If any city needs a good bike path system to reduce traffic congestion and pollution, it's Bangkok.
It's a nice thought, but it will never work, not unless the public supports cycling and cyclists and the police and politicians enforce a "bicycles only" policy for bike paths. Call me cynical, but I do not see that happening.
There is a nice bike path along Ekkamai expressway that stretches from Rama IX Road all way to Ram Inthra. I ride this route regularly but the fact that is is supposed to be a bike path seems to be a totally foreign concept.
Currently, the main uses for the bicycle path are as follows:
- An alternate route for motorcycle drivers so they do not have to ride on the road
- Retail space for food carts to park and sell somtam
- Storage space for the plant vendors that line it to stack extra plants that overflow their stalls
- Parking for cars
- A place to stand, oblivious to any bicycles on the path
- A way for the soi dogs to have some fun and get some exercise by chasing the rare cyclist
The fact that it is a bicycle path and it was made for people to ride bicycles on, seems to shock people. Every time I ride on the path people look at me like "what the heck is he doing
riding a bike HERE?" Crazy farang!
The only reason it is at all usable still is that there is a low population density and there is not enough reason to drive a motorcycle, park a car, sell somtam, etc. in that area so the path is not completely clogged and it still has some value as a cycle path. If the paths are built in the city center, do you think there is a prayer that they will be used to anything other than space to build phone booths, overpasses or park somtam carts? Not a chance.
There is a bicycle path that runs along Lad Phraow Road as well. It's not good for riding, but it is good for a laugh. The path is drawn on the sidewalk and where the sidewalk is totally obstructed by overpasses, phone booths, utility poles, etc. (which is about every 50 meters) they just draw a line capping the lane and start it again on the other side of the obstruction. "See, we have a bicycle path, we are saving the environment!" Does it matter if the path is usable? No. Nobody cares.
I can see the Bangkok streets department extending the concept to build an extensive network of useless paths to discourage bicycle riding all over the city!
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