TODAY, Nov 16, has long been a special one for me. It’s the day my brother died.
He was on his motorcycle travelling home to Balik Pulau from George Town in Penang when he was hit by a car. He was killed on the spot, with severe head injuries.
He was just 42.
I will always remember that day. I was at a concert in Petaling Jaya that evening and immediately afterwards, headed to a dinner in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, where my niece had been married a few days earlier.
I was hungry but there was no dinner. The food had been put away and all the faces were mournful.
That was when I learnt the news. It was heartbreaking. NS Kumar had been my best friend in the family.
Back in Penang, I was among the few people allowed to see the pictures of my brother immediately after the accident. It was not something anyone would want to see.
He had not worn his helmet properly and it had been flung off. The head injuries were severe. No, worse... they were terrible. The pictures were just too graphic, too painful to see.
And that is one reason why I have always been angry when seeing motorcyclists putting their lives on the line by not wearing helmets and riding recklessly.
This week, as I remember my brother, I have been reminded again and again of that moment.
Two men, including a Royal Malaysian Air Force staff member, were killed when their motorcycles collided in Sungai Petani, Kedah, on Nov 8. How do two motorcycles collide head on? Did they not see each other coming? There was no other vehicle on the road.
It also happened in September when a boy was killed in an accident with another bike in Johor. The boy was just 14, too young to be riding a bike. The rider of the other bike was 17.
A few days ago, another man was killed when three high-powered bikes in a convoy were involved in a collision with a car, also in Johor.
The number of deaths – both young and old – is frightening. According to the Federal Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department, 18 people die on our roads every day, 12 of them motorcyclists. That’s 4,380 motorcyclists who die each year.
Just think of the number of brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers who are left to mourn.
Still they do not learn. From the streets of Johor to the bridges linking mainland Penang to the island, from the highways in the Klang Valley to the roads of Terengganu, many motorcyclists still continue to pay no heed to their lives.
The authorities seem almost helpless. They try, though. A special police operation was launched from Aug 12 to Sept 12 to cut down on the number of motorcycle accidents.
The result? Traffic chief Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said there were 2,461 motorcycle-related accidents recorded compared with the 2,735 cases over the same period last year, a reduction of 274 cases or 10.1%.
The number of deaths fell from 436 to 372 for the period – 64 fewer than last year.
Forgive my cynicism, but it’s hardly anything to preen about. More than 2,400 accidents in just a month is nothing to be proud of. And 372 deaths – more than a dozen a day – is also not very reassuring.
Meanwhile, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has launched a two-month special operation focused on motorcyclists. Again, I am not holding my breath.
Both the police and JPJ set up roadblocks to nab the culprits. And I can tell you it does not work.
I live in Petaling Jaya Selatan, Selangor, one of many areas around the country where motorcyclists break the law with impunity, even in front of policemen and patrol cars.
Roadblocks are useless because there are always routes around them, and word of a roadblock spreads faster than the speed of sound.
What we need are policemen who conduct patrols, stop offenders and issue summonses on the spot. I don’t see that happening. One policeman I talked to said it was a waste of time stopping these lawbreakers because they would be out within hours and will even intentionally cock a snook at the officers.
It’s not just Mat Rempit. There are also those who ride recklessly in heavy traffic. How many motorists have been met with cold stares – and even swear words or a kick – from bikers when trying to change lanes on the highway?
Did you know that filtering (riding bikes between cars) is illegal in many parts of the world? It is only allowed when cars are stationary, like in a traffic jam or at traffic light junctions.
Otherwise, motorcyclists have to behave like other motorists.
There is no such law in Malaysia and we see motorcyclists weaving through the traffic like slalom skiers at the Winter Olympics.
But we do have one thing that most other countries in the West do not have: dedicated motorcycle lanes. The thing is, these motorcycle lanes, especially the one on the Federal Highway, were originally designed to be bicycle lanes.
They are actually too narrow and too dangerous for motorcycles. They are not conducive for users. They are dark, bumpy, extremely windy, and dangerous.
What the authorities need to do is improve these lanes and ensure motorcyclists use them. In fact, traffic policemen should set the example by using them regularly. That would also deter robbers who often wait for victims there.
Obviously, not all motorcyclists are bad hats. Many are just forced to use the main highways because the motor lanes are in deplorable condition. They put themselves at higher risk of being involved in serious – or even fatal – accidents.
There is really a need to build more motorcycle lanes, and improve those that already exist. And how about having rest stops (maybe with teh tarik stalls) by the side of the motorcycle lanes?
It would be a great place to rest, and shelter from the rain.
And if the food and drinks are good and cheap, it may lure more bikers to the lanes, and keep them away from the heavier vehicles on the main road. Why not, indeed.
