Now motorcyclists are banned from using flyovers, tunnels for crossing

[webfact]

Now motorcyclists are banned from using flyovers, tunnels for crossing



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok traffic police have now begun to take tough action on motorcycles running on flyovers and in underpasses as the traffic law banning several types of vehicles using these crossings became effective yesterday.

Under the action, the Metropolitan Police Bureau calls on traffic officers to strictly enforce the Land Transport Act to prevent motorbikes, three-wheel vehicles and carts from using 39 flyovers or overpasses and 6 tunnels or underpasses in the capital.

Riders who defied the regulation could face a fine from 500-1,000 baht on charge of ignoring traffic sign.

The ban became effective yesterday.

Hundreds of unaware motorcyclists crossing the Bhumibol bridge yesterday were kept at bay when they saw police checkpoint at the foot of the bridge on the Samut Prakan side of the Chao Phraya river ready to make on the spot fine.

They queued up on the high bridge hesitating if they would continue riding to face the fine or turning back, but to face danger from oncoming vehicles.

Many motorcyclists decided to turn back riding on the same lanes confronting vehicles coming from the Bangkok side.

Metropolitan police said the ban is aimed to improve traffic order and reduce number of accidents involving motorbikes on bridges and tunnels.

It followed series of accidents which involved riders breaking the traffic law by riding on bridges and in tunnels.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/157850


-- Thai PBS 2016-04-01

[thesetat2013]

What's worse! Them using that overpass or them crashing into cars driving opposite of traffic trying to avoid the checkpoint on the other side? The police action makes more problems and poses more risk to all drivers than just those motorcycles going on an overpass. They should be rethinking their priorities

[Stradavarius37]

What's worse! Them using that overpass or them crashing into cars driving opposite of traffic trying to avoid the checkpoint on the other side? The police action makes more problems and poses more risk to all drivers than just those motorcycles going on an overpass. They should be rethinking their priorities

Their priority is extorting money. They are masters and need no rethinking on that front.

[phoenixdoglover]

This is madness.

[AhFarangJa]

So what are you supposed to do to cross the river then? Maybe I can start a business with a pick up truck and offer to ferry bikes across for say 50 Baht a time, five bikes at a time Then will have more customers on the other side for a return trip...Investors anyone ? .

Edited April 1, 2016 by AhFarangJa

[robblok]

Yes madness, as a motorcyclist we absolutely dont slow other traffic down. I understand that they want to keep the 3 wheel ones away but this is just crazy. I have always been annoyed with the fact that we can't go on certain flyovers. There is absolutely no reason for it. I have yet to see a motorcycle holding up a car.

This is different of-course for those slow moving food-sellers on modified motorcycles. Stupid rules that will only cause more congestion if motorbikes will be used less in favor of cars. You can fit 4 motorcycles on the same space of one car.. more even.

[ezzra]

I, as a motorbike rider, could never understand the rational and common sense behind this not to allow

motorbikes to use tunnel and bridges, let the people who has came up with is nonsense to tell us why

is that so, what are the problems to public safety those rider create when using those passages?

I don't think they will have a coherent and reasonable reply and reasons, it is so because that how

it was for long time and that's how it will e......

[Thian]

So now all motocyclists have to search for those tiny signs infront of the bridges??

Ridiculous! It takes 5 minutes extra to not use a flyover and there you have to stand in the black fumes from the citybuses at the junctions.

And if we buy a car the trafficjam will increase. They should promote/help motocycles so more people will drive them. It's the only way to get less cars on the roads.

And on bridges the cars could leave some space for motorcycles to pass them.

Why not ban the big wide cars from bridges? Then motocycles could easy pass them.

[Moonmoon]

i tot motorcycles have been banned from using bridges n tunnels since like so long ago? my Thai friend has told me that since 6-7 years ago. And its only effective since what recently??? Anyways its not just banning that makes a road much safer. Its education of good traffic behaviour and i think Thailand still has a long way to go on this.

