Thread: Bangkok air toxicity and traffic - 10 years from now

Living in this city must surely be detrimental to ones health, and I wonder how many years it takes off ones life breathing in this shit every day. The traffic is an absolute disgrace, the air quality is disgusting and leaves me short of breath just going to Tesco and back standing on the back of a songtaew because most of the time I'm breathing in toxins, drenched in sweat and waiting for the fucking thing to move, so I often end up walking.

The BTS extension has been ready to go for what, six months now??? But it is still not open because they are squabbling over the money. The BTS was supposed to have 5 cars instead of 3 when it opened almost decade ago but somebody pocketed the cash.

I tried the new BRT the other day from Chong Nonsi to Naradiwat and it takes up a whole lane of traffic which is kerbed off to keep cars out. The BRT is free at the moment, and is basically a big yellow airport taxi bus which looks like a caterpillar and stops at these roadside platforms. Having one less traffic lane in Sathorn will surely increase the volume of traffic - hopefully to the extent that we see complete irreversible gridlock sometime soon.

Perhaps irreversible gridlock is the only way for people to get the message, because the BTS, MRT and BRT combined have made very little difference to the traffic problem and Thais are still buying cars like there's no tomorrow.

Don't Thai people realize that roads and the motorcar were invented to give us freedom??? They seem to accept the traffic as a minor inconvenience to having a car. Here the motorcar does not give the owner freedom, it takes it away. If car owners are so hiso and above non car owners then I don't see why they can't pay a 500 baht fee to enter the city - which could apply to everything except public transport, this would drastically cut the amount of cars in the crapital and hiso idiots could feel even more hiso.

How I long to live in a log cabin on a mountain in Switzerland, Wellington or Co Kerry, collecting wood for a fire and catching salmon for dinner a nearby river.

good news is Bangkok don't make the top 20 polluted cities ...................

Wonders World: World's Most Polluted Cities

I know there's worse, but they don't affect those of us living in Bangkok.

Taking public transport is for poor people only.

I'd rather take my enormous fortuner, on my own. Can't be seen with the lo-so.

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

If car owners are so hiso and above non car owners then I don't see why they can't pay a 500 baht fee to enter the city - which could apply to everything except public transport, this would drastically cut the amount of cars in the crapital and hiso idiots could feel even more hiso.

Good idea, if only you could trust the bastardoses to put the money into BTS/MRT/bus upgrades/cycle lanes(okay, give that a miss)/road improvements/ road planning.

Exactly, the money would go on Toyota Fortuners for the bastardoses.

Jeez, a rare 'sensible issue' from me yet it's a sinker - this is why I consider starting posts such as 'Show us your faeces' because they at least get a half century.

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

Living in this city must surely be detrimental to ones health, and I wonder how many years it takes off ones life breathing in this shit every day. The traffic is an absolute disgrace, the air quality is disgusting river...

It used to be worse so don't complain. Gotten a lot better in the past 10 years...

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

How I long to live in a log cabin on a mountain in Switzerland, Wellington or Co Kerry, collecting wood for a fire and catching salmon for dinner a nearby river.

I've got a log chalet in Switzerland - you are welcome to rent it from me for 1000 CHF a month.

^^ Did you change my quote to... the air quality is disgusting river ??

Bangkok's air quality and traffic snarls will never improve and thats why I moved my family away into the countryside of Banglamaung Province.

Having said that Pattaya is fast becoming a traffic nightmare so I most probably will have to move again soon.

I reckon all this eco car talk is just that - talk. It's a fad, a silly bandwaggon trend which car companies follow without any real intent or else the roads would be full of humming, non toxic vehicles powered by soya milk or rainwater.

I say this because I can remember 'green' concept cars being featured on Tomorrows World when I was a kid which was a long time ago, but it looks like car companies are intent of spunking all the planets fossil fuel, until there isn't a drop of oil left, which will mean no more everything from gasoline to Vaseline.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

I wonder if gridlock is a distinct possibility.

I can dream can't I.

Dream that Thais would get the message from it, not dream about gridlock itself which is indeed a possibility. I seriously hope it happens and I wonder how long these passive folk would sit behind the wheel thinking Homer Simpson thoughts and preening themselves in the mirror before realizing that traffic is a serious problem, not something to be passively accepted as if it was natural without any thought whatsoever .

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

I wonder if gridlock is a distinct possibility.

Happens everyday. At least mini gridlocks. Will always be a few who decide it a good idea to stop in the middle of an intersection.

We bitch and moan about the BiB a lot but I couldn't think of a more miserable job than those poor buggers have standing out in the heat and smog everyday trying to unsnarl the messes made by idiot drivers.

That's why you're seeing more and more television screens in cars these days...

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

I seriously hope it happens and I wonder how long these passive folk would sit behind the wheel thinking Homer Simpson thoughts and preening themselves in the mirror before realizing that traffic is a serious problem, not something to be passively accepted as if it was natural without any thought whatsoever .

No effect what so ever. I recall several years back when folks carried piss containers and food rations in their cars in the event they were stuck in traffic for 2 or 3 hours.

Originally Posted by Norton

We bitch and moan about the BiB a lot but I couldn't think of a more miserable job than those poor buggers have standing out in the heat and smog everyday trying to unsnarl the messes made by idiot drivers.

They are uniformed criminals always on the look out for financial opportunity at somebody elses expense.

Fuck 'em.