Monday 26 October 2009

Can an Aussie Expert save our motorcyclists?

I have read the letter WHY DON'T WE HIRE AUSSIE EXPERTS ON ROAD SAFETY? and I share the writer's concern over the mounting road deaths in our country especially of our motorcycle riders. I agree also with his comment that issuing police summons which largely remained unpaid and unenforced, and have to be collected through the giving of huge discounts, but I disagree with his suggestion that we hire an Aussie Road Death expert to study our problem and offer solutions. We know the problems causing such unnecessary deaths, we only need to brainstorm the solution. Hiring an expensive "Aussie Expert" who does not understand the local social and political culture in the country, will only be a waste of our funds on solutions that do not fit our needs. The causes of our high road deaths are as follows:
  • The inadequacy of our motorcycle "testing" program. We all know of our infamous testing schools with "guaranteed" passes that can produce motorcyclists who have not learned how to ride properly
  • Australians, by and large, follow all traffic rules, including putting on the indicator light when changing lanes, failure of which will result in a fine. Do Malaysians indicate when they change lanes?
  • Australians generally are polite; cars which reach a cross junction first will be the car that leaves the junction first. In Malaysia, it's the bravest or the most reckless who will jump at the crossroads.
  • Motorcyclists in Malaysia generally shoot the Red lights, or make U turns anywhere there is a space.
  • Most motorcyclists have expired licences and insurances. Most of them also wear helmets that are not tied properly to the chin. Yesterday I saw a motorcycle with a pillion rider shoot the red light at a junction, crash into the side of a big car, and both the riders fell off the bike, and their helmets went hurtling somewhere else.
  • 50% of our foreign workers use motorcycles. Are they properly "tested" and covered with insurance?
  • the police seems to be ineffectual in catching these rogues, but with such reckless attitudes and selfish riders, doubling the police will not make much of a difference.
  • In the outskirts of a city, finding 3 or more persons on a motorcycle is not unusual. Sometimes without helmets.
So, what will the Aussie expert tell us to do to solve our traffic woes? Unless we can change the attitudes of Malaysians (and the foreign immigrants) when riding, there will be little that we, or the Aussie Expert can do to help ourselves. Unless Malaysians know the laws are there to protect them, not otherwise, the deaths will mount....

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