Cops in Bangkok to undergo "traffic awareness" project - controlling traffic "both science and art", says top cop

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Cops in Bangkok to undergo "traffic awareness" project - controlling traffic "both science and art", says top cop

 

Image: Sanook

 

BANGKOK: -- Police in Bangkok - especially those that operate the lights - are to take part in a traffic awareness project to help them be more proactive and understand the problems motorists face. Part of the plan is to have them sit frustrated in traffic like the average motorist.

 

Region 9 commander Jiraphat Phoomijit presenting the initiative said: "There is a perception among the public that wherever there are police there is bad traffic, reported Sanook.

 

"The reality is that controlling the traffic is both science and an art. You cannot be doing it just watching a screen or  reading the newspaper". He was pictured taking in officers' mobile phones before training began Monday.

 

Jiraphat pointed to the monotony of a traffic cops job and wants them to be trained to be more proactive in their assessment of situations as they develop - and how to solve them.

 

With this in mind traffic cops are to experience first hand what most Bangkokians experience daily - they will be driven around various accident black spots and get stuck in traffic for up to three hours a day. This will help them realize the problems, it is hoped.

 

They will also be studying traffic plans and theories developed internationally. 

 

They will learn about not leaving lights on red for too long at any intersection - a source of much of the grumbling from motorists directed to police sitting in their booths. 

 

Four minutes is the maximum that should be allowed, it was stated.

 

The project is set to run all this week until next Monday and will involve traffic police from all Region 9 stations.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-08-09

[shirtless]

Good luck if they are educated in Thailand they wont know their left from their right.

[canopus1969]

This will screw things up even more  

[SABloke]

They need to get the police out of the boxes onto the street stopping and fining EVERY illegal turner and red light jumper. The first few days it will make traffic worse (but honestly, it can't get much worse) but eventually the people will "get it" and everyone would be surprised at how the flow improved.

As for traffic cops making traffic worse when they operate the lights: well, it's true. One example: If you travel from Chatuchak towards Bangkapi on Ladprao road you cross the infamous Ratchada/Ladprao intersection which when manned by a cop (90% of the time) is a nightmare (personal worst experience was 11 min red without changing once). Sometimes the other lane from Ratchada (way less traffic) turns green 3 times first. On the blessed day that the cop is sick theintersection works well with 150sec intervals and the traffic doesn't back up for almost a kilometre.

[Rorri]

Just how does, getting them "stuck in traffic" help them, direct traffic, more idiotic thai thinking. They need to know how to TAKE CONTROL of their intersection and how to manage the traffic. Just who will "train" these guys and where did they get their qualifications.

[trainman34014]

Getting them off their ass's will be the fist major obstacle to 'education' !

[colinneil]

Cops in Bangkok to undergo traffic awareness training

I wonder who thought up that bright idea.

 

One thing i love about living here, is seeing all these crackpot  schemes, keeps me smiling.

[Brer Fox]

Smart move taking their phones away to prevent them from playing Pokemon when they should be paying attention.

[CantSpell]

Never heard of timers???

 

Still confused as to why they need a cop with a key to operate the light... Cops should be of better to check that drivers follow the automated lights ...

 

Less traffic, more fines

[mike324]

if Thais know the general rule of don't stop / block intersections, that would go a long way

[khwaibah]

33 minutes ago, Brer Fox said:

Smart move taking their phones away to prevent them from playing Pokemon when they should be paying attention.

 

Those are bribes.

 

 

[PatOngo]

Complicated objects, these horseless carriages!

[Thaddeus]

10 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Complicated objects, these horseless carriages!

 

Can be very confusing for anyone in a uniform.

[waldroj]

"...controlling traffic “both science and art”, says top cop..."

 

Unfortunately, the Keystones are neither scientists nor artists!

The closest they get to science in their air-conditioned "laboratories" is proving chaos theory, while their artistic efforts are about as pleasing to the eye as the painting below by Benjamin D Laughlin entitled "In My Head You Are a Traffic Jam" (https://benjaminlaughlin.wordpress.com/2014/08/24/painting-in-my-head-you-are-a-traffic-jam/)

[digibum]

See that over there?  That's traffic.  

