"Jumping jacks" cop says no fines for helmet-less kids because "it will cause hardship to their parents"

[fittobethaied]

Since when is a policeman allowed to defy the law and come up with their own interpretation of the law and water down the penalty to satisfy their own individual ideology. Thais are not supposed to think for themselves. They're taught to follow the letter of their instructions from higher authority and they're not allowed to use discretion.  That's the way it works in a bank, restaurant, government office or any other entity where employees serve the public.  Ask them to deviate from their rules and all you get is a "no can do"!

 

So this copper is reluctant to impose a fine because he is concerned for the hardship of the parents.  Well, we certainly wouldn't want to deprive mom and dad of their extra money for cigs, whiskey, beer, lottery tickets, needless herbal supplements and all the other non-sense that they waste their money on. This whole situation is simply ludicrous!

Edited June 24, 2017 by fittobethaied

[how241]

Not a bad idea to embarrass them into doing the right thing. next time.

[transam]

3 minutes ago, fittobethaied said:

Since when is a policeman allowed to defy the law and come up with their own interpretation of the law and water down the penalty to satisfy their own individual ideology. Thais are not supposed to think for themselves. They're taught to follow the letter of their instructions from higher authority and they're not allowed to use discretion.  That's the way it works in a bank, restaurant, government office or any other entity where employees serve the public.  Ask them to deviate from their rules and all you get is a "no can do"!

 

So this copper is reluctant to impose a fine because he is concerned for the hardship of the parents.  Well, we certainly wouldn't want to deprive mom and dad of their extra money for cigs, whiskey, beer, lottery tickets, needless herbal supplements and all the other non-sense that they waste their money on. This whole situation is simply ludicrous!

Perhaps the cops kids do the same stuff...

[transam]

3 minutes ago, how241 said:

Not a bad idea to embarrass them into doing the right thing. next time.

It will be laughed at.......

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, how241 said:

Not a bad idea to embarrass them into doing the right thing. next time.

But its not embarrassing them... They'll laugh about it...

 

Really, its not a bad idea for the BiB to actually enforce the law and which will save lives. 

 

This isn't one of those grey areas where kids cannot get to school or a family does not have any alternative means of transport, this is simply about wearing helmets - in which case following the law is incredibly simple.

[pattayadgw]

Just make the law up as you see fit... what a joke!!

[Catkiwi]

19 minutes ago, fittobethaied said:

Since when is a policeman allowed to defy the law and come up with their own interpretation of the law and water down the penalty to satisfy their own individual ideology. Thais are not supposed to think for themselves. They're taught to follow the letter of their instructions from higher authority and they're not allowed to use discretion.  That's the way it works in a bank, restaurant, government office or any other entity where employees serve the public.  Ask them to deviate from their rules and all you get is a "no can do"!

 

So this copper is reluctant to impose a fine because he is concerned for the hardship of the parents.  Well, we certainly wouldn't want to deprive mom and dad of their extra money for cigs, whiskey, beer, lottery tickets, needless herbal supplements and all the other non-sense that they waste their money on. This whole situation is simply ludicrous!

The only thing I would say in his defense is that when were were kids and were out late at night sneaking some beers, underage. Instead of taking us down to the station and booking us for either underage drinking or DUI, the local cop would physically kick us in the arse (ridiculously would be seen as assault these days) and send us home, shouting that he would call the Ol' man next time. Well it certainly put the fear of God into us then but probably not as effective in this culture.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Catkiwi

[how241]

The policeman gave them a 'break'  or warning...Nothing wrong with that ...I guess you folks have never done anything wrong and never got a warning ...

[billd766]

1 hour ago, transam said:

No......Police must do their job, if kids can fool around on iPhones all day they can certainly afford a helmet.....If they are under age or no license, they walk...

 

I know of no kids out here in rural Khampaeng Phet who have Iphones.

 

There is no room on the school bus for my son and my neighbours daughter to get to the school.

 

Do you think that they should walk? After all it is only 15km each way.

