Too many motorbikes on sidewalks to handle, police say

[Nereus]

If they bothered to get out of their air conditioned stations they may have a better chance! It is disgusting that some innocent kid gets injured just because of "me first".
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Too many motorbikes on sidewalks to handle, police say

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... police-say

Police have admitted they cannot prevent motorcyclists using city footpaths as roads, after a young student was knocked down by a sidewalk-hogging motorbike on Monday.

Pol Col Krisana Patanacharoen, deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Police Office, said on Tuesday the motorcyclist would be charged with a traffic violation, and also under the sidewalk cleanliness law.

Driving a motorcycle along a footpath carried a maximum fine of 1,000 baht and the sidewalk cleanliness violation a maximum 5,000 baht fine, he said.

Police reported on Tuesday evening that the injured girl was a 16-year-old student at Bodindecha School. She was hit at a bus stop on the outbound lane of Lat Phrao Road in Wang Thong Lang district.

The girl was sent to nearby Paolo Hospital on Soi Chokchai 4.

The motorcyclist who hit her was identified as messenger Puwadol Srisamrong, 23, who waited for police at the scene of the accident. He was also charged with reckless driving causing injury.

Earlier, Pol Col Krisana admitted police could not adequately ensure public safety from motorbikes on footpaths because they just do not have the manpower, especially during rush hours.

He was responding to questions on a Twitter post by user @EmaEmika on Monday, who reported seeing a secondary school girl knocked down by a motorcycle travelling on the footpath at the mouth of Soi Lat Phrao 69 on Lat Phrao Road.

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said City Hall's thetsakit inspectors were also responsible for arresting motorcyclists riding on footpaths, under the pavement cleanliness law. He said these motorcyclists had no regard for other people.

However, change had to start in the minds of the motorcyclists themselves.

Meanwhile, city inspectors would continue trying to keep the footpaths safe, he said.

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[oakdale160]

My son lives in Toronto --He rides his /Bike into work each day. One day when it was time to go home it was raining very heavily and so he took the subway home. He took his helmet with him and the following day forgot to take it back into work. So at quitting time he, quite illegally, rode his m/b home without wearing a helmet. It was a nightmare--almost every car blew their horn at him and at traffic lights drivers rolled down their windows and shouted abuse at him.
What this shows is that in a developed society, it is not just police presence or the fear of punishment that governs behavior, it is that the population agrees and buys-into the rules and the discipline and there is "Neighbourhood policing" All this is unthinkable to the Thai mind.

[HHTel]

Well done, Canada. It's a pity that just over the border there are very few helmet laws and I think there's only one or two states where it's compulsory and only then if you're under 21.

[migrant]

Easy to fix. Issue baseball bats to all pedestrians and declare open season on motorbike drivers who go on sidewalks.

[oakdale160]

Its a little better than that in the USA, in 19 states it is compulsory. Another factor that encourages the use is that many insurance companies in the US have a clause that your personal accident health insurance is invalid if you are not wearing a helmet.
In Canada even for push bikes the use of helmets is compulsory.

[Homer]

... It was a nightmare--almost every car blew their horn at him and at traffic lights drivers rolled down their windows and shouted abuse at him.
What this shows is that in a developed society, it is not just police presence or the fear of punishment that governs
behavior, it is that the population agrees and buys-into the rules and the discipline and there is "Neighbourhood policing"
...

Now that's a well indoctrinated population. They're primed. But they're also Canadian. So it's highly doubtful we'll ever see them in brown shirts.

[oakdale160]

The word Indoctrination is harsh. I remember when it was being debated, and the debate in the press TV etc was very lengthy. When there was a definite consensus a bill was introduced and passed.
On the other hand, I have to agree that Canadians (Polite to a fault) are pretty docile. I have seen people, late at night with no traffic to be seen in any direction, waiting on the curb for the lights to change before crossing.

[StevePIraq]

The police comment is like so many things here, "it is to hard to do". Thais seem to give up at the first obstacle.

[usual suspect]

Well no worries about motorbikes on the pavement in the Binta/Poolsook area...You're unable to mount the pavement with a m/bike 'cos of the H.H. motorcycle rental mafia blocking every inch of roadside space..including the drop-kerbs
(For years +years the MiB do nothing..(well they won't will they...Kerching!)

[Nereus]

City Hall to double fine for motorbikes on pavements

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... -pavements

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will double its "cleanliness" fine for riding motorbikes on pavements to 1,000 baht and step up enforcement after a student was injured by a motorcycle on a pavement along Lat Phrao Road.

Deputy Bangkok governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul said on Wednesday that the fine would be raised from the current 500 baht next month to discourage violators as the BMA lacked enough officials to stop motorcyclists from riding on all pavements.

He said the BMA would also increase the number of fine enforcement locations from 115 to 233 and order its officials to tackle the problem of motorcyclists using pavements meant for pedestrians more seriously. The strict enforcement of the pavements "cleanliness" law would focus on pavements in crowded areas, including schools, Mr Sakoltee said.

It came after a schoolgirl was hit and injured by a motorcycle driven on a pavement on Lat Phrao Road in Wang Thong Lang district on Monday.

Mr Sakoltee said Wang Thong Lang was the district with the highest abuse of pavements by motorcyclists, followed by Suan Luang, Lat Krabang and Watthana districts.

Motorcyclists often used pavements on heavily congested roads and main streets where U-turns were far apart, he said.

The BMA began taking serious against motorcyclists using pavements in May. It has also shared half the collected fines with people who posted video clips of violators that led to arrests and fine collection.

The deputy governor said since May the BMA had received about 10,000 complaints on motorbikes driving on pavements and collected about 4 million baht in fines. It had shared collected fines with about 2,000 informants.

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[handdrummer]

Put a barrier across the footpath, with an opening wide enough for a pedestrian. you only need 1 per section between streets.

[oakdale160]

Here is a plan. Why not send Traffic patrol cops to S'pore for traning in a place with excellent well-disciplines traffic?. Forget it, my company sent a number of middle-management staff to Australia for training, they came back so full of praise and enthusiasm for everything that they had seen and learned there. Then they were told--Good, we would like you to introduce what you have learnt here--they stared at the floor, shook therir heads and said--Australia methods not work in Thailand.

[oakdale160]

Here is a plan. Why not send Traffic patrol cops to S'pore for traning in a place with excellent well-disciplines traffic?. Forget it, my company sent a number of middle-management staff to Australia for training, they came back so full of praise and enthusiasm for everything that they had seen and learned there. Then they were told--Good, we would like you to introduce what you have learnt here--they stared at the floor, shook their heads and said--Australia and Thailand different, not work in Thailand.

[RCer]

Carry a strong piece of wood. Jamb into the spokes on the front wheel.

[caller]

Once or twice I have come close to shoving over bikes when I have been trying to cross Bangkok roads when cars have already stopped, as they simply show no respect or regard for others, especially the motorcy taxis. Although more so than ever, I am finding cars will stop, without in effect, being forced to.

When I have been confronted by a bike on a pavement, I simply stand my ground and refuse to move. It's happened a couple of times and one went around me, but had to maneuver to do so, the other dropped down to the road.