Walking Street: An accident waiting to happen as fire trucks still can't get down

[rooster59]

Walking Street: An accident waiting to happen as fire trucks still can't get down

 

Image: Sophon Cabe TV

 

Sophon Cabe TV reported that appeals more than a year ago for businesses in Walking Street, South Pattaya, to comply with regulations about their signs had fallen on deaf ears. 

 

The operators in the legendary red light district had been ordered to raise signage and advertising hoardings so fire trucks could get down the road in the event of a conflagration. 

 

Yesterday deputy mayor Ronnakit Ekkasing went with a large fire truck to see if problems remained. 

 

He found that virtually no improvements had been made. 

 

The truck was still impeded by the signage and becoming entangled in wires. 

 

He now intends to force the operators in Walking Street to comply with the regulations. 

 

Sophon indicated on Facebook that the situation was intolerable and that it threatened to exacerbate the potential for loss of life and property damage in the area.

 

Source: Sophon Cabe TV

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-12-22

[Just1Voice]

Ok, you send in crews to cut down and destroy the signs and banners, then charge those responsible for them 10,000 in fines.  

 

Oh, wait, that makes too much sense.  Sorry, forgot where I was for a moment. 

 

[Chang_paarp]

The builders of the monstrosity at Bali Hai might want to use their political clout to ensure they can get fire trucks to the tower in a hurry. 

Alternatively it is one way to see the end of the project.

 

[Justgrazing]

Until the signage issue is sorted might it not be better to use a smaller truck rather than try to navigate the big Volvo in the photo down W/S as the very height of that is asking for trouble .. 

[Just1Voice]

Well, now they have half a dozen or so of the new fire fighting motorcycles, so those should work just fine in getting to the fire, but if it's a big one, it will be like putting a band aid on a gaping wound. 

 

[jacko45k]

26 minutes ago, Chang_paarp said:

The builders of the monstrosity at Bali Hai might want to use their political clout to ensure they can get fire trucks to the tower in a hurry. 

Alternatively it is one way to see the end of the project.

 

Perhaps they should just go down third rd, over the old flyover and straight there then?

[Youlike]

Just drive an old fire truck full speed through the street at night....plobrem solved.

[marko kok prong]

2 minutes ago, Youlike said:

Just drive an old fire truck full speed through the street at night....plobrem solved.

Yes specially adapted so it has poles or something sticking out,and just clear the lot.

[overherebc]

8 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

Yes specially adapted so it has poles or something sticking out,and just clear the lot.

QED.

One above each front wheel and a plate on the roof feeding the signs into the truck bed.

[fforest1]

The signs are over the side walk not in the street....Is the fire truck going to drive on the side walk?......Also walking street buildings are no higher than 3 storys you dont need a mega fire truck there....

The signs are fine....

[Chang_paarp]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Perhaps they should just go down third rd, over the old flyover and straight there then?

Don't confuse a good(ish) theory with facts. ???? 

[from the home of CC]

Bad timing with some of the floundering businesses, I expect to see an increase in torch jobs for insurance.

[Henrik Andersen]

Nothing happens because of police corruption 

 

[Emdog]

As soon as they finish getting rid of all the illegal businesses on beach side of road there should be no problem. Oh... they haven't started? Wasn't that big news some years ago?

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, fforest1 said:

The signs are over the side walk not in the street...

Is that right now...

 

 

[Benmart]

5 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Until the signage issue is sorted might it not be better to use a smaller truck rather than try to navigate the big Volvo in the photo down W/S as the very height of that is asking for trouble .. 

Fires apparatus responding is determined by the nature and size of the fire, not the other way around.

[Pattaya46]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He found that virtually no improvements had been made. 

That's clearly not true. 

A lot of the big signs have been moved up 1 or 2 years ago. Others have been fully removed. Certainly a few signs too low (most rather recent ones) but saying "no improvements" is a lie. 

 

2 hours ago, fforest1 said:

The signs are over the side walk not in the street....

Some of them, yes, but many of the big ones are clearly well over the street itself.

 

37 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Is that right now...

 

 

A very old pic. 

Most these signs do not exist anymore and the many fronts  of businesses have been redone.

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

becoming entangled in wires

That's an issue caused by service providers and public utilities.

Overhead low slung wires should be the easiest and most direct to have fixed without cost to the government or the public, and without litigation. As they likely require licenses to suspend their wires across a public thoroughfare, the government should be able to immediately demand mitigation for firetruck passage and access fines without litigation.

[ronrat]

In Jakarta a few years ago they built a pedestrian overpass from the main bus station and huge market in Blok M over to a new mall. The authorities warned the public that they would not tolerate signs, food hawkers, beggars whatever on the walkway. It was opened and a day later a few food carts were pushed up and operating and the Police came in and fined the operators. A week later they were back again but more of them so the carts and signs were confiscated and vendors fined. A few weeks went by and they back but even more of them. So the Army came in, blocked streets off , arrested the vendors and made them stand to one side as a crane and bulldozer and trucks appeared. Crane picks up cart. Then dropped 3 storeys onto concrete road . Bulldozer shovels the bits onto trucks. Trucks disappear to landfill. They gaoled all the offenders for a month and they have not been bothered since.

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, Benmart said:

Fires apparatus responding is determined by the nature and size of the fire, not the other way around.