 

How do you think children in rural areas get to school when there is NO public transport?

 

In our case my wife and our neighbour take the kids on alternative weeks.

[transam]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

 

I know of no kids out here in rural Khampaeng Phet who have Iphones.

 

There is no room on the school bus for my son and my neighbours daughter to get to the school.

 

Do you think that they should walk? After all it is only 15km each way.

 

How do you think children in rural areas get to school when there is NO public transport?

 

In our case my wife and our neighbour take the kids on alternative weeks.

So you think it's OK for kids to risk life to get to school....?

 

So how did they do it before scooters came along...?

 

When I was a kid, way back, it was up to us to get there, our problem, no scooters....

[billd766]

19 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

But its not embarrassing them... They'll laugh about it...

 

Really, its not a bad idea for the BiB to actually enforce the law and which will save lives. 

 

This isn't one of those grey areas where kids cannot get to school or a family does not have any alternative means of transport, this is simply about wearing helmets - in which case following the law is incredibly simple.

 

In many cases in rural Thailand which covers about 70% of the land area it IS the reason where the family does not have alternative transport. Try living on 300 baht a day or even 600 baht if both Mum and Dad work in different places and the kids have to get to school but there is NO public transport.

 

There is no state assistance and no help from anybody for them so what are they supposed to do?

[transam]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

 

In many cases in rural Thailand which covers about 70% of the land area it IS the reason where the family does not have alternative transport. Try living on 300 baht a day or even 600 baht if both Mum and Dad work in different places and the kids have to get to school but there is NO public transport.

 

There is no state assistance and no help from anybody for them so what are they supposed to do?

How do the families who cannot afford a bike get their kids to school...?

[billd766]

Just now, transam said:

So you think it's OK for kids to risk life to get to school....?

 

So how did they do it before scooters came along...?

 

When I was a kid, way back, it was up to us to get there, our problem, no scooters....

 

When you and I were young how far was your nearest school. My primary school was less than 1 mile and my secondary school was just over the mile but I lived in a town and not the country.

 

What option can you offer schoolkids in rural Thailand to get to school?

[transam]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

 

When you and I were young how far was your nearest school. My primary school was less than 1 mile and my secondary school was just over the mile but I lived in a town and not the country.

 

What option can you offer schoolkids in rural Thailand to get to school?

My school was three miles away......Tell me how kids got to school before scooters...?

[Catkiwi]

6 minutes ago, transam said:

So you think it's OK for kids to risk life to get to school....?

 

So how did they do it before scooters came along...?

 

When I was a kid, way back, it was up to us to get there, our problem, no scooters....

On the family buffalo.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Catkiwi

[Destiny1990]

In Europe there are bikes that can max drive 25km an hour only and do not require any helmet.

[billd766]

8 minutes ago, transam said:

How do the families who cannot afford a bike get their kids to school...?

 

Many of them don't go to school or if the lower school is close they will walk. If the nearest upper school is 6 km away as it is here do you expect them to walk there and back every, no matter what the weather?

 

I quite understand why kids ride bikes in rural Thailand and from what I have read on this thread most if not all of the posters are farangs who certainly have enough money to own big motorbikes, cars and pickup trucks, live in condos in cities etc, but cannot seem to understand how poor Thais have to live.

 

They all seem to find the faults but nobody offers a solution, possibly because it is not their problem.

Edited June 24, 2017 by billd766
bad spelling

[transam]

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

Many of them don't go to school or if the lower school is close they will walk. If the nearest upper school is 6 km away as it is here do you expect them to walk there and back every, no matter what the weather?

 

I quite understand why kids ride bikes in rural Thailand and from what I have read on this thread most if not all of the posters are farangs who certainly have enough money to own big motorbikes, cars and pickup trucks, live in condos in cities etc, but cannot seem to understand how poor Thais have to live.

 

They all seem to find the faults but nobody offers a solution, possibly because it is not their problem.

How come my Thai wife who came from a poor family went to school with no scooter....?

 

Answer my question as to how kids got to school before scooters came available....?.....

