Expressway death sparks new purge

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Nereus
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Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by Nereus »

More pie in the sky and knee jerk reaction. There are not enough traffic police in all of Thailand to have any chance of stopping this practice. Put another zero on the fine and it may stop 5% of them.
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Expressway death sparks new purge

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... recent_box

This week's car accident on an elevated expressway which saw an elderly woman thrown to her death has prompted authorities to look at clamping down on drivers who treat the hard shoulder as an extra lane during rush hours.

"The hard shoulder has never been a regular traffic lane," deputy city police chief Chiraphat Phumichit said on Wednesday, vowing to take legal action against drivers who flout the law and use them as a convenience.

This long, narrow strip is only for broken down vehicles or for ambulances rushing patients to hospital, Pol Maj Gen Chiraphat said.

The move to prevent motorists from using expressway hard shoulders will be a joint effort undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Bureau, other state agencies such as the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (Exat) as well as the Accident Prevention Network.

All the organisations discussed the matter in an urgent meeting on Tuesday, the day after the tragedy.
The tragedy occurred during morning rush hours on Monday when a Toyota Fortuner trying to beat traffic ran into a broken down KIA van parked on the hard shoulder of the Chalongrat Expressway near the Sukhumvit 50 exit.

The crash propelled 68-year-old Thanyapat Wipanpong over the barrier and fall to her death on a road below.
Three other people, a policeman, the Toyota's driver and a pregnant woman in the van were injured.

These types of accident have become quite frequent Pol Maj Gen Chiraphat said.
Stiffer punishments against violators will be one measure to stop motorists, the deputy city police said, adding that those caught would be fined up to 1,000 baht.

Exat also plans to create uneven surfaces along hard shoulders, that will make them uncomfortable to travel along, its deputy governor Dumkerng Pankam said.

He said various campaigns to persuade drivers not to use hard shoulders have all proved ineffective.
One reason is people wrongly believe they are "allowed" to drive on them and think they are an easy way to beat traffic congestion during rush hours, said a representative from the Accident Prevention Network.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by hhinner »

The expressway around Rama 4 and port where two traffic streams merge would be a complete standstill without the hard shoulder being used. When we were there on Tuesday there was a single expressway cop flapping his arms about. Some sort of exercise routine maybe.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

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One reason is people wrongly believe they are "allowed" to drive on them and
I think I've mentioned this on more than one occasion. On the expressway going to IKEA, the 'hard shoulder' is covered in 'hash lines' plus every dozen metres or so there is a big red and white roundel of a no entry sign painted on the road. But of course they're completely ignored by cars and trucks. 'believe they are allowed'!! Absolute BS. They know exactly what they're doing. A fine of 'up to 1,000 baht' (less than 25 quid) is certainly not going to deter.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

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hhinner wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 10:04 am The expressway around Rama 4 and port where two traffic streams merge would be a complete standstill without the hard shoulder being used. When we were there on Tuesday there was a single expressway cop flapping his arms about. Some sort of exercise routine maybe.
This is a difficult one for me as well. I turn off at Port when driving from Hua Hin to Bangkok. When there is congestion, It actually makes sense to keep as far to the left as you can when taking the turn-off that heads to BangNa, before reaching the Port turn-off, which is almost immediately on the left. I think part of the problem is that the road design allows cars to use entry points and turn-offs to by-pass traffic before then trying to get back on to the main tollway, thus causing even more congestion. If they erected barriers to stop that happening, it would stop such practices and could allow traffic to run more smoothly. As it stands, if you don't use the hard shoulder and the road is congested, it's almost impossible to get off where you want and after a while I just copied what the Thai's do. Hardly any cars leave at Port from that direction in any case, 99% want to continue in the direction of Bang Na.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by Big Boy »

I don't suppose it would even be noticed here in Thailand, but why can't they legally switch on 'hard shoulder lanes' as they have on some motorways in the UK? Don't use them most of the time, but as the roads are obviously inadequate at rush hour, switch them on.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by HHTel »

If they erected barriers to stop that happening, it would stop such practices and could allow traffic to run more smoothly.
I agree but it's a shame that such an action is needed. And as you say, traffic would run smoothly. I disagree with hhinner in that if you don't use the hard shoulder, traffic would be at a standstill. Those that use the hard shoulder have to get back into the mainstream at some point causing even more congestion whereas if they were in the mainstream from the start, then traffic would run better without having to contend with traffic coming of the hard shoulder to join the main stream.

