Letters to Editor - Sunday, February 17, 2008 10:00 - 0 Comments

 Email This Post |  Print This Post

Lu punya bapa punya jalan kah?

EYE received a torrent of emails in response to the Eye’s article early January about Kuchingites and their habit of rushing to newly opened places and creating massive traffic jams.

Most of the responses Eye received went on about the attitude of the locals when on the road. Some of these comments were received from Sarawakians living as far as the UK!

A reader who is currently residing in UK (the United Kingdom…not Ulu Kapit!) wrote to express how the locals here want to be part of everything, but will, after a while get tired of it. And in the midst of wanting to be part of everything, they forget that ‘everything’ includes simple road courtesy.

For example, caring parents who park along the roads of schools just so their kids do not have to walk the extra mile from their classrooms to their cars, everyday when school ends.

Of course, they’ll argue that there aren’t enough parking spaces where schools are concerned and that they have no choice, but to park along the roads, causing traffic congestions when schools let out.

Another reader expressed frustrations with the local drivers and the school jams. Besides that, she also highlighted several local ‘habits’ on the road.

This is what she wrote: “The one that irks me the most is when a slow driver drives on the right lane just because there’s a slower driver on the left lane. So, he doesn’t want to tag behind this tortoise but becomes a tortoise on the right lane, causing unnecessary jam. He is remarkably thick skinned because he just ignores all the flashes of headlights shown his way or the blaring honks by the angry drivers behind. In the end, other drivers have to overtake him using the left lane… .”

Other than that, there are also drivers who take their sweet time to move when the light turns green at the traffic lights, and the drivers who cut queue by squeezing in and out of every little leeway that they can find in traffic.

While many readers wrote in to complain of jams created after school hours, accidents and the opening of new places, it was Jina who brought up the issue of ‘vampire drivers’ where she wrote: “I have also come across some drivers who are so scared of the sunlight that at a traffic light, they will stop their vehicle under the shade of some tree or building, leaving a big space in front of them because there is no shade there. When you look their way, their faces have the expression that this is perfectly normal.”

Eye found this hilarious (but yet SO TRUE!) and it brought to mind what Eye would sometimes yell out at inconsiderate road users i.e. “Hoi! Lu ingat ini lu punya bapa punya jalan ka?”

Of course, don’t-lah say that when the road user happens to be the descendent of the person whom the road was really named after!

They’d probably retort by saying, “Memang saya punya bapa/datuk punya jalan ma!” Then you’d probably have to be quick enough to respond to that “Kalau lu punya bapa/datuk punya jalan, respect lah sikit!”

At most times, you’d probably be too stunned by the retort or won’t have the time to hit back with another smart-ass remark.

Anyway, back to the attitudes of local road users — Kurt, who happens to be a friend of the Eye says he wants to vaporise all road users who do not ‘pasang signal’ when they turn.

The Eye has run into more than its share of these drivers. You’re nicely driving along when the dude in front of you suddenly, without warning, takes a 90 degrees swing into a left junction.

There are also those who swing into your lane without signals or warning. And how about the two extremes of the ‘coming out of a junction’ drivers?

You know, those who, without care or regard for oncoming traffic shoot out of a junction without warning and then ever-so-SLOWLY shift gears and proceed on to their journey… SLOWLY.

The other extreme are the drivers who are so friggin’ scared to move out of junction that they create a jam behind them and then cause those behind to squeeze their way past them.

Now, the Eye’s friend, Kurt is an easily traumatised person. He used to get road bullied until he upgraded from his Malaysian made saloon to a big, mean and lean turbo 4WD.

Unfortunately, he still gets bullied on the road, because despite driving a big vehicle, he still maintains good etiquette on the road. Poor dude… this is what he gets for being courteous on the road.

Comments? The Tired Eye and gang can be reached at matalelah@yahoo.co.uk