AROCM drive arrives in China

Yes, the Italian machines and their drivers have safely arrived in Kunming, China which is the start of their in China drive to their final destination, Beijing. The ‘temperamental’ Italian cars did not have a temper or an argument with their drivers and instead provided an enjoyable overland drive.

Next is the drive to Xichang, Chengdu, GuangYuan, Xi’an, Linfen dan Pingyao for another 3,500km across some highways and some not so tarmac’d roads.  Upon arrival at destination, the team will drive around the city and visit various heritage sites like the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, Summer palace etc. before heading back to Kuala Lumpur. So You Know: “Traffic in much of China is chaotic at best. One should not expect vehicles to stop at red lights, as motorcycles and bicycles regularly go through red lights without slowing down. Also, do not expect vehicles to go with traffic, as cars, motorcycles, and bicycles regularly go against the flow of traffic (e.g. going southbound in a northbound lane). Furthermore, do not expect only pedestrians on sidewalks, as motorcycles and bicycles (and the occasional four-wheel vehicle) regularly zip along the sidewalk as if it is just another lane on the road. Also, watch out for and safely take pictures of people on silent electric motorcycles who do not even slow down at red lights, with cigarette in mouth, one hand on the steering handle, and the other with a cell phone, talking, and beeping at the pedestrian walking with a green walk signal, for getting in the motorcyclist’s way. However, with all this, and not to condone this type of road behavior, there are fewer accidents than one may expect given this chaos, mainly because people most often do slow down if they see you.

A related consequence of this chaos is the liberal use of horns. A new visitor may be taken aback by all the noises from the horns and traffic, especially considering that people will have no problem blaring their horns at the wee hours of the night, and the honking is 24/7. Motorcyclists will honk when pedestrians are crossing at green lights, the car driver will honk when the car in front of them suddenly stops in the middle of the road to walk their kid to school. All too often the motorcycle taxis will honk to get you to be their fare, and the car driver will honk when a pedestrian is walking on the sidewalk because the car wants to overtake the pedestrian on the narrow sidewalk. Road rage does not seem to be a problem.”

Alfa Romeo Owners Club Malaysia (AROC Malaysia) is registered motor sport club with Registrar of Society (RoS) and Sport Commissioner of Malaysia since 1993 and 2005 respectively.  It was established to provide technical advisory and assistance in the upkeeping of members’ Alfa Romeos and organise various social events i.e.  Annual Gran Turismo (GT), Treasure Hunt, Technical Clinics, Go-Kart competition, Sunday Drives, Charity Drives, Family Day, Annual Dinner etc. for the club members.  To date approximately 500 owners registered as members.

Mission of the club is to be a preferred and exemplary motoring club in Malaysia that has the capacity and capability to provide road safety advisory and development of motor sport in the country with collaboration with relevant government agencies.