Today is D-Day as police get tough on seatbelts and sitting in the back of pick-ups

[wealthychef]

This law passed because it's about police collecting fines for common behaviors.  Instant revenue stream, bingo!  Police profits are secure, fun is reduced.  That seems to be the plan for the current regime.  

[bubba]

Just now, wealthychef said:

This law passed because it's about police collecting fines for common behaviors.  Instant revenue stream, bingo!  Police profits are secure, fun is reduced.  That seems to be the plan for the current regime.  

 

Maybe it is; however, if this gets even some people to stop riding in the back of pickups an start using their seat belts, lives will be saved. Would you prefer that they not pass and enforce such laws?

[Cranky]

4 hours ago, billy54 said:

I don't want to discuss the rights or wrongs of this , opinions' we all have them , but is this the thin end of the nanny state wedge , 

Far better to allow mass deaths on the road - next year maybe we can become No. 1 and knock those pesky Libyans off top spot.

[Cranky]

Timing is very convenient, bumper New Year pay-packets all round for the BIB

[mettech]

The government officials are watching to much tv as for looking at what other country have the seat belt law.

Of course we all know it has to happen and as far it goes what about three to four on a motorcycle seat belt anyone???

Even with the fairly new pick up truck extended cab some do not have seat belt at all for the back what will they do??

I am all for seat belt wearing but they should start by doing some analysis of the situation just for now.

[jmccarty]

Is it still ok to have 4 on a motor bike?  Of course no seatbelt could apply to motor bikes.

[Psimbo]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

Police are going to enforce this.

Well thats songkran knackered before it starts, millions go home every year riding on the back of pickups.

How are they going to get home if police enforce this?

Do you actually read articles before commenting? The article clearly states that Songkran is exempt.

 

Don't let that get in the way of your outrage though.

[irlguy1]

Still nobody has answered about the back seat of a smart cab?

Why the hell is their a seat if nobody can use it?

Surely that's a lawsuit against car sellers in Thailand. I bought a smart cab it has a seat in the back that we use all the time. It has no seat belts so what??? We cant now use it? That makes no sense.

 

 

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[Henryford]

How about enforcing the helmet law first. At least a third of thai motorcyclists don't wear helmets.

[meatboy]

10 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Do you actually read articles before commenting? The article clearly states that Songkran is exempt.

 

Don't let that get in the way of your outrage though.

its only exempt in water throwing areas,stray outside or onto the highway YOU WILL BE FINED.

[nickmondo]

what a load of codswallop.!  the only thing that will happen, is that foreigners will be pinged for this, and the Thais will carry on as normal.

 

[colinneil]

18 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Do you actually read articles before commenting? The article clearly states that Songkran is exempt.

 

Don't let that get in the way of your outrage though.

 

Sorry i am illiterate, not as clever as you.

[toofarnorth]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

This is going to be a nice little earner (well not so little) for the Police,

as more people wear crash helmets,they had to come up with a new

source of funds, people maybe safer ,but its still bad driving that

results in accidents.

regards worgeordie

Just what I was thinking worgeordie , less deaths on the roads as folk won't be going pick up flying but it is still all down to bad driving , anything to get the death statistics down but the same number of half blind , half drunk drivers with no licence and no idea will be driving their pick ups.

[NMKDom]

So many complaints on this forum about driving standards in Thailand, but when the cops make a positive move, a first step to saving thousands of lives, they get slated on the same forum!

 

I have a question. What the hell do you want?

[kiwikeith]

3 hours ago, davehowden said:

Thais not allowed to sit in the back of a pick-up truck, you might as well try and stop my Thai Mother-in-Law from picking her nose!

 

Nothing mentioned about babies and children piled onto bikes where no one where's a helmet. they are the ones that cop most of the damage at songkran.

[bubba]

23 minutes ago, irlguy1 said:

Still nobody has answered about the back seat of a smart cab?

Why the hell is their a seat if nobody can use it?

Surely that's a lawsuit against car sellers in Thailand. I bought a smart cab it has a seat in the back that we use all the time. It has no seat belts so what??? We cant now use it? That makes no sense.

