Thai editorial: How to make our roads safe for cyclists

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EDITORIAL
How to make our roads safe for cyclists

BANGKOK: -- Three road accidents in less than a week have claimed the lives of five cyclists and left four others seriously injured.

The news has triggered fresh worry for the countless citizens of Thailand who use bicycles to commute to work or school or for leisure and errands. It is also a wake-up call for motorists and the authorities.

The first accident occurred in Chiang Mai early on Sunday. A university student crashed her car into a group of some 20 cyclists out for a ride, killing three and leaving two seriously injured. The motorist, who is in her early 20s, is suspected of having dozed off at the wheel.

The second accident took place in Bangkok on Monday night and left one cyclist dead and two injured. The 23-year-old driver reportedly claimed to have been quarrelling with his girlfriend when he lost control of the car and crashed into the riders.

The third accident occurred in Ayutthaya on Monday evening when a truck hit a traffic signpost, which then fell onto a passing cyclist. The man was admitted to hospital with serious head injuries and died a few hours later.

Official records for road accidents involving bicycles are not kept in Thailand. As such, many likely go unreported, making it difficult to accurately gauge the level of danger faced by cyclists here.

However, several deadly accidents have been widely reported. In the past two years three foreign cyclists on round-the-world trips have met their end on Thai roads, despite years of experience biking in different countries. In February last year British couple Peter Root and Mary Thompson died after they were hit by a pickup truck in Chachoengsao. A year later another round-the-world quest ended in tragedy when Chilean cyclist Juan Francisco Guillermo was killed in Nakhon Ratchasima, again by a pickup truck.

Cycling is a growing trend among health-conscious Thais. Clubs that have sprouted up now boast more than a million members in total, according to some estimates. Lines of riders threading through the traffic at night or in the early morning have become a familiar sight in our big cities. But, while darkness offers cooler temperatures that are more conducive to a physical activity like cycling, it also brings added danger that may be a factor in the number of accidents involving cyclists. Drivers - especially if they are speeding or drunk - are less likely to have a clear view of cyclists at night and in the murky hours around dawn. And in the event of a collision, it is always the rider who comes off worse.

While stricter enforcement of the traffic laws is certainly needed to reduce the danger for those on two wheels, cyclists must also do all they can to protect themselves from harm. High-visibility garb, a helmet and a healthy respect for traffic rules are vital shields for anyone venturing onto the roads on a bike.

Just as important is the infrastructure designed to get cyclists safely from Point A to Point B. A shortage of bicycle lanes means that cyclists are often forced to mix in with cars, pickup trucks and heavy lorries in fast-moving traffic.

Shortly after assuming office Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced a policy to establish more bike lanes throughout the country. Now would be a good time to review what progress has been made on this initiative.

With three deadly accidents in the space of a few days, it is time for road users and the authorities pay heed to the dangers facing cyclists and begin forging concrete action to prevent tragedies like these from happening again.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/How-to-make-our-roads-safe-for-cyclists-30259484.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-07

[Fiddlesticks]

Simple answer, Enforce laws!

Now that was easy.

[NongKhaiKid]

Shouldn't the question be how to make the roads safer for everybody ?

I've got nothing against cyclists but they're just as bad as anyone on and off the road. I thought about trying cycling for exercise years ago but decided it was safer to walk. My local, and beautiful, fitness park has two tracks, one for walkers / joggers and one for cyclists but no one pays any attention and the cyclists are the most aggressive by shouting and waving for others to get out of their way. Not all i must say only a certain amount of the Lance Armstrong look-a-likes.

The PM is supposedly a keen cyclist but the creation of bike lanes mean nothing as everyone will use them and in the case of those on the highway near my house by m/cycles and cars going against the traffic.

These terrible tragedies get headlines and reactions but then ... ?

[LuckyLew]

If a week or two passes with out another cyclist getting taken out all will be forgotten and it will be assumed the problem is solved. Biggest problem in Thailand is no one seems to want to admit their are issues so no one proposes solutions. Until Thai people are made to take responsibility for their actions and pay a heavy price for breaking laws nothing will change, road carnage of all types will go unabated. Drive the wrong way, unlicensed drivers, turn where you want, cut in drivers, drunk drivers and the list goes on.

I used to cycle to and from work back home, in Thailand I would not ride a bike in the condo parking lot, too dangerous

[pedro01]

Undertaking on single lane roads is an issue here.

