Gridlock !

[mesquite]

Here's what I'm waiting for: "I hate motorcycles and it's all their fault!!!"

As soon as I hit Chiang Mai in my car, I switch over to my motor cycle and don't look back. What idiot would purposesly ride a car in downtown Chiang Mai.

Well, the only ones who understand that is fellow MC riders. Car drivers? Enjoy you traffic jams.

There are people who do not wish to die or get seriously hurt in a traffic accident and these people do not ride motorcycles but drive cars instead. They are not idiots. They are smart and injury-free.

[PostmanPat]

Here's what I'm waiting for: "I hate motorcycles and it's all their fault!!!"

As soon as I hit Chiang Mai in my car, I switch over to my motor cycle and don't look back. What idiot would purposesly ride a car in downtown Chiang Mai.

Well, the only ones who understand that is fellow MC riders. Car drivers? Enjoy you traffic jams.

This sounds like the rant of a jealous person who perhaps cant afford a car, because in this mental driving city with motor cycle deaths daily only a nincompoop would try to justify that riding a motorcycle is better than driving a car!!!

[Postmaster]

Chiang Mai. Why would you want to live there? No sea air. There are many lovely seaside locations in Thailand so why choose and Inland City which has choking smog and fumes in January to March with the fields burning. Its Ok for a visit for a few days but then that's it! Not for a retirement place, not for me, thanks.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Here's what I'm waiting for: "I hate motorcycles and it's all their fault!!!"

As soon as I hit Chiang Mai in my car, I switch over to my motor cycle and don't look back. What idiot would purposesly ride a car in downtown Chiang Mai.

Well, the only ones who understand that is fellow MC riDders. Car drivers? Enjoy you traffic jams.

By the age of about 12, a lot of people have discovered that not everyone is the same. Some people then go on to understand that people with different views and needs aren't necessarily idiots, whilst some people don't.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Chiang Mai. Why would you want to live there? No sea air. There are many lovely seaside locations in Thailand so why choose and Inland City which has choking smog and fumes in January to March with the fields burning. Its Ok for a visit for a few days but then that's it! Not for a retirement place, not for me, thanks.

Why would someone that is so incredibly happy living where they live have a need to go onto a forum of a place they don't like, just to tell everyone that they don't like the place?

In case you didn't know, it's just a rhetorical question. Most of us know why, so no need to reply, thanks. I'm sure you will though!

[flare]

Here's what I'm waiting for: "I hate motorcycles and it's all their fault!!!"

As soon as I hit Chiang Mai in my car, I switch over to my motor cycle and don't look back. What idiot would purposesly ride a car in downtown Chiang Mai.

Well, the only ones who understand that is fellow MC riders. Car drivers? Enjoy you traffic jams.

I was on my bike in the traffic jam in question (in full leathers- it was on the warm side as my motorcycle can't fit into some small gaps like a scooter and it was slow going- I was on my way somewhere else but had to make a quick stop that turned out to be not so quick). That said, I occasionally bring my wife and two-year-ofd daughter into town, and neither rides on my bike. I guess, even though I'm an avid rider, I'm also one of the 'idiots' you're referring to.

[Oscar2]

Here's what I'm waiting for: "I hate motorcycles and it's all their fault!!!"

As soon as I hit Chiang Mai in my car, I switch over to my motor cycle and don't look back. What idiot would purposesly ride a car in downtown Chiang Mai.

Well, the only ones who understand that is fellow MC riders. Car drivers? Enjoy you traffic jams.

There are people who do not wish to die or get seriously hurt in a traffic accident and these people do not ride motorcycles but drive cars instead. They are not idiots. They are smart and injury-free.

not one of your most clever posts connda!

