Shaken up and shaken down - the fate of bikers on Thailand's roads
Play
I was out on my bike yesterday and was once again met with gangs of up to 20 traffic cops standing around at the end of flyovers pulling over motorbikes.
Of course there was nowhere to stop, which created a very dangerous situation of police running out into traffic and kicking and punching riders who were trying to evade the shakedown.
Motorbikes are restricted from using flyovers. This obstructs traffic. They are also expected to ride only in the left-hand lane, which creates the dangerous situation of having to swerve around stopped buses and traffic, into heavier traffic.
I’m sure 50 years ago motorbikes might have been slower than cars, but today that is no longer the case. Every day I pass hundreds of cars that are standing still. Authorities should give motorbikes access to flyovers and halt this silly left-lane-only law. It’s just a reason for the police to shakedown the poorest on the road. Traffic police have better things to do – like helping ease the flow of traffic.
Motorbikes are restricted from using flyovers. This obstructs traffic. They are also expected to ride only in the left-hand lane, which creates the dangerous situation of having to swerve around stopped buses and traffic, into heavier traffic.
I’m sure 50 years ago motorbikes might have been slower than cars, but today that is no longer the case. Every day I pass hundreds of cars that are standing still. Authorities should give motorbikes access to flyovers and halt this silly left-lane-only law. It’s just a reason for the police to shakedown the poorest on the road. Traffic police have better things to do – like helping ease the flow of traffic.
Charlie Stampfer
