Thailand proposes 'big bike' licenses and special bike lanes to help tackle motorcycle death toll

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Thailand proposes 'big bike' licenses and special bike lanes to help tackle motorcycle death toll

 

Picture: Bangkokbiz News

 

Transport minister Saksayam Chidchob intends to act to lower the death toll on Thailand's roads from motorcycle accidents. 

 

Three committees have been set up with the possibility of big bike licences and special bike lanes being introduced.

 

A top level meeting heard that 74% of the death toll on the roads is made up by motorcycle riders. 

 

The WHO has declared Thailand as having the 9th most road accidents in the world. (The per capita number puts the kingdom at number 2, notes Thaivisa). 

 

The committees have thirty days to report on proposed changes to Saksayam and Bangkokbiz News said they could all come in before the end of the year because they involve standards and not specific changes in the law. 

 

Proposals include having separate licences for big and small engines bikes. 

 

Manufacturers may be compelled to introduce certain braking systems such as CBS for big bikes and ABS for small machines. 

 

The Highways Department and Department of Rural Roads have been instructed to look into special bike lanes on certain roads.

 

Rules such as speed limits in certain areas, use of tunnels and where bikes can overtake are being examined. 

 

WHO recommendations about advertising bike riding to youth are also being looked into. Some advertisements encourage bad riding, it has been claimed, worsening the situation. 

 

Accident response is also on the agenda. 

 

In 30 days Saksayam will decide what changes to make with new measures likely to come in before the end of the year. 

 

Source: Bangkokbiz News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-09-25

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[darksidedog]

Different licenses for bigger bikes is all very well, as are dedicated bike lanes, the problem though comes back to the fact that many people simply don't have a license at all, a large number don't wear a helmet and they go wherever they please, including the wrong way down one way streets. Rider education and implementation of existing laws will do a whole lot more than making people with big bikes get a different license.

[Oziex1]

3 commitees to be set up. 

That will do it.

[Dmaxdan]

 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.... Needle stuck on the record again? 

 

Go on, why not just create a whole lot of new laws for everyone to ignore. 

[Nyezhov]

Baby steps are better than no steps. Most US states treat scooters and MCs separately, I think its 50 cc and above.....

[keith101]

Stop every MC and if the rider does not have a license take their bike until they can produce one and a helmet . 

[ezzra]

All is very well but you can't put limits or curb people's stupidity and carelessness... and that goes for every kind of motorised mode of transport out there...

[overherebc]

8 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Stop every MC and if the rider does not have a license take their bike until they can produce one and a helmet . 

And valid insurance.

[Just1Voice]

Vietnam came up with a very effective law. Ride without a helmet, they confiscate the bike, plus major fine. Within a year, EVERYONE was wearing helmets. But then, they have a real police force as well. 

[seajae]

maybe if they made all bike riders have a licence it would help. Just look at all the under age riders on the streets that clown around at all hours of the day and night and their parents dont give a stuff or try to stop them. Problem is thai police are too lazy to get out on the streets and do their job, how in the hell can they lower the road death toll when the police are never out patrolling the roads or pulling over drivers/riders. They want to stop deaths then they have to enforce the current road laws instead of letting everyone do as they please, seizing bikes would also help, again they need to get the police out of their air conditioned offices to do it and not simply make it a huge tea money collection 

[z42]

Surely the laws are already there and just require amendments in the punishments.

When helmet use appears to be well below 50% (just go and count for 5 minutes) then you're already gping to get more awful statistics for deaths and serious injuries.

Then you add on the complete disregard for basic traffic laws by a significant number of those riding bikes and it just compounds the problem.

 

They are over simplifying. Drastically increase the monetary penalties. Although as its the same RTP patrols as now actually enforcing it, what makes anyone think they'll jettison their finely honed schemes they have going on

[sweatalot]

22 minutes ago, seajae said:

maybe if they made all bike riders have a licence it would help. Just look at all the under age riders on the streets that clown around at all hours of the day and night and their parents dont give a stuff or try to stop them. Problem is thai police are too lazy to get out on the streets and do their job, how in the hell can they lower the road death toll when the police are never out patrolling the roads or pulling over drivers/riders. They want to stop deaths then they have to enforce the current road laws instead of letting everyone do as they please, seizing bikes would also help, again they need to get the police out of their air conditioned offices to do it and not simply make it a huge tea money collection 

you nail it. They don't need newe law. What they do need is the police doing their job effectively. Without that any new law is as worthless as the existing ones

[Lemonltr]

My personal bugbear is motorbikes without lights. So easy for the police to check. Very many without rear and many even without front lights even out of town on main roads. I'm so scared to hit them driving a car. Now some even have blue lights either front or rear! Astonishing. A few years ago I was knocked off my well lit bicycle by a guy without headlights who I didn't see (dark road exiting my soi). When I berated him he blamed the bulb! He got very Irate shouting "man sia" "It's broken" He didn't break it!!! 

