Sunday, June 20, 2004
Guide to Malaysian Drivers
Part Cuatro
As mentioned earlier, your car can accelerate at higher levels. Ever got stuck behind a car at a traffic light or in a jam and just because the cars before you take their own sweet time to start moving along, they have left a huge gap between the cars in front of them, moving along slowly at 30 km/h. By the time it gets to your turn, the lights have changed again and you realised that so many, including others behind you, could have actually gotten past the lights if the ones in front exercised some common courtesy. The people who drive slow, (and by this I mean between 20%-40% below the speed limit or under accelerating), are the most common cause of traffic jams. You can move along faster but you don’t. Just as uncomfortable you are being stuck there, doesn’t mean you should contribute to it by doing the same mistakes the ones before you are making. Accelerate away faster, minimise the gaps, be ready to move so that you do not inconvenience the others. Make their burden less. Keep the “flow” going.
It would be really nice if we could have that “Minority Report” style traffic flow system. Everyone starts moving at the same time as if all the cars are stationary on a moving conveyor belt. Among the common areas where this problem occurs include, the toll free slip road heading towards Taman Tun near Phileo Damansara, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan P. Ramlee towards KLCC, Jalan Tun Razak near the Bulatan Pahang overpass/ Pekeliling Flats area and more. There’s nothing to look at or slow down for, move along. Some drivers use the roads everyday and yet they make the same mistakes daily. You know the nice traffic policeman is there and yet you still react to the traffic lights. You know the lane is closed daily at peak hours and yet try to switch lanes haphazardly to try your luck. You know there is the other way to go Pusat Bandar Damansara and yet you choose to inconsiderately cross over 4 lanes at the top of Jalan Johar during rush hour just to take that short cut. You know the path you plan to take, you know the lanes, the road opens up in front of you, pick a lane ahead of time and drive. Why are you slowing down when the road in front of you is growing from two lanes to three? It just doesn’t make any sense!
Jalan Damansara, the stretch between Section 17 and Eastin Hotel heading towards KL, where the speed limit is at 50 km/h at one point on a 3 lane highway, is another hot spot where slow moving drivers are abundant. On a clear day, it is possible to drive at 120 km/h with any car and not even come close to losing control of the vehicle if you are skilled enough to do it. (Author’s note: Do not attempt to do this unless you are professionally trained). The road is clear in front of you and yet you brake for nothing? It’s not a steep hill, your car is not going to tumble over, skid or become uncontrollable. The 2 right lanes are clear and yet they move slowly up the overpass. On the way in a few days ago, I noticed the Sprint LED board that read, “Pandulah Ikut Peraturan, Jangan Ikut Perasaan” and laughed myself silly in the car. If you did drive properly in the first place, we wouldn’t have to drive with negative emotions or break any laws.
Find the source of the problem and find a solution for it. To fault those who jump queue? Do you really blame them? Those who overtake you recklessly? Is there a reason? These are effects of some cause. Have you wondered why that driver did that, instead of sitting there cursing away when they can’t even hear you? Could it be because you were driving slow or ridiculously inconsiderately in the first place, that it annoyed and frustrated the living daylights of the person behind you so much that it totally killed of any happy mood for the day? You could have left them agitated because you failed to give way or be in the correct lane and consequentially forced their overwhelming Malaysia Boleh! driving skills to surface, leaving them no choice but break the law and annoy you back. For every cause, there will be a reaction. Unfortunately in driving, your actions, affects others behind and beside you.
In Part Cinco: Flow, Speed Matching and Merging Lanes
Disclaimer: The author takes no responsibility and accepts no liability for any harm or injury that may arise from practicing any of the content mentioned in this article. Speed can kill if you are not skilled to handle it. Road racing is a dangerous activity. Always observe the law and apply common sense and consideration when driving.
Part Cuatro
As mentioned earlier, your car can accelerate at higher levels. Ever got stuck behind a car at a traffic light or in a jam and just because the cars before you take their own sweet time to start moving along, they have left a huge gap between the cars in front of them, moving along slowly at 30 km/h. By the time it gets to your turn, the lights have changed again and you realised that so many, including others behind you, could have actually gotten past the lights if the ones in front exercised some common courtesy. The people who drive slow, (and by this I mean between 20%-40% below the speed limit or under accelerating), are the most common cause of traffic jams. You can move along faster but you don’t. Just as uncomfortable you are being stuck there, doesn’t mean you should contribute to it by doing the same mistakes the ones before you are making. Accelerate away faster, minimise the gaps, be ready to move so that you do not inconvenience the others. Make their burden less. Keep the “flow” going.
It would be really nice if we could have that “Minority Report” style traffic flow system. Everyone starts moving at the same time as if all the cars are stationary on a moving conveyor belt. Among the common areas where this problem occurs include, the toll free slip road heading towards Taman Tun near Phileo Damansara, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan P. Ramlee towards KLCC, Jalan Tun Razak near the Bulatan Pahang overpass/ Pekeliling Flats area and more. There’s nothing to look at or slow down for, move along. Some drivers use the roads everyday and yet they make the same mistakes daily. You know the nice traffic policeman is there and yet you still react to the traffic lights. You know the lane is closed daily at peak hours and yet try to switch lanes haphazardly to try your luck. You know there is the other way to go Pusat Bandar Damansara and yet you choose to inconsiderately cross over 4 lanes at the top of Jalan Johar during rush hour just to take that short cut. You know the path you plan to take, you know the lanes, the road opens up in front of you, pick a lane ahead of time and drive. Why are you slowing down when the road in front of you is growing from two lanes to three? It just doesn’t make any sense!
Jalan Damansara, the stretch between Section 17 and Eastin Hotel heading towards KL, where the speed limit is at 50 km/h at one point on a 3 lane highway, is another hot spot where slow moving drivers are abundant. On a clear day, it is possible to drive at 120 km/h with any car and not even come close to losing control of the vehicle if you are skilled enough to do it. (Author’s note: Do not attempt to do this unless you are professionally trained). The road is clear in front of you and yet you brake for nothing? It’s not a steep hill, your car is not going to tumble over, skid or become uncontrollable. The 2 right lanes are clear and yet they move slowly up the overpass. On the way in a few days ago, I noticed the Sprint LED board that read, “Pandulah Ikut Peraturan, Jangan Ikut Perasaan” and laughed myself silly in the car. If you did drive properly in the first place, we wouldn’t have to drive with negative emotions or break any laws.
Find the source of the problem and find a solution for it. To fault those who jump queue? Do you really blame them? Those who overtake you recklessly? Is there a reason? These are effects of some cause. Have you wondered why that driver did that, instead of sitting there cursing away when they can’t even hear you? Could it be because you were driving slow or ridiculously inconsiderately in the first place, that it annoyed and frustrated the living daylights of the person behind you so much that it totally killed of any happy mood for the day? You could have left them agitated because you failed to give way or be in the correct lane and consequentially forced their overwhelming Malaysia Boleh! driving skills to surface, leaving them no choice but break the law and annoy you back. For every cause, there will be a reaction. Unfortunately in driving, your actions, affects others behind and beside you.
In Part Cinco: Flow, Speed Matching and Merging Lanes
Disclaimer: The author takes no responsibility and accepts no liability for any harm or injury that may arise from practicing any of the content mentioned in this article. Speed can kill if you are not skilled to handle it. Road racing is a dangerous activity. Always observe the law and apply common sense and consideration when driving.