 

That concludes our traffic awareness program.  

 

[Snackbar]

The first automated traffic light was introduced in 1910. Works perfectly with a well designed traffic control system.

 

Perhaps the BIB should accept it. And concentrate on stopping road users from killing and maiming themselves by the thousands.

[jerojero]

Control traffic. How about just enforce some of the traffic laws?

[KamnanT]

The biggest single improvement they could make would be to create/enforce clearways on major thoroughfares.  Most of Sukhumvit is three lanes in each direction but the curbside lane is always blocked by (i) taxis loitering, (ii) vehicles parked in front of 7-11 while the driver buys smokes, Sang Som and Durex for later and (iii) three trucks parked in front of every noodle stand from Soi 3 to Soi 153.  Enforcement of "no stopping" zones, at least during peak hours, would work wonders.

[alanferdi]

3 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

This will screw things up even more  

SURE!!! WILL  In Pattaya, the traffic was stop and go and in irregular intervals, no one complained. However when it was the end of the officers shift he simply put all lights on Amber and left the scene......

<deleted> is this type of responsibility....idiot after that it was a circus and bordering road rage...Atleast put the lights on automatic giving all directions a minute. simply getting on his bike and left.

Hunger Pants......

 

[HHTel]

Millions are spent on programming systems for traffic lights.  In other countries they are left on 'automatic' and work as well as can be expected.  In Thailand for some reason they are switched to manual with some pleb pushing the buttons at his discretion and causing more problems than if he just did what most do ----- and had a nap!

[kiwikeith]

4 hours ago, shirtless said:

Good luck if they are educated in Thailand they wont know their left from their right.

 

Nor their Red from their light 

[Emster23]

 I thought I read a few days ago that there was an integrated light system set up for Bangkok, but that was scrapped (maybe because cops would then have to do things like enforce laws rather than hit switches).

 Thai cops already very aware: they can spot a farang driving from 400+ meters and respond accordingly

[exalll]

1 hour ago, HHTel said:

Millions are spent on programming systems for traffic lights.  In other countries they are left on 'automatic' and work as well as can be expected.  In Thailand for some reason they are switched to manual with some pleb pushing the buttons at his discretion and causing more problems than if he just did what most do ----- and had a nap!

 

Exactly!  they are switched to manual because otherwise you wouldn't need so many policemen on traffic duty, meaning that senior officers would not have so many juniors contributing to their retirement fund.

[monkey4u]

Thai cops thinking     PLEASE   

[DrTuner]

Strangely enough large cities in the West have computer controlled lights. I guess the program must be a work of art then.

[thhMan]

Who will educate them?

I dont think any of them know the basic rules of the road... except the most important one.. "Falang fault"

[Ceruhe]

Whenever I drive around and traffic is way more backed up than usual, I can most always guarantee one of these noobs is causing more traffic than controlling it. Just adding another 30s+ to each direction will simply not help to keep it flowing.

[hansnl]

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

Strangely enough large cities in the West have computer controlled lights. I guess the program must be a work of art then.

Strangely enough, also in the West, the police tend to curb the overenthousiastic way of driving shown here in Asia.

Which helps to install self discipline, seriously lacking in most Thai drivers.

One can not really build a working computer program while so many inconsistencies are subjected to it.

Besides, it comes from the west, can not be good, can it?

[aussiandrew]

Thailand doesn't have to reinvent the wheel. Just keep the traffic flowing in all directions its not rocket science it will clear it's self. All I can say is thank God for the Sky Trains.

[Winniedapu]

"They will learn about not leaving lights on red for too long"

 

Seriously? The traffic cops are so under-educated and under-intelligent that this is the kind of thing they need telling?

 

I wonder what the Thai for 'gobsmacked' is...

 

But then I suppose I shouldn't be surprised really ...

 

Winnie

Edited August 9, 2016 by Winniedapu