 

 

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The bench in back compartment of Smart Cabs, Open Cabs, whatever you want to call it is not meant for passengers and never was. You will never see Toyota or anyone else stating in print that this compartment is for passengers, although they clearly know that is the purpose. 

 

The concept was introduced years ago to get around a tax issue where proper back seats in a pickup (e.g. double cabs) were placed in a  higher tax category. This is why there are not seat belts, air bags or other safety features there.

 

Simply put: the back bench in a smart cab was not designed and built to safety standards for passengers, they do not have seat belts for that reason, and it it is not safe for passengers to ride there. 

[wealthychef]

53 minutes ago, bubba said:

 

Maybe it is; however, if this gets even some people to stop riding in the back of pickups an start using their seat belts, lives will be saved. Would you prefer that they not pass and enforce such laws?

Yes, I would prefer that.  Having come from the nanny state of the USA, I find the "safety culture" to be oppressive.  Notice how it spills into the Songkran celebration and mutes the joy of it.  Yes we will "save some lives" but in the process suck the joy out of some as well.  I'd rather have the freedom to take the risk with my own life.  Now if I'm endangering others, that's a different matter, and requiring safety equipment to be installed in cars is a good idea, as well as educating the citizenry.  The government can do a lot of good there.  But passing a law requiring me to keep myself safe?  Get lost.  I'll handle that or not as I please.  

[Happyman58]

Ha ha you think they will enforce this the police know they wont , The farangs know they wont and most important the thai drivers know they wont. After watching all the bad drivers today and not a police man in sight i think this really is a big joke right

[mikebell]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

hose in private cars will be fined just 100 baht though the law allows for a 500 baht fine to be levied.

OK, call it 50 and no ticket.

[kannot]

3 hours ago, jaltsc said:

 “National and metropolitan police have announced that strict road safety measures will be in place from today.

 The regulations refer to seatbelt wearing by drivers and passengers and the practice of travelling in the flat bed of pick-ups.”

 

April first was 4 days ago. 

 

Even if people use seatbets, nothing will be done about using children as human air cushions by having them ride on the front seat passengers's laps, instead of child safety seats. I am sure they will also make exceptions for people riding in the back of pick ups if they are being transported to work. And of course, drunk revelers riding in the back of a pick up is much safer than sober riders doing the same just because it occurs in a designated area. 

 

Is the prerequisite for making laws here a total frontal lobotomy?

And 50 years ago this is  exactly what my Mother did ( cars had no belts  then) and the brand new car we had bought..... the suspension broke and I went thru the windscreen along with both parents, still have the scar under my eye, which I nearly  lost, BMC had to  supply a  brand new car but I think in those days no compensation, now it would be a few hundred thousand £

[kannot]

35 minutes ago, bubba said:

The bench in back compartment of Smart Cabs, Open Cabs, whatever you want to call it is not meant for passengers and never was. You will never see Toyota or anyone else stating in print that this compartment is for passengers, although they clearly know that is the purpose. 

 

The concept was introduced years ago to get around a tax issue where proper back seats in a pickup (e.g. double cabs) were placed in a  higher tax category. This is why there are not seat belts, air bags or other safety features there.

 

Simply put: the back bench in a smart cab was not designed and built to safety standards for passengers, they do not have seat belts for that reason, and it it is not safe for passengers to ride there. 

Oh I already knew it wasnt meant for passengers but what if they are in there? I mean they arent in the pick up flat bed and no seatbelts are  fitted, just curious how BIB will see this when you point out the "no hab seatbelt"

Common sense tells "me" its  illegal but i wonder if  this will be ignored for smart cabs.

I like smart cabs  gives a much  bigger flatbed with the ability to  carry nickable stuff inside.as  well as the odd passenger!!

[richthai]

How they will have any consistency in enforcement and there is no consistency on running red lights or wearing helmets?  It's curious that it's ok to ride in the back of a trunk in 'designated' water splashing areas, but not ok when traveling to the areas.   Not well thought out.

