Big Bikes and the Central underpass in Phuket

[illy]

Are all bikes banned from using the underpass @ central or can big bikes use it??

[Deli]

As far as I know, all bikes.

But no problem if you have 30 year old rusty truck with no profile on the tires, overloaded with tons and an exhaust smoking like a chimney from a steel cooking plant...

Doesn't make any sense to me, too. All km - long tunnels in Switzerland, Italy, etc. are open for big bikes. But Phuket is special...

[PJ33]

Yes the sign at either end of the underpass clearly shows a picture 4 types of vehicle not allowed. I only identified 3 of them: motorbikes, bicycles, tuk-tuks. 4th one I saw the pic but had no idea what it was. Lol.

Apparently a similar ban is in place for Bangkok underpasses, says the gf.

I think it is really out of order to stop bikes and bicycles going through. If anything, they should be encouraging the small, fuel efficient, more environmentally friendly modes of transport and discouraging the gas-guzzling, super-size trucks.

I don't see how forcing bikes and bicycles to take the side road and queue for 2 minutes at traffic lights, just to end up in the same place anyway, helps anyone!!

[AlQaholic]

At many overpasses and underpasses in Bangkok motorcycles are prohibited, this is for their safety as I understand, as there are no road shoulders where they can safely ride and motorists driving very fast through these passes.

[ToddinChonburi]

Yes this is for safety and safety only. Have you ever seen what a truck can do to a motorbike food cart. Very ugly.

[smotherb]

Well, in 2015 to build an underpass, overpass, tunnel, bridge or any other roadway without shoulders is less than realistic. Big bikes would have no problem keeping up the speed, but shoulder access is needed. In Europe and the US, big bikes are not prohibited from roadways, but TIT. I think part of the problem is that officials are not sure how they enforce big vs. small bikes.

[surfinglife]

At many overpasses and underpasses in Bangkok motorcycles are prohibited, this is for their safety as I understand, as there are no road shoulders where they can safely ride and motorists driving very fast through these passes.

A motorcycle should never be ridden on the shoulder, that's not what the shoulder is for. The proper road position for a motorbike is where the right wheels of a car normally are.

[eisfeld]

In a twisted way it kinda makes sense. Most accidents around here are with motorbikes because people are too dumb to ride them properly. They'll soon start to ride them on the wrong side in the opposite direction I am sure. And in a years time we'll most likely see food stalls inside the underpass. Also it is missing a ghost house.

[Mudcrab]

At many overpasses and underpasses in Bangkok motorcycles are prohibited, this is for their safety as I understand, as there are no road shoulders where they can safely ride and motorists driving very fast through these passes.

A motorcycle should never be ridden on the shoulder, that's not what the shoulder is for. The proper road position for a motorbike is where the right wheels of a car normally are.

Agree....but you really should read the road rules for Thailand.

[CindyB]

Nearly every Monday we head to Central Festival for a movie and lunch. We tend to park in the Home Works parking lot. Going over the pedestrian bridge I always look down the underpass; force of habit from when they were taking 3 (maybe more?) years to build it. Every single week I've seen a saleng parked in whichever of the three lanes are not being used at the time. So, I guess salengs can use the underpass for parking