EasyPass users get to hurry up and wait

While I’m speaking strictly as a denizen of eastern Bangkok, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the case in other areas. On our spur of the Si Rat Suburban network into the city, traffic jams intensified pretty much to the day that the EasyPass service began. Previously, morning traffic at the Asoke 4 Toll Plaza would clear out by 10.30-11am. Now there’s a backup all day long.

We all know how drivers are here. Jockeying for position is ingrained in the blood. And the three EasyPass lanes in the middle of the plaza have created more, rather than less, incentive to jockey.

Cars on the left suddenly decide they want to be on the right. Cars on the right get the instantaneous sense that they need to be left. And cars in the middle abruptly suspect that they will better off in any lane other than the one in which they are currently. Result? A great, convoluted, angel-hair-noodle mess of growling vehicles leading up to – and usually beyond – the protected border of the blue-striped EasyPass lanes.

The EasyPass driver must endure 10-15 minutes of torturous traffic before getting his reward – a 100-metre breeze to and through one of the EasyPass tollgates. While this 15 seconds of free and easy driving past trapped and muttering rivals is one of the highlights of my day, it isn’t enough. And clearly, the rewards haven’t been enough to convince more Bangkok drivers to buy EasyPasses.

I believe simple traffic management could dramatically increase the rewards for EasyPass drivers without greatly affecting traffic for non-EasyPass drivers. Here’re my suggestions for the Asoke 4 Toll Plaza:

_ Move the three EasyPass tollgates as far as possible to one side of the plaza.

_ Put traffic cones or even permanent bollards in the expressway lane leading to the EasyPass toll gates. Move the bollards back along the expressway as far as you need to. I’d guess 500 metres from the toll plaza would be enough. Paint the entire lane with blue stripes. Place a sign over the entrance to the lane: “EasyPass carriers only”.

_ Enforce.

Under such a system, all of a sudden, instead of a three-minute advantage, EasyPass users would have a full 10-15-minute advantage over non-EasyPass users. Enough time would be saved, I’m sure, even the most sluggish and disorganised expressway user would tire of watching their EasyPass-carrying fellow drivers zoom by and would finally see the merit in undergoing the 10-minute hassle of registration.

This is my dream. Crossing my fingers that someone makes it a reality. EasyPasses for all!

David Squires

Bangkok