[sustran] Re: Bangkok bike parking

[Sunny]

Dear Linda,

I understand from your reply that climate influences the car ridership 
in cities like Bangkok. In my opinion climate and wealth are not exactly 
the causes for excessive auto dependency, I feel that as you said in 
your mail the policies are a factor coupled with the car friendly 
infrastructure. Please find enclosed a paper by Peter Newman and Jeff 
Kenworthy on the 10 common factor we think are a reason for automobile 
dependency but actually these 10 factors are myths.

I fully agree with you on the issue of bribes.

Sunny

Linda Fullerton wrote:
> Dear Sunny,
>
> I agree with you that if public transport was improved more people 
> would use it. But one needs to recognise that in Thailand the car is a 
> highly valued status symbol. In the public eye success is determined 
> by the number of expensive cars in the carport. Those who can afford 
> to do so have more cars than the number of drivers in the house. Those 
> who do so are very often high ranking police or army officials.
>
> You said: many people say tht bike travel is not safe thts the reason 
> they don't use bikes....if it is made safer then we can expect an 
> increase in bike usage...
>
> I seriously doubt it. The climate for most of the year doesn't lend 
> itself to bike usage and - as was the case in the west a few 
> generations ago - the bicycle is regarded as the lowest form 
> of transport. With increased wealth one buys a motorbike - which is 
> not only a status symbol, it's quicker, more comfortable in the heat 
> and easier to carry more passengers/luggage.
>
> I think it would be more productive and realistic to forget about 
> bicycles and invest more energy into improving the public transport 
> system. The skytrain desperately needs to be extended both in its 
> reach and in its accessibility. But of perhaps more importance, as its 
> improvement would benefit far higher numbers, is to focus some 
> attention on the neglected bus system. The buses are probably the most 
> polluting vehicles on the road network, are badly driven and are on 
> the whole unsafe or perceived as being so. They are also cramped, hot 
> and unpleasant. Like the bicycle they are viewed as being the lowest 
> form of public transport.
>
> But these of course require government policy decisions which it is 
> difficult to influence. At development level one could encourage 
> developers to promote public transport usage by providing a decent 
> minibus service to pick up employees from key locations such as the 
> nearest skytrain station if too far to walk, together with 
> discouragement of car use by restrictions on company cars as part of a 
> salary package and restricted parking provision.
>
> Re: I have to agree with your comment on the 200 or 100 baht fines/bribes
> (in India) but have you heard of a fine of 100 baht if you cross the
> road without using a pedestrian overpass?
>
> I meant bribes. I would love to see a survey of the number of bribes 
> taken compared to the number of tickets issued. I estimate a ratio of 
> perhaps 20 to 1. But that is only the visible form of corruption. Far 
> worse is that which goes on at the higher levels which influences what 
> infrastructure is built, when and by whom. It is a sad fact that 
> corruption governs Thailand. Until corruption is seriously tackled the 
> transport system will not improve.
>
> I'm sure the government would enjoy being encouraged to fine a 
> pedestrian for crossing a road instead of providing adequate 
> pedestrian crossing facilities. Imposing fines would achieve nothing 
> other than further alienating the ordinary person and further lining 
> the pockets of the police. Count the number of footbridges along 
> Bangna-Trad Road, for instance, and you will understand why people 
> prop ladders against the barriers in the central reserve to help them 
> cross - often a total of 10 busy traffic lanes with dual 3 lane 
> carriageway plus 2 lanes of service road each side - instead of 
> walking five miles to the nearest footbridge. The effects on transport 
> at local level do not seem to be considered as part of highway schemes.
>
> Regards,
> Linda.
>
> .
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> ================================================================
> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia.

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