Road Safety at last?

[margaretcarnes]

How many cops does it take to help people across the road?

Last night it was 9 on Petkasem at the Night Market entrance. Granted most of them not actual Police - they're the HHRescue chaps who wave Darth Vader sticks around. They were also doing a very good traffic controlling job at the entrance to 48 rai. Not knocking them at all - but does it really take NINE guys to get people across to the Night Market for gawds sake!
Sublime to ridiculous - meanwhile drivers still hang a left on red lights. TIT

[Big Boy]

IMHO YES. There could never be enough help to get you across that death trap called Petkasem. It wouldn't be so bad if people followed the rules of the road, but TIT.

[kendo]

On that pedestrian crossing last year this rich Thai in a big black Mercedes decided he was going to stop there to drop his family off blocking all the other pedestrians i thought how bloody inconsiderate and could not resist to slap his boot lid to make him jump much to the disaproval of my wife but i think i was in order he was putting other people at risk.
kendo.

[T.I.G.R.]

Margaret -

What's with the no left turn on a red??? We haven't seen anything like that posted anywhere...........in fact I've never seen anything that looked like a vehicle code, driver instructions etc. You would probably be more likely to see a flying saucer eh?

[richard]

T.I.G.R.

It's clearly signposted at the main traffic light crossroads in the centre but only adhered to when police are present. When they leave to spend their tea money anything goes. TIT

[T.I.G.R.]

I've been through there about four times this month and haven't seen it.......is it in English or just Thai?

And another thought, if I had time to look around at signs when driving downtown I would probably kill about half a dozen people a day.

Nothing that I've seen in Cha Am at the light either............

[Takiap]

Not sure about that set of lights, but I have seen signs elsewhere and all were in Thai only. Also, I don't think it applies to all intersections but I could be wrong. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with the way it was, and if pedestrians are the reason for concern, then why not have pedestrian friendly traffic lights in the first place. Besides, you're just as likely to get hit by a bike if you're walking on the pavement

I have often felt sorry for tourists trying to cross the roads here because it must be quite scary, but I think once you've lived here for a number of years, you simply adapt. The same applies to driving here. Even though you have your left or right indicator on to show you're just about to turn, you still have to make sure nobody is trying to overtake you on the side where you're about to turn.

Either way, I would hate to see things change too much because then Thailand wouldn't be Thailand

[ste860]

the yellow signs have been up for months at the beach road set and chomsin road set at first they said no let turn but were changed to say no left turn after the error was pointed out,most people obey them,plus has anyone spotted the new cameras on petchakasem road,and near the lights on the klang road ,not long before speed cameras are fitted

[margaretcarnes]

The thing is that although the left turn on red is common in the States - in England it has never been allowed. And I don't think it's allowed in most of Europe - so tourists are taken a bit by surprise at best.
A while back a farang woman was killed at the Petkasem/Tessabahn junction so maybe that's why they changed the system?

[Winkie]

The thing is that although the left turn on red is common in the States - in England it has never been allowed. And I don't think it's allowed in most of Europe - so tourists are taken a bit by surprise at best.

Here in Bangkok, the 'left turn on red' only applies to junctions which have a sign indicating so (well, mostly anyway!). The sign is blue colour and is written in Thai.

Left turn on red is also permitted in other SEA counstries also, Singapore for example, but again only at junctions displaying the apporirate sign.

[Nereus]

What it needs is a LARGE sign telling the prick behind you not to blow his horn while you are stopped and waiting obeying the sign.

There is one intersection that I sometimes use in Bangkok that has both a written sign, and a symbol sign with a line through it saying no left turn on red. I stopped at it a few days ago and the next thing a brown arm poked out of the MIB booth waving me on!

Another one that gets me in Bangkok is going straight ahead against a red light arrow while in the left lane of 3, at a "T" junction when the traffic on your right has a green light.

[PeteC]

.....Another one that gets me in Bangkok is going straight ahead against a red light arrow while in the left lane of 3, at a "T" junction when the traffic on your right has a green light.

There's many of those out here in the 'suburbs' as well. Some also interpret them as such with only two lanes if at a glance no car is coming from the right.

Regardless of type of intersection, if making a right turn and not in a convoy it's best to hesitate a bit and look as I can't count the times I've seen cars come through full speed not even seeing their red light, or simply ignoring it.

Speaking of convoys, they are the all powerful force here. Get in one at a turn and all other rules are off regardless of light color. It simply keeps going until all the vehicles are through, or some brave soul on the through street nudges forward enough to intimidate one of the participants into stopping. Motor sport at it's best. Pete

[margaretcarnes]

I've seen the answer to all road safety problems tonight - a farang on Petkasem wearing one of those red flashing lights on his belt. You know like elephants wear on their tails?
The bad news is he didn't make it across the road before scuttling back to the sidewalk. The good news is those lights will give drivers something to aim at...

[pilzecker]

Think ist good but many people ignore the "No left on red" aswell as the zebra crossings. TIT but sure it one step in the right direction. But as long as the police ignore it no one cares about the signs.

Just a couple of days i saw the speed limit signs on the canal road and ive been driving there daily for 6 months.

[margaretcarnes]

I think you'll find the speed limit signs on Canal Rd have been there for at least 3 months? Same goes for the 'countdown' traffic lights. A friend of mine clearly didn't realise those lights were there at all last November and was gassing up ready to go with 30 seconds still on the clock.