Traffic Enforcement Fantasy

[Charlieb]

Any believers out there?

Stricter traffic rules expected in July

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ed-in-july

What good are rules if not enforced?

[Khun Paul]

Ah CharlieB, that is the 64000 dollar question, as we mere expats/farangs drive around the Kingdom, noting and seeing all kinds of transgressions on the road, some committed by the actual enforcers, you are correct how the hell are they going to enforce these NEW laws, as they do not enforce the current ones.

We forget at our peril that all Laws in Thailand are circumnavigated if they can be to avoid almost any fines, penalties etc`. That was written in books writing about Thailand over 20 years ago. Lovely to see that it has not changed .

[maaka]

Indeed, what good of rules if most Thais dont even have a licence, and as such have studied the Thai Road Code/ Rules..
Before the other year, my missus didnt even know what the different painted lines on the road meant, or even what the speed sign and such along the roadside were for..until I made her get a licence

[fdimike]

Just more "window dressing" to give the impression that Thailand is concerned about the safety of its citizens. 555 I noticed the pedestrian crossing light close to the Christian school on Udon Dutsadee Rd is back in operation today. More "window dressing" as I'm sure they'll be ignored just like in the past. U-turns on red light, driving on the wrong side of the road, speeding all normal here in UT. BTW there are a number of these pedestrian crossing traffic lights around the city with all being ignored in the past. Udon's solution? Just turn them all off. No point in getting the police out in the nasty weather to enforce the law. There are just no consequences for bad driving here in LOS!!

[stattointhailand]

The laws change in UK today, so anyone returning to blighty ..... be extra careful

Interesting comparisons

https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/1744967 ... 1643369721

[fdimike]

The big difference is enforcement which is not present over here.

[jackspratt]

The laws change in UK today, so anyone returning to blighty ..... be extra careful

Interesting comparisons

https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/1744967 ... 1643369721

Is there a fine for "Being Caught Reading The Sun"?

If not, there ought to be - and a bloody big one at that.

[Khun Paul]

If you study all the NEW requirements listed in the Highway Code, it is the instructions not the laws that have changed and MOST good drivers never do what they are trying to change inb any event.
The one thing that makes me angry is that regarding cyclists, no requirement to prove they can ride safely, no requirement to wear cycle helkmets and NO requirement to have insurance for the damage they causer.. In my book being ex-plod use of the road is licensed for everyone EXCEPT cyclists and if they cause an accident they have to be sured as NO INSURANCE , which makes them dangerous to Normal Powered vehicular traffic as they can and do do what the hell they like and now even more so.

[samster]

Road rage in print. I like it.

Were you shaking your fist when you wrote that?

[papafarang]

how about this for crazy , new LED signs just appeared down the road. heading into town just past the honda big wing it says 60kmh going down past the napali hotel, but the sign coming back up says 30kmh . same road but different speeds . that's nuts. oh and a big bunch of new cameras too

[Drunk Monkey]

Road rage in print. I like it.

Were you shaking your fist when you wrote that?

the though had crossed my mind ..KP hunched at his computer early morning , pyjama bottoms string vest hilda ogden hair net ..... steam emminating from his lug holes , shaking with rage and having a captain morgans rum to calm down ..such are his intense thoughts on road safety here.

how about this for crazy , new LED signs just appeared down the road. heading into town just past the honda big wing it says 60kmh going down past the napali hotel, but the sign coming back up says 30kmh . same road but different speeds . that's nuts. oh and a big bunch of new cameras too

Saw that this morning .. calibration required .. 60 on that road is crazy its nasty.

DM

[fdimike]

There's a newly installed flashing speed limit sign coming into the city from Nong Khai. As usual totally ignored. BTW the pedestrian crossing traffic light just about 100meters in from the flashing speed limit sign appears to not working properly as usual. Imagine that? Pedestrian crossings are a total joke here in UT. Absolutely zero enforcement!! Just like the newly constructed "race track" (the bypass) with cars, trucks along with the lunatics on motorcycles all traveling at breakneck speeds.

[Khun Paul]

You expect the Local [p[ul;ation to0p abide by the laws...Sadly this is NOT Cloud cuckoo land and they are not all sensible people.
welcome to the real world full of untrained, badly driven vehicles, where you take your life in your own hands more so if you ride a Motorcycle.
As an aside saw a Motorcycle knocked over by a person on the inside lane opening a door on a motorcycle trying to sneak past right next to the pavement. The bike was okay, but the rider a young person laid still, no helmet but was wearing a mask...........so will not become a Covid statistic.....karma sadly maybe ???

[FrazeeDK]

there are two zebra crossing by UD Town going over to the convention center that used to be an IT mall. They both have stop lights. When the stop lights were put in originally several years ago they were operational and completely ignored when red by almost all traffic..

[parrot]

Back in 1970, I was stationed in Monterey, California for a year. I soon learned that you could stop traffic by stepping into a crosswalk.......it was almost magic. After my year of school there, I went to Connecticut for a short vacation. I was walking with one of my brothers and stepped into a crosswalk, as though I was still in California. Sadly, then, the rules that applied and were enforced in one state were not followed and enforced in another.

My wife and I spent 13 months in Texas last year and saw many more accidents there.....on city streets and major wrecks on highways.....than we see here. And not once did I encounter a vehicle driving in my lane headed toward me! I'm definitely a more cautious driver here than there........I think that's a better thing than thinking everyone is going to play by the rules.

As for the Indy Speedway at the 3 way to the airport: I drive by there several times a week.....sometimes stopped at the light to turn toward the airport, sometimes taking the bypass. Yes, I've seen some big trucks taking the bypass. But all in all....at least during the daylight hours.....the speeds on the bypass appear to be reasonable. At least they fixed the manhole covers!

[pal52]

The fines are no deterrent for drivers who fail to stop at even light controlled crossings putting lives at risk.
Just as a comparison the punishments dished out by UK Courts for failing to stop at a zebra crossing
Thailand fine to be increase to 4,000 baht UK man recently jailed for 42 weeks for failing to stop at a crossing.
See story in Daily Mail below.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... weeks.html

[Khun Paul]

Yesw saw that , however we must also recognise that Vehicle ownership and other vehicle matters are strictly controlled in the UK with Insurance companies/Police and DVLA working together, so that for example everyone knows who has been banned and NO Insurance is available while that ban is in place , so unlike here driving/riding while banned carries far more penalties etc.
Here the Mandatory 3rd party insurance is on the vehicle NOT the driver so even banned drivers are covered to some degree and as it is Thailand their connectivity does not apply.
I know oif opne person , banned and had his insurance withdrawn just went down to another insurance and got covered

Until all the Agencies are connected then Insurance companies are at risk so the Monetary loss to anyone can be minimal. The only way to make Thais comply is to hit them in their pockets .

[parrot]

Can't speak for the UK, but 32 million uninsured drivers in the US and another multi-million without valid licenses. Those are developed country numbers.

[Khun Paul]

Sadly that comment tells me the mindset of American drivers almost the same as here sadly

[parrot]

Sadly that comment tells me the mindset of American drivers almost the same as here sadly

I won't bother checking UK numbers as they'll surely be near zero.