Thursday 5 March 2020

Malaysian Motorists Ain't Got No Respect For Zebra Crossing


I have to say something about the attitude of drivers in my neighborhood. It's not just my neighborhood but elsewhere in Malaysia.

I walk a lot. What I notice is that in general, our motorists have no regard for the zebra crossing and the rights of pedestrians.


There are a few zebra crossings in Damansara Uptown which I appreciate BUT... many many times cars simply do not give a crap to pedestrians who want to cross the road.

There are even motorists who speed up when they see us at the zebra crossing. And when we are crossing, they stop too close (making us panic). I think you guys should stop at a reasonable distance so that pedestrians have an assurance that you have the intention to stop (and not mow us down).

And pedestrians, please yah, when cars stop for you, kindly walk faster quickly and don't lenggang lenggok. Be considerate to the driver as well because they ain't got the whole day to wait for you to cross.


I have been so conditioned (for years) by the inconsiderate behavior of Malaysia motorists that even when I was in Boston and LA, I hesitated at the zebra crossing only to be astonished when a fleet of cars came to a halt to allow me and my fellow pedestrian to cross. I had never felt so jakun in my whole life.

Let me share an experience recently when I was crossing the road outside Public Bank together with a foreign lady. She was a little ahead of me and we both crossed at the zebra crossing.

As we were half way across, a car driven by a young lady just zoomed right at us. OMG! Me and my fellow pedestrian ran for our lives and we were both bewildered (and super annoyed) that this driver just simply had no regard for the danger she put us in.

If I could stop that car and drag the driver out, I would give her a few jabs in the face. Sorry for the violent thought but sometimes a road rage victim simply asked for it. God forgive my evil heart.

Look at this.


This is the zebra crossing opposite the Uptown 7 carpark.


An auxiliary policeman had to be stationed at the zebra crossing to make cars stop.


Is this ridiculous or what?

We are now in 2020. Remember Wawasan 2020 (Vision 2020)? We are supposed to move towards developed nation status and yet something as fundamental as stopping your vehicle at a zebra crossing is lost upon our people. I feel embarrassed.

Already I was disturbed by the political events in the past two weeks and when I was confronted with what I saw at this zebra crossing today, I just lost it.

Anyway, life goes on. No point getting angry.

I ate this today. Like a champion. Will blog about it when I am in a better mood.

33 comments:

  1. I get angry too at what you correctly pointed out. it seems that people here just don't care about others. There are some people who openly cough without covering their mouths just because they think they have the right to do so because they are sitting at their own office cubicle as if they don't know that air travels. No matter how much education they have, they are the only people who are important in their world. Love the kimchi in your meal! Tasty!

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    1. I wonder why our fellow Malaysian behave as such. Lack of education at home and at school? I really shudder to think where we are headed. The kimchi is very good. I loved it hah..hah...

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    2. They are educated but just don't care about others.

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  2. I would be angry if I was you. How inconsiderate of the driver. And some really dont know the road rules.

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    1. Some simply don't care at all. Haiz...

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  3. I am very used to our local drivers now which took me a while to adjust after my return from States. Over there, the motorists would really slow down, stop and wave to gesture you to cross the streets. I was so touched that I often sent flying kisses with thanks to the motorists in USA. Besides that, the Americans have this road gestures & etiquette using brake lights & signals to tell you to overtake them! Once you overtake them, you are supposed to brake few times which your lights say "Thank You". The other car driver might flash & beam his lights back "You are welcome!" I learnt all this from my Japanese college mate who often drove me to Upstate & New York City. I miss those days.

    Well, please call me to punch the lady driver who gave you a fright! I have my boxing gloves ready.

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    1. A vert stark contrast when we go to the States and people there are so civilized unlike here. Why can't we be like them?

      That's why lah this Ah Hong Chee wanna learn muay thai wahahha!!!

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  4. This happens in sg too. Zebra crossing are no longer safe. Sometimes i would purposely wait for the car to stop before i cross. Who knows if the car doesn't stop for you. And some cars before you finish crossing, they already start the engine and want to move. Tsk tsk!

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    1. Oh really? Those must be the Malaysian who went to work there hahaha!!! Yes, I also wait for the cars to stop first. Better to be safe even though we have the right of way.

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  5. Malaysians are still not used to allowing pedestrians cross mid-way on busy streets especially... so as pedestrians, we need to be cautious... really look first before crossing and taking for granted that these drivers will stop.. some could be dreaming or in the midst of messaging...

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    1. Sometimes I feel like the Malaysian society is so hopeless.... not just at zebra crossing but I see other atrocious behavior. Maybe I should blog about that too.

