Driving at under 90kph in the right lane of highways may become an offence

[webfact]

Driving at under 90kph in the right lane of highways may become an offence

 

 

Motorists who use the right lane of a highway, with more than four traffic lanes, and drive at a speed of less than 90kph will face charges similar to speeding, under a new ministerial regulation being mulled by the Transport Ministry.

 

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said today that the idea of setting the minimum speed for driving in the right lane will be considered, together with a proposal to increase the speed limit on highways to 120kph and other highway laws.

 

He asserted that the regulation on maximum and minimum driving speeds is intended to ensure better safety and to reduce traffic congestion.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/driving-at-under-90kph-in-the-right-lane-of-highways-may-become-an-offence/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-01-14

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[Don Mega]

I certainly hope it does, those people are dangerous and should not be on the road.... also need to address the issue of trucks on the motorway crawling along well under the speed limit side by side in 3 of the 4 lanes.

[Creasy]

Who is going to police this law ?

 

Personally. I have never seen a police car physically cruising up and down the roads to catch offenders .

[Don Mega]

2 minutes ago, Creasy said:

Who is going to police this law ?

 

Personally. I have never seen a police car physically cruising up and down the roads to catch offenders .

I see them daily on the 7 motorway but they only seem to target pickups with people in the back.

[Matzzon]

This is a very good idea, and will bring a higher safety standard on the Thai roads. However, again they fail to see the big picture. This is not something that only should be implemented on roads with 4 lanes or more. It should also be implemented for roads where there is only two lanes. That so we do not have to see cars driving slalom on the roads, as well as they would feel the need to change to the slower lane when quicker drivers arrive from behind.

 

There will also be some basic factors that makes this impossible in reality. That is the ME & ME factor, that drivers consider themselfs entitled to the full road. Another of many will be that disrespect for rules and laws, that will change the possibility to decide what do do on a day to day basis which will limit the individuals power.

[daveAustin]

Slow driving is as dangerous as OTT speed. This is a good idea. Wish they would enact this type of thing on UK roads too... we have way way way too many retired old farts pottering along not giving a tinker's tosss about the working world around them. 

[Curt1591]

I assume the plan is to use the traffic cams. Better nail that accelerator when overtaking!

[lemonjelly]

Unworkable..... what if there’s heavy traffic, rush hour, 4 lanes full... all vehicles in right hand lane have to stay above 90 kmh? 
Driving responsibly according to traffic conditions is the mantra.

[RotBenz8888]

They won't do anything about speeders, no licence, driving through red light, drunk driving etc etc. Like this is gonna be enforced, ridiculous.

[BobbyL]

Another idea that sadly won't be enforced in any way. 

[Assurancetourix]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

I see them daily on the 7 motorway but they only seem to target pickups with people in the back.

You are talking about motorway 7; the article talks about highways with more than four lanes ;

that is to say the vast majority of the main roads of Thailand.

( the highways, not highways with more than 4 lanes which are a few ) 
There are very few km of motorways in Thailand and they are all in and around Bangkok.

 

In addition this "announcement" is as usual a "non announcement" since it is written in the Thai highway code that normal traffic must be on the leftmost lane;
the one on the right is only used for overtaking.
When passing from the left, it is only authorized when a vehicle turns right.
So all vehicles that overtake a bus or truck that <deleted> the world off on the right lane are theoretically wrong .

 

As for trucks that do not drive on the left lane, this is for two main reasons:
the first is that roads are made here in spite of common sense

and the second is that far too many trucks are overloaded;

 

the combination of these two reasons means that the left track quickly becomes unusable due to the "manufacture" of rails in an insufficient thickness of bitumen.
It is not for nothing that many crossroads with a heavy traffic of heavy vehicles are gradually transformed by removing the bitumen to replace it with concrete.

 

But ... But if the police actually did its job, it would impose real dissuasive fines on overloaded drivers and owners of vehicles; thing that she does not do or very little ..
So, as usual, in the land of "crackdown" nothing will change ...

