90 Seconds at an Intersection

[WaiLai]

90 Seconds at an Intersection

5:15pm

Pulled up for a red light at the jam packed intersection of Charoen Muang and The Superhighway.

Most of you know it well enough to have seen the traffic police hut built on the corner.

Two cops standing there with helmets off, looking as if they'd put in a long, hard shift and it was almost finish time.

Looked around me and counted 4 moto drivers without helmets and about 60 wearing one.

One cop noticed that I was turning my head back and forth between him and the driver in front of me not wearing a helmet. He quickly stepped behind a poster and out view.

If they had been given cameras they could have walked through the waiting crowd and snapped a frontal and rear pic of each of the drivers who were flagrantly scoffing at the law and police.

8 pics in 90 seconds! Doable, yes?

Intimidation? No!

A positive relationship building exercise between the police and the vast majority who were wearing helmets and showing their understanding and respect? YES!!!!!!!!

In the last 3 years, I've noticed the rapid growth in adherence to wearing a helmet(from about 25% to 95% of drivers)

Congratulations to the police! You should be proud of your efforts.

Now stay focussed on the mission!

Get a camera and keep up the pressure!

Edited November 16, 2015 by WaiLai

[masuk]

Maybe they should have some evening shifts and take photos of the hordes who won't wear helmets after sunset.

As an added bonus, they could also check blocked headlights (usually a bag of shopping) and no rear lights (about 20%).

[WaiLai]

Maybe they should have some evening shifts and take photos of the hordes who won't wear helmets after sunset.

As an added bonus, they could also check blocked headlights (usually a bag of shopping) and no rear lights (about 20%).

Yes, I agree with you and would add to that list the moto drivers who encroach(occupy) the striped pedestrian paths at intersections.

Just takes a willingness to make a difference, some upper management support and patience.

Change takes time until a critical mass is reached and then it carries on with minimal effort made by the authorities.

*** just checked the number of"offences" listed in out Highway Act back home - 488 offences listed! - and I can tell you that they are enforced - but on the upside, they are adhered to by the vast majority of drivers - no one, nowhere, likes a hit in the pocket!

[WorkingTourist]

As an added bonus, they could also check blocked headlights (usually a bag of shopping) and no rear lights (about 20%).

That would be appreciated! The number of cars and bikes without lights (in the evening) is shocking, especially given the many poorly lit roads here.

Drive without a helmet, and you’re only putting yourself in danger, but drive without lights, and you’re putting your surroundings in danger.

[Mousehound]

Is it still illegal to drive with your headlights on during the day?

[eyecatcher]

You are a newbie still wearing rose tinted specs.

Riders are wearing helmets simply to pass a checkpoint and save a fine; fifty metres down the road you will see many taking them off and dropping them in the basket.

dont praise the police; they are not happy as they need to think up new ideas to get you.......not having licence for example,

the only people I see wearing helmets regularly even in the rural areas are farangs because we are "educated" apparently?

[Throatwobbler]

The police only do one job. If they are at a road block stopping people for helmets that is all they care about, as soon as they leave the roadblock then that is their job done.. Manning the lights at a junction then that is all they are going to do.

Seen an ambulance with sirens going stuck at the intersection at airport. Did the police change the lights to let the ambulance through, of course he didn't. He was oinly there to make the lights go in their usual order.

Infuriating but that is the way it is.

[MaeJoMTB]

Dear OP,

Police are not allowed to do helmet/license/tax checks without a Police Captain present.

The General decreed that to stop police corruption.

If anyone sees random police checks they are supposed to film or photo the incident and post it on public media.

The CM police didn't instantly get the idea, and several were moved to inactive posts.

Edited November 17, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Brit_Doggie]

Is it still illegal to drive with your headlights on during the day?

My Suzuki step through was purchased here and is set to continuously have lights on without rewiring same so not illegal.

[Greenside]

You must surely have noticed that all bikes and scooters have had running lights for at least the last 5 years (and quite right too!). Cars led by Volvo are going the same way - it saves lives. The totally dumb concept that daytime headlight use might cause you to be confused with a VIP was just that; dumb. You'd need to have an entire division of police blocking off every access to your route with a convoy of outriders, mini vans and a couple of ambulances following you down to the 7-11 to be like a VIP.

[masuk]

Is it still illegal to drive with your headlights on during the day?

My Suzuki step through was purchased here and is set to continuously have lights on without rewiring same so not illegal.

I once read that some farang tourists took their motor bikes over the border, and were fined for having lights ON during the day.

Many countries insist on lights ON for motor bikes during the day. 0/10 for the motorbikes which have shopping baskets blocking the headlight. Also a convenient place to keep your helmet while you're riding your m/bike .... only in Thailand.......

[amexpat]

You are a newbie still wearing rose tinted specs.

Riders are wearing helmets simply to pass a checkpoint and save a fine; fifty metres down the road you will see many taking them off and dropping them in the basket.

dont praise the police; they are not happy as they need to think up new ideas to get you.......not having licence for example,

the only people I see wearing helmets regularly even in the rural areas are farangs because we are "educated" apparently?

Well said. Maybe the OP see 95% compliance on the street where he lives but around town it's less than 50% helmet usage.

I did see 90% compliance years ago - in Trang. Don't know why. Even there it was driver only, passenger often bare-headed.

Ask some Thai people how they feel about the police.

[Puwa]

Ummm, thank you Commissioner Gordon.