[Oscar2]

a week ago last Monday (start of the cold spell) we left the city at 16:30 and it took until 18:00 to get to Sansai - a full 90 minutes! traffic was bumper to bumper everywhere we went. we thought we would be clever and go through a village to get to the road along the Mae Ping by Suntaree and no......complete traffic jam as well.

this last Thursday at 8:30 i went from Meechok Plaza to near the Oriental Dhara Devi on the 700 Pi Road and it took 42 minutes! that's only 2 traffic lights. bumper to bumper almost all the way. really it's becoming a hassle to get anywhere.

[jacko45k]

Wait for the Chinese year if you think it is bad now!

[MESmith]

Wish they'd get a move on with widening the outer ring road, so they can get started on the next one....

[flare]

I just got back from a morning ride where I hit 118, Middle Ring Road, Canal Road, Hang Dong Road, and Nimman/Suthep, with not a hint of traffic- all you have to do is leave home at sunrise and it's no problem.

[Bill97]

Chiang Mai. Why would you want to live there? No sea air. There are many lovely seaside locations in Thailand so why choose and Inland City which has choking smog and fumes in January to March with the fields burning. Its Ok for a visit for a few days but then that's it! Not for a retirement place, not for me, thanks.

Why would someone that is so incredibly happy living where they live have a need to go onto a forum of a place they don't like, just to tell everyone that they don't like the place?

In case you didn't know, it's just a rhetorical question. Most of us know why, so no need to reply, thanks. I'm sure you will though!

Sick little boy, nobody to play with. Edited January 31, 2016 by Bill97

[bazza40]

Here's what I'm waiting for: "I hate motorcycles and it's all their fault!!!"

As soon as I hit Chiang Mai in my car, I switch over to my motor cycle and don't look back. What idiot would purposesly ride a car in downtown Chiang Mai.

Well, the only ones who understand that is fellow MC riders. Car drivers? Enjoy you traffic jams.

There are people who do not wish to die or get seriously hurt in a traffic accident and these people do not ride motorcycles but drive cars instead. They are not idiots. They are smart and injury-free.

Until they get wiped out by a cement truck running a red light, that is.

Motorcycles or cars, one has to be prepared to drive defensively in Thailand. Admittedly cars give more protection in a collision.

[guzzi850m2]

Ohh, I thought I was in the Pattaya forum, sorry.

Traffic here in Patts is also horrible in the weekends, all the BKK Thais are out and about and ALL of them have to go on beach road for some reason.

[FolkGuitar]

It is true that riding a motorcycle is more dangerous. No question about that.

But so are the ulcers people get, and other stress-related illnesses that destroy the health and happiness of people trying futilely to get from point A to point B by car in Chiang Mai, or spending half the day looking for a parking space.

The difference is, the motorcycle riders are comfortable and happy until they die.

The car drivers are continually upset for long periods of time... and wind up just as dead.

Nobody gets out alive.

Edited January 31, 2016 by FolkGuitar

[bazza40]

It is true that riding a motorcycle is more dangerous. No question about that.

But so are the ulcers people get, and other stress-related illnesses that destroy the health and happiness of people trying futilely to get from point A to point B by car in Chiang Mai, or spending half the day looking for a parking space.

The difference is, the motorcycle riders are comfortable and happy until they die.

The car drivers are continually upset for long periods of time... and wind up just as dead.

Nobody gets out alive.

You have statistical analysis of cohorts of car drivers and motor cycle riders which establishes the relative incidence of ulcers and other stress-related illnesses in each group? I must take more notice of your posts, seeing they are so well-informed.

[FolkGuitar]

It is true that riding a motorcycle is more dangerous. No question about that.

But so are the ulcers people get, and other stress-related illnesses that destroy the health and happiness of people trying futilely to get from point A to point B by car in Chiang Mai, or spending half the day looking for a parking space.

The difference is, the motorcycle riders are comfortable and happy until they die.

The car drivers are continually upset for long periods of time... and wind up just as dead.

Nobody gets out alive.

You have statistical analysis of cohorts of car drivers and motor cycle riders which establishes the relative incidence of ulcers and other stress-related illnesses in each group? I must take more notice of your posts, seeing they are so well-informed.

