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Video: Japanese student refuses to budge for motorcyclists on the sidewalk


webfact

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Just out of respect of your fellow human being don't drive your motorised vehicle on the pavement. It is no different that the ghost riders that drive against traffic causing avoidable accidents. For those who comment that it should be ok to drive your bike on the pavement, would you have the same thinking if your child, sister, brother or God forbid your mother be seriously hurt because of these pavement riders. Would you still advocate this action? I think we already know the answer to that. I myself have had a frayed non rubbered foot rest from the bike hit my leg whilst the rider drove at an unreasonable speed expecting me to get out of the way. I was left with a parting gift of an open wound covering my food with blood. Did the driver stop? no!!!

 

Why should I have my day ruined because some prat cant be bothered to ride on the road? I thought motorised vehicles pay road tax not pavement tax or am I wrong?

 

It's always ok until it becomes personal........... 

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2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I wonder how many of the people who complain about motorcycle drivers follow all the laws all the time.

Do you ever use a mobile phone (not hands free) while you are driving?

Do you always make sure that you don't stop in the middle of a junction you want to drive through?

Do you always stop at zebra crossings?

Do you always strictly follow no parking laws?

How many people follow all the laws all the time? I bet very few people do that - especially in Thailand.

Yes mate all the time and had the police called when i was in an accident caused by someone cutting me off causing me to crash to avoid smashing into him head on. I took photos of the area explained my point and how i know the thai driving Laws (which was the police first question to me). End result was the other rider a thai was fined for his wrong doing even though there was no contact. Rules are there for a reason and this lady was spot on for doing what she did. These little things go a long way to education on the right way to do things so you keep up your flouting of the laws to suit your ultimate goal. She did a great job and i hope she has you in her sights next but i also imagine you will fight long and hard because you believe you are beyond having to abide by local laws too

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2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I wonder how many of the people who complain about motorcycle drivers follow all the laws all the time.

Do you ever use a mobile phone (not hands free) while you are driving?

Do you always make sure that you don't stop in the middle of a junction you want to drive through?

Do you always stop at zebra crossings?

Do you always strictly follow no parking laws?

How many people follow all the laws all the time? I bet very few people do that - especially in Thailand.

I follow the laws, unlike some. 

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3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What is so difficult about live and let live?

I understand if there is a small sidewalk which has only place for one person that the person won't go on the street because a motorcycle is on the sidewalk.

But this is not the case here. Her only purpose for standing there is to block motorcycles. Why? Does she feel better when she demands that other people do what she wants?

I drive motorcycle and often people, mostly tourist, walk in the middle of small sois even if those sois have a sidewalk. Do I run them over because the street is for vehicles and not for pedestrians? No. I drive around them. Problem solved.

I drive very seldom on a sidewalk but it happens, i.e. if I want to stop in front of an ATM for 5 minutes. If I do this I make sure I don't harass pedestrians. If there are pedestrians I make sure they can walk without problem. They can walk, I can drive on the sidewalk for a few meters, no problem for anybody.

Relax, take it easy!

You are so wrong mate.

Clearly you have lived here far too long and have adopted the ridiculous Thai practice of riding on the pavements.

 

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3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What is so difficult about live and let live?

I understand if there is a small sidewalk which has only place for one person that the person won't go on the street because a motorcycle is on the sidewalk.

But this is not the case here. Her only purpose for standing there is to block motorcycles. Why? Does she feel better when she demands that other people do what she wants?

I drive motorcycle and often people, mostly tourist, walk in the middle of small sois even if those sois have a sidewalk. Do I run them over because the street is for vehicles and not for pedestrians? No. I drive around them. Problem solved.

I drive very seldom on a sidewalk but it happens, i.e. if I want to stop in front of an ATM for 5 minutes. If I do this I make sure I don't harass pedestrians. If there are pedestrians I make sure they can walk without problem. They can walk, I can drive on the sidewalk for a few meters, no problem for anybody.

Relax, take it easy!

 

Your comments are usually spot on, but I wonder how you can be so far off the mark on this one. 

