pedestrian crossing

[lindosfan1]

Yesterday went down the petchkasem road and saw 1 red and white pedestrian crossing today there are 3.(are they breeding) It will be intersting how the local drivers treat these particularly the scooter/moped riders might even go down to watch. lol

[Randy Cornhole]

The Thais will probably panic when they see it and try to avoid it, thus driving up on the pavement and running down several pedestrians in the process.
It will cause absolute bedlam by causing utter confusion. You just know it..

[lomuamart]

I live near the one at Somtawin school and noticed cars stopping at the crossing a couple of times yesterday to let pedestrians across. However, I don't know how widespread that habit was/is. Certainly, I wouldn't chance crossing the road and expect a car to stop, despite the pretty colours.

[STEVE G]

In my experience the UK is one of the few countries in the world where pedestrian crossings actually work. This means that there could now be carnage amongst British tourists in Hua Hin when they confidently stride into the road expecting the traffic to give way to them, only to be mown down by a Bangkok Mercedes with a gold cushion in the rear window.
Even back here in law-abiding Luxembourg the things are not to be relied upon as there are too many French drivers who abuse you with wild gesticulations as they try to kill you with a Citroen.

[buksida]

Drove through the center of town this morning as they were painting the road with this great red and white bullseye for idiots in pickups. Also good to see forethought and advance planning to do this and block off the main road over one of the busiest weekends of the year.



As you approach one at speed it looks like a speed bump, not sure if this was the intended optical illusion but it caused a load of cars hurtling down Petchksaem road to anchor on the brakes.

[Wanderlust]

Some Thai drivers don't even stop at traffic lights so why they expect them to at red and white pedestrian crossings I don't know! Maybe they will be manned by police hoping to add to their holiday money?

[dtaai-maai]

I remember more than 30 years ago stopping at a pedestrian crossing in Bordeaux to let a pregnant woman cross. Caused absolute mayhem, and the ungrateful femme looked at me as though I was playing some kind of nasty trick.

I was 18 and driving an old Austin Cambridge at the time... <nostalgic sighs>

Anyway, I am quite careful when I see a pedestrian crossing here, just in case there are any innocent farang about (sheesh, I'm quite careful all the bloody time here!), but if there is someone waiting to cross I don't stop. It's just an invitation to any pedestrian to start crossing and then get mown down by some moron in the other lane.

[dtaai-maai]

P.S. Buksida - I presume you mean that there are some idiots who drive pick-ups, not that all pick-up drivers are idiots...

[Nereus]

Some Thai drivers don't even stop at traffic lights so why they expect them to at red and white pedestrian crossings I don't know! Maybe they will be manned by police hoping to add to their holiday money?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/100408_News/ ... news03.php

Red-light cameras to catch motorists

The driving habits of Bangkok motorists have come under renewed scrutiny after police found that more than 2,000 vehicles went through red lights at 15 intersections in a week. But from June 1, drivers should think twice before jumping the lights. If they do, they will receive police tickets together with photographic evidence by mail shortly afterwards, thanks to a hi-tech helping hand for traffic police _ cameras at traffic lights.
The cameras, which have so far been put up at more than 30 intersections, will be installed at almost all congested areas in Bangkok before June 1.

The licence plates of vehicles will be checked by the Department of Land Transport, said Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Pol Maj-Gen Panu Kerdlarbpol.

During a trial, more than 2,000 vehicles went through red lights in a week at 15 intersections where cameras had been installed.

[buksida]

P.S. Buksida - I presume you mean that there are some idiots who drive pick-ups, not that all pick-up drivers are idiots...

Just generalising as usual

[Chas]

I was going to say that those red and white crossings look very much like speed bumps! Maybe that is intentional and they just want to slow traffic down. I also wonder why they picked the busiest weekend of the year to do the painting.

As for pedestrian right of way? This is a place where NOBODY has the right of way. .except maybe those big cement trucks.

But are you really looking for any sign of intelligence in the people who run this town? Instead of any really useful improvement they have poured whatever funds they have into vital items such as:

1. The big screen "TV/Movie thing" in front of the tessabahn. . .really important to have that!

2. The white excrescence of a pedestrian crossing bridge as you head north with the elephants and other animals cavorting over faded portraits of the king. (Paradise City really needs an expensive eyesore? And what ever happened to typical Thai decorative taste. They are usually very good at such things.)

3. Latest addition. . .Hua Hin's very own golden arches. .a bit further north out of town. Huge concrete bu tresses and three soaring golden arches which must have cost a fortune. ( Welcome to McDonalds?)

4. The set of traffic lights just at the corner of the palace. Who knows what these things cost, but the most traffic I have ever seen come out of that side street while I am sitting there at a red light is a motorcycle or two.

5. And the latest addition to the march of the giant (ugly) billboards, the one right next to the airport runway. (Where else would you be allowed to build a gigantic billboard within a hundred yards of a runway?) Zoning anyone?

Feel free to add to the list.

[buksida]

4. The set of traffic lights just at the corner of the palace. Who knows what these things cost, but the most traffic I have ever seen come out of that side street while I am sitting there at a red light is a motorcycle or two.

That one was purely thrown in to slow down the traffic going past the Palace, bugger all to do with road management. They actually need those lights where the Tansamai turning is into soi 56 where there are daily accidents.

[Chas]

I was going to say that Buksi!
The Tansamai intersection is one I approach with great fear and trepidation. .and I am always mightily relieved once past it.
It is totally crazy. Heading north tonight, I passed four cars double parked to buy food from the vendors. ( Evidently its OK to double park here, even in the traveled lane as long as you put your flashers on. Its also OK to travel on the wrong side of the road as long as you use your flashers.)

[turok]

Perhaps all the zebra crossings have been painted red and white so they don't have to wash off the remains of all the farangs who think that they'll get right of way when attempting to cross the road!!!!

[Chas]

Actually the crossing markings have started to fade away already. I wonder that they didnt actually make them "zebra" style as is customary in other places. And you are right . . .red doesnt show the blood.

Just to update you on one of the things I mentioned in my list of things the local tessabaan has found to spend its money on. . .the three golden arches have now turned into an amazingly spectacular Thai ( lanna?) style archway.

For this one it looks like they actually hired a designer and an architect as opposed to having the town road crew whip something together . . .as they did with that ugly white thing closer to town.

Anyway, it might be really beautiful when they get done as they have stuck to the traditional Thai decorative style. ..albeit blown up to massive proportions. You cant miss it!