Nope. I just see how angry you get when just hearing about such information, and extrapolate.

Seems pretty obvious, though. Car drivers are angry with the situation. Motorcycle riders are not. You do the math.

Edited January 31, 2016 by FolkGuitar

[JaseTheBass]

Nimman was busy last night too. Lots of people looking for places to park near their bar of choice. I'm not as magnificent a driver after a few beers as most here seem to be so I walk or get a taxi.

[sawadee1947]

End of graduation and students/parents/friends preparing to leave back to their home towns. Should be back to 'normal' Monday.

Yes, that might be a reason for congestion, but in general PostmanPat is right. There are indeed no plans to solve those problems. ANd he is right, in UK you would find a solution. Here are of course many PLANS, but no plann to finalize. Sky train, Park and ride, public transpaort buses (as in BKK), all plans only.I think it's almost too late. Myself only go to city if necessary.

(In addition the big cars from China are coming now)

So, to come to the point...what we (a handful "farangs") can do? We have no voice. We are not needed to contribute our experience. Sad, isn't it?

[narkeddiver]

The new outlet mall opened today next to Kad Farrang Hang Dong road was at a stand still .

This could actually be worse than Huay Kaew / Nimman / Maya - when the tourist buses full of Cinese start heading out there not sure where they're all going to park

[NancyL]

This weekend has been very pleasant for walking and what with all the traffic gridlock, it's been very easy to cross the intersections. Walked Huey Kaew from Kad Suan Kaew to Maya Mall twice already. (trying to figure out how to operate a new smart phone so I've been to the AIS shop at Maya a couple times)

[PostmanPat]

End of graduation and students/parents/friends preparing to leave back to their home towns. Should be back to 'normal' Monday.

Yes, that might be a reason for congestion, but in general PostmanPat is right. There are indeed no plans to solve those problems. ANd he is right, in UK you would find a solution. Here are of course many PLANS, but no plann to finalize. Sky train, Park and ride, public transpaort buses (as in BKK), all plans only.I think it's almost too late. Myself only go to city if necessary.

(In addition the big cars from China are coming now)

So, to come to the point...what we (a handful "farangs") can do? We have no voice. We are not needed to contribute our experience. Sad, isn't it?

The big difference between UK Cities and places like Chiang Mai is that in those cities ( and indeed cities and towns in various other countries) there is a town or city administration backed up by an elected council of concerned citizens and representatives who have the authority to over ride private interests, by moving ahead with projects such as park and ride, tramway and metro systems which definitely work for the benefit of the people and the city.

Here? Sadly, private interests, graft and corruption take the upper hand on all these occasions. Let me give you one simple example. We all have to accept that in Chiang Mai there is no paid pick up as you go taxi service that you can flag down and go to your destination in the comfort of an airconditioned car. We all have to put up with the crappy old fashioned smelly polluted songthaews...why? You all know why, because the people who own and run these pieces of crap that pollute our streets wont allow taxis to operate as they do in Bangkok!

[sawadee1947]

End of graduation and students/parents/friends preparing to leave back to their home towns. Should be back to 'normal' Monday.

Yes, that might be a reason for congestion, but in general PostmanPat is right. There are indeed no plans to solve those problems. ANd he is right, in UK you would find a solution. Here are of course many PLANS, but no plann to finalize. Sky train, Park and ride, public transpaort buses (as in BKK), all plans only.I think it's almost too late. Myself only go to city if necessary.

(In addition the big cars from China are coming now)

So, to come to the point...what we (a handful "farangs") can do? We have no voice. We are not needed to contribute our experience. Sad, isn't it?

The big difference between UK Cities and places like Chiang Mai is that in those cities ( and indeed cities and towns in various other countries) there is a town or city administration backed up by an elected council of concerned citizens and representatives who have the authority to over ride private interests, by moving ahead with projects such as park and ride, tramway and metro systems which definitely work for the benefit of the people and the city.