 

I definitely agree with 'live and let live' and not making a major issue out of a minor one, but motorcyclists riding on the pavements as if they are a road are a down right danger to pedestrians. 

 

As a pedestrian walking down the pavement with a child I have been worried sick as motorcyclists try and pass, sometimes with relative speed (running / sprinting pace). 

 

Your suggestion is to use discretion - the flaw in this is that the mindset of road users varies so much discretion lends to total abuse of common sense. 

 

Riding slowly 5meters down a pavement to park up at an ATM is ok, its harmless when done with consideration for the pedestrians and the knowledge that its not your right to be there on a motorcycle - This is not the argument. 

 

The argument is those motorcyclists using the pavement (sidewalk) like a road. 

 

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3 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Because roads are for vehicles and sidewalks are for pedestrians. 

 

It's a fairly simple, safe and effective concept. 

If she had not stopped them, he would've  complained about that! It's  obvious he one of that type....

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2 hours ago, FarangFB said:

This reminds me of the Russian youtubers called "Stop a Douchebag", it's one of my favourite channels and it shows a group of young russians who prevent cars from driving on the sidewalk and double parking. They are very brave and stand ground no matter how aggressive the driver is.

 

They are quite polite and just as the driver to turn back or move, if the driver refuses to do so they give them a large sticker on the windshield.

 

I would love to see a movement like this in Thailand, I would join one if I was Thai, wouldn't go well for foreigners to do this. 

 

Here is a video from the Russians: 

 

You beat me to it - they came to mind right away when I read the OP.

Their videos are excellent and so are they.

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31 minutes ago, Rampant20 said:
3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I wonder how many of the people who complain about motorcycle drivers follow all the laws all the time.

Do you ever use a mobile phone (not hands free) while you are driving?

Do you always make sure that you don't stop in the middle of a junction you want to drive through?

Do you always stop at zebra crossings?

Do you always strictly follow no parking laws?

How many people follow all the laws all the time? I bet very few people do that - especially in Thailand.

 

A fair point...  but treating the sidewalk like a road is not quite a minor as breaking a parking law.

 

Phones while driving, never.

Stopping at Zebra Crossings, mostly... but I admit to sometimes not stopping.

Stopping in the muddle of a box junction, regularly when following queued traffic through a junction, its difficult to avoid this one. 

 

The Law I do break most often is speeding in the expressways when quiet, I regularly drive at 140-160kmh when the second stage expressways are quiet - (without wishing to start another debate) I do so because I know its not dangerous to others and there is little risk of being caught, if when caught the penalty is minuscule.

 

Thus OneMoreFarang, you make a good point above, especially with the use of Driving with a Mobile Phone... I'd also add that a lot of foreigners drive drunk - but none of this makes motorcycle riders treating the pavement like a road acceptable in the slightest, it just makes us hypocrites when passing judgement.

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3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What is so difficult about live and let live?

I understand if there is a small sidewalk which has only place for one person that the person won't go on the street because a motorcycle is on the sidewalk.

But this is not the case here. Her only purpose for standing there is to block motorcycles. Why? Does she feel better when she demands that other people do what she wants?

I drive motorcycle and often people, mostly tourist, walk in the middle of small sois even if those sois have a sidewalk. Do I run them over because the street is for vehicles and not for pedestrians? No. I drive around them. Problem solved.

I drive very seldom on a sidewalk but it happens, i.e. if I want to stop in front of an ATM for 5 minutes. If I do this I make sure I don't harass pedestrians. If there are pedestrians I make sure they can walk without problem. They can walk, I can drive on the sidewalk for a few meters, no problem for anybody.

Relax, take it easy!

Arrogant, ignorant lazy b******s, have to ride bikes right up to the ATM or food stall, sidewalks are for WALKING !, understand?. 

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3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What is so difficult about live and let live?

I understand if there is a small sidewalk which has only place for one person that the person won't go on the street because a motorcycle is on the sidewalk.

But this is not the case here. Her only purpose for standing there is to block motorcycles. Why? Does she feel better when she demands that other people do what she wants?

