Mid Week Rambles II

I was just thinking to myself this morning that I really need to post some comments on road etiquette in Malaysia (or KL specifically) but never got around to doing it. What better time to do it if not now while I'm waiting for the cumbersome processes do its work.

Some of my observations of KL's roads & its many users:
1) notice tht when it's gridlock jam, the emergency lanes just disappears?

2) the jam escalates to a standstill because people jump que via the emergency lane

3) when faced with a 3-lane road where 1-lane is to turn out (& is jam packed at the moment) while the other 2-lanes are to continue straight (with no traffic beyond the fork), all 3 lanes will be on gridlock because motorists use the 2nd & 3rd lane to jump que into the 1-lane. So despite having dual carriageway to handle the massive traffic flow, it's still of no use because it's being exploited by the inconsiderate few (or rather, many...).

4) the motorcycles are not on the inner lanes but in between cars of a 2-3 carriageway & there were a constant stream of them that despite putting on corner lights, you'll still get honked. So in the end you're confined to the lane that you got yourself in until you come to the junction that you absolutely need to turn. Then how? Turn very slowly & risk getting honked by the motorcyclists + the cars behind you + the cars at the junction where you want to turn in to.

5) you'll need to watch out for the safety of the motorcyclist. Their safety is YOUR responsibility, not theirs. If the motorcyclist suddenly swerve out of a junction into your path, it's YOUR responsibility to slam on the emergency brakes & risk getting hit by the car behind you. If the motorcyclist overtakes dangerously close to your car, it's YOUR responsibility to swerve as well to avoid them (but at the risk of driving into the car on the lane next to you).

6) Yet, if a motorcyclist were to fall near you within 50m radius - BEWARE! the blame will be on you. Despite stopping in time, the fingers will immediately point to the car nearest to the fallen motorcyclist because it's always assumed that the big motorist always "bully" the smaller motorist. Err... Who's the bigger bully here (refer to 5)?

7) Despite having Puspakom checking our lorries & trucks & buses, we still hear a lot of traffic reports over the radio that announced "a stalled trailer is currently obstructing traffic on xyz road" / "if you're coming from abc, pls be aware that there's a stalled bus on your right lane....". I'm not accusing / claiming anything... I'm just stating the obvious. If someone "tasted" the heat / spice, well it must have came from somewhere... **wink**

8) When a motorist spots a traffic police, the speed will suddenly reduce from 180km/hr to 18km/hr; resulting in a massive crawl 10km away at the back. Why bother slowing down in front of him. If indeed it's a speed trap, slowing down will not change the result - you're still getting that ticket... (or... **wink** I didn't say anything...)

9) Potholes the size of a sinkhole! How can the road ever qualify being a KL road if there aren't any! My suspension suffers

10) Heaven forbid if there's a night market nearby! Double & triple park is legal, as long as there's still 1-lane left for the motorist to move... it's fine to continue encroaching the main roads.

Well, I've finally got all of the road frustrations off my chest... night night...

psst... & I finally get to finish work & leave! Hurrah!
Now to face the dreaded traffic I listed earlier.... sigh...