webfact Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Phuket police to enforce ban on bikes in new underpassTanyaluk SakootUh oh. Try this from this week onwards and you are likely to be fined.PHUKET: People riding or driving two-wheel or three-wheel transport – including bicycles, motorbikes, motorbikes with sidecars and classic three-wheel tuk-tuks – have been warned that they will be fined from this week onwards if they ride through the new Central Festival underpass.Somkiet Yimpong, Project Engineer for the Central Festival underpass, said, “We put up the signs four or five days ago. We know that some riders are breaking the rules but it is up to the police to deal with that. However, there are CCTV cameras at the entrance at each end of the underpass.”Pol Lt Col Ampon Chantanakul, superintendent of Vichit Police Station, said, “Two-wheel and three-wheel vehicle are not allow to go into the underpass. That’s an international standard.“We have been working to stop people and warn them, because this might be new concept for some riders and drivers. But we will start applying the no-entry rules strictly this week.” Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-police-to-enforce-ban-on-bikes-in-new-underpass-52149.php -- Phuket News 2015-05-04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod reborn Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Abiding by any international standard would be a new concept in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivinginKata Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Be interesting to see if this is really enforced. Let's see if there is a police check point at each end.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just1Voice Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Abiding by any international standard would be a new concept in Thailand. Abiding by ANY standard, other than "mai pen lai" would be a new concept in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcutman Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Be interesting to see if this is really enforced. Let's see if there is a police check point at each end.... It will be sporadic enforcement as normal, and a good earner for sure in those money tight times usually mid and end of month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony5 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Why is this news, shouldn't every law be enforced for that matter? Oh silly me, I forgot in which banana republic we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Tuft Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I was there in the past hour. Stood on the overpass while I had an iced coffee, and watched the traffic for about 15 minutes. Counted 30+ bikes heading south through the tunnel, and just a few less going north in that time. Averaged around 2 a minute going in to the tunnel. They will needs a fairly big presence over some days, physically stopping the bikes, to educate the masses. Those signage are not easy to make out if your concentrating on the road, so I can understand if people misses it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuchulainn Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I was there in the past hour. Stood on the overpass while I had an iced coffee, and watched the traffic for about 15 minutes. Counted 30+ bikes heading south through the tunnel, and just a few less going north in that time. Averaged around 2 a minute going in to the tunnel. They will needs a fairly big presence over some days, physically stopping the bikes, to educate the masses. Those signage are not easy to make out if your concentrating on the road, so I can understand if people misses it. Now THAT'S a new one, Argus!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Tuft Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I was there in the past hour. Stood on the overpass while I had an iced coffee, and watched the traffic for about 15 minutes. Counted 30+ bikes heading south through the tunnel, and just a few less going north in that time. Averaged around 2 a minute going in to the tunnel. They will needs a fairly big presence over some days, physically stopping the bikes, to educate the masses. Those signage are not easy to make out if your concentrating on the road, so I can understand if people misses it. Now THAT'S a new one, Argus!! My sincerest apologies.... ...if you're concentrating on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualbiker Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I gotta ask WHY are they banned... That's the bit that makes no sense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mises Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 If it is an international standard then the UK must have missed it. There are numerous underpasses or tunnels here including the Dartford tunnel that allow motorcycles, in fact I don't know of one that does not allow them. What is the reason for not allowing motorcycles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Tuft Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I gotta ask WHY are they banned... That's the bit that makes no sense! Thanks. Thought I was the only one wondering why this is such a big deal. Not a long tunnel for a start. The 'international standards' statement as the reason for banning bikes line is drawing a long bow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuchulainn Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I was there in the past hour. Stood on the overpass while I had an iced coffee, and watched the traffic for about 15 minutes. Counted 30+ bikes heading south through the tunnel, and just a few less going north in that time. Averaged around 2 a minute going in to the tunnel. They will needs a fairly big presence over some days, physically stopping the bikes, to educate the masses. Those signage are not easy to make out if your concentrating on the road, so I can understand if people misses it. Now THAT'S a new one, Argus!! My sincerest apologies.... ...if you're concentrating on the road. No. Not that!! It's the concept of Thais concentrating on the road!