On a more serious note, following an accident, how are emergency vehicles going to get to the scene. The cost could be someone's life.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by hhinner »

I think the main problem with that section is that there is just too much traffic, from 2 dense streams, for the legal lanes to handle. 5 into 3 won't go. And using the shoulders it's 7 into 4. At least the hard shoulder use more or less peters out after the Art Narong exit as cars exit there and speeds pick up again when merging is complete.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by hhinner »


HHTel wrote:
One reason is people wrongly believe they are "allowed" to drive on them and
I think I've mentioned this on more than one occasion. On the expressway going to IKEA, the 'hard shoulder' is covered in 'hash lines' plus every dozen metres or so there is a big red and white roundel of a no entry sign painted on the road. But of course they're completely ignored by cars and trucks. 'believe they are allowed'!! Absolute BS. They know exactly what they're doing. A fine of 'up to 1,000 baht' (less than 25 quid) is certainly not going to deter.
I agree with this one. That road is supposed to have speed cameras and yet when traffic is moving at 90 kph (and more) there are still vehicles going even faster on the shoulder. Is that because the speed cameras don't cover the shoulders? Certainly there's no visible deterrence in the form of what passes for police in Thailand.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

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HHTel wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 10:30 amI think I've mentioned this on more than one occasion. On the expressway going to IKEA, the 'hard shoulder' is covered in 'hash lines' plus every dozen metres or so there is a big red and white roundel of a no entry sign painted on the road.
Sorry, which expressway do you mean? Highway 9, Rama II, or another?
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by HHTel »

It's the Kamphaeng Phet Toll road from Rama II to Bang Na. Usual route to the airport.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by Nereus »

HHTel wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:33 pm It's the Kamphaeng Phet Toll road from Rama II to Bang Na. Usual route to the airport.
Or the Outer Ring Road / Hwy 9.

I also use the other Expressway mentioned here and get off either at the Port Exit, or At Narong when coming from Hua Hin. From the Port ON ramp to At Narong I will also use the shoulder after the on ramp entrance, but the point is, it is always at walking pace. The place where the lady was killed is also just before the off ramp, but the problem is these pricks WILL NOT slow down, which they should be doing at rush hour. The time that I very nearly got cleaned up there I was actually off the expressway onto the exit road when this a****ole forced his way passed on my left side.
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

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HHTel wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:33 pm It's the Kamphaeng Phet Toll road from Rama II to Bang Na. Usual route to the airport.
Thanks, understand now
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Re: Expressway death sparks new purge

Post by VincentD »

Nereus wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 8:51 am More pie in the sky and knee jerk reaction. There are not enough traffic police in all of Thailand to have any chance of stopping this practice. Put another zero on the fine and it may stop 5% of them.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Expressway death sparks new purge

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... recent_box

This week's car accident on an elevated expressway which saw an elderly woman thrown to her death has prompted authorities to look at clamping down on drivers who treat the hard shoulder as an extra lane during rush hours.

"The hard shoulder has never been a regular traffic lane," deputy city police chief Chiraphat Phumichit said on Wednesday, vowing to take legal action against drivers who flout the law and use them as a convenience.

This long, narrow strip is only for broken down vehicles or for ambulances rushing patients to hospital, Pol Maj Gen Chiraphat said.

The move to prevent motorists from using expressway hard shoulders will be a joint effort undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Bureau, other state agencies such as the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (Exat) as well as the Accident Prevention Network.

All the organisations discussed the matter in an urgent meeting on Tuesday, the day after the tragedy.
The tragedy occurred during morning rush hours on Monday when a Toyota Fortuner trying to beat traffic ran into a broken down KIA van parked on the hard shoulder of the Chalongrat Expressway near the Sukhumvit 50 exit.

Nasty place, has been that way for over twenty years. It is ingrained in the Thai psyche to drive that way.
Side note: Have sat with the wife when she drives back along that stretch. That is exactly how she drives, and gets mad when I don't.



Exat also plans to create uneven surfaces along hard shoulders, that will make them uncomfortable to travel along, its deputy governor Dumkerng Pankam said.

They should do this along the outside of the Wipawadee Highway as well. Lots of bikes now using the outside emergency breakdown lane at high speed - they are 'empowered'. Note that bikes are not allowed at all along this highway, only allowed to use the inside lane.
I don't expect to see change in my lifetime.. :roll:
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