Saphan Sung is a popular area for motorbikes & the road alongside the motorway has a generous biker lane both sides - which cars use to pass slower moving vehicles on the inside. I saw a cyclist almost get taken out - the idiot in the car obviously never saw him and it was pure luck he didn't get hit.

Cyclists here don't seem to go big on reflective gear which does them no favors. I go out dressed in fluorescent clothes.

But basically it's impatient drivers using bike lanes, drivers still drunk at 6am when we start our rides or just drivers not paying attention mixed with the fact there is close to zero on-road enforcement of traffic laws.

Who has ever been pulled over by a cop car here for their driving? No-one. Police just put up roadblocks but they don't actively enforce the law in moving traffic. So no-one gets caught for dangerous driving because there's no cops on the road busting people for it.

[Dannyboy666]

Shouldn't the question be how to make the roads safer for everybody ?

I've got nothing against cyclists but they're just as bad as anyone on and off the road. I thought about trying cycling for exercise years ago but decided it was safer to walk. My local, and beautiful, fitness park has two tracks, one for walkers / joggers and one for cyclists but no one pays any attention and the cyclists are the most aggressive by shouting and waving for others to get out of their way. Not all i must say only a certain amount of the Lance Armstrong look-a-likes.

The PM is supposedly a keen cyclist but the creation of bike lanes mean nothing as everyone will use them and in the case of those on the highway near my house by m/cycles and cars going against the traffic.

These terrible tragedies get headlines and reactions but then ... ?

. Driving in San Francisco has become a Nitemare with cyclist lanes, you cannot get closer to a cyclist than 3 feet, well most of the roads are not built for this activity , Arrogant Bast@&$? Cyclist

[Seastallion]

I agree with every post here so far.

It's not about special tactics to ensure cyclist safety, it's about general road use by motorists and the strict enforcement of the rules.

It's starting with tougher license issuance. But ongoing enforcement is key.

Has anybody else made the same observation as me in regard to the arrogance and stupidity on the roads? There are 2 interconnecting issues; The first is status. My car is more expensive than your vehicle, thus you must give way to me, regardless of road signs or rules. Size of vehicle too plays a role; I'm bigger, get in my way at your peril.

The second issue is the peasantry of low education having no idea whatsoever about road rules and road safety.

[Jeremy50]

I agree with every post here so far.

It's not about special tactics to ensure cyclist safety, it's about general road use by motorists and the strict enforcement of the rules.

It's starting with tougher license issuance. But ongoing enforcement is key.

Has anybody else made the same observation as me in regard to the arrogance and stupidity on the roads? There are 2 interconnecting issues; The first is status. My car is more expensive than your vehicle, thus you must give way to me, regardless of road signs or rules. Size of vehicle too plays a role; I'm bigger, get in my way at your peril.

The second issue is the peasantry of low education having no idea whatsoever about road rules and road safety.

Unfortunately, arrogance and hubris are a big part of the Thai personality. To blatantly drive on the wrong side of the road or to speed dangerously, weaving in and out of the traffic, takes spadefuls of the stuff. Icarus was arrogant and look what happened to him.

[janpharma]

Force idiot pick up drivers to drive ON the road and NOT NEAR the road at cyclist speed

[Thaddeus]

If a week or two passes with out another cyclist getting taken out all will be forgotten and it will be assumed the problem is solved. Biggest problem in Thailand is no one seems to want to admit their are issues so no one proposes solutions.

<snip>

Nah, that isn't the biggest problem, when a situation has got to the point where they have to admit that there is a problem, solutions are proposed, and then nothing noteworthy happens.

The main function of most institutions/administrations in Thailand is to look good, using minimal effort, and when something bad happens, it starts with denial, then blame shift ... then they form a committee, have a mull, propose some solutions (hopefully get the proposals featured as a headline)

Click the ''job done'' box, then sit back, and hope everyone forgets about it.

[2fishin2]

In phuket there are bike lanes on several roads. Nothing will make roads safe for cyclists, ever. These lanes are just extensions for people to park or pass. There are even lanes specifically for motorbikes. People still drive in car lanes and avoid the motorbike lane. Nothing will ever change.

[arthurwait]

Put traffic camera monitors in karaoke bars ?

[trogers]

Let cyclists pack a certain amount of C4 - bam and mutual annihilation.