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Tuft Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) No. Not that!! It's the concept of Thais concentrating on the road!! Yeah, I know, I got it the first time. Just having some fun buddy. And in the interest of balance, it's not just some Thais who don't concentrate while driving - plenty of foreigners clueless on the road too... Edited May 4, 2015 by Argus Tuft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tingtongfarang Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Not sure where they get the international standards part from, thailand is the only country i rode where bikes are banned from underpasses or elevated roads, or tollways come to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolJadzia Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Problem is knee jerk reactions to the growing motorcycle accident rates. There is case history for this from the UK. The Leg protector fiasco in the 70's springs to mind. Better driver and rider training and proper traffic police doing their job is the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tingtongfarang Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Problem is knee jerk reactions to the growing motorcycle accident rates. There is case history for this from the UK. The Leg protector fiasco in the 70's springs to mind. Better driver and rider training and proper traffic police doing their job is the answer. I think they base the laws on times when a honda c50 or other mopeds were the wheels of asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ataloss Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I ride my motorcycle through Thai underpasses all the time - have been for years; what's with the police restriction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolJadzia Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I ride my motorcycle through Thai underpasses all the time - have been for years; what's with the police restriction? Obviously you have suddenly become a danger to other road users. Best give up motorcycling and walk! Unfortunately it is going to take more people to die and the situation to worsen before things will improve. Authorities still barking up the wrong trees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retell Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Its also international law to not drive against traffic in whatsoever kind of transportation device Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKnave Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I gotta ask WHY are they banned... That's the bit that makes no sense! They're banned because they allow bikes to bypass the intersection, where the BIB operate their daily extortion racket. Period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenl Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I gotta ask WHY are they banned... That's the bit that makes no sense!They're banned because they allow bikes to bypass the intersection, where the BIB operate their daily extortion racket. Period.Never seen any bib there fining people. Extortion would be something different anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockman Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Thainess, in action! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Tuft Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 They're banned because they allow bikes to bypass the intersection, where the BIB operate their daily extortion racket. Period.Never seen any bib there fining people. Extortion would be something different anyway. Me too. I could name several hot spots where the BIB have regular traffic blitzes and pull over a lot of bikes for an hour or two each time - but the Central intersection ain't one of them. Besides, with TheKnave's logic, they could simply move their 'daily extortion racket' to either end of the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realenglish1 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 International Standards?-Thailand Your kidding right ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razer Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Thainess is to ignore traffic laws unless police are visibly present. I see this every day on overpasses in BKK. This initiative will require cops on duty at the underpass 24/7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsetBkk Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Thainess is to ignore traffic laws unless police are visibly present. I see this every day on overpasses in BKK. This initiative will require cops on duty at the underpass 24/7. or... they could use the CCTV cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivinginKata Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Thainess is to ignore traffic laws unless police are visibly present. I see this every day on overpasses in BKK. This initiative will require cops on duty at the underpass 24/7. or... they could use the CCTV cameras. That assumes those bikes on CCTV are legally registered to the driver and that the owner pays the road tax each year. A tall order, and meantime the bike drives through the tunnel without knowing any penalty is due. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenl Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Thainess is to ignore traffic laws unless police are visibly present. I see this every day on overpasses in BKK. This initiative will require cops on duty at the underpass 24/7. or... they could use the CCTV cameras. That assumes those bikes on CCTV are legally registered to the driver and that the owner pays the road tax each year. A tall order, and meantime the bike drives through the tunnel without knowing any penalty is due. doesn't have to be registered to the driver, the legal owner will have to pay.I know people only driving locally sometimes don't renew their registration yearly, but I'd think that at that location there won't be very many unregistered bikes riding around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catweazle Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Good luck, but thanks for trying... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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