Saturday, November 06, 2004
Guide to Malaysian Drivers
Part Uno
The journey to work today was nearly enough to piss me off big time (and to those who know me well enough, know it’s nearly impossible to get me angry). I swear the level of driving competencies of drivers with the Klang Valley is rapidly deteriorating to a dangerous level of stupidity and inconsideration for others. And yet it goes on and on, on a daily basis.
What am I on about? Well, if you are one of the thousands who commute by car to work everyday, open your eyes and take notice of the stupid (sometimes hilarious) and inconsiderate things the drivers do that just kills of your mood for the day before your boss had anything to do with it. There were recent hoohaa’s a few months back about the increasing levels of accidents and road rage around the country and the public outcry to encourage safe driving and bla bla bla.. Everyone was for change and better enforcement of road bullies and speed demons. Well I’m all for that but what most of these people who shared their opinion don’t realise that the represent the majority that causes these congestions and jams we unsuspecting victims have to go through psychologically everyday. I intend to produce this into a Reality TV series like those “Most Dangerous Police Video’s” style footages from a hidden camera in my car. It would be good to publicly humiliate these car owners and be a lesson to others who do not take initiative to drive properly.
I am very sure there will be a whole sleuth of people who will be against my views on this subject and some might think you are not one who I am referring to. Well I am talking about you and even me. If you have common sense then what I have to say will make sense. So exercise some common courtesy and read on. Understand it and practice it as it may save your life and make you a better considerate driver. It would make KL and PJ a heaven to drive but that’s just wishful thinking. It could even reduced Pak Lah's "Major Sadness" for the accident rates in the country. For definition purposes, when I say Slow, I mean anywhere between 20%-40% below the speed limit, Normal speeds is the speed limit +/- 10% and Fast means 20%-30% above the speed limit.
First point! We have the courage and odasity to slack off those young “Probationary” or “Learner” drivers for driving too slow and annoying the living daylights out of other drivers. We probably even say they shouldn’t be allowed on the road and all that. Tsk tsk tsk.. Shame on you. You were once a driver learning as well. Give them a chance and guide them the right way and they will eventually become better drivers than you are right now. Yes you! I see it repetitively, countless drivers who have 5, 10, 20 years of driving experience still driving like they just came out from the driving school just yesterday. It’s as if they have not driven a car in their life before. These are very dangerous and inconsiderate drivers who are the actual cause of the majority of accidents if you examine accident cases closely.
We have been droned in our heads since we got our license that one should drive safely. Countless government campaigns, parental paranoia and fatal accident pictures in the media, all contributing to a society of fearful drivers. Get this point right. “A Slow Driver does not make a Safe Driver!” Instead of learning to drive and understand the art of driving, we end up ignoring the very basic rule of driving safely. Knowledge, Understanding, Logic, Control, Experience, Flow. I’ll elaborate this as we go along. You can also take this detour.
Herein lays the paradox of safe driving. Volvo had this problem amongst their customers a long time ago. We all know that Volvo cars are built safe for life. Unfortunately the customers who bought the cars were safety paranoids who had the mental thought, “Ooh, this is a safe car and I should drive this car slow so I’ll be even safer”. The whole concept of Volvo’s investment into safety was to allow drivers to drive faster safer! It is a powerful car that was built safe so that we could be safe in any situation. Unfortunately, Volvo designers got the look wrong too and ended up attracted those boring bespectacled nerdish drivers that seriously didn’t have a life in the first place. Look if you are going to drive that slow, you probably achieve the same levels of safety from a bloody Kancil! Thank god that has changed in recent times but the old huge boxy 240 models still hog the right lane going at 50km/h on a 80 km/h road being oblivious to the obvious honks, high beam flashes and queue’s of cars behind them. Move!! Are you unclear of the concept?
This also applies to the old 1970's-1980's Datsun's, Toyota's and Opel's cars that have past their life expectancy with similarly older drivers who despite their so called wisdom in age. I swear the condition of these cars are beyond believe. How Puspakom approves their 'safe' use on the road is questionable. The owners will be driving on the speed lane at 50 km/h and give you the "look' when you pass them on the left. Some old ladies have even raised the finger!, when you have been queing behind 20 other cars who had to overtake from the left as well before you. Despite each and everyone of them having given the courtesy honk and high beams too! If you know your car is unable to match the speed and pick-up of the fast and furious, for god sake, MOVE LEFT!!! Aiyoyoyooooo..