[kentrot]

This is a lot of fuss about the road deaths in 4 wheel vehicles (13% ) when the more serious culprit and road killer is the motorcycle  ( 73% ) . And yet I still see motorbike riders in huge numbers with no helmets. Yesterday while I waited for my wife at the market in Jomtien, 3 out of 4 riders had no helmets. Why isn't THAT rule being enforced. SIX Times more deaths on motorcycles and yet we waffle over the issue of seat belts. Indeed all lives matter. All I am saying is lets start with the obvious.

 

For this review we will give you the most recent data as offered by the WHO (World Health Organization).

 

[kannot]

2 hours ago, DoctorG said:

If I call my pick-up a ute, will I be OK?

call it  "Beryl"if u  want

[kannot]

7 minutes ago, kentrot said:

This is a lot of fuss about the road deaths in 4 wheel vehicles (13% ) when the more serious culprit and road killer is the motorcycle  ( 73% ) . And yet I still see motorbike riders in huge numbers with no helmets. Yesterday while I waited for my wife at the market in Jomtien, 3 out of 4 riders had no helmets. Why isn't THAT rule being enforced. SIX Times more deaths on motorcycles and yet we waffle over the issue of seat belts. Indeed all lives matter. All I am saying is lets start with the obvious.

 

For this review we will give you the most recent data as offered by the WHO (World Health Organization).

 

EXACTLY they have aimed at the totally wrong  market, not  only that but they need to focus  on the sheer appalling driving many do, wrong  side of the line with ALL 4  wheels  on any bends, Junctions ditto, U Turns  where they feel they have to  pull out into another lane and overtaking where they also drive like tortoises on the overtake.

ALL U turns  should be staggered at  400 metre  distance as  when its a  dual u turn ( IE  Boths sides can U turn) you cannot in any way see the oncoming traffic  as its  blocked by the opposite lanes U turners.

Teaching matching your speed to oncoming traffic would also help instead of the pulling out then drive as  slowly as you possibly  can.

Its "a" step in the right direction but by far the one that will save the least amount of  lives.

The best part is the temporary nominal fine to ram it  home that  non belt wearing can simply continue..........I think it will just end up another money making  scam by the BIB

[brain150]

Just a simple question:

What if I don't want to be safe in my own car ?

I don't harm anybody, I don't do anything to anybody else, there is no damage to anybody else.

Can I not simply decide for myself what is good for me ?

 

Wearing a seat belt doesn't make traffic any safer ... [just like wearing a helmet or not]

 

Eating broccoli is also good for me ... when does this law come ?

Exercising is also good ... where is the law ?

Sleeping early is also good for me ... where is the law ?

 

PS:

I doubt that most people even understand the whole point of this question.

[kannot]

3 minutes ago, brain150 said:

Just a simple question:

What if I don't want to be safe in my own car ?

I don't harm anybody, I don't do anything to anybody else, there is no damage to anybody else.

Can I not simply decide for myself what is good for me ?

 

Wearing a seat belt doesn't make traffic any safer ... [just like wearing a helmet or not]

 

Eating broccoli is also good for me ... when does this law come ?

Exercising is also good ... where is the law ?

Sleeping early is also good for me ... where is the law ?

 

PS:

I doubt that most people even understand the whole point of this question.

The problem is u cannot guarantee that when you "exit"  the vehicle (bodily) thru the windscreen your vehicle or you dont hit something else and  kill them..sure if you dont great but you cannot possibly  know.

Not exercising or not  eating broccoli is  not going to  kill anyone else

 

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, irlguy1 said:

Why the hell is their a seat if nobody can use it?

 

I've been in them with 3 thai girls sitting on that backseat...

[ChrisY1]

A waste of news print thinking Thais will not ride in the back of a pick-up.....these are major changes and the implementation should be planned properly (impossible here) for the people to become accustomed to them...one day in the back and next day not permitted cannot and will not work....

As for Thais not wearing seat belts.....when asked, they usually say that they're uncomfortable....and at night time, many take them off...the logic in Thailand!!

[chuang]

No passenger in the back of pick-up ...that's a tall order...many buy pick-up to carry goods and people...but it's ok to carry four pax on a motorcycle....LOL