How do you feel about the u-turns in LOS? Do you fear for your life?

[EnlightenedAtheist]

I guess they are an efficient way to allow traffic to flow freely and avoid the long-waits at the major intersections, but are they not a major reasons  why there are so many road fatalities in LOS? Considering how some drivers seem to feel okay with the idea of inching towards making a turn to get a better glimpse OVER the big pick-up truck ready to do the u-turn in the other direction, have you ever had a few moment of heavy trepidations as this was happening? Russian roulette? Obviously local Thais don't know that these are not the norm around the world. They do not know better and it is not their fault. Many drives their car like it is a scooter, hoping that all will be okay, that yielding will happen, that human error will not occur. Expats and Thais who have travelled know that these are not the norm probably because these are inherently more dangerous than normal intersections. But, maybe this is not so. Maybe Thais are more understanding of others.

 

Solutions

 

Some places have some police officers managing them during rush-hour traffic. Obviously this cannot be done on all of the u-turns in a large city. Should these u-turns be turned into intersections with signals? Or should 2-way u-turns be changed into 1-way u-turns to improve vision which seems to be a problem? Are there some other means to make them safer? Should some kind of activated signal be put in those to stop oncoming traffic or restrict traffic only on the side of the road? What other ideas can Thai expats can come up with?

Edited July 23, 2017 by EnlightenedAtheist

[canuckamuck]

It's a love - hate thing. The sensible part of me despises them because they accommodate some very dangerous acts by some very careless folk. But the practical side of me says, Isn't great, they got these things every couple of kilometers. I can just turn around and go, awesome.

 

However once you arrive at the awesome U-turn the plus turns to a minus when people turn it into a double U-turn from your side, or someone makes it a two way U-turn from the other side. And either way you can no longer see if it is safe to go. So now you got to start nosing out there until you can see again.

I think that Thai cars should have software installed so that if they double up on a U-turn. their car instantly explodes. Not hopeful to see that implemented anytime soon though.

[KittenKong]

U-turns dont worry me.

 

Thai drivers worry me.

[Monomial]

The U-turns might be OK if the idiot police didn't keep closing them down everywhere.

 

There are places I need to drive 10km to get to a U turn because the morons in brown closed the other ones because "they caused traffic". Of course they made traffic, because people were trying to use them. Closing them just created more traffic as all these cars have to stay on the road even longer. It pushes the problems somewhere else, beats up the road, and wastes huge amounts of fuel.

 

All U-turns should immediately be opened, or they should all be closed and turned into traffic lights. The police here do not understand the concept of letting people get to where they need to go as quickly as possible. That is what minimizes traffic. Any time you see a U-turn closed it is a reminder the police have no actual clue what they are doing.

 

When you have too many people trying to use a U-turn, it means that U-turn needs to be enlarged and better controlled, not closed.

 

Morons.

 

Rant over.

[JaseTheBass]

U-turn points here are deadly on fast highways and yet another thing that shows where the Thai intellect is positioned in the modern world. I'm sure Thai road planners all drive tuk-tuks.

Sent from my R2D2 droid using my C3P0 manservant

[jeab1980]

Don't bother me at all use them regularly have to to get onto highway. Observe and treat as a right turn at a junction you will have no problems

[chickenslegs]

6 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

Don't bother me at all use them regularly have to to get onto highway. Observe and treat as a right turn at a junction you will have no problems

I agree - no problem if you use them properly. The problem comes when others do not.

I never had an accident nor a near miss when using a U-turn, but I've had plenty near misses with other vehicles pulling out in front of me from the U-turn.

Watch the wheel spokes for the early sign of someone about to pull out into your path - Tip from my first driving instructor.

[Andrew Dwyer]

Don't bother me at all use them regularly have to to get onto highway. Observe and treat as a right turn at a junction you will have no problems

Yes, u-turns aren't such a big deal if people treat them with respect, it's the " chancers " who make them dangerous, the guys who don't want to wait or misjudge the oncoming traffic.
Plus the idiots who go down the outside of a u-turn queue/line to push in ahead only to find they are stuck with their backend in the fast lane.

Where I live I have to use the u-turn bridges daily, a lot safer obviously but you still get plenty of motorcycles squeezing through the wrong way.
About a week ago a pickup came over the u-turn bridge the wrong way !!, he misjudged it completely thinking he could make it to the other side before a car came and about 3/4 of the way round he had to stop because of incoming traffic.
I was number 4 in the line as we waited for him to reverse back round the u-turn !!
Looked like his gf was reading him the riot act [emoji23]

[VocalNeal]

The OP claims to be enlightened but obviously doesn't adopt or adapt well. 

