Sarawak News, The Tired Eye - Sunday, October 5, 2008 10:00 - 0 Comments

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Malaysian parking 101

NOT too long back, Eye wrote about how Malaysians are famous for their ‘lihai’ parking skills. In response to the article, the Eye received several photos and links, leading to more photos of what one of the readers dubbed as ‘super kung-fu parking’ styles.

The photos published here today are courtesy of KT from KL and a dweller of Tabuan Jaya, Kuching. These shots, although not of the best quality were the classic ‘cam moments’ that were too good to miss and caught with low resolution cameras and phone cams.

Photo 1 depicts a typical parking habit of many in this country i.e. give ‘em a straight box to park in and they instead ‘modify’ the parking space into slantwise lots. Eye don’t blame them really. This particular parking lot in Tabuan Jaya comes immediately after a tight corner and the road itself is pretty narrow.

The fact that some drivers and motorcyclists tend to park their cars and bikes along the side of the road behind these parking spaces does not encourage drivers to park straight. It’s easier to come out of the parking space if one parked slantwise in cases like these.

In many cases, it only takes one driver to start parking slantwise in a straight lot. The rest will follow suit.

Photo 2 shows a classic habit of motorcyclists in Kuching. They LOVE taking up parking lots meant for cars. At times they even manage to wedge themselves between two parked cars. Truly amazing.

Do they not care that some frustrated driver would come along and run over their bikes for taking up entire car parking lots? Especially if the driver had a short fuse and a big and sturdy off-roading 4WD.

There are also those motorcyclists who like to park along the yellow lines in front of shop lots, knowing very well that the drivers who reverse out of their parking lots in front of these shop lots could bump into their bikes. And if someone does accidentally do that, these motorcyclists come and throw tantrums because their bikes got knocked over.

Eye know of some friends who have, at one point or another, accidentally reversed into and bumped over motorbikes parked haphazardly along these yellow lines. The interesting thing was that they all claimed that they did not notice the bikes there and admitted that they did not feel any guilt or regret.

“They deserve it lah… who ask them to put the bikes there? Dah lah the street is so narrow… yellow line some more. Memang padan muka!” was the common justification given.

Photo 3 takes the cake. This was taken in Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur. Note how the little ‘smart’ car is parked. The driver has got to be one ‘smart’ person. That’s for y’all to decide.

Comments or more photos? Eyemail ‘em to matalelah@yahoo.co.uk