I drive motorcycle and often people, mostly tourist, walk in the middle of small sois even if those sois have a sidewalk. Do I run them over because the street is for vehicles and not for pedestrians? No. I drive around them. Problem solved.

I drive very seldom on a sidewalk but it happens, i.e. if I want to stop in front of an ATM for 5 minutes. If I do this I make sure I don't harass pedestrians. If there are pedestrians I make sure they can walk without problem. They can walk, I can drive on the sidewalk for a few meters, no problem for anybody.

Relax, take it easy!

That's the spirit. One law for the pedestrian and no laws for the motorist. Is there ever a reason for a motorist to mount the pavement and drive/ride along it? Yes, extreme circumstances only; and that means just about never.

The child on the pavement will not be expecting to be run over on that pavement. The infirm are unable to dodge these vehicles.

More and more families are using pushchairs for their children, except when the footpath is blocked by street vendors, trees, lamp posts, staircases and vehicles.

Nightmare.

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3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What is so difficult about live and let live?

I understand if there is a small sidewalk which has only place for one person that the person won't go on the street because a motorcycle is on the sidewalk.

But this is not the case here. Her only purpose for standing there is to block motorcycles. Why? Does she feel better when she demands that other people do what she wants?

I drive motorcycle and often people, mostly tourist, walk in the middle of small sois even if those sois have a sidewalk. Do I run them over because the street is for vehicles and not for pedestrians? No. I drive around them. Problem solved.

I drive very seldom on a sidewalk but it happens, i.e. if I want to stop in front of an ATM for 5 minutes. If I do this I make sure I don't harass pedestrians. If there are pedestrians I make sure they can walk without problem. They can walk, I can drive on the sidewalk for a few meters, no problem for anybody.

Relax, take it easy!

Don’t believe you at all. You’re not that stupid, you’re just trying get a reaction from people who believe that a sideWALK is for pedestrians 

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1 hour ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Did you notice that the Japanese lady in the photo is carrying a crutch in one hand. Maybe she has been hit on a sidewalk by one of these inconsiderate riders and is retaliating.

If that is the case why is she so stupid and block the sidewalk again?

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2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do you think some laws should be enforced more than other laws?

Do you think rich people with big luxury cars should be allowed to ignore traffic rules and poor people with motorcycles must follow the laws?

Fact is that streets are full of cars. If there would be i.e. 10% less cars then there would be a lot more space for motorcycles.

If cars wouldn't block junctions all the time the traffic would flow a lot better including motorcycles on the streets and not on the footpath.

No motorcycle rider would use the footpath if the road would be free. So now let's think about why all those roads are blocked...

There are more scooters than cars in Thailand. Thailand has the second highest death toll on its roads in the world.. 75% of those involve scooters. Thailand's drivers are terrible. Thailand's scooter riders are much worse. I'm rarely menaced by othe cars in Thailand. I'm menaced several times by scooters every time I leave the house. Not only are scooters dangerous on footpaths and a risk to life (who hasn't been clipped by a scooter on a footpath in Thailand? I have several times.) but they also cause considerable damage to the footpaths creating tripping hazards everywhere. Scooters on roads, pedestrians on footpaths please.

 

As another poster said, watch "Stop a Douchbag" on YuoTube to learn what you can do to improve the situation.

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1 hour ago, curious297 said:

Just out of respect of your fellow human being don't drive your motorised vehicle on the pavement. It is no different that the ghost riders that drive against traffic causing avoidable accidents. For those who comment that it should be ok to drive your bike on the pavement, would you have the same thinking if your child, sister, brother or God forbid your mother be seriously hurt because of these pavement riders. Would you still advocate this action? I think we already know the answer to that. I myself have had a frayed non rubbered foot rest from the bike hit my leg whilst the rider drove at an unreasonable speed expecting me to get out of the way. I was left with a parting gift of an open wound covering my food with blood. Did the driver stop? no!!!

 

Why should I have my day ruined because some prat cant be bothered to ride on the road? I thought motorised vehicles pay road tax not pavement tax or am I wrong?

 

It's always ok until it becomes personal........... 

It would be interesting to see a statistic in which kind of accidents people die on Thai streets.