 

Some thing here are different and cannot be changed by people who cannot vote, or even by the ones who can.

 

Silly thread.

[jeab1980]

43 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

The OP claims to be enlightened but obviously doesn't adopt or adapt well. 

 

Some thing here are different and cannot be changed by people who cannot vote, or even by the ones who can.

 

Silly thread.

Thats in your opinion and bodering on political which is a no no

[Henryford]

Part of the problem is that many drivers have these monster trucks (i'm taking about you Fortuner) that completely block the view of any car in front. So it's impossible to do a U-turn until they are clear.

[jeab1980]

2 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Part of the problem is that many drivers have these monster trucks (i'm taking about you Fortuner) that completely block the view of any car in front. So it's impossible to do a U-turn until they are clear.

? Please explain? If doing a u turn correctly you wouldnt turn untill you was at the head of the queue, therefore nothing in front of you to block a view of oncoming traffic surley

[saakura]

Been driving here for a long time. Have to be cautious, maybe more than elsewhere, but i do not feel like my life is at danger each time i make a U-turn. 

[Rancid]

U turns are a dangerous area, but yeah, you just have to adapt to it. Likewise there are innumerable dangerous driving habits that go on in Thailand everyday. Its war out there and you just need to be ready to go into action prepared and alert.

 

Thing is there is no actual police enforcement, as such everyone does whatever they like, often foreigners included when they realize there are no consequences.

 

In fact I used to feel sorry for the motorbikes having to survive in such an environment and their high accident toll. Now I've realized that motorbikes often get hit due to their own total disregard for safety. Regardless this is a Thai issue that only they can ever resolve.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎7‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 1:11 PM, Monomial said:

The U-turns might be OK if the idiot police didn't keep closing them down everywhere.

 

There are places I need to drive 10km to get to a U turn because the morons in brown closed the other ones because "they caused traffic". Of course they made traffic, because people were trying to use them. Closing them just created more traffic as all these cars have to stay on the road even longer. It pushes the problems somewhere else, beats up the road, and wastes huge amounts of fuel.

 

All U-turns should immediately be opened, or they should all be closed and turned into traffic lights. The police here do not understand the concept of letting people get to where they need to go as quickly as possible. That is what minimizes traffic. Any time you see a U-turn closed it is a reminder the police have no actual clue what they are doing.

 

When you have too many people trying to use a U-turn, it means that U-turn needs to be enlarged and better controlled, not closed.

 

Morons.

 

Rant over.

The main road through Phayao has no U turns except at major intersections, and my wife was seriously worried that I was going to explode with anger when I had to drive a very, very long way to turn ( that was not a happy trip already for various reasons- that was just the final straw ).

 

I like the U turns, when they exist, but must be treated with extreme caution.

 

The most insane U turn in Thailand is on the Lamphun to Lampang hill road where a U turn is positioned after a blind corner, without any pull off lane. IE, if a car is waiting to U turn, a truck coming around the corner in the lane next to the barrier will destroy it. Completely barking .

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

? Please explain? If doing a u turn correctly you wouldnt turn untill you was at the head of the queue, therefore nothing in front of you to block a view of oncoming traffic surley

LOL. It's the trucks coming from the other direction that are blocking the view.

[fredob43]

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

Part of the problem is that many drivers have these monster trucks (i'm taking about you Fortuner) that completely block the view of any car in front. So it's impossible to do a U-turn until they are clear.

Just because you chose to buy a Noddy car. You cant blame the peeps that have brought a big lump. Pick Up, MPV. I got a Fortuner and can see perfectly well thank you.

 

Don't do small cars after an accident in a Mini many years ago. Sorry to say you will have to live with it. Or you could get yourself a big lump.

[Maybole]

I have never seen a U-turn anywhere else in the world. Where did they originate? Are they purely a Thai invention?

I agree that they frighten me and need to treater with extreme caution.

[klauskunkel]

On 7/23/2017 at 11:41 AM, EnlightenedAtheist said:

They do not know better and it is not their fault.

They do know better and it is their fault. They do it because their convenience is more important to them than their own or a random stranger's life.

Why do Thais cross a road in heavy traffic even if there is a pedestrian bridge 100 meters away? Same answer. Why don't they wear helmets? Same answer. Why do they throw their trash on the roadside and canals? Same answer.

