Road traps against cyclists?

[Thaivisa News]

Phuket:- More than 100 shiny nails spread along a bicycle lane in the southern province of Phuket on Thursday morning. It remains unclear how these sharp items ended up on the spot.

“We counted them and their number went past 140,” Sukanya Sairaya told ASTV Manager.

Being one of regular cyclists in Phuket, Sukanya has also heard that a bicycle got flat tire on Wednesday morning in the same area.

So far, she has refused to believe that someone deliberately littered the bicycle lane with nails.

“There is no reason to do so,” Sukanya said.

After collecting the nails with her friends, she only suggested that motorists stopped parking their vehicles on the bicycle lanes.

“If you park your vehicles there, you are in effect forcing cyclists to swerve out of the bicycle lane and that may cause accidents,” Sukanya said.

Cycling trend has now caught on in the Thai society. Bicycle shops have mushroomed and bicycle lanes have emerged in many areas across Thailand particularly in big cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

However with cycling being more and more popular, social friction is likely to emerge from it.

Many motorists have openly expressed their frustration and anger towards bicycle riders who come to share public roads. They feel these cyclists have slowed down traffic flow and increased the risks of road accidents for no sound reason.

“It’s dangerous on busy street. You know it’s risky. So why you still hit the road with your bicycle?” asks a Facebook user.

Many motorists show no sympathy for cyclists who got hit and killed by cars on street.

[impulse]

What fun would that be?

[Thaddeus]

Being one of regular cyclists in Phuket, Sukanya has also heard that a bicycle got flat tire on Wednesday morning in the same area.

So far, she has refused to believe that someone deliberately littered the bicycle lane with nails.

“There is no reason to do so,” Sukanya said.

After collecting the nails with her friends, she only suggested that motorists stopped parking their vehicles on the bicycle lanes.

Things that make you go hmm.....

[Classic Ray]

Typical attitude of Thailand, where unlike the West, there is a strict food chain where pedestrians and cyclists (even though their bikes can cost as much as a car) are seen as the lowest beings and the rich and those driving large vehicles have absolute priority. This is reflected in the state or absence of the footpaths, the absence of segregated cycleways, and the attitude of both society and the law towards those on foot or two manually-powered wheels.

Until the people realise they can campaign and fight back against these attitudes like road safety campaigners and cycling support groups such as Sustrans do in the UK, nothing will change and pedestrians and cyclists, especially the latter will continue to be mown down instead of encouraged in their ecofriendly and healthy means of transport.

[impulse]

Typical attitude of Thailand, where unlike the West, there is a strict food chain where pedestrians and cyclists (even though their bikes can cost as much as a car) are seen as the lowest beings and the rich and those driving large vehicles have absolute priority.

I'm not so sure those nails weren't left to flatten the tires of cars that park or drive in the bicycle lane...

Just another mystery- a result of jumbled reporting and no photos.

[cnx355]

Wait until the son of a rich influential person get hurt by a car...then maybe they( people with power) will do something to improve the situation. I see more and more very expensive bike on the road. The cyclists are not all low or medium class people.

[NickJ]

Those nails were found very near to Somchai's flat repair shop.

[WhizBang]

Ahhh, Thailand. Such a lovely Buddhist country.

Nuf said.

[WhizBang]

Wait until the son of a rich influential person get hurt by a car...then maybe they( people with power) will do something to improve the situation. I see more and more very expensive bike on the road. The cyclists are not all low or medium class people.

I am going to assume that you ment to say low or medium income people. ALL perople are (or should be) equal.

[connda]

Perhaps the government should force companies and their own agencies to move phone booths, trasformers, signs, utility poles, trees, etc out of the pedisterain paths so that people walking are not forced to 'swerve' into the road, risking being hit by traffic, in order to avoid items blocking sidewalks?

[LivinginKata]

3 unnecessary post removed.

[stevenl]

What bicycle lane? Maybe they do exist, but I presume here is referred to the bike lane, officially also to be used by motorbikes, which because of parked cars and never cleaned surface normally is not possible.

[NoshowJones]

If what I have seen in the UK happened in Thailand, it would not be surprising if car drivers took a hatred towards bicycle riders.

I have see cyclists riding in pairs and causing a long tailback of traffic on a single lane road, instead of riding in single file

and letting the cars pass.

[LivinginKata]

Unhelpful post removed.

[NCC1701A]

you ever watch star trek?

do you know what the "prime directive" is?

now you know why it is so important.

the damage can never be undone.

the hope now is the natives can learn to master their new found technologies before they destroy themselves.

i am going outside to watch from a safe vantage point.

[stevenl]

you ever watch star trek?

do you know what the "prime directive" is?

now you know why it is so important.

the damage can never be undone.

the hope now is the natives can learn to master their new found technologies before they destroy themselves.

i am going outside to watch from a safe vantage point.

Sorry, but at least to me this has to be explained.

[Nowisee]

Motorcycling and bicycling the same roads as cars and trucks is an inherently risky hobby...
I have had numerous close calls...I have since given up road cycling and have always favored mtb'ing and off-road motorcycling.

What sets me on fire are the people who intentionally come as close as possible to cyclists/motorcyclist and have the attitude "they" own the road and we should not be on it...
I have had bottles thrown at me and people coming within 12" and then blowing their horn just as they pass me followed by being given the finger...there is something fundamentally wrong with people like that...how do you change that??? I think only with a bullet.

Anyway, they win... I quit road cycling. I will take my chance with plowing into a tree while riding in the forest... I have actually had some of my worst accidents while riding off-road bicycles and motorcycles. BUT, it has been my fault.

BTW...114 people are killed annually in Florida, Arizona averages 26. I will say these are ALL bicyclist... cyclists account for a small percentage.

[impulse]

What sets me on fire are the people who intentionally come as close as possible to cyclists/motorcyclist and have the attitude "they" own the road and we should not be on it...

I have had bottles thrown at me and people coming within 12" and then blowing their horn just as they pass me followed by being given the finger...there is something fundamentally wrong with people like that...how do you change that??? I think only with a bullet.

I smile and wave. That really pisses them off.

[Thaddeus]

you ever watch star trek?

do you know what the "prime directive" is?

now you know why it is so important.

the damage can never be undone.

the hope now is the natives can learn to master their new found technologies before they destroy themselves.

i am going outside to watch from a safe vantage point.

Sorry, but at least to me this has to be explained.

The prime directive forbids interfering with other cultures.

[Usual Suspect]

Thai motorists (mainly male) show no respect, sympathy or any other feelings towards pedestrians, motorcyclists & indeed cyclists WITHIN their designated cycle-lane...as soon as every Thai male starts his engine & engages gear his only thoughts are ME,ME,ME! Couple that with their blatant attitude of 'can't wait,-won't wait' and there you have it.... (usually the female Thai drivers are to busy on their phones or applying make-up to notice other road-users)..Rant over.

[tifino]

'tis good when the culprit gets nailed

[robertthebruce]

Who. In there right mind would Cycle on the roads of Thailand ????

Far too dangerous....