[ianf]

Shouldn't the question be how to make the roads safer for everybody ?

I've got nothing against cyclists but they're just as bad as anyone on and off the road. I thought about trying cycling for exercise years ago but decided it was safer to walk. My local, and beautiful, fitness park has two tracks, one for walkers / joggers and one for cyclists but no one pays any attention and the cyclists are the most aggressive by shouting and waving for others to get out of their way. Not all i must say only a certain amount of the Lance Armstrong look-a-likes.

The PM is supposedly a keen cyclist but the creation of bike lanes mean nothing as everyone will use them and in the case of those on the highway near my house by m/cycles and cars going against the traffic.

These terrible tragedies get headlines and reactions but then ... ?

. Driving in San Francisco has become a Nitemare with cyclist lanes, you cannot get closer to a cyclist than 3 feet, well most of the roads are not built for this activity , Arrogant Bast@&$? Cyclist

A nightmare for the motorist perhaps but not for the cyclist. In France you can't drive closer than a metre and that sounds perfectly reasonable and acceptable to me. Rethink, Dannyboy because it is cars that kill and maim and cars that destroy the environment - not cyclists.

[Dannyboy666]

Shouldn't the question be how to make the roads safer for everybody ?

I've got nothing against cyclists but they're just as bad as anyone on and off the road. I thought about trying cycling for exercise years ago but decided it was safer to walk. My local, and beautiful, fitness park has two tracks, one for walkers / joggers and one for cyclists but no one pays any attention and the cyclists are the most aggressive by shouting and waving for others to get out of their way. Not all i must say only a certain amount of the Lance Armstrong look-a-likes.

The PM is supposedly a keen cyclist but the creation of bike lanes mean nothing as everyone will use them and in the case of those on the highway near my house by m/cycles and cars going against the traffic.

These terrible tragedies get headlines and reactions but then ... ?

. Driving in San Francisco has become a Nitemare with cyclist lanes, you cannot get closer to a cyclist than 3 feet, well most of the roads are not built for this activity , Arrogant Bast@&$? Cyclist

A nightmare for the motorist perhaps but not for the cyclist. In France you can't drive closer than a metre and that sounds perfectly reasonable and acceptable to me. Rethink, Dannyboy because it is cars that kill and maim and cars that destroy the environment - not cyclists.

. I know Ian but there is a Certain Degree of Arrogance in SF.

[toybits]

As a cyclist myself, I make sure I have multiple rear and front warning lights on at night. I say multiple because sometimes, the batteries die out. With two rear-facing warning/flashing lights and two front-facing ones, I am sure that at least one of those two would be working. Furthermore, I try to cycle during daylight hours and keep night rides to a minimum. Perhaps this is difficult to do in Bangkok - all the more reason to increase your visibility. Wear reflective strips. Attach reflector strips on your helmet and bicycle. There are more than one say to increase your visibility.

[crickets]

Tinted front windows, retard thai cowboys in pick ups, selfish turds. get these off the roads and theres a good start.

[mike324]

Out of safety reasons, I think bikes should be banned on certain roads! It simply not safe to try to ride a bike on some roads, its silly. In Taiwan , most bikes are ridden on sidewalks, given that they have designed their sidewalks to be wide enough with designated bike lane, something like that can never be done here.

[Pattaya28]

Surely it's more important to prioritize on a "death rate" basis.

Motor-bike riders are dying at 50+ a day.

Authorities need to look at the statistics of these deaths and address this accordingly.

In my view, this is more "hot-air".

[shaurene]

Let's start with making it safe for pedestrians, passengers and vehical compulsory testing like warranty Certs for all vehicals each 12 months to start then each 6 months. And proper driving tests.

[toybits]

Put a higher tax on private car ownership - but compensate that with putting more reliable public transportation (meaning buses and trains).

[Strangebrew]

Simple Ban all Thai's from driving anything with wheels. Then sidewalks are also safer.

[Thaddeus]

Put a higher tax on private car ownership - but compensate that with putting more reliable public transportation (meaning buses and trains).

That would only serve to punish people who don't live anywhere near a bus route.

Like me.

Trains? nearest train station is 70km away!!!

Edit//

Having something like a congestion charge for all motorised vehicles in an area where adequate public transport was provided however.

Edited May 7, 2015 by Thaddeus