So, how do you change behavior? Consistent punishment that hurts.

[jeab1980]

4 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

They do know better and it is their fault. They do it because their convenience is more important to them than their own or a random stranger's life.

Why do Thais cross a road in heavy traffic even if there is a pedestrian bridge 100 meters away? Same answer. Why don't they wear helmets? Same answer. Why do they throw their trash on the roadside and canals? Same answer.

So, how do you change behavior? Consistent punishment that hurts.

Why do farangs cross the busy  roads when theres a crossing 20 yds away?

Why do farangs not wear a helmet?

Why do farangs throw garbage out of car windows?

Thai fault i expect?

[Arkady]

The most frightening U-turns are on the Friendship Highway between Saraburi and Korat, where dense traffic is barrelling along at high speed, making drivers waiting at the U-turns feel desperate to try their luck in small gaps.

[kbb]

Here  in Pattaya the driving is such a pleasure. 

Aside from the Tunnel -- Latest pet peeve is the U-Turn opposite the Makro.

 

They put the turn just a few feet up from the entrance. 

Unless there is zero traffic, there is no way to safely cut across Sukhumvit.

 

Problem is, it's so close, it's tempting to try. 

Going around for another pass is the right thing to do -- But you have to force yourself. 

 

Have been on both sides there - Having to go around and have been cut off from someone trying the impossible. 

 

A shame - Unless they move the turn, people are going to get clobbered. Needlessly. 

 

 

[roquefort]

29 minutes ago, Arkady said:

The most frightening U-turns are on the Friendship Highway between Saraburi and Korat, where dense traffic is barrelling along at high speed, making drivers waiting at the U-turns feel desperate to try their luck in small gaps.

Absolutely right. I've driven that road dozens of times and each time I feel like I'm taking my life in my hands. The worst thing is that there are often no run off lanes before the U turns, so vehicles are queuing up in the outside lane of a major highway with traffic coming up behind them at 120kph (and more). Sheer madness.

[DanBaker]

Hi The remedy is to cone off  the fast lane (with plastic or concrete barriers or the orange plastic posts that scew down )

paint a bright yellow offset on the road where the road is wide enough 

this enables the turned traffic to take off and merge safely 

where it is. Not wide enough reduce to one lane with big warning signs on approach 

not so good but in many places there is already a widening that has been put in for I assume for slow traffic and trucks ( it is normally used when 4 cars u turn together so would not be required for that purpose and could be used for road widening to accommodate the offset

there would need to be some provision every two or 3 u turns for long trucks

the new u turns could be sign posted 

"3 kilometres to SAFE U TURN"

 

i have have seen this done and it works well

 

in Udonthani near Tesco they did half of the plan and coned off for the traffic slowing to u turn on one side but the traffic still had to enter the fast lane on exiting the u turn into the fast lane , they may have completed as was under construction when we left but I doubt any offset lines or signs

and the road is wide enough for an offset 

hope this helps just getting it done??

 

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by DanBaker

[LawrenceN]

I was told by a local cop here in Sansai, Chiang Mai, that there is at least one accident per day at my nearest U-turn on the 118 that goes to Doi Saket and Chiang Rai.

[transam]

For me the no light brigade is a U-turn problem at night....The "I think l am cool because l do not need lights" brigade..The "I cannot afford a bulb".. Brigade...

[MadMuhammad]

I'm not sure how something you're totally aware of and see regularly can still be dangerous. 

Unless you drive around with your eyes closed these places are really quite simple to deal with.

[jeab1980]

4 minutes ago, MadMuhammad said:

I'm not sure how something you're totally aware of and see regularly can still be dangerous. 

Unless you drive around with your eyes closed these places are really quite simple to deal with.

You are quite correct but you know Thai visa posters, they will bash away  for the one chance in hell that anyone in goverment will actually listen to them. Its the we dont have them at home brigade so they must be dangeroud and we dont want them here.

[transam]

8 minutes ago, MadMuhammad said:

I'm not sure how something you're totally aware of and see regularly can still be dangerous. 

Unless you drive around with your eyes closed these places are really quite simple to deal with.

[dotpoom]

As I drive a round trip Bang Saray _ Pattaya daily I got to thinking why so many people drive the wrong way on the hard shoulder so often.......then one day (as if a light was switched on in my head) the answer dawned on me.....It is at times safer in Thailand to drive on the wrong side of the road....than to go to a u-turn and get to the correct side of the road.