Just got back from a road trip from KL to JB (Johor Bahru). Despite the numerous motor vehicle accidents and high fatality rate on Malaysian roads, it seems that motorists don't care.
People are racing up and down this North-South Highway at speeds exceeding 120 km per hour with blatant disregard for their well-being and more importantly, the well-being of others.
As a passenger you could pass the time away on this 4-hour trip by playing a game called "Spot The Idiot". You get points for picking out irresponsible drivers and passengers in other cars. The greater the idiotic behaviour, the more points you score.
The points system can be agreed upon by participants prior to the beginning of the road trip but here is a suggestion:
Changing lanes without signalling: 1 Point
A motorist spitting/hurling rubbish out of their window: 2 Points
The spit/rubbish hitting another motorist's vehicle: 2 Points
A motorist speeding down the highway with one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand being used for eating/smoking/talking on the phone/typing an SMS: 3 Points
An impatient motorist in the outside lane tail-gating another vehicle or flashing their lights aggressively to get them to pull aside: 4 Points
A kid playing in the passenger seats unrestrained: 5 Points ( I saw 2 kids playing together in the front passenger seat so 10 points for me)
Eyewitness account of a vehicle collision: 5 Points
Spotting a policeman pulling over an idiotic driver: 7 Points (Very rare to see. You should get a bonus 100 points if the cop leaves the scene WITHOUT receiving a bribe.)
And finally.....
Encountering a bottleneck of traffic because motorists have slowed down or stopped their vehicle to view an accident on the OPPOSITE side of the highway: 10 Points
This last one is the most baffling type of behaviour. For non-Malaysian readers, it is a morbid obsession over here among some superstitious locals, to jot down the licence plate numbers of vehicles involved in accidents and then utilise these "lucky" digits for purchasing lottery tickets *eye roll*
Remember, the majority of these things are taking place above the speed limit of 110 km per hour.
I say good luck to the authorities who have to drag the wreckage away and clean the human mess off the paved highways.
Right, I'll get my coat.....
1 comment:
It's definitely annoying when Malaysians slow down to look at accidents. Kay-poh-chees!
In 1997, my friends and I decided to proof that point. We got on Federal Highway, and parked by the emergency lane with the bonnet open. Within 15 minutes, the highway was terribly jammed. So, we waited for another 10 minutes before splitting the scene laughing. LOL
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