Edited January 14, 2020 by Assurancetourix

[Don Mega]

12 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

You are talking about motorway 7; the article talks about highways with more than four lanes ;

that is to say the vast majority of the main roads of Thailand.

 

Yeah my bad, did not realise it was roads with more than 4 lanes.

The motorway only has 4 so I guess thats why it is not included but it would be good if they upgraded the entire motorway 7 to be 120km/h and deal with the A-Holes that do 90 in the RH lanes.

Edited January 14, 2020 by Don Mega

[Assurancetourix]

7 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

Yeah my bad, did not realise it was roads with more than 4 lanes.

The motorway only has 4 so I guess thats why it is not included but it would be good if they upgraded the entire motorway 7 to be 120km/h and deal with the A-Holes that do 90 in the RH lanes.

 

I do not know the motorway 7, on the other hand I sometimes take the 9 where the speed is limited to 120 km / h ; at least on the part which bypasses Bangkok while going on Souvanaphum and Chonburi while coming from Saraburi .

 

As I wrote above, there are not many highways with more than 4 lanes in Thailand.
most are four-lane and so far the speed limit is 90 km / h.
Speed at which I drive on the left lane, I will write 90/95 meter; and as if by chance, it is at this speed that I have the maximum torque of the engine of my Isuzu 3 liters; therefore minimum consumption ...
most other vehicles including coaches and some trucks overtaking me at sometimes supersonic speeds.

Authorizing a higher speed, 120 km / h will therefore allow many motorists to drive at 140 or 150 per hour.
When we see the annual carnage at 90 an hour we can assume that Thailand will remain number 1 for the number of road deaths for many more years.

[Benmart]

3 hours ago, Creasy said:

Who is going to police this law ?

 

Personally. I have never seen a police car physically cruising up and down the roads to catch offenders .

I have been coming to Thailand since 1993 and living here full-time/driving since 2013, and no, I have never seen a police car patrolling or pulling over a traffic violator. I don't think the local cops know how or have the necessary vehicles.

[Don Mega]

18 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

 

I do not know the motorway 7, on the other hand I sometimes take the 9 where the speed is limited to 120 km / h ; at least on the part which bypasses Bangkok while going on Souvanaphum and Chonburi while coming from Saraburi .

 

As I wrote above, there are not many highways with more than 4 lanes in Thailand.
most are four-lane and so far the speed limit is 90 km / h.
Speed at which I drive on the left lane, I will write 90/95 meter; and as if by chance, it is at this speed that I have the maximum torque of the engine of my Isuzu 3 liters; therefore minimum consumption ...
most other vehicles including coaches and some trucks overtaking me at sometimes supersonic speeds.

Authorizing a higher speed, 120 km / h will therefore allow many motorists to drive at 140 or 150 per hour.
When we see the annual carnage at 90 an hour we can assume that Thailand will remain number 1 for the number of road deaths for many more years.

Ive not seen a motorway here with more than 4 lanes either.

 

Not sure why raising the speedlimit to 120km/h will allow people to travel at 150km/h.

 

When did Thailand become #1 for road deaths ?

Edited January 14, 2020 by Don Mega

[tinca tinca]

50 minutes ago, Benmart said:

I have been coming to Thailand since 1993 and living here full-time/driving since 2013, and no, I have never seen a police car patrolling or pulling over a traffic violator. I don't think the local cops know how or have the necessary vehicles.

very true about number of police cars.....just like the whole force which is said to be only 250 k 

small for a big country and population of Thailand !!

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said today that the idea of setting the minimum speed for driving in the right lane will be considered, together with a proposal to increase the speed limit on highways to 120kph and other highway laws.

That will make the infamous U-turn more interesting.

[mlmcleod]

This would be nonsense on Sukhomvit Road between Bangkok and Rayong.  The number of U-turn and right turn lanes is being steadily reduced causing right lane backups on the highway.  A minimum 90 kph would increase the number of rear end collisions.  I am sure it is the same on most 2 lane highways in Thailand.

[mickey rat]

The right lane is for passing? It's not the super VIP lane for overloaded, under braked pick up trucks and morons? Phet Kasem is mostly a two lane road and it's now against the law to pass at less than 90kph? Oh boy, someone had a brain fart. 

