Two Common Bad Habits By Malaysian Drivers

How To Drive Fast In Germany’s Autobahn

Overtaking on the left is not only dangerous, but those who choose to overtake in this manner, will give a poor impression to other drivers that you are indeed an undisciplined driver who is ignorant of the law and rules of driving. It may at times, even lead to unwanted squabbles and quarrels amongst motorists.

In one of my earlier articles elsewhere in this blog, I related a real, but unfortunate accident, which happened near the Hotel Hilton, traffic light junction in Petaling Jaya, many years ago.

In the above incident, Filipino singers, twin brothers, Michael and Angelo, popularly known as the “Ninja Turtles”, got into a fight with some ruffians, over an “overtaking” incident. This finally led to one of the twin brothers being stabbed in the chest and finally succumbing to his injuries.

Overtaking on the left on the expressway, especially by drivers of large vehicles such as 7 ton lorries, buses and trailers, obviously cause road shoulder damaged by these heavy vehicles. Concessionaires and the government have to bear expensive repairs and maintenance of the highways and expressways involved.

As responsible and law abiding citizens, we should act responsibly and avoid causing damage to our highways and expressways wherever we can. In short, do avoid overtaking on the left, if you can.

1) Road hogging on our expressway and highways.

While in Malaysia we have expressways and highways, in Germany, I have been told, have “autobahns”. Vehicles in the above country travel at very high speeds of over 250 – 300 km/h. friends who have visited the Germany republic, tell me that a driver there can be summoned for driving too slowly on a German “autobahn” or highway.

As said earlier, Malaysian expressways and highways here have a maximum speed limit of 110 km/h. Malaysian highways normally have 4 lanes. The outermost lane, as we all know, is the “overtaking” or fast lane.

Drivers who use our “lebuhraya” or “highways” should know that the outermost lane is meant for “overtaking”. In the event of a driver completing his “overtaking” procedures, he or she should ideally move back to the left lane as soon as possible. This is to avoid blocking other drivers who may wish to overtake us.

But sad to say, that there are many drivers amongst us Malaysians, who are “guilty” of committing what is called “road hogging”. What represents “road hogging”? In my humble opinion, “road hogging” is when a motorist who has completed his overtaking maneuvers on the highway, chooses to travel along the outermost lane, thereby preventing other motorists from overtaking.

These “hoggers”, as we call them, refuse to move back to the middle or left lane of the super highway, thus causing inconvenience and anger to other road users. Such behaviour can very well go on to cause accidents and displeasure to other road users.

Drivers are hereby advised not to hog the right lane. Be considerate, move back to the left, slow lane, in fairness to other road users. In short, avoid road hogging. It would augur well for all Malaysian drivers who travel inter-state, from Penang to Singapore and vice versa, to avoid road hogging roads.

2) Crossing into the chevron lines on the road.

“Chervon” lines are V shaped white lines on the road or expressways, which are found upon going up bridges, approaching traffic lights and toll booths. They are normally used to denote when 2 roads meet. Ideally, they are intended to allow traffic policemen to push broke down vehicles into it to avoid causing traffic jams.

Avoid speeding into chevrons wherever you can. If however you should inadvertently cross into them, and if you are unlucky enough to seen by a traffic officer, there is a high possibility if you being given a summons.

Should readers wish to know more about “chevrons”, kindly refer to an earlier article on it, which has appeared somewhere in this blog.

Hopefully, Malaysian drivers, after reading this short but important article on “road hogging” and “crossing into chevrons”, will become better disciplined drivers and as a result contribute to reducing road accidents in this country!

By | 2012-05-24T19:51:36+08:00 April 25th, 2011|Driving In Malaysia|5 Comments

About the Author:

5 Comments

  1. Kelvin May 23, 2011 at 6:12 pm - Reply

    I would like to point out that it’s a myth that it’s an offense to drive too slowly on the Autobahn.

    The law states only that any vehicle with the ability to drive at a speed of at least 60km/h (meaning 61 and above) is allowed on the Autobahn. Any vehicles not capable of that is forbidden to be on the Autobahn.

    However, nowhere is there stated you can’t drive at 40km/h. It’s just that it’s frowned upon and you’d be better off driving on the country roads where the views are better. There is however clauses which states that any vehicles driving at an unreasonable speed way below the recommended speed while causing disruptions to traffic flow, endangering others etc is an offense.

  2. alex July 23, 2011 at 8:31 am - Reply

    It all sum down to education. Most malaysian does not know how to read properly when it comes to the written exam. They are given a pass even if they can answer a few question right. This should be a red light when this happens. Meaning he or she has not been reading and or know what the question meant. Road sign are very easy to understand even my kids can correctly answer me that question. Another thing is the instructor , he or she is as bad as the student and this is pass on from one person to another. Sometime i think a monkey is smarter then a typical malaysian when it comes to common sense. A monkey choose a banana to eat not a cucumber.

    • Cikgu Yap August 1, 2011 at 3:12 pm - Reply

      There might be an element of truth in what you say. Thanks for your views.

  3. Concern Person March 29, 2012 at 2:18 pm - Reply

    Yup it is right on the above comments. Malaysian drivers, especially young drivers are really rude and uneducated while driving in highways. There like to stay in fast lane and hanging on the phone while others at the back try to overtake…even if the back driver flash headlamp, they insist to move to left lane and sometimes they apply brake, purposely to increase the anger of back driver. This is very serious and can cause to fatal accident….so, what i suggest is, this kind of driver, we should note down their number and logde a report or snap picture of the car and send it to Bukit Aman or STAR.

    • Cikgu Yap April 1, 2012 at 9:34 pm - Reply

      Your ideas are good. You should implement them.

Leave A Comment