Here? Sadly, private interests, graft and corruption take the upper hand on all these occasions. Let me give you one simple example. We all have to accept that in Chiang Mai there is no paid pick up as you go taxi service that you can flag down and go to your destination in the comfort of an airconditioned car. We all have to put up with the crappy old fashioned smelly polluted songthaews...why? You all know why, because the people who own and run these pieces of crap that pollute our streets wont allow taxis to operate as they do in Bangkok!

YEAH, YOU ARE SOOO RIGHT. But then? As I pointed out already: we don't have a voice. There is "ChiangMai expat club" meeting every 2 weeks on Friday for lunch. Come there and let's meet. Maybe we can start an initiative, writing a letter to City Council?

[Sparkles]

Over the 7 years we have been here there has not been one positive plan put forward to alleviate the traffic problem.I would say in that 7 years

traffic has tripled and the population has exploded.After 8 years previously with both of us working in Bangkok we thought we were getting away from congestion and all that goes with it, a bad calculation on our part.

Even basic parking like at the airport has reached saturation.There is no incentive for those in power to change anything,the reasons for that should be clear.

At the age of nearly 74, and owning a small car, I am not about to run out and buy a motor bike, we will just avoid going to the City on the days we know,from experience we will be gridlocked.

In fact apart from visits to the hospital and book shops We are thinking there are now less reasons to go, the alternatives are south of town where we live

As guests of this country we are powerless and you can write all the letters you like they will most likely have no effect.

Recent efforts by the Expats Club and others to improve the Immigration process should confirm that, its a day to day situation.like it or lump it.

[bazza40]

It is true that riding a motorcycle is more dangerous. No question about that.

But so are the ulcers people get, and other stress-related illnesses that destroy the health and happiness of people trying futilely to get from point A to point B by car in Chiang Mai, or spending half the day looking for a parking space.

The difference is, the motorcycle riders are comfortable and happy until they die.

The car drivers are continually upset for long periods of time... and wind up just as dead.

Nobody gets out alive.

You have statistical analysis of cohorts of car drivers and motor cycle riders which establishes the relative incidence of ulcers and other stress-related illnesses in each group? I must take more notice of your posts, seeing they are so well-informed.

Nope. I just see how angry you get when just hearing about such information, and extrapolate.

Seems pretty obvious, though. Car drivers are angry with the situation. Motorcycle riders are not. You do the math.

Ah, another poster who believes their self-aggrandising observations trump reality.

I don't suppose it has occurred to you motorcycle riders have their own stress levels, with the constant threat of being knocked off their vehicles by larger vehicles.

Your initial post is a hypothesis or opinion, with no facts to back it up.

The statement "Nobody gets out alive" is a feat of fatuity.

Angry? No. Just unwilling to suffer fools gladly.

[Chiengmaijoe]

As a resident I don't have the view that we have no voice. I intend to speak to somebody at the traffic police office and suggest how they can alleviate the problem at the Nawarat bridge/charoen Prathet intersection. it's possible that they won't listen or choose to ignore my views, but that won't stop me from speaking to them. Having lived here for 26 years I have the view that these things affect me as much as the next guy, so why would I not speak? So long as I am polite, considerate and positive in my approach, then I assume somebody will listen.

Over the years I have had an on/off problem with people placing signs on the tree at the intersection of the Ratutit/Chiangmai Lamphun road, near the Gymkhana, which blocks the view to the left thus making my twice daily drive through there very dangerous. Depending on the size and nature of the sign I either remove it myself or report it to the Traffic police and get them to remove it. They generally understand my concern and see my point of view and appear to act.

