Scooter Towed

[gaprau25]

Buyer beware!

 

On my last trip, I got my scooter towed for illegal parking. Luckily, the police station on Soi 9/Beach Road have two Western volunteer staff who were totally helpful and explained the ropes. The fine was 500B, and they told me to take a motorcycle taxi to the place they wrote for me on the back of the ticket.

 

I went to the cycle-taxi stand on the corner of soi 9 where they told me it would cost 700B to go there. I was under the impression (from a buddy) that it was way the hell out past Naklua, so I was prepared to pay up to 400, but 700?? Not a fuckin' chance. They came down to 600, but wouldn't budge past that. In fact, they started really getting aggressive and in my face about how much money we foreigners have and how little they have, yadda yadda yadda. (No, I was not being aggressive. I was bartering the whole time with a smile and joking around -- usually works fine).

 

Anyway, I guess they have enough stupid newbies who will pay that price, so they can sit on their ass all afternoon and only work 2 times a day to make enough to get by on. OK, so it's a seller's market there. So be it. Their loss. So I just said thank you and walked up to Second Road (thinking it would be on the way to N. Pattaya anyway). There was a meter taxi parked at the top of the soi. "Can you take me here?" I asked, showing him the address. "Sorry, but I can't take you." WTF? He explained he was a Bangkok taxi driver. "The Pattaya motorcycle mafia is very strong," he tells me. "Go talk to them," he says, pointing to the usual group of half-wit motorcycle taxi drivers lounging around their bikes.

 

With these guys, I stupidly started at 400B (still stunned from the last 2 encounters, I guess). The guy says 500, and I jump on. Interestingly, the helmet he gave me was broken. "No problem," he says. "No need helmet." I guess the irony of going to pick up a bike towed for illegal parking, driving illegally with no helmet escaped him. I showed him that the problem was that the strap was broken. "No problem, no need strap." I didn't even try to mime the old TV commercial about how your head explodes like a pumpkin smashing against a tree when you go ballistic in an accident...I just grabbed a helmet off his buddy's bike.

 

Now here's the rub: The impound center is not in Naklua. It's just off South Pattaya Road, between 2nd and 3rd Road. From S.Pattaya Road it takes about 3 minutes by scooter. So for anybody getting towed, first confirm with the cops the location of the impound center, then walk up beach road till you find a taxi to take you for 100B.

[Posankka]

If this happened in your country how much would the find be? I'm guessing less than 700 Baht

[ROOTER]

It must be a real money earner for them! We got towed from Pattaya Tai and when we eventually got to the tow yard there were at least a thousand bikes there impounded!

[gaprau25]

If this happened in your country how much would the find be? I'm guessing less than 700 Baht

Actually, here in Japan it's more like 4,000baht for illegal parking.

 

I didn't mind the fine at all. I broke the law, and such is life -- I just hate these attempted gougings by the taxi mafia. Blame it on the huge influx of families and newbies who don't know how much 700 Baht means for a 5 minute drive in the Thai economy-of-scale. They pay, and prices rise. First it was the Japanese in the go-gos driving up prices, now it's the newbies fucking things up

 

And Rooter -- same when I was there. Somebody is making a killing off this. A new form of Tea money?

[300BHT]

Good information. My bike had a chain put on it because i was parked on the red and white striped part of the road. Had to go to the station. The police officer behind the desk asked me for my name, i asked him why, he then got real angry and said "go over there and sit down". I started to worry as he just made me wait. Can't remember the fine but there was one finally after about 30 mins he calls me to the desk again, this time i give my name, sign something and then get a taxi to my bike that is parked outside the shopping mall in central pattaya, an officer also comes unbolts the bike chain and of i drive

[ROOTER]

Good information. My bike had a chain put on it because i was parked on the red and white striped part of the road. Had to go to the station. The police officer behind the desk asked me for my name, i asked him why, he then got real angry and said "go over there and sit down". I started to worry as he just made me wait. Can't remember the fine but there was one finally after about 30 mins he calls me to the desk again, this time i give my name, sign something and then get a taxi to my bike that is parked outside the shopping mall in central pattaya, an officer also comes unbolts the bike chain and of i drive

 

 

I see a business opportunity for someone with a big set of bolt cutters!

[Scumbag]

I see a business opportunity for someone with a big set of bolt cutters!

I suggest that that would be a highly dangerous occupation...

[300BHT]

I see a business opportunity for someone with a big set of bolt cutters!

 

That's mad, just the other day my best mate was saying we can legally do that cars in london that are parked on private property, with the property owners permission,

[mailman]

Actually, here in Japan it's more like 4,000baht for illegal parking.

 

I didn't mind the fine at all. I broke the law, and such is life -- I just hate these attempted gougings by the taxi mafia. Blame it on the huge influx of families and newbies who don't know how much 700 Baht means for a 5 minute drive in the Thai economy-of-scale. They pay, and prices rise. First it was the Japanese in the go-gos driving up prices, now it's the newbies fucking things up

 

And Rooter -- same when I was there. Somebody is making a killing off this. A new form of Tea money?

Considering that you can get a cheap taxi from Pattaya to Bangkok for about 800 baht, two hour ride, compared to a 700 baht 5 minute ride, it does just a bit high!

 

Suppose you could call it an attempt to do a "good old royal ass gouging" to an uninformed falang.

 

Now you know why the Thai's are always smiling when they see falangs in Pattaya.

[joe_publico]

thanks for the tip, it would be cool if there were a list of all the ways tourists get scammed

[cookmeister_0]

Are you sure the 600 baht was not for going to the cop shop, paying the fine for you included?

 

I ask because a mate of mine (has a Thai wife, spends lots of time here) said that if we get pulled again (we got done for no helmet for passenger) give the slip and fine to a taxi driver in the presense of the copper. He will release the bike/licence and let you get on your way. The taxi driver will go and pay the fine and bring hte receipt back to the copper.

 

All this would add about 200 baht to the cost of the fine (ours was 400 baht)?

[Kadafi]

My cousin had his bike towed a couple of months back, after paying his fine the copper gave him the address to give to the taxi..im sure he was only charged 80-100baht maximum for them to take him to the centre..i have no idea why they were trying to charge you so much money? i have never heard of someone being charged 700baht for a 5 minute bike taxi.

 

Thanks for the information, its always good to hear these stories so other bm's can keep it in mind...