Death and serious injuries due to road misadventures are on the rise year by year. Many will say, ah that’s obvious, more people are turning to motorcycles now than before and furthermore our population is also increasing and so are the number of road users. BUT what is puzzling me is why must it increase in tandem with the population and also of road users?
Accident is a word we always hear at the accident site or in the emergency unit of any hospitals or at burial sites when victims are laid to rest. To me the word itself is one reason many of us take a lackadaisical attitude towards safety. It’s an excuse for misadventures. The dictionary definition for accident as an event that is unintentional.
Now, should it be describing road misadventure as an accident? as I believe a majority of these mishaps can be avoided? Learning to ride for example, is a skill and you should acquire this before hitting the road. If you do get into a mishap without acquiring this, is it an accident?
Accident – it’s an event that is unintentional. Can we then plan for NOT GETTING into an accident? Of course we can. How ah, you may say. Let’s go forward to see how we can plan NOT TO MEET with an accident.
To all Motorcycle Riders.
Before you start riding, make sure the following are up to your standard. Surely a smart guy / gal like you know what is good and what is bad for you. If you find something that do not seem right BUT you still have to use the bike, it will be a smart move to be extra cautious and not ride like normal.
Tyres - Tyre pressure ok? What about the thread and possible cracks?
Brakes - Test it yet?
Chain /Sprockets - Too tight or loose? Uneven wear? Lubes?
Lights – make sure all lights are functioning.
Your goodself - Are you physically prepared? Body and body armour?
Emotion - Are you up to it?
Helmets - If you are in the habit of not tying up your helmet then you might as well not wear it.
Boot - One that is above the ankle is good enough.
Visors - If there are scratches, might as well get a new one.
Be honest to yourself. If your tyres are on the end of its life, be extra careful especially on wet and slippery roads.
If your braking department is not up to par, avoid following close another vehicle. The list can go on and on, what I am trying to tell you is you are in control of your destiny. Better be wise and arrive then be foolish and dead.
Our country is hot, and by wearing a jacket you may think it is killing. Get a proper (leather) jacket and you will notice that it is really not too hot. Your jacket, pants, boots, gloves and helmet are things you have to shield your body, Your armour!
To all drivers.
You have an amoury of steel protecting you but please don’t act like you are driving an armoured car especially to motorcyclists.
Motorcycleriders are human just like you. We are not robots that picks itself up in a mishap and then ride on. Our arms and legs can get broken and we bleed if our skin is ruptured. Just like you we have a family, a wife, children, friends and jobs. Please give us motorcyclists a little extra space. Don’t just bulldoze through and drive us off the road.
We understand that you may be angry at motorcyclist but then these are the work of only a handful of us riders. Sometimes some friends of us ride pass you and you get a fright. We believe they must have a reason to act like that. It could be the weather, smoke, haze, heat emitted from air conditioned vehicles. We appeal that you be more considerate.
To Bus and Lorry Drivers
On the road, you are the giant. Due to the non-aerodynamic design of your vehicle you create a heavy
turbulence every time you overtake another smaller vehicle. At more then 90km/h your turbulence can throw a small motorcycle off balance. To lorry and bus drivers please give a little extra space when overtaking. For drivers of general goods Lorries, please secure all the wood and logs that you carry on your under carriage. Many of us have fallen due to running over woods which you dropped.
To bicycle riders and pedestrians
Bicyclist– don’t change direction until it is safe to do. Please look over your shoulder before you zigzag a pothole. At night use some form of light, any light so that you are more visible.
Pedestrians, please cross when it is clearly safe to do so. When crossing give some signals so that others know what you are about to do. I see a lot of Japanese when they cross the roads they raise their hands. Now that is not too hard to do? If you are carrying an umbrella then, raise your umbrella!
To the relevant authorities.
Please carry out your responsibilities. If a road is seen to be developing potholes please close immediately. Don’t wait under the holes are so big that a motorcycle can fall because of them before you act. If the road is dark please brighten it up and if slippery please clean them up. Please carry out your responsibilities with pride and honesty. Closing up a hole may seem small but remember YOU can save a life with your deed. Don’t worry if your deed is not recognized because the rewards from God will be much greater. If you shirk in your job GOD’s wrath will wait for you in hell.
If a heavy vehicle is carry above its permissible limit get them off. If a car’s mirror is too dark, confiscate them.
On lights, why are there still many with super bright lights running around? Must we wait for more crashes because of their blinding lights. The law allows for 65 watts maximum. HID lights are giving out almost 130 watts. Or are they using super lights because their sight is reduced due to tinted glasses? Maybe a review of the law regarding lights is appropriate. Currently 65 watt is maximum measured on bulb rating (static). HID lights are also rated at 65 watts but they are filled with some gas that burns instantly, producing a very bright flame. Maybe light should be emitted based on candles.
ICE (In Car Entertainment) is a modern day sickness. There is no control on decibels produced by ICE. How can a driver hear other cars when their ears are deafened by music from huge speakers. Hope concerned parliamentarian will take this up for the good of the population instead of bickering at one another.
To law enforcers, please don’t just take action during an operation exercise. Enforcement should be round the clock irrespective if you are on duty or not. Whenever there is a roadblock its ‘lesen encik’, ‘road tax’? What about his tyres? Are they bald? Are his lights working? What about his helmet? Are they secured? If enforcement officers carry out their job diligently every time, irrespective of whether they are off duty or not, I am sure more then half of our road social ills can be solved. No one will dare jump a red light thinking that the motorcyclist next to him could be a cop.
If there is a requirement I will try to give further details on the above matters.
This writer first got involved in the world of motorcycling bytaking part in a motorcycle races at the Batu Tiga circuit, PenangEsplanade circuit under. MMSC ( Malaysian Motor Sports Club) around the 70’s and early 80’s. He then formed MAFTS (Motorcyclist Association Of FT & Selangor) and was President for more then a decade.With MAFTS he organized Malaysia first Endurance race, Moto Cross and Classic bike races and all the events were 100% motorcycles only as against the norm then to organize mixed car and bike races. The writer with MAFTS also gave several lectures and demonstration on motorcycling safety at universities and colleges in Peninsula. Today he still rides his trusty Moto Guzzi Lemans and in his free time writes on road safety especially for motorcyclists.
Open Letter