[Thian]

Yes madness, as a motorcyclist we absolutely dont slow other traffic down. I understand that they want to keep the 3 wheel ones away but this is just crazy. I have always been annoyed with the fact that we can't go on certain flyovers. There is absolutely no reason for it. I have yet to see a motorcycle holding up a car.

This is different of-course for those slow moving food-sellers on modified motorcycles. Stupid rules that will only cause more congestion if motorbikes will be used less in favor of cars. You can fit 4 motorcycles on the same space of one car.. more even.

Yes pushcarts on bridges are very dangerous, or pedestrians who walk against traffic like i saw yesterday. But they won't be fined of course.

Just let big bikes use the bridges and small slow ones not.

Without being able to pass those bridges i don't want to live here anymore. Could they not at least wait untill the skytrains are finally running?

[jamesbrock]

Madness.

Apparently the riders are supposed to either use a ferry, or—according to a Thai-language article reporting this yesterday—use another bridge.

[Thian]

i tot motorcycles have been banned from using bridges n tunnels since like so long ago? my Thai friend has told me that since 6-7 years ago. And its only effective since what recently??? Anyways its not just banning that makes a road much safer. Its education of good traffic behaviour and i think Thailand still has a long way to go on this.

Tunnels are forbidden (some at least) but there they put a very tiny sign at the beginning of the tunnel. And when you see many other motodrivers going into the tunnel you will just follow them. Traffic is far to busy/dangerous to look for small roadsigns, especially when you're on a motocycle.

So how can all the securityguards go to work from now on? They will need cars and more salary to buy those.

They could have told cardrivers to not change lanes on bridges so motocycles could easy drive inbetween them.

[MaxLee]

Another day another crackdown,....................... if you get caught

[Somtamnication]

"Under the action, the Metropolitan Police Bureau calls on traffic officers to strictly enforce the Land Transport Act .

[Thian]

Well i bet from now on the motocycles will not take the overpasses but just drive through red light at the junctions.....problem solved Thai style. Maybe also drive over the sidewalks to the junction.

[jamesbrock]

Another day another crackdown,....................... if you get caught

And, if history is anything to go by, probably a very short crackdown at that.

Anyone remember this crackdown? Over 700 motorcyclists arrested and fined in first day of crackdown on footpath riding

[55Jay]

Weird. Some of these "crack downs" seem so random and not thought all the way through. The picture above is worth a 1,000 words but I'm sure in some way, the police consider it a highly effective result because it achieves the stated goal, regardless of the chaos and greater dangers it imposes, at least initially.

The junta should be tackling really big issues, instead they do this random, broad based stupid s**t that just pisses everyone off, stirs the pot and will ultimately lead to political upheaval if the road map to democracy goal posts keep getting kicked further down the pitch.

Edited April 1, 2016 by 55Jay

[Thian]

At the flyoverbridge at Ngamwongman-mall they installed a camera. I got a fine there but the warningsign was only hanging above the righthandside lane, so i drove on the left lane and still got fined. I followed some other scooters doing the same.

The fine is 1000 baht which is sent to your house. But if you don't have licenseplates they can't send it of course.....so you guess what the scooterdrivers will do with their licenseplate?

[jamesbrock]

At the flyoverbridge at Ngamwongman-mall they installed a camera. I got a fine there but the warningsign was only hanging above the righthandside lane, so i drove on the left lane and still got fined. I followed some other scooters doing the same.

The fine is 1000 baht which is sent to your house. But if you don't have licenseplates they can't send it of course.....so you guess what the scooterdrivers will do with their licenseplate?

I'd rather them remove their license plates than buy cars! The last thing Bangkok need is for thousands of riders to suddenly buy cars so they can get to work.

[madmitch]

Original posted before midday on April 1st. Could it be?

Difficult to tell the jokes from reality in the Thai news these days.