[spidermike007]

But since the highway patrol continues to refuse to patrol the highways, these kinds of proclamations are beyond meaningless. A deterrent is a deterrent, and astonishing weakness, incompetence, indifference, and lack of ability is another thing altogether. That pretty much summarizes everything the army touches and attempts to do. That is just who they are. 

Edited January 14, 2020 by spidermike007

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, Don Mega said:

I certainly hope it does, those people are dangerous and should not be on the road.... also need to address the issue of trucks on the motorway crawling along well under the speed limit side by side in 3 of the 4 lanes.

 

They should address this issue on all roads with more than one lane. Even on 2 lane roads idiots sit in the outside lane, crawling along, refusing to move over forcing undertaking or overtaking by crossing into the oncoming traffic lanes.

 

These selfish idiots need to be taught how to drive with regard to other road users and punished for ignoring it.

[Baerboxer]

28 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

But since the highway patrol continues to refuse to patrol the highways, these kinds of proclamations are beyond meaningless. A deterrent is a deterrent, and astonishing weakness, incompetence, indifference, and lack of ability is another thing altogether. That pretty much summarizes everything the army touches and attempts to do. That is just who they are. 

 

Since when has the Highway Patrol been part of the Army?

[spidermike007]

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Since when has the Highway Patrol been part of the Army?

The army has been proclaiming a desire to reduce highway deaths, and make the roads more safe for over five years now. Who is in control? Where does the responsibility for this lie? Does the army not have the power to make this happen, if they cared one iota about public safety, traffic safety, and the common man or woman? The highway patrol are a huge embarrassment to the nation. What do they do exactly, other than show up AFTER an accident has happened? 

[Yadon Toploy]

4 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Unworkable..... what if there’s heavy traffic, rush hour, 4 lanes full... all vehicles in right hand lane have to stay above 90 kmh? 
Driving responsibly according to traffic conditions is the mantra.

Correct.

 

Another brainless idea which does not address the main problems of lack of driver skill/education and law enforcement.

[sammieuk1]

Indeed the u-turn maybe tricky at 90kph second floor and above dwellers beware????

[kimamey]

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Slow driving is as dangerous as OTT speed. This is a good idea. Wish they would enact this type of thing on UK roads too... we have way way way too many retired old farts pottering along not giving a tinker's tosss about the working world around them. 

It is an offence in the UK as far as I know. If you're not overtaking then you need to move to the left as you are obstructing the road since undertaking is illegal in most cases. 

 

The problem in the UK is probably down to not enough traffic police. 

[Mattd]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

it would be good if they upgraded the entire motorway 7 to be 120km/h

The entire length of Motorway 7 is set as 120 km/h speed limit, the sections where it flashes 90 are advisory and not enforceable.

[riclag]

I drive on the right side most of the time ,for safety!

No double parked cars

No dotting cows and dogs from Soi's

No parked car doors being open unexpectedly

No motorbikes coming from the soi on the left  without looking

No children coming out from in between cars or soi's

 

I constantly observe if cars are approaching from the back and pull to the left side for them to pass.  

Edited January 14, 2020 by riclag

[Jip99]

2 minutes ago, riclag said:

I drive on the right side most of the time ,for safety!

No double parked cars

No dotting cows and dogs from Soi's

No parked car doors being open unexpectedly

No children coming out from in between cars or soi's

 

I constantly observe if cars are approaching from the back and pull to the left side for them to pass.  

 

In which case you are performing one manoeuvre that the Thais do not seem to be capable of. It does, of course, require two thought processes.....1. Awareness of vehicles around you, probably achieved by use of your mirrors and...2) Reacting to that awareness by moving into the inside lane.

[VocalNeal]

6 hours ago, Creasy said:

Personally. I have never seen a police car physically cruising up and down the roads to catch offenders .

Never been on the Chonburi Motorway then? 

 

Couldn't find a picture of a Highway Police motorcycle but they are on the motorway as well.

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by VocalNeal