Absolutely but the truck in the photo is an aerial platform which is a heavy unit that quite often weigh in around 26 tonne and that's if its only 3 axle ( 4 axle A/P's can weigh in upto 32 tonnes ) it would besides the height issue which the photo shows has the crows nest at an equal or greater height than some of the signage there is I would suggest scope for it to collapse the road beneath it and if you've been along W/S lately and seen how the block paving is sinking that then would become a real possibility particularly when the stabiliser arms are extended and planted to give it stability when the platform is raised .. Another issue with A/P's is that they don't carry huge amounts of water as much of the weight capacity is taken up by the platform and equipment which is why quite often they are coupled upto a hydrant if available or an auxiliary pump that supplies it when in position .. And heavy units like that are unwieldy and cumbersome to drive ( the turning circle alone dictates that ) which all in all makes them not best suited to environments like W/S .. A unit similar to Japanese fire trucks that are used in Japanese city street's like Kobe that are not unlike W/S weigh in at half the weight of the one in the pic are much more maneuverable and would be better suited to have to deal with an incident in W/S itself .. And should the 4 yr unfinished monstrosity right down near the pier catch fire then sure the Volvo would be more in its element possibly but there are other routes to that without having to take a behemoth like that Volvo along W/S to access it .. 

[janclaes47]

I have such a feeling that within the next 24 hours there will be a new thread that announces a crack down on walking street signage ..............then within the next 12 months a similar thread as this will be at the top of the news forum

[Burma Bill]

Quote: "He now intends to force the operators in Walking Street to comply with the regulations"

 

Don't bother - let the dump burn down! 

 

[bkk6060]

A place like Insomnia/Ibar is a death trap.

Run and jump out the back into the water if fire breaks out. 

Hopefully all can swim...

[bbi1]

15 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

A place like Insomnia/Ibar is a death trap.

Run and jump out the back into the water if fire breaks out. 

Hopefully all can swim...

Why is it a death trap? There are many ways to exit Ibar. Front, back into the ocean, side into New York Cafe then jump into the ocean or from the front of it.

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

A place like Insomnia/Ibar is a death trap.

Run and jump out the back into the water if fire breaks out. 

Hopefully all can swim...

Yeuch.... I bet many would pause and think about that. 

 

Not me, I wouldn't even think about going into Ibar/Insomnia in the first place. 

[bkk6060]

10 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Why is it a death trap? There are many ways to exit Ibar. Front, back into the ocean, side into New York Cafe then jump into the ocean or from the front of it.

Exactly.  As your running around trying to get out remember my post.

PS:  When you jump into the water do not dive head first as it is not deep and you could severe your spinal cord...

[a977]

15 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Absolutely but the truck in the photo is an aerial platform which is a heavy unit that quite often weigh in around 26 tonne and that's if its only 3 axle ( 4 axle A/P's can weigh in upto 32 tonnes ) it would besides the height issue which the photo shows has the crows nest at an equal or greater height than some of the signage there is I would suggest scope for it to collapse the road beneath it and if you've been along W/S lately and seen how the block paving is sinking that then would become a real possibility particularly when the stabiliser arms are extended and planted to give it stability when the platform is raised .. Another issue with A/P's is that they don't carry huge amounts of water as much of the weight capacity is taken up by the platform and equipment which is why quite often they are coupled upto a hydrant if available or an auxiliary pump that supplies it when in position .. And heavy units like that are unwieldy and cumbersome to drive ( the turning circle alone dictates that ) which all in all makes them not best suited to environments like W/S .. A unit similar to Japanese fire trucks that are used in Japanese city street's like Kobe that are not unlike W/S weigh in at half the weight of the one in the pic are much more maneuverable and would be better suited to have to deal with an incident in W/S itself .. And should the 4 yr unfinished monstrosity right down near the pier catch fire then sure the Volvo would be more in its element possibly but there are other routes to that without having to take a behemoth like that Volvo along W/S to access it .. 

Dear sir make sure you road test something before you comment on it, I have personally driven a cabover Volvo similar to the one in the photo except with 4 axles (twin steer bogie drive) in the waste industry in Perth West Australia and can attest to their suitability to narrow streets and laneways, they are one of the most maneuverable trucks I have ever driven and believe me I've driven a few. 

[Justgrazing]

On 12/23/2018 at 9:22 AM, a977 said:

Dear sir make sure you road test something before you comment on it, I have personally driven a cabover Volvo similar to the one in the photo except with 4 axles (twin steer bogie drive) in the waste industry in Perth West Australia and can attest to their suitability to narrow streets and laneways, they are one of the most maneuverable trucks I have ever driven and believe me I've driven a few. 

I have .. Over 30 yrs on just about every rigid truck configuration available from common 2 axle 7.5 tonne up to 32 tonne 8x4 double drive .. And yes sure rearmost axles that steer also do make for more manoeuvrability over their fixed rear axle counterparts but I will still suggest the Volvo in the photo would not be best suited to W/S particularly the height and weight of it .. And besides the signage issue that the O P is all about the next time you're in Walking Street take a look at the mass of electrical cabling hung across the small Soi's on the left of the Street as you walk along towards the pier some of which hangs lower even than some of the signs .. there would be a serious risk of someone getting electrocuted trying to take the V down some of those ..