[Moonmoon]

At the flyoverbridge at Ngamwongman-mall they installed a camera. I got a fine there but the warningsign was only hanging above the righthandside lane, so i drove on the left lane and still got fined. I followed some other scooters doing the same.

The fine is 1000 baht which is sent to your house. But if you don't have licenseplates they can't send it of course.....so you guess what the scooterdrivers will do with their licenseplate?

I have a friend who gets all these speed fines and traffic rules breakage fines captured on camera send to his home alot. And he never pays for it. He was told its just the traffic department or police department way of trying to make some money. Till now he has no problem renewing his road/car tax. no problems at all wherever he goes. But don't take my word for it. Its just what I've seen from him.

[kevc]

So their not allowed to ride on the road but they are allowed to ride on the pavement.

[Just1Voice]

It is just for stupid crap like this that I flatly refuse to drive my bike to BKK.

[55Jay]

Early on in my career, I attended basic and advanced Traffic Accident Investigation courses in order to perform that work. Never forget the Three E's:

1. Education

2. Engineering

3. Enforcement.

In that order.

Seems to me that rather sudden, random Enforcement is #1 here.

Some focus on roadway Engineering.

Not much quality emphasis on up front Education/Motorist Training.

Lingering scent of the Wild West in this regard, maybe that's why we love it here!

[Thian]

At the flyoverbridge at Ngamwongman-mall they installed a camera. I got a fine there but the warningsign was only hanging above the righthandside lane, so i drove on the left lane and still got fined. I followed some other scooters doing the same.

The fine is 1000 baht which is sent to your house. But if you don't have licenseplates they can't send it of course.....so you guess what the scooterdrivers will do with their licenseplate?

I have a friend who gets all these speed fines and traffic rules breakage fines captured on camera send to his home alot. And he never pays for it. He was told its just the traffic department or police department way of trying to make some money. Till now he has no problem renewing his road/car tax. no problems at all wherever he goes. But don't take my word for it. Its just what I've seen from him.

I also never paid that fine and didn't have problems for 2 years now.

I really thought it was only for the right-side lane so i took the left one. Why didn't they hang the same plate above the left lane? Then i wouldn't have driven there.

But taking the junction and waiting there in full sun between very hot fuming buses is not an option for me. Then i would also drive through the red light or over the sidewalks.

The problem on flyovers is cars changing lanes or driving over the stripe. If they would leave a space in the middle motocycles could still easy pass them.

Well let's see what happens now, this is NOT the solution to less accidents i bet. Also the police should fine modified cars with extensions on the sides which can harm motorbikes. Especially pickuptrucks with sidepipes who get very hot.

I lost my last bit of respect for the police today. But it's not all the flyovers/tunnels is it? And let's see what the big bike gangs will do from now on. They never care for any rule at all.

[Basil B]

Original posted before midday on April 1st. Could it be?

Difficult to tell the jokes from reality in the Thai news these days.

Yes... every day April first in Thailand.

[Badbanker]

I just rode over 4 bridges and no one stopped me!

[thai3]

Bike riders are the biggest menace on the roads in Bangkok, anything to hamper the idiots is good

Edited April 1, 2016 by thai3

[Thian]

Bike riders are the biggest menace on the roads in Bangkok, anything to hamper the idiots is good

I bet the bikedrivers say the same about cardrivers or even worse mini-van drivers or buses or taxi's or songthaews or hello Kitty cars or Honda Brio's with crossbars inside.

It's just far too busy on the roads, it would be better to let people live close to their work. Many neighbours of me work at the other side of BKK and sit in their car many hours a day.

Also the schoolkids travel a lot in minivans. It's all a waste of time.

It's pretty common to spend 2-3 hours in trafficjam in BKK, if you want to go downtown add some hours to that.

Something has to be done but banning the motocycles is not the solution imo. They use the less space of all roadusers and most are very good drivers as well. The idiots who take too much risk cause the accidents but in normal countries they would get banned by the police.

[razer]

Yep ... just like stopping the motorbikes zipping down the sidewalks at 20 kp/h.