Riding A Motorcycle Is In Fact Very Dangerous

Although more than 500 articles have been written on various topics thus far, very few articles on the subject of “motorcycles” have yet been written. Therefore, I feel it’s only right that more emphasis should be given to the topic rightfully.

In the 1970’s, Ibecome a part time instructor, attached to the Mat Saat Driving School, located at Riverside Road, Klang, Selangor. Amongst some of the earliest things, I remember doing, was to secure a B2 motorcycle license for my younger brother, “Keong”.

For several years, my younger brother worked with Messrs Maruichi Steel Pipes Industries in Shah Alam, a town approximately 10-15 km from Klang. As a general worker in the above company, my brother, went to work daily using his Suzuki motorbike. It should be reiterated here, that riding a motorcycle is very dangerous as compared to driving a car. Like thousands of workers in this country, using a motorcycle as a means of transport, is not only cheaper, it eliminates also the problem of traffic jams as well.

One morning very early, at approximately 6.30 am, my younger brother unfortunately met with a rather nasty accident at Jalan Haji Sirat near Klang Utama Housing Estate. It was a dark and cold morning. While attempting to negotiate a junction, a driver, who was speeding away that morning, crashed into the back of my brother’s motorcycle. My brother, had in reality, stopped in the center of the road and was attempting to turn into a junction.

The violent impact of the crash, sprawled my brother onto the middle of the road. Trapped and injured by the incident, my younger brother lay helplessly underneath the wrecked motorbike. As he lay injured in the center of the road, a speeding car approached him. The speeding driver was oblivious to the impending danger which was ahead of him. Another hit by the speeding vehicle would be indeed disastrous.

Although injured badly, with his right ankle broken, my brother finally succeeded in crawling away from underneath his wrecked motorcycle, just in time to save himself.

My brother was hospitalized for more than a year as a result of the incident. Months later, Social Security Organization for Workers (SOCSO) eventually paid my sibling some RM50,000 compensation for the accident. If not for SOCSO, medical expenses for the unfortunate accident would then be a major headache for the family.

What I am attempting to imply is, if riding a motorbike, ideally, have yourself covered by either Personal Accident (P.A.) insurance policy or at least a SOCSO scheme, like my brother.

Another motorcycle incident which I would like to relate to you involved the elder brother of a colleague of mine, a Miss Chong, who hailed from nearby Eng Ann estate in nearby Klang. This second episode unfolding has it that my colleague’s brother was riding a 500c.c. superbike down from the south in Singapore island one day.

Near Gemas town, in Johor, Chong’s brother was involved in a bad accident with a Petronas oil tanker. Chong’s brother was badly injured and he was reported to have died in the incident. As a mark of respect, I remembered attending the funeral arrangements held. Was Chong’s elder brother insured even though he was then riding a massive 500c.c. superbike? Hopefully, I hope that he was!

The intention of today’s article on motorbikes is not to relate to readers, incidences of unfortunate mishaps which be felled motorcycle riders. This article infact is meant to help or assist potential driving or riding students get through the Highway Code exam paper, which is a 50 questions computer text exam.

You see, numerous students from all over the country have written to this blog, lamenting about their inability to pass the Undang-undang exam. Some have even complained that they have to sit for this paper two or sometimes three times!

As a lecturer of the Kursus Pendidikan Pemandu (K.P.P.) or the Preliminary Course for would-be drivers for many years now, instructor should be fully aware why so many students face this predicament!

I feel or is of the opinion that many would-be students who take up driving, totally neglect studying Section C’s syllabus entirely. Section C, which consists of topics such as:-

a. The Demerit System

b. The Akta Pengangkutan Jalan(APJ)

c. Motorcycles

has infact 10 questions to be answered in all.

The section on motorcycles alone sometimes has 4-5 questions on it alone. Can you imagine what would happen if a potential student, aspiring to secure a driving or riding license (Class D or B2) is usable to answer 4 to 5 out of a total of 10 questions? That would tantamount to failing, because the passing mark in order to pass the Computer Test Paper is actually 42 out of 50 or 84%.

Do keep in mind that a student who is incapable of answering 4-5 questions in Section C alone, will not in any way be able to pass the Highway Code test at all. It’s as simple as that. So, take my advice. Ensure that you pay due attention to the topic of “Motorcycles”. In simple English, you can’t pass the Highway Code if you do not pay it due attention this section deserves.

Who is to be blamed for this sad state of affairs? One blame should go to the lecturer conducting the K.P.P course. Many are not bothered at all to advise students about this important requirement. This results in many students ignoring the section on “motorcycles” completely.

Secondly, I feel students themselves are also to be blamed as well. Why is this so, you may very well ask?

Many students, especially ladies, who opt for D licenses for cars, have the wrong notion that they need to know nothing about motorcycles. After all, they feel that they are only out after “car” driving licenses (Class D). As such they feel it is unnecessary for them to study anything on motorcycles.

So it is hope that with this article’s example, students will from now on realize that it is pertinent for them to study things on motorcycles as well. Hopefully, a charge of attitude from now onwards will lead to more and more students passing the Highway Code paper.

Anyway, I will enlighten you about a few important things potential students ought to know about “motorcycles”. The rest of it, you’ll have to read it yourselves from the K.P.P. textbook. As the saying goes, “you have to strive hard before you can achieve results”.

In the National Language or Bahasa Malaysia, the proverb or “saying” for it I think is, “bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian.” Therefore, if you should fail again in the computer test, you will only have yourself to blame for it. Do not say that you have not been forewarned.