Archives for "Malaysia"

Living in Malaysia for the past 28 years of my life, i’m so used to the traffic congestions in KL. It is “normal” to be caught in a jam on the way to anywhere in the city (to work, to the airport, to the malls, etc). In fact, if there are occasions that the traffic went smoothly, i’ll know that it’s the festive month of Hari Raya, Chinese New Year or something when most of the people in KL had gone back to their hometowns.

I’m also never blink an eye when i come across bad drivers because i’m so used to it. Yeah, it’s that bad. Getting on the road here is like setting a time bomb inside you; it’s just a matter of time that you explode and start cussing.

Here’s what an expatriate think of the traffic in Malaysia. Talk about bad rep. LOL.

What side of the road should you drive on in Malaysia?

99.7% of cars drive on the left hand side, 0.2% on the right hand side, and 0.1% drive in reverse (be on the lookout for drivers reversing at high speed in the left hand lane of freeways, having just missed their exit). Therefore on the basis of ‘majority rules’, it is recommended that you drive on the left. However, be aware that only 90% of motorcyclists travel on the left hand side – the other 10% ride in the opposite direction or on the sidewalk. Fortunately, motorcyclists traveling in reverse are rarely seen.

When can I use the emergency lane?

You can use the emergency lane for any emergency, e.g. you are late for work, you left the toaster plugged in at home, you are bursting to go to the toilet, you have a toothache or you have just dropped your Starbucks coffee in your lap. As it is an emergency, you may drive at twice the speed of the other cars on the road.

What does the sign ‘Jalan Sehala’ mean?

This means ‘One Way Street’ and indicates a street where the traffic is required to travel in one direction. The arrow on the sign indicates the preferred direction of the traffic flow, but is not compulsory. If the traffic is not flowing in the direction in which you wish to travel, then reversing in that direction is the best option.

What does the sign ‘Berhenti’ mean?

This means ‘Stop’, and is used to indicate a junction where there is a possibility that you may have to stop if you cannot fool the cars, on the road that you are entering, into thinking that you are not going to stop.

What does the sign ‘Dilarang Masuk’ mean?

This means ‘No Entry’. However, when used on exit ramps in multi-storey car parks, it has an alternative meaning which is: ‘Short cut to the next level up’.

What is the speed limit in Malaysia?

The concept of a speed limit is unknown in Malaysia.

So what are the round signs on the highways with the numbers, 60, 80 and 110?
This is the amount of the ‘on-the-spot’ fine (in ringgits – the local currency) that you have to pay to the police if you are stopped on that stretch of the highway. Note that for expatriates or locals driving Mercedes or BMWs, the on-the-spot fine is double the amount shown on the sign.

Is it necessary to use indicator lights in Malaysia?

These blinking orange lights are commonly used by newly arrived expatriate drivers to indicate they are about to change lanes. This provides a useful signal to local drivers to close up any gaps to prevent the expatriate driver from changing lanes. Therefore it is recommended that expatriate drivers adopt the local practice of avoiding all use of indicator lights. However, it is sometimes useful to turn on your left hand indicator if you want to merge right, because this confuses other drivers enabling you to take advantage of an unprotected gap in the traffic.

Finally, the most important rule is that you must arrive at your destination ahead of the car in front of you. This is the sacrosanct rule of driving in Malaysia . All other rules are subservient to this rule.