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  6. Ah, you certainly ate like a champion today...coz that must have been two separate main courses because of the two bowls of soup I see...hihihi!;) So you had a mixture of Korean & Japanese for lunch...that looked like kimchi fried rice with a side of kimchi and karaage? It could also be Korean fried chicken from the same stall (since the two bowls of soup look similar) but I'm leaning towards Japanese fried chicken because of the side of cabbage slaw. Kekeke...did I get it right? ;) Guess I'll have to wait for your blogpost to get my answer.

    Oh, coming back to the main subject of this post, I had a similar experience as you while travelling in US (on holiday). The people there are educated (about this) and civilised with good mannerisms...unlike some people here. Here, I don't trust the zebra crossings...I'd rather wait for the cars to pass before crossing! >_<

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    1. Yup, that was two separate main courses - kimchi fried rice and Korean fried chicken. I saw one couple having the chicken and from the looks of it, I can sapu with a plate of rice adn so I did wahahaha!!

      I often wonder why our fellow Malaysians have such bad behavior. I have observed other forms of bad behavior too at the food court and elsewhere. I should write about that too!

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  7. both driving and walking in kl will raise our blood pressure! being trapped in traffic and spending hours to reach work and return home every day will take its toll on our souls. and the klang valley certainly isn't pedestrian-friendly - it would be nice to have a smooth, easy walk from damansara uptown to, say, 1 utama or ttdi :)

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    1. Oh yes, I agree. We should have those shaded pedestrian walkways in PJ and I could walk to work!

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  8. I take photos of these motorist in their cars whenever they whiz past the pedestrian crossing instead of stopping whenever I cross - daily I do that as I walk from bus stop to my office in Damansara uptown and then I post the photos on twitter under my twitter handle tobeornottobe…..must disgrace these insolent motorist who have no respect for pedestrians.
    Like Cantonese saying - yau cher tai sai ah?
    I would have love kicking the lady driver's ass for what she did/did not do as in your post.

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    1. Good! Good! Shame them! It's very disheartening to see such behavior. Do we need to have a campaign to raise awareness of zebra crossing? hah..hah... What a joke!

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  9. Except in Miri! I was amazed and very impressed to see cars stopping as a zebra crossing for pedestrians. Maybe they were from Brunei. Malaysian Motorists Ain't Got No Respect For Anything!!! Tsk! Tsk!

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    1. I see kim chi!!! Eyewwww!!!! LOL!!!

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    2. I agree. Bad behavior and no regard for rules. Tsk!

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    3. That kimchi was delicious by the way! LOL!

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  10. over here in M'sia the drivers are King....somehow the road rules awareness is still very low in our country...but what to do? Many drivers don't know about 'undang-undang jalan raya' coz those are 'lesen kopi' drivers...blame it on the enforcer/officers who take bribes.

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    1. Betul! Betul! Transport ministry need to do something but right now, the focus is on other issues.

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  11. Even though using the Zebra crossing, we have to really look carefully before crossing the cross just in case some driver choose not to follow the Zebra rule.

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    1. Yes, as my brother puts it, it's not worth it even though we have the right of way!

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  12. Totally agree...simple civic sense is not thought in schools anymore. Young people who just get their driving licences also have no respect for anyone else on the road besides themselves. I am never sure whether to cross a zebra crossing ever in Malaysia without fear of someone mowing in to me :)Simple things yet so important to teach...as disillusioned as you are these past 2 weeks....Not to worry your meal looks awesome and sure made up for it....:)To better week ahead!

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    1. I share your sentiments! I wonder if the young get any basic civic education at home these days as that's where it should start and then further reinforced in schools. I always feel that our Ministry of Education should look into such matters but....I have lost hope :(

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  13. Malaysian bad and uncivilized behaviors, write 10 posts also cannot finish! Not only the zebra crossing case, I believe you've seen numerous times of road side littering, throwing rubbing out from the car, not cleaning the table after eating at famous furniture shop (although notices is sticked on table), and many more.

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  14. One time, I gave way to pedestrian on the zebra crossing and annoyingly, the car behind honked me. what the fishhhhhh!

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    1. What I can say is that the driver of the car behind you is a bloody moron. Hah!

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  15. Even if we are using the Zebra crossing, we have to be careful as we don’t know who might cross us suddenly. I believe the road rules awareness is still very low in many of the Asian countries. Looks like you had Kimchi fried rice for lunch. Happy Day Cheers! Please visit Top IAS coaching in Chennai to know more about career guidance.

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