Thread: Pedestrian crossing in Chiang Mai

Last year, my wife and myself went on a holiday to Laos and Thailand. Towards the end of our vacation, we stayed a few days in Chiang Mai, having a good time of it. Little did we remember about the place, which we'd already visited in 1986...

On the last evening, walking from downtown to our hotel near the YMCA, on the other side of Manee Nopparat Road, we thought it would be a good idea to cross that road at what must be one of the only pedestrian crossing places in Chiang Mai. So we waited for the light to be favorable, and as soon as the pedestrian light went green, I unthinkingly stepped forward (yes, programmed à la European!) to hear my wife screaming behind me and then immediately bowled over by a moped, the lady operator of which had, in anticipation of wiping me out of this world, braked and, subsequently, fallen. The sliding cycle hit my legs and I remember hitting the asphalt with my shoulder and banging my head. Shock and pain, followed by blood from the shin.

Immediately, a pick-up truck stopped, and its driver phoned for an ambulance which showed-up after a mere five minutes. Meanwhile, the bike lady was profusely begging my forgiveness. We were all spirited (nice word) into the ambulance, off to the university hospital, where I spent the best part of three hours undergoing examinations, x-rays, tetanos shots, etc. I wasn't badly hurt. Never dizzy, nothing broken. Paid something like 1150 Baht for the medical care, in the meantime I'd made it clear I wouldn't press charges, forget about it, and the lady's family drove us over to our hotel, again profusely apologizing for the trouble.

Now, a year later, my left shoulder has a shape only slightly different from the original and it's stiff when I sleep on it too long, which I don't. I feel good about having made a clean case of it and the behavior of the Thai people involved was admirable. The doctors were good, the hospital reasonably clean, the minimal cost covered by my insurance.

If there had been no pedestrian lights, the accident wouldn't have happened. So much for programmed behavior.

I feel good about having made a clean case of it and the behavior of the Thai people involved was admirable.

well, all except one, the one who managed to knock you down on a pedestrian crossing whilst she jumped a red light.

that you didnt press charges against her might seem like an act of generosity on your part, but the fact that she went unpunished and suffered no real shame for her dangerous and stupid negligence just means that the chance of her doing it again will not have diminished one iota.

Originally Posted by PabloElFlamenco

So much for programmed behavior.

Its not how i was programmed

Another thing to remember is Look right, look left, look right again.

Not left, right and left again.

Originally Posted by taxexile

I feel good about having made a clean case of it and the behavior of the Thai people involved was admirable.

well, all except one, the one who managed to knock you down on a pedestrian crossing whilst she jumped a red light.

that you didnt press charges against her might seem like an act of generosity on your part, but the fact that she went unpunished and suffered no real shame for her dangerous and stupid negligence just means that the chance of her doing it again will not have diminished one iota.

With all respect (of course), wanting to be on next morning's train to BKK for the return flight to Belgium the morning thereafter was a contributing factor. I could not imagine the hassles with local police in a foreign land. I would not have acted in the same manner at home...

Originally Posted by taxexile

the chance of her doing it again will not have diminished one iota.

Are you her sister?...

Great story, Pablo...And Welcome to the Buffalo Board...Been here before?...

We have them near us, never use them as the buggers never stop or even slow down for a red light, even the cops

Thai pedestrian crossings.

Going through the motions.
Image.

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Originally Posted by PabloElFlamenco

So much for programmed behavior.

Its not how i was programmed

So much for Teakdoor Programmed behaviour, for understanding a green light, I gotta green you. Green sent.

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Originally Posted by PabloElFlamenco

So much for programmed behavior.

Its not how i was programmed

What, is that the finger he 'programmed' you with?

.

Just a random shot. I really need to learn photobucket. This process is painfully slow.

Anyhow, live and learn. It beats the alternative.

fish out.

A very pleasant and well written OP. Well done.
Yes, live and learn. EVERY country has different "codes of behaviour" on all things whether they are written or unwritten.
I remember trying to cross a six lane crosswalk in Rome...very , very carefully.

In America very rarely would someone take off their shoes at the front door prior to tramping through a person's house...something that I now feel is very 'non-hygenic'.
Surely in LOS, PI, Japan it is second nature.

They/ we do it here. I havent thought about the shoe thing much but with all Asians I know it is the norm. We do it as well in our house. But I must admit if I have to go potty in a hurry I may not get the boots off sometimes.

