The number of Malaysian drivers today who don’t use their indicators is too damn high!
Dear fellow Malaysians, in nearly every car (even BMWs!) on the road today, there is to be found a stalk just behind the steering wheel that activates a set of flashing amber lights at both the front and rear of one’s vehicle. These are called turn signals (or indicators). USE THEM!
Turn signals, as their name already very clearly indicates, signals a driver’s intention on which direction they are wishing to head towards. This nifty feature does not only let other road users know which way exactly a vehicle may be wishing to turn when at a junction, but also notifies other road users too regarding a driver’s desire to merge into another lane.
And given that there are so many cars currently on the road these days, one would think that a tool that essentially provides a non-invasive way of indicating where everyone wishes to go will be something that people will use all the time. So why is it that Malaysians seem allergic to the act of using their indicators?
Mirror. Signal. Manoeuvre. See, the signal bit is right there in the mantra that (at least should ideally be) taught to everyone when first learning how to drive!
Also, the act of activating these turn signals not cost anything to use them. No blinker fluid required.
Finally, with the advent of these futuristic-looking sequential turn signals on modern cars as well, it would be a shame to deprive the whole world from these cool streaks of orange light. So please, for the benefit of everyone around… USE YOUR ****ING TURN SIGNALS!
Now really, Malaysian drivers, in spite of the stereotype, are actually quite courteous and tolerant on the road. So please do give them the common courtesy of actually INDICATING your intentions, such that the people around can best accommodate.
Sure, there will be a few bad apples that will probably speed up and close gaps when someone actually indicates their intention to merge into a lane. But even then, there is still the probable excuse to give that these cars might be trying to make get out of the indicatee’s way to merge.
Oh, and do activate one’s turn signal BEFORE turning or merging, instead of only turning them on when already halfway through the action already! A blinking amber light doesn’t really serve a purpose any more if half the bloody car has already turned the corner or squeezed in front…
While it should be common sense already here too, just know that using the left indicator means you are going to turn left or merge towards the left side of the road, and not to the right. Using the right indicator meanwhile indicates an intent to turn or merge in the rightwards direction, and not to the left. Just a polite FYI here for those the many who still apparently blind/oblivious/stupid enough to not realise that the blinking green arrow indicator on their car’s instrument cluster should serve as a precursor to which direction they intend to turn.
