Drowsy Driving - A Malaysian Way?

I just read an article in the Reader's Digest - large print version - about drowsy driving. In case you were wondering, I still have good eyesight. I subscribe to the large print version because it is easier to read. Maybe I should start buying all my books in large print. That would certainly help save my peepers for old age when I really need it. Oh! you know, for reading prescriptions on those tiny bottles.

Anyway, I found an article about drowsy driving. Gregory Belenky, MD, director of Washington State University's Sleep and Performance Research Center said that there are eight signs to let you know you are too tired to drive. Read here

Now, I am not making light of something as serious as drowsy driving but based on the signs mentioned below, I can't help but think about the irritating yet comical nature of our Malaysian drivers. If you think about it, most Malaysians tend show these symptoms 24/7. We are in danger all the time!

1. You can't stop yawning. We yawn all the time. Even if your hard day consists of forwarding unnecessary emails to bored housewives like me (or so you think!), you are worn out by 3:00pm That is also the result of a good lunch at the local mamak stall kicking in. When the boss starts rambling on about what he expects out of you and your project, you try to keep the yawn from becoming a full-blown insult.
After work, you get in your car and yawn from a mind-exhaustive day. In traffic, you stare at the number plate in front of you and wonder when was the last time that number appeared on Magnum and Toto results. You yawn and stretch your arms. Now you wonder when that traffic will start moving. You look out your window and you become envious of the people walking by to catch the trains. They will be home soon while you still wait in traffic. You yawn again. Keep your eyes on the road buddy! You almost rear-ended that car.

2. You feel restless and irritable. How can you drive well when you are restless and irritable? You did not have time to finish up your work. You have deadlines to meet with no solution in sight. You get in your car and drive off with that bad feeling you might not get your bonus this year. You want to go back to the office and finish up the work but you have other commitments. You get irritable because now you don't know where time went and how to divide it between work and personal life. Oh yeah, and the boss makes you feel guilty for having a personal life!

(Cartoon from Reader's Digest. http://www.rd.com/content/openCartoon.do?index=14)

3. Mind wanders or you have disconnected thoughts. Who is not thinking of something else when driving? When the DJ on the radio starts to sound like a nag; that is a sign you prefer to let your mind wander. You switch off the radio and think what to cook for dinner tonight; or if "amachi" cooked her special chicken varuvel and wonder if you could drop by to 'ta-pau' a bowl of it. Keep your mind on the road buddy! You almost knocked down that old lady carrying her basket of groceries from the 'pasar malam'.

4. You have trouble keeping your eyes open and focused, especially at stoplights. In Malaysia, especially in K.L., we have selective sight when it comes to traffic lights. Drowsy or not, we run through lights, no matter the colour, no matter who may have right of way. This results in forcing those poor old tourist to scramble across the road with confusion. Hey! don't laugh. I was the one running behind that "mat-salleh" couple. Oi! Keep your eyes on the lights and obey it.

5. Can't remember driving the past few miles. That is because you were so caught up with what was shown on those big screen TVs at the traffic lights. Then you start cursing why the government so stupid for putting up those big screens. You start getting all civic-conscious about the dangers of driving and watching TV. Soon you will forget being a civic-minded Malaysian when your handphone rings and you answer the call without using the headset or blue-tooth device. By the way, you were supposed to turn right about 10 minutes ago.

6. Your driving becomes sloppy (tailgating, weaving, missing traffic signals). Drivers are sloppy from day one; be it "L" drivers (or "Lembu" drivers, as some expert motorist love to label them) or seasoned drivers. Road traffic conditions and situations sometimes make them sloppy. I will show you what I have done to my car rims due to sloppy-driving on narrow and/or icy roads. We also have new drivers who are eager to show their driving skills on the road. I won't go into details with my experience. Let's just say allowing your friend to make a U-turn on the fourth gear really does test your faith in God.

7. You have trouble keeping your head up. I am not referring to ones who are falling asleep. I am talking about that common sight - those buggers who recline their seats and pretend they are driving in some Formula 1 race. You try to look hard and see no head in sight. That gets you wondering, "who the hell is driving that car?" Another sight would be short people refusing to admit to their "short"comings and proceed to use the biggest car with the lowest seats; thus eliminating a view of their head. I always wondered if they could see the road.
"Hello, there are cushions to lift you up, you know! Don't shy lah. We all understand, not all Malaysians are tall. That's right, bring that chair forward a bit. Now put the cushion in place. Leg can reach the pedal or not? OK. There you go, can see the road now or not? Now, drive carefully and go with God."

8. You hit the rumble strips along the side of the road. This is an everyday practice for those who cannot stand being in a traffic jam. They will use emergency lanes to get out of their predicament. They will hit the rumble strips (if there are any in Malaysia) to overtake anyone who is driving in front of them. The groups of people most likely to be cursed at are:

a) old folks

b) lady drivers

c)"L" drivers

By the way, I know of one Malaysian lady who moved to the States and continued to practice the "normal way" of driving. To date, she has been served with three tickets (or 'saman' as Malaysians call it) with a warning that if she commits another traffic offence, her licence will be suspended for three months. Since she was (and still is) the only one ferrying her children to school and everywhere else, she could no longer take the risk of driving "the old way".

Hmm... wonder why driving habits have not changed in Malaysia? Maybe, tickets and warnings have a way of "disappearing". Just a hunch-lah.