 

Solution, that is in the hands of those who control the place, where I come from a complete infrastructure of transport for the poor masses was in place a hundred years back....

[buddhalady]

Most replies sadly typical of this forum nowadays, not a single heart between the lot of you. Shame no-one thought to point out the parents just might not be able to afford an effective helmet – at least the good-hearted policeman knew his community financial problems well enough not to slap on a fine.

 

Smedly – ‘ashamed to be human’ – why is making the kids do an embarrassing something they don’t want to do sending the wrong message? Maybe the kids were out of ‘face’ as well as out of breath after the exercises and might well pressure their parents to somehow get them helmets?

 

Last point – why don’t you guys have a whip-round, buy helmets and send them on to the police station with instructions to forward them to the young offenders? Unlike the majority of the above posts, that wouldn’t be a waste of time and money.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, buddhalady said:

Most replies sadly typical of this forum nowadays, not a single heart between the lot of you. Shame no-one thought to point out the parents just might not be able to afford an effective helmet – at least the good-hearted policeman knew his community financial problems well enough not to slap on a fine.

 

 

 

Smedly – ‘ashamed to be human’ – why is making the kids do an embarrassing something they don’t want to do sending the wrong message? Maybe the kids were out of ‘face’ as well as out of breath after the exercises and might well pressure their parents to somehow get them helmets?

 

 

 

Last point – why don’t you guys have a whip-round, buy helmets and send them on to the police station with instructions to forward them to the young offenders? Unlike the majority of the above posts, that wouldn’t be a waste of time and money.

 

Think you don't live here and don't understand the Thai mindset....?

[janclaes47]

4 minutes ago, buddhalady said:

Last point – why don’t you guys have a whip-round, buy helmets and send them on to the police station with instructions to forward them to the young offenders? Unlike the majority of the above posts, that wouldn’t be a waste of time and money.

A decent helmet is 1000 Baht in Thailand, but you can have one for 200 Baht already, which is about 0.5% of the price of the motorbike they purchased.

 

These days you get 2 helmets for free with the purchase of a scooter

[janclaes47]

37 minutes ago, billd766 said:

If the nearest upper school is 6 km away as it is here do you expect them to walk there and back every, no matter what the weather?

 

When I was 12 years old my school was 8km from home, and I travelled there every day by bicycle, summer or winter, sun or rainy day.

[ujayujay]

....hopeless

[buddhalady]

48 minutes ago, transam said:

Think you don't live here and don't understand the Thai mindset....?

Moved here in June, 2006 - have been here ever since - I understand the Thai mindset far better than the mindset of the average expat TVF poster.

[transam]

15 minutes ago, buddhalady said:

Moved here in June, 2006 - have been here ever since - I understand the Thai mindset far better than the mindset of the average expat TVF poster.

I have been here a long time too and do understand the Thai mindset....If I didn't I would not state the fact here...

[Thechook]

At least they still got to buy their sweeties.  

[Paul Henry]

Police are employed to enforce the law.Courts are there to set the punishment. This imbecilic cop should be charged for handing out rough justice for which he is not authourised or trained to do.

[jesimps]

9 hours ago, sinbin said:

My understanding of Thai law is that if under the age of 14 one cannot be charged with breaking the law.

If that's true their parents should be held responsible and begger the hardship, it has to be a steep fine to make it a deterrent. 

[Catkiwi]

39 minutes ago, jesimps said:

If that's true their parents should be held responsible and begger the hardship, it has to be a steep fine to make it a deterrent. 

You are right but this is happening everyday in every part of Thailand and there is usually nothing being done to enforce it. Some of the kids I see, on a daily basis ride like bigger idiots than most and the cops still ignore them. Only a couple of weeks ago, one girl sitting in front of me on her bike at the lights, took off without looking and got collected by another fool running a red light. Not saying she wouldn't have died if she had a helmet on but the whole inexperience thing is also a big part of the problem and the parents seem to not give a toss.

[Monkeyrobot]

What do they get for speeding ? 100 push ups?