As I have mentioned here before, the traffic coming into town across the Nawarat bridge, almost certainly between 3 and 5 pm ever day of the week is gridlocked. The problem is mostly because traffic enters the intersection when there is no exit because the bridge section is full. Annoyingly, cars will even block the intersection when, not only is there no way through, but also they have a red light. I will suggest that the intersection is marked with yellow boxes to warn against entering when no exit is available and signs are placed to warn about possible fines. I will also point out that there are cameras already installed at that intersection.

I don't expect an immediate result, and possibly nothing will change, but at least speaking out has a possibility of change, whilst saying nothing doesn't. At some point the authorities here will realise that we have reached a point where everyone has to do their bit, including traffic police, so things will change. That happened in Bangkok, and it will happen here, if only because it will start affecting important peoples pockets. Social media is also playing it's part.

Edited January 31, 2016 by Chiengmaijoe

[hml367]

There is an abundance of videos on YouTube of motorcycle riders "losing it". If you can search in Thai, I'm sure you would find even more.

It was a few years ago that a farang (German I believe) that definitely was angry at a Thai person driving a car and doing something (obviously) that made him angry. At the intersection, when the light was red, this farang was in such a fit of rage that he threw his helmet at the Thai..... the Thai shot him dead on the spot, then drove away. He was caught later.

Edited January 31, 2016 by hml367

[Chiengmaijoe]

Over the 7 years we have been here there has not been one positive plan put forward to alleviate the traffic problem.I would say in that 7 years

traffic has tripled and the population has exploded.After 8 years previously with both of us working in Bangkok we thought we were getting away from congestion and all that goes with it, a bad calculation on our part.

Even basic parking like at the airport has reached saturation.There is no incentive for those in power to change anything,the reasons for that should be clear.

At the age of nearly 74, and owning a small car, I am not about to run out and buy a motor bike, we will just avoid going to the City on the days we know,from experience we will be gridlocked.

In fact apart from visits to the hospital and book shops We are thinking there are now less reasons to go, the alternatives are south of town where we live

As guests of this country we are powerless and you can write all the letters you like they will most likely have no effect.

Recent efforts by the Expats Club and others to improve the Immigration process should confirm that, its a day to day situation.like it or lump it.

The superhighway is being widened and a flyover or underpass is being built at the intersection where the Sansai road meets the superhighway, so without even thinking about any other changes that have happened your first statement has been disproved.

I can only assume that you are reffering to yourself and a few friends as the 'we' in your reference to 'guests of this country'. Plenty of the people on this forum, myself included, have lived, worked and raised a family here for many hears and don't consider ourselves as guests or feel that we have no voice.

[MadMac]

As they also construct the outer ring road (121) to be 4 lanes from the Samoeng junction in the near future, this should help traffic as well. Canal Rd. extension will then be the next thing. So something is certainly improving.

[FolkGuitar]

It is true that riding a motorcycle is more dangerous. No question about that.

But so are the ulcers people get, and other stress-related illnesses that destroy the health and happiness of people trying futilely to get from point A to point B by car in Chiang Mai, or spending half the day looking for a parking space.

The difference is, the motorcycle riders are comfortable and happy until they die.

The car drivers are continually upset for long periods of time... and wind up just as dead.

Nobody gets out alive.

You have statistical analysis of cohorts of car drivers and motor cycle riders which establishes the relative incidence of ulcers and other stress-related illnesses in each group? I must take more notice of your posts, seeing they are so well-informed.

Nope. I just see how angry you get when just hearing about such information, and extrapolate.

Seems pretty obvious, though. Car drivers are angry with the situation. Motorcycle riders are not. You do the math.

Ah, another poster who believes their self-aggrandising observations trump reality.

I don't suppose it has occurred to you motorcycle riders have their own stress levels, with the constant threat of being knocked off their vehicles by larger vehicles.

Your initial post is a hypothesis or opinion, with no facts to back it up.

The statement "Nobody gets out alive" is a feat of fatuity.

Angry? No. Just unwilling to suffer fools gladly.

If you say so.

To me, it sounds rather like anger.

Edited January 31, 2016 by FolkGuitar