[alan grice]

Another bit of paper to solve a problem, plus a stripe down the road.!.[emoji85]


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Cricky]

2 hours ago, keith101 said:

Stop every MC and if the rider does not have a license take their bike until they can produce one and a helmet . 

In the real world yes.

 

Imagine the lost productivity, no one would turn up for work.

Schools would be empty. 

[Scot123]

2 hours ago, keith101 said:

Stop every MC and if the rider does not have a license take their bike until they can produce one and a helmet . 

And what about car drivers as they are the ones killing most motorbike riders. 

[keith101]

Just now, Scot123 said:

And what about car drivers as they are the ones killing most motorbike riders. 

Only because the idiots on bikes cut in front/across or going the wrong way .

 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, keith101 said:

 

4 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

And what about car drivers as they are the ones killing most motorbike riders. 

Only because the idiots on bikes cut in front/across or going the wrong way .

 

 

I drive a car and ride a motorcycle  in Thailand. 

It's nearly always another motorcycle rider doing something to place themselves in grave danger.

 

When out riding my bike it's nearly always another rider who places me in danger.

 

When driving, it's nearly always me who breaks to avoid a motorcycle cutting me up...

 

It's just the norm & expected. 

 

(And perhaps the delivery vans & minivans on expressway are also a big danger).

[essox essox]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Different licenses for bigger bikes is all very well, as are dedicated bike lanes, the problem though comes back to the fact that many people simply don't have a license at all, a large number don't wear a helmet and they go wherever they please, including the wrong way down one way streets. Rider education and implementation of existing laws will do a whole lot more than making people with big bikes get a different license.

you FORGOT RIDING ON PAVEMENTS !!!

[essox essox]

7 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

And what about car drivers as they are the ones killing most motorbike riders. 

if bikers DID NOT undertake then some lives JUST MIGHT BE saved.....

[dcnx]

It always comes back to the police. Laws don’t fix problems, education and law enforcement does.

[kevc]

Last week in our village two 15year old girls were killed run over by a truck no crash helmets and underage riders it was a crying shame. I love how they come out with all these laws and can't even enforce the most basic of all when it's in their faces everyday, no helmet no riding.

Sent from my CPH1823 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Geoffggi]

HA! HA! HA!!! The only way a bike lane would possibly work is if the bike lane had concrete walls either side to keep the bikes inside the bike lane and was too narrow for a minibus to get down it.

[DualSportBiker]

Close the stable door will you, the horse bolted a while ago but we can't have the stables looking messy old boy!

 

This is a perfect example of Ready, Fire, Aim. There is a population of motorbike riders of which 'big bikes' represent a small percentage. Bad habits are set at 15 years old when they start riding to school. The majority of fatalities are in the 15 to 24 year old range. Requiring them to have a special license for when/if they graduate to a larger bike will not address the group that is most at risk.

 

This problem is solved by education and given the victims are mostly all riding to school it might seem logical to start training them while at school. Is that too hard to grasp?

[cyril sneer]

Even if the laws were strictly enforced the same problems would occur, I won’t say why

[brain150]

I find it quite funny how most people are brainwashed enough to believe that wearing a helmet would solve any problem. Government brainwashing on the highest level - obviously !

 

Helmets don't avoid accidents ! They don't make the traffic safer ! And they don't make anybody a better rider !

[and the nonsense they call "helmets" in this country is just a bad joke !!!]

 

Make people responsible for their actions - that's the only way to solve the problem !!!

This whole BS about "not wearing a helmet" is simply ridiculous !!!

Most Helmets will do nothing in case of a real accident ... not even the real good ones !

Learn how to ride a bike and be responsible ... old fashioned but works. 

[legend49]

4 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

3 commitees to be set up. 

That will do it.

Tell them they are dreaming. Next!

[sabian]

You mean like the successful cycle lanes!........Or as I’ve seen it the noodle cart and excess parking lane.

 

[joloit]

We are saved!!

[Emdog]

"...special bike lanes being introduced."

Already have them. We call them "sidewalks" in the west. Though sometimes cars and trucks also use those special lanes...