Cycling licence considered as long-term measure: Bangkok Administration

[webfact]

Cycling licence considered as long-term measure: BMA
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Cyclists will be required to possess a licence as part of a long-term measure to prevent road accidents, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesman Tridoa Apaiwong said yesterday.

Several road accidents involving cyclists have occurred over the past few weeks.

She said the BMA management had met and drawn up additional measures to promote tourism, for instance introducing more bike lanes, and putting up signs and street lights in the capital.

The BMA will also seek cooperation from areas beyond its authority to provide facilities for cyclists.

As a long-term measure, the BMA will consult with the Department of Land Transport and the Metropolitan Police Bureau to arrange for licences for cyclists. The BMA also wants to restrict the age of cyclists using the roads.

The city administrators are also planning to launch campaigns promoting safety and raise awareness among motorists and teach them to be public minded when using roads.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Cycling-licence-considered-as-long-term-measure-BM-30259840.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-12

[T_Dog]

How in the ( ) is this going to prevent cyclists from being hit? Absurd.

Enforcing drunk driving laws, unsafe passing, and speeding should be considered.

[RobertHima]

I simply don't believe it. Blaming the cyclists for being hit by a drunk driver falling asleep? How would a license help in this situation?

While we are at the topic, what about restricting the age of motorcycle drivers first, maybe requiring a driving license would be nice too.

[EyesWideOpen]

What.......the.......bleep. This knee jerk response to the cyclists getting mowed

down is now reaching the heights of absurdity. No country in the world has a

bicycle license......

[chooka]

A bicycle licence, are they serious? At what age can children sit thier licence tests? They will need to recruit a lot more police to crack down on all the two year old who will be breaking the law, unlicensed peddling. Would it make more sense to crack down on the motor vehicle operators using bicycle lanes and maybe make it compulsory for bicycle riders to wear helmets?

[NongKhaiKid]

What's next, all pedestrians to be licensed and fined if they walk outside permitted areas ?

These idiots have the temerity to claim they are running a major city !

[apetley]

Clueless

[halloween]

A wrong direction attempt to solve a knotty problem. In Qld, law has been brought in, at cyclists insistence, that cars should give riders a wider berth. Associated with that law was responsibility for riders to obey road rules, and nearly all the fines levied under it have been cyclists.

[NongKhaiKid]

What's the point of anyone suggesting this, that and the other needs to be implemented, regulated etc. as they simply become more words on the statute books and like all the rest already in existence are never enforced.

All of this goes the same way as the other fine words like purge, crackdown etc. as it simply sounds and looks good, as if something is being done and that's an end to it.

Put this alongside regular reports of the national police chief ' urging ' his men to do their job which sums it all up.

[MESmith]

Will the licences only apply to those wearing lycra?

[NongKhaiKid]

Will the licences only apply to those wearing lycra?

Will there now be thousands of cyclists in lycra being registered as Lance or Somchai Armtrong ?

[ratcatcher]

A wrong direction attempt to solve a knotty problem. In Qld, law has been brought in, at cyclists insistence, that cars should give riders a wider berth. Associated with that law was responsibility for riders to obey road rules, and nearly all the fines levied under it have been cyclists.

Agreed.

However, there is a large difference between the word "cyclists" and those merely riding a bicycle. Why? IMHO, because 'cyclists' as a group, tend to be more organized, traffic aware, disciplined in road rules etc. Most cycling clubs here and in other countries wear head protection and normally have reflective clothing.

The politicians need to realize that most accidents are caused by motorists not exercising enough caution when approaching cyclists and motorcyclists.

The cyclists need to obey the law re traffic movement as much as motorists. Many cyclists merely ride through a red light.

They need to enforce the existing laws re helmets, licenses, under-age drivers, and overloaded motorcycles, with 3 or more.

[indothai]

when will they stop making money at every corner... their job is fairly simple, enforce the law.

[MESmith]

They could put a microchip in the licence that automatically uploads the ride to a linked strava account. Save me wasting time looking for a wifi signal at the end of each ride

[NongKhaiKid]

when will they stop making money at every corner... their job is fairly simple, enforce the law.

Its so simple it's too difficult for them as it requires effort and application.

[kmj]

<deleted>ing idiots...

[SpokaneAl]

Amazing Thailand.

[aussieinthailand]

Where on earth do they find these people? how to fix the issue?

Enforce traffic laws, Nahhh

Limited hours cyclist's can use main roads, Nahhh

Educate the public about others on the road, Nahh

A license to ride a bike!!! YEAH!!!!! Man we are just so clever we should be paid twice, Hey now there's a thought, the military's doing it, the cop's are trying for it, why not us as well....

10% out there don't have a drivers license, another 10% bought there license cause they're to stupid to pass the test, a further 20% think the law doesn't apply to them as they are connected and don't you know who I am?

20% firmly believe that flashing your head lights means you can run the red light, over take regardless of safety, and in all other cases it's the other persons fault cause you didn't get out of my way.

And the rest think they can do as they like cause the 100,000 barht amulet will keep them safe.

If you can't dazzle them with brains, Baffle them with Bull_sh*t

[Denim]

So Prayuth thinks more Bangkokians should take to two wheels and spends a lot of money on bicycle lanes only to find he is going to need a license to use them and he might be too old to apply for one anyway.

Are the BMA and Prayuth on a collision course ?

[Aussieroaming]

Dumb as it gets

[LuckyLew]

Great... more laws and rules that will be ignored

[Chao Lao Beach]

But it is ok for 8yo to drive motor bikes though, these people really are @^$&$*

[Ace of Pop]

Cyclists are dam pest. Riding 4 abreast,hard to get past the Lycra Ninjas

[konying]

Haha. Got to love the logic here.

Cars do not follow the rules, so let's make it hard to cycle.

What's next? Pedestrians will need to be licenced to walk?

[camerata]

Sounds like "blame the victim" to me.

[djayz]

Speechless... what idiot came up with this "solution"?

[tominbkk]

I'm a weekend cyclist, and it is scary out there. I generally make it a habit to avoid too many roads. I see a lot of cyclists taking huge risks. Not blaming them as they should have every right to use the road (more right in fact in my eyes) but hey reality is a bitch and getting slammed by a pickup truck will not be much of a competition.

[Bluespunk]

Stupid idea.

[fforest1]

This is a good idea...The roads are for motorized vehicles ..We need more taxes

fees and regulation of bicycles. Bicycles should be banned from the roads for their own safety.

Sure I think its fine that children ride bikes around the neighborhood. But most people

when they get older put the the bike away.

[fforest1]

.