In Part Duo: Car Control, Seating Positions and Senses
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 Uno
The journey to work today was nearly enough to piss me off big time (and to those who know me well enough, know it’s nearly impossible to get me angry). I swear the level of driving competencies of drivers with the Klang Valley is rapidly deteriorating to a dangerous level of stupidity and inconsideration for others. And yet it goes on and on, on a daily basis.
What am I on about? Well, if you are one of the thousands who commute by car to work everyday, open your eyes and take notice of the stupid (sometimes hilarious) and inconsiderate things the drivers do that just kills of your mood for the day before your boss had anything to do with it. There were recent hoohaa’s a few months back about the increasing levels of accidents and road rage around the country and the public outcry to encourage safe driving and bla bla bla.. Everyone was for change and better enforcement of road bullies and speed demons. Well I’m all for that but what most of these people who shared their opinion don’t realise that the represent the majority that causes these congestions and jams we unsuspecting victims have to go through psychologically everyday. I intend to produce this into a Reality TV series like those “Most Dangerous Police Video’s” style footages from a hidden camera in my car. It would be good to publicly humiliate these car owners and be a lesson to others who do not take initiative to drive properly.
I am very sure there will be a whole sleuth of people who will be against my views on this subject and some might think you are not one who I am referring to. Well I am talking about you and even me. If you have common sense then what I have to say will make sense. So exercise some common courtesy and read on. Understand it and practice it as it may save your life and make you a better considerate driver. It would make KL and PJ a heaven to drive but that’s just wishful thinking. It could even reduced Pak Lah's "Major Sadness" for the accident rates in the country. For definition purposes, when I say Slow, I mean anywhere between 20%-40% below the speed limit, Normal speeds is the speed limit +/- 10% and Fast means 20%-30% above the speed limit.
First point! We have the courage and odasity to slack off those young “Probationary” or “Learner” drivers for driving too slow and annoying the living daylights out of other drivers. We probably even say they shouldn’t be allowed on the road and all that. Tsk tsk tsk.. Shame on you. You were once a driver learning as well. Give them a chance and guide them the right way and they will eventually become better drivers than you are right now. Yes you! I see it repetitively, countless drivers who have 5, 10, 20 years of driving experience still driving like they just came out from the driving school just yesterday. It’s as if they have not driven a car in their life before. These are very dangerous and inconsiderate drivers who are the actual cause of the majority of accidents if you examine accident cases closely.
We have been droned in our heads since we got our license that one should drive safely. Countless government campaigns, parental paranoia and fatal accident pictures in the media, all contributing to a society of fearful drivers. Get this point right. “A Slow Driver does not make a Safe Driver!” Instead of learning to drive and understand the art of driving, we end up ignoring the very basic rule of driving safely. Knowledge, Understanding, Logic, Control, Experience, Flow. I’ll elaborate this as we go along. You can also take this detour.
Herein lays the paradox of safe driving. Volvo had this problem amongst their customers a long time ago. We all know that Volvo cars are built safe for life. Unfortunately the customers who bought the cars were safety paranoids who had the mental thought, “Ooh, this is a safe car and I should drive this car slow so I’ll be even safer”. The whole concept of Volvo’s investment into safety was to allow drivers to drive faster safer! It is a powerful car that was built safe so that we could be safe in any situation. Unfortunately, Volvo designers got the look wrong too and ended up attracted those boring bespectacled nerdish drivers that seriously didn’t have a life in the first place. Look if you are going to drive that slow, you probably achieve the same levels of safety from a bloody Kancil! Thank god that has changed in recent times but the old huge boxy 240 models still hog the right lane going at 50km/h on a 80 km/h road being oblivious to the obvious honks, high beam flashes and queue’s of cars behind them. Move!! Are you unclear of the concept?
This also applies to the old 1970's-1980's Datsun's, Toyota's and Opel's cars that have past their life expectancy with similarly older drivers who despite their so called wisdom in age. I swear the condition of these cars are beyond believe. How Puspakom approves their 'safe' use on the road is questionable. The owners will be driving on the speed lane at 50 km/h and give you the "look' when you pass them on the left. Some old ladies have even raised the finger!, when you have been queing behind 20 other cars who had to overtake from the left as well before you. Despite each and everyone of them having given the courtesy honk and high beams too! If you know your car is unable to match the speed and pick-up of the fast and furious, for god sake, MOVE LEFT!!! Aiyoyoyooooo..
In Part Duo: Car Control, Seating Positions and Senses
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.