Obviously it would be perfect if everybody would follow all the rules all the time. But I guess we agree that won't happen. So what are the biggest risks?

I am pretty sure one BIG risk are all those zebra crossings. Many cars completely ignore them and it does not matter if people are on that zebra crossing or waiting at the side or if there is a red light. I would love to see police and cameras on all zebra crossings and people get heavy fines for ignoring them. I bet a lot more people die on zebra crossings in Thailand then on footpath.

Does that mean motorcycles should use sidewalks? No! But lets look at the priorities here. What would be the higher priority to safe lives? 

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In the UK, "highway" is primarily a legal term. Everyday use normally implies roads, while the legal use covers any route or path with a public right of access, including footpaths etc.

 

There the public on foot have as much right to use the road as a driver, but the driver cannot use the pavement/sidewalk. Pedestrians are king, whereas in Thailand they are the poor filth who have to walk. That’s why roads are well maintained but footpaths are cracked and broken, obstructed or absent. More class distinction in Thailand than ever there is in the UK. Pauper, know your place!

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When I started to live in Thailand in 1996, I rode a motorbike (and always try to do so within the laws of any land I am in having been riding 'bikes since 16 and now 78) but never on any sidewalks but I had trouble walking on them because of people disregarding the laws about riding on them.  In return, I started to reverse the procedure and refused to let them try to drive roughshod over me.  At the beginning my Thai friends and those riding motorbikes thought I was a little touched until they realised I was serious and they soon started to take me seriously, especially when they were told to get off the sidewalks and use the road.  Even now, where I live, the sidewalk riders have stopped using the sidewalks as their personal roadways as now they are also told by others that the sidewalks are no longer for their use.  No problems at all once everybody realises the benefits of having a trouble, no motorcycle, and a danger free place to walk.  Even the police have stopped riding on the sidewalks, and I live in an area right next to the police training area.

'nuf sed.

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16 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It would be interesting to see a statistic in which kind of accidents people die on Thai streets.

Obviously it would be perfect if everybody would follow all the rules all the time. But I guess we agree that won't happen. So what are the biggest risks?

I am pretty sure one BIG risk are all those zebra crossings. Many cars completely ignore them and it does not matter if people are on that zebra crossing or waiting at the side or if there is a red light. I would love to see police and cameras on all zebra crossings and people get heavy fines for ignoring them. I bet a lot more people die on zebra crossings in Thailand then on footpath.

Does that mean motorcycles should use sidewalks? No! But lets look at the priorities here. What would be the higher priority to safe lives? 

I've given you a relevant statistic. 75% of all road deaths in Thailand involve scooters.

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So you propose letting all discretions slide? That is a race to the bottom - no standards, just chaos.

 

It is harder to stop a motorist from using their phone or making them stop at a crossing. Bikes on the sidewalks are low-hanging fruit, as is parking enforcement. Start easy and work up. Doing nothing is not an option.

 

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I wonder how many of the people who complain about motorcycle drivers follow all the laws all the time.

Do you ever use a mobile phone (not hands free) while you are driving?

Do you always make sure that you don't stop in the middle of a junction you want to drive through?

Do you always stop at zebra crossings?

Do you always strictly follow no parking laws?

How many people follow all the laws all the time? I bet very few people do that - especially in Thailand.

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5 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

I've given you a relevant statistic. 75% of all road deaths in Thailand involve scooters.

And how many of them are of sidewalks?

I don't know how often I saw accidents with injured or dead people in Bangkok but I guess at least twice a year - for the last 20 years. These accidents all happened on streets, not on sidewalks. I don't think I ever personally saw that a pedestrian was injured on a sidewalk. I am sure it happend but relative speaking very seldom.

I know what one person sees it no valid statistic. But if we would make a survey here about accidents which people witnessed in person then I am sure accidents with pedestrians on the sidewalks are comparative seldom. 

 

Just to be entirely clear: It's not my opinion that motorcycle riders should use sidewalks. They shouldn't! But if they do it from time to time for a few meters and they ride slowly and make sure they don't bother pedestrians then I think that is acceptable.

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