I think I'll start taking pics of the piles of shoes at people's doorstep during parties. Yes people here find it a bit odd I think ( have yet to do an exit poll of everyone ) or entrance poll for that matter in general.
But it is the norm at every Asian persons place. The piles of shoes is really something at the end of the party. I allways seem to find mine. Not that I have big feet. Ok I'll stop now.

Who would fit in a fishes shoe anyway. Ok, that just stinks of aged fish.

I remember few years back or whenever it was when they installed those pedestrian crossings around the moat and made a big deal out of how they were to be strictly monitored and people fined for not using them or crossing incorrectly.

So I'm at Thapae gate shortly thereafter and a group of five or six police are there right at the crossing so I duly push the button and wait, light goes green, step out and am almost wiped out by a pick-up speeding through. Turn around to see the group of police giggling.

They are a total waste of paint here?

Originally Posted by mykthemin

They are a total waste of paint here?

The ideals of pedestrian rights [whatever that is] never has secured itself here, as it is the same for most of the world.....with the exception of the most enlightened and most exceptional West - especially the highly developed English-speaking civilisations.

westerners from Left Hand Drive Countries are at a distinct disadvantage when touring in Right Hand Drive Countries. When in Thailand; my Thai GF was constantly grabbing me as I stepped off a curb looking the wrong way. In Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam; I was constantly alerting her; as she stepped off the curb; looking the wrong way. It's one of those in grained habits. I constantly warn myself when I cross the roads in Thailand to be careful.

The U.K pelican pedestrian crossings are a nuisance for car drivers, the pedestrian will walk up to the crossing without looking , PUSH the button, or lift up the toddler to push the lights, then they look at the road.
If it is clear of traffic they cross over.
The delayed timer changes the lights to red, and motorists stop, because it's the law, at an empty crossing.

Originally Posted by cdnski12

westerners from Left Hand Drive Countries are at a distinct disadvantage when touring in Right Hand Drive Countries. When in Thailand; my Thai GF was constantly grabbing me as I stepped off a curb looking the wrong way. In Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam; I was constantly alerting her; as she stepped off the curb; looking the wrong way. It's one of those in grained habits. I constantly warn myself when I cross the roads in Thailand to be careful.

This cannot be stressed enough. You think it won't happen to you, but then it does when you're tired.

I almost got creamed in Taiwan, when on a hot day after lunch when I was tired, I almost stepped in front of a bus.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

The ideals of pedestrian rights [whatever that is] never has secured itself here, as it is the same for most of the world.....with the exception of the most enlightened and most exceptional West - especially the highly developed English-speaking civilisations.

Whatever that is means pedestrians have right of way at zebra crossings and pedestrian crossings controlled by lights that are activated when said pedestrians push a button at said crossing points. This is especially handy for aged and young people who don't have the motor-skills to take evasive action and save their own lives while doing something as simple as needing to cross a road.

So yes, that's how it works in the most enlightened and most exceptional West where people on foot actually have the right to be able to cross a road without being mowed down by a plethora of complete fucking idiots with an IQ of 10 and zero regard for human life. Do you ever wonder why this system works so well in the West but cannot and will not ever work in the 3rd world?.

If you pulled your head out of your clueless arse for just 1 second, even you might be able to come to grips with this

Thanks all for the good advice. I'm 66 and streetwise...I did look -even in the right direction which, right there, is LEFT (yes, that particular moat avenue is driven from port to starboard!). To no avail: it was dark, and I suppose I didn't look to the extreme left, where that moped sneaked through.
Anyway: I consider that mark on my leg and slight deformation at my left shoulder a gift from the spirits who, for some mysterious reason, did maintain me amongst the living (probably so as to continue suffering for my sins).
Greetings, Paul

Originally Posted by wasabi

The U.K pelican pedestrian crossings are a nuisance for car drivers, the pedestrian will walk up to the crossing without looking , PUSH the button, or lift up the toddler to push the lights, then they look at the road.
If it is clear of traffic they cross over.
The delayed timer changes the lights to red, and motorists stop, because it's the law, at an empty crossing.

Good fun for the kids though

I am always very Leary of stopping at zebra crossings here as the locals don't stop! Feel like I am putting the pedestrians in imminent danger of an accident!