Shoud Motorists Watch Out For Motorcyclists?

The call for motorists to be more aware of motorcyclists on the road is right in terms of the motorcyclists' life.

The Selangor Chief Minister called on motorists to look out for them and don't just switch lanes as and when the motorists wanted to. I would agree from the viewpoint if it was a two lane road but what if we were on the highway.

Just go on the Federal Highway that links the city of Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya any time of the day now. You would see motorcyclists on the fast lane, the middle lane and the slow lane. Why are they all over the place when there is an existing motorcycle lane for them on the left hand side of the highway.

Try using the Kuala Lumpur-Sungai Besi-Seremban Highway that pass by the Armed Force's airport. The motorcyclists would be on all the lanes, switching lanes as and when they want on the first signal they gave. Although there isn't a motorcycle lane for them on this highway, there is an existing emergency lane which is wide enough for a car too.

On both highways, lots of motorcyclists don't use the motorcycle or emergency lanes. The motorcyclists do travel on very high speed on those motor vehicles' lanes assuming cars don't change lanes at all. Each time I see such motorcyclist speeding by, I was very sure that they wouldn't be able to brake on time if a car was to change lane at that point of time.

In the first place, motorcyclists were not supposed to be on those motor vehicles' lanes but motorists still have to look out for them. And if there is an accident, whose fault would it be when proper lanes were provided for the motorcyclists.

I would understand if it was in my residential area where most roads are only dual lanes. But I still do notice motorcyclists weaving their ways here and there as if they were on the highways. How much could we look out for them in such situations?

I have experienced before that at the point of looking at the rear mirror, I was clear of any motor vehicles or motorcyclists but when you make the turn, I could hear the motorcyclist braking to the full extent and his legs on the ground trying to do a fred flinstones' style of braking. He panicked too. In one split second, he appeared from nowhere and guess at what speed was he travelling at.

My point is - that motorcyclists should be riding carefully as well on the right places and they should be looking out for cars too where there isn't any motorcycle or emergency roads available for them.

Last but not least, why aren't any policemen nabbing those irresponsible motorcyclists travelling on the Federal Highway (this highway is off limit to motorcyclists owing to an existing motorcycle lanes made available). Don't tell me "I don't know that motorcyclists are using the Federal Highway motor vehicles' lanes".
Tags: Motorist, Motorcyclist, Motorcycle Lane, Motor Vehicle, Federal Highway