I have been driving around for quite a while now in KL. Im just 23 and most of u may think im inexperienced in steering behind the wheel of a 4 wheeled moving automobile. You can say my driving skills isnt that fantastic or my road knowledge isnt that good, moreover in the Big City with all the big fancy cars everywhere trying to kill the small fry.
But lets remember what we have learned back in the driving school. What happen to all that we have learned there? Where did it go to? From our angelic and behaved manners in the driving test or scoring 50/50 in the road code test, to utter ignorance and sheer dumbness on the open road.
I have observed for as long as im behind the wheel. My eyes dont just look at the front of my hood you know. I look at the whole road scene. Whats going on my left, right, front, back........even below and above. A competent driver should and MUST know whats going on all around the vehicle. And not just 3 feet around the bloody box..........but up to 300 - 500 meters ahead, 100 meters behind and 50 meters left right. Why some accidents happen? Drivers dont notice whats going on. Blind, oblivious, inattentive.
Road manners especially...where have they gone to? Remember the etiquette of giving way? Especially at exit ramps. The book does state we should give way alternately to exiting cars. But no, most drivers just barge on and not give a darn. Thats 1 car........if 10? 20? Thats why some jams are 10 minutes standstill. Mentality. Gone. People put signal lights is akin to asking "Please may i pass" on the roads. If you dont intend to let him pass at least dont till you are just a whisker away from scratching his side.
And what happened to KEEPING TO YOUR LANES? KEEP TO THE CORRECT LANE! You want to exit to the left ramp.......yet there they are on the far right lane trying to cut over 3 lanes. For one, you should know where you are headed. And if you know where you are heading you should have a clear track or plan of route. And if you know the route, then you should know which direction you are going. If thats the case, there should be no excuse for you to be Cutting Lanes like cutting meat with a blunt knife! You make things ugly.
Speed. Please people keep reasonable speed. I mean i drive an old Datsun Sunny 120Y ( One of the oldest of its kind). I keep most of the time to the middle lane which is mostly where 80-100kmh speeds are at. The far lane or fast lane on the outer right is 110 - 130 for fast drivers and the far left for slow drivers or lorries. But u know what i see always. Some drivers hogging the fast lane. 80kmh. And they wont MOVE aside. How ignorant is that? Cars are already overtaking on the left. And on the highways by right overtaking is supposed to be on the RIGHT. Well, "tidak apa la". Yeah.........RIGHT. Come on la.......sensible abit la. This is another stupid reason why jams happen. You got a slow lorry on the left. A slow car on the middle lane, and and equally slow car on the right lane. Jam la for sure! I drive along the Federal Highway and always when there is a jam its only two things : Slow driver or accident. And 99% its the former's case. Once i pass a certain point, there isnt any significant reason why a jam should happen. Its not a bottle neck (come one 3-4 lanes). Its not a construction site. Its not peak hours. Its not even raining. Silly. Please la use your mirrors and see whats going on behind. If u see a long line of cars behind yet no car at all infront it simply means you are SLOW and PLEASE MOVE OVER IMMEDIATELY. I even give way alot of times because i know im not that fast. But sometimes i get so frustrated at drivers who dont want to move away...... i will just flash or honk their eyes and ears off. Or give them stares when i overtake on the LEFT. I do that coz i have no choice and they wont move. Idiots.
Another annoying thing.........why so many take so darn long to move when the light goes green?! I mean NO other cars are crossing. Yet 90% of the time the light turns green the front car hasnt moved even after 3-5 secs. Which is darn precious for us at the back!!!! I mean realize la that when 3 other sides have moved, surely the next us. Just prepare 1st gear and move la. Most KLites use auto gearbox cars now, still that slow? Im not boasting im faster off the line at the lights with my old manual, but the faster i move off the faster ppl behind get to move as well, right or not? No one wants to be stuck at a light for more than 2 rounds. It gets plain ANNOYING after that. Seriously. I think im speaking truth and sense. Considerate please.
One dangerous thing : Sudden braking when there is absolutely no reason or harm to brake in the first place. I mean come one the road in front is clear. Roads are smooth, no cars.....travelling nicely at 90-100kmh. Yet suddenly driver in front brakes. FOR WHAT?! Avoid flies and mosquitoes? Theres an art of coasting/braking using gear. Which is less abrupt than pressing the brakes if u want to just rub off speed. You move yet you slow down a little, not a sudden brake and startle the drivers behind. That can cause accidents.
I dont know what else to say. Probably i have said all the major stuff that most Malaysian drivers need to adhere to. I honestly think that scoring 50/50 or having 30 years driving experience doesnt necessarily make you a good driver. A good driver goes by etiquette, reasoning and consideration. Its not your own road, its our road. So think about others too.
The question is not if you CAN drive, but do you know HOW to drive. Not as in operating the vehicle. But as in being responsible and thoughtful on the road.
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