On this page, I am sharing with readers of this blog, a comment posted by Mdm Linda Lee on 17th March 2016.
In her comment, Mdm Lee asked me to address bad Malaysian driving attitude that she personally had experienced.
On the topic of bad drivers on Malaysian roads, I could write an entire book about it.
Nonetheless, the following comment was shared by Mdm Lee.
A driving experience not to be forgotten
Hi Cikgu Yap,
I came across your blog today (17th Mar 2016).
Will checking for answers to being a victim of a car accident, whether the police summons can be appeal.
My story:
Last sat evening, was on the way fetching my son from his training and on the way home, whilst preparing to drive at the turn of green light, the car in front of me was intercept by another car.
They brake , I brake too.
Unfortunately the car behind me couldn’t brake in time and ‘BANG” my car ….
As usual, i step down, walk to the back, it was another lady driver (indian).
Inspected the damage and we both agreed to drive out of the main traffic to the side.
She followed behind, i didnt know at that time that my brake light was fused due to accident.
So when she refused to acknowledge the damages was done by her car, even after she took me to her own mechanic to inspect the damages, i told her to report the case, so is my mechanic.
Though the damages was not very serious, she banged me so i have the right to report the case.
Not to my knowledge, she used the faulty brake light to accused me of the causing the accident instead and i was served a ticket. RM100.00.
I wondered if she is given a ticket now.
Due to the fact that the sergeant tone of voice in blaming me for driving without brake light..i didn’t realised at all my back light not working at that time.
On the way back from police station to home..i suddenly remembered that I have drive out the night before (friday) and it was working all right.
I have gone to a friend house and he and his wife confirmed my car light was working fine on friday night.
Wow…lesson learned…
Not to go make a report until own mechanic inspected the damages and if can be repair on our own “be the victim and bear the cost”
What pissed me off was the driver attitude..
1. she did not apologise
2. she did not admit that her knocked caused my car dented.
3. she called me “crazy” as she keep on denying her car caused the dent.
4. she even told me to swear in GOD’s name that if i didn’t caused the dent myself. !!
5. she is 52 years old lady with no driving senses.
HOPE CIKGU can give an attitude education to the drivers out there..be it young or old.
Thank you.
My response to Mdm Linda Lee
After close scrutiny of your problem, I admit driving attitudes of Malaysian has much to be desired.
Beating traffic lights, overtaking on the left, ignoring pedestrian crossing, talking on the handphone whilst driving etc, are some of the thing local Malaysian drivers’ commit.
But what beats them all is “not admitting to mistakes made”. Like the Indian lady who turned the fingers on you and finally causing you to be fined RM100 by the police.
The blatant lie the lady who knocked into your car and causing you undue duress should’t have taken place.
Drivers are all adults and we should be more responsible and admit the things that we have done wrong.
Admit your mistakes, for otherwise how are we, as parents ever attempt to bring up our children correctly.
Best regards,
Cikgu Yap
Dear Cikgu Yap
i have been living in uk for 20 years. Although in uk, some drivers are courteous but believe me, not all of them are. Believe me, there are lots of Malaysian who are good drivers. Dont forget, it depends on the upbringing of the drivers. An old man did a U turn at the corner of a fork road and i think he is trying to grab the parking slot that i was reversing slowly into on my left in front of the shops. needless to say, his driver side was all bang up equally. however, i did ask an english woman for her phone to take pictures and email to me. the first thing this english lady said was you know you are wrong. i rebutted that i wasnt. i was in the right of way and reversing slowly into a parking slot. this old man without wearing his glasses should not be doing a U turn on corner of fork road. anyway, to cut story short, this english woman did not email the pictures which obviously showed that english old man in the wrong.
In fact , this old man tried to pull passerby to get them to say they saw the accident and he is in the right, which they rightly refused as they just pass by after the accident.
unfortunately, car insurance put 50/50 blame as both cars were moving. when I took him to court, that man got a better barrister who lied and claimed his car was dented in the middle causing damages to the whole side. Judges are not expert in these things and it all depends on who can argue better. The worst part was my barrister came and told me first thing is He is not going to ask any questions!!!
Also more to the point is that being a non white in Bath, UK which is a very white midlle class town, the english are very racist when it comes to choosing between english vs non english.
This is not the only case of discrimination and racism in uk. try the police, nhs, council etc. even the shops. I had to say not all of them are but the minority who does makes life a living hell.
They have no qualm about lying to frame and convict an innocent non english person even though the police are suppose to uphold the law. They think because they are in uniform, they get away with it.
The nhs, if you are a non white, beware. the nurses would not be too helpful and even went to the extend of calling authorities on you if they so much as think you are richer than them.
These english tend to use their power against you if you are non english and seem richer than them.
Its not a matter of better of worse driving for Malaysian as oppose to english. Everywhere have good and bad drivers. Maybe the bad ones in Malaysia just keep doing it as they dont lose much.
In UK, they go to court and take off points off licence and finally get struck off without driving licence. Perhaps in Malaysia they should do the same. take those with high accident rate off the road and insurance not to cover the individuals