a general life style then the good news is there will always be things to whine about and always be negatives to be seen even if in this case they did everything you mention there will always be more to complain about from curbs too high getting up on the sidewalk, too many cracks, too close to the polluting cars, not wide enough, too close too store doors opening, not enough water fountains, no benches to sit if tired, no place to throw away garbage and so on and so on.

Personally I think it a good thing there may be less motorbikes on the sidewalks and see positive in this story as are the stories about them finding a common sense ground with street vendors on the main roads to be off the sidewalks during certain hours and them forcing store owners to remove steps and other encroachments on the sidewalks.

Edited November 20, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[smellthecoffee]

Surely this is part of the flavour of what Thailand is all about. Driving on the pavement is part of the whole experience. Xenophobia and corruption at every level it's a country that reviles in total contradiction to civilized society and wafts wind in the face of common decency this surly must be a cunning ploy by the police to extort money out of the general public who have been lured into a false sense of security that doing the most outlandish absurdities is the norm which it usually is and riders go unchecked until now suddenly a trap is sprung on them and one of these storm troopers in brown jumps out from the shadows in a Dick Turpin fashion to order the commoner to stand and deliver.

This is of course is not a benchmark for Thailand changing it's rules on the absurd that goes against the fabric of what Thailand stands for. You add what that is yourself.

Edited November 20, 2014 by smellthecoffee

[Jonmarleesco]

'The campaign will continue unabated ...' That I want to see.

[Rooney860]

I think the Thai

'Highway Code'says you can ride on the footpath if road is jammed, this true?

[Equalizer]

Thailand if full of Psyclepath drivers.

[manarak]

Arrested and fined in this situation means "caught and fined". It's just a knee jerk reaction anyways. Everyone in this country drives or rides like a schmuck so footpath riding has been a way for motorcyclists to circumvent that issue.

BOTH of my nanas were killed by these typical thai lunatics. Maybe once they've killed your family members like many of us on here you won't think it's a 'kneejerk reaction' then! Of course we all know who they will say drives on the footpath *cough* Burmese *cough* couldn't be thai oh no! smh

what are nanas ?

[SPB65]

Christmas is coming so all those police mia nois will be expecting their fake perfumes and handbags. More crackdowns expected to be announced over the coming days. Everything back to normal after new year.

[bubba]

I was driving along Sukhumvit (lower sois) and also in Phaholyothin today and saw absolutely no difference in the number of motorcyclists using the footpaths. I at least six of them, both motorcycle taxis and regular drivers. In Suhkhumvit, a tourist couple had to step aside and dodge one.

Nice headlines, but this appears to be complete hype, and there is apparently no word on the street to not drive on the footpaths. Or was this a shorter than usual "crackdown" that lasted perhaps one police shift on a single day?

[nithisa78]

Thank you. Stay safe.

[Jim walker]

Thais 400 Baht and Farang 1000 Baht terms strictly cash and once you have been caught dont throw that cigarette but on the ground or it could be double.

[Alwyn]

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 !

Or until it rains, whichever comes first!