Veera Prateepchaikul's suggestion that we restrict Bangkok traffic by allowing only cars with odd number licence plates on one day and even then next was not popular with Bangkok Post readers. But is it worth considering?
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Veteran commentator and former Bangkok Post editor Veera Prateepchaikul yesterday was disappointed with the recent Super Poll asking with the Prime Minister should use his Section 44 powers to discipline motorists. He feels a more drastic solution is needed – like an odd-even licence number system.
He didn't mention that there are less drastic solutions, like using a bigger range of licence numbers to cut traffic by 20 percent or by using the odd-even number system in only the most congested areas. But today's let's focus on what he said in the excerpt below. We can make adjustments later
S44 is not a magic cure to our traffic woes
Veera Prateepchaikul
The Super Poll run by Noppadol Kannikar, the well-known pollster from Abac, which conducted an opinion survey on Bangkok's traffic from Sept 13 to 16, showed 50% of 1,195 people surveyed support the use of S44 to discipline motorists and make them comply with traffic laws and to force authorities to enforce those laws. The rest disagreed, saying that S44 cannot solve all problems and that the disciplining of motorists cannot be regulated.
I agree with the opinion that the blame should be directed at motorists for worsening traffic congestion because of their ill-disciplined driving, selfishness and flouting of the law. Examples abound and you see them every day. Buses stop in the middle lane instead of near the kerb at bus stops; motorcyclists ride in the opposite direction to the traffic; double, even triple, parking in front of schools by parents taking their kids to class or picking them up; constant lane hopping by virtually everyone. These are but a few of the problems.
But these examples of errant human behaviour are not the real cause of traffic congestion in Bangkok, nor I guess many other cities. The main problem is that there are too many cars on the road and too little space to accommodate them. So, in order to solve the problem effectively, we have to tackle it at the root, right?
I am a bit disappointed with the Super Poll for not raising this question with respondents and for not giving them the chance to offer their views on measures to reduce the number of cars on the road, such as the long overdue proposal for licence plate numbers to be restricted to odd or even days.
I cannot remember when this odd-even licence plate proposal was floated. But I believe it could be effective and immediately reduce traffic congestion. The only drawback is that it is a very unpopular concept and we can expect it to be met with fierce resistance from motorists who have just one car. Governments – past and present, dictatorial
dictatorial
Meaning: using power in an unreasonable way by telling people what to do and not listening to their views or wishes
Thai Translation: อย่างเผด็จการ
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or democratic – have been reluctant to run with this proposal for fear of a public backlash.