'Signal', Before Changing Lanes

The world today resembles hell in many ways as far as suffering, meaningless and emptiness is concerned (No, I have no idea what heaven or hell feels, looks etc, it's just assumed fashionable to use a strong enough expression in emphasizing the matter one is about to write about).

Today, values, ethical conducts, respect and selflessness in people are a strange/peculiar conduct. The world rather boastfully is filled with corrupt rulers and people, masses who spend their life acquiring material wealth..it is inhabited by people who crave for acceptance and recognition from the very people who yearn for acceptance and recognition from other people. How is that for a sick/sad joke?

This way of practising life in reality is a sign of extreme destitute. However, it still remains an opinion of mine, hence, rest-assured you’re not weighed down with the burden of agreeing with me.

Lately, I am sure many of you or most of you have…well let me rephrase; Lately, I have been witnessing many accidents whilst being on the road. Accidents that involves motorcyclists that is; Not that there are no accidents between other road users, I guess what I am trying to say is that when it comes to accidents, a motorcyclist faces a higher risk in getting hurt.

Initially I wanted to make this as straight forward and an immaculate piece where one can immediately grasp what I am trying to convey. However, I am starting to realize that what I intent might not transpire.

Back to the topic, having witnessed these freak accidents throughout the years is starting to make me feeling unsafe and daunted whenever I am on the road. I know that accidents in Malaysia is an everyday thing to the extent that one might even start cursing because of the jamm it causes instead of sympathizing and feeling grateful for not being the one involved in the tragedy.

I’ve seen bodies covered by black plastic bags worse still, newspapers and time and time again having to see people lying unconsciously on the road. It is safe to say that it turn my insides into a chaotic conundrum and the inside of my head into a wreck that eventually turns into fear which then involuntarily blossoms into an unpleasant feeling of paranoia.

Again, my purpose of writing this time was originally to appeal and plea to motorists in general to be more aware and concerned towards motorcyclist. It does not matter if that person is a ‘rempit’ or a dark skinned person or a poor person or a rowdy or someone who reminds you of an uneducated person. The reality is, no one wins. Being slightly less self-oriented and more aware might save a lot of trouble.

I would once again like to state the point I am trying to make—which is for drivers to be more alert and a little more concerned for motorcyclists. Yes, I know people as a whole are concerned citizens and are always looking out for others….

you didn’t believe that did you?! If you did then you must be…. give me a break please—on another note, if you are thinking, ‘I am not that bad, I am not like others, I am actually pretty nice’, You owe it to yourself another thought. People who think that way are almost always never how they fantasize themselves as.

Today people live their lives according to the American way of life. It doesn't matter how the journey is, it does not matter who you had to betray, who’s family you had to wreck, as long as at the end of the day, you become a successful person…the rest are of no concern; because at the end of the day, you've made it.

Yet again, I knew I had to write about this—when I witnessed an unfortunate accident a few days ago. This happened just a few feet from a traffic light situated somewhere I frequent quite often. The victim was lying unconscious under his motorbike…his helmet was nowhere to be found and his face was flat on the ground with blood spatter on the road. The way his face was planted to the ground, it appeared as if he had lost his nose and probably the rest of his face. I looked around and saw a crowd starting to gather. The car driver who probably got into a crash with the motorcyclist walked out with a blank expression on his face. I shifted my eyes back on the road ahead of me.

Being the wuss that I am, I continued on with my journey. I honestly couldn't face the sight. I continued with the rest of my journey while having the victim’s image stuck in my head constantly reminding me that how many motorcyclists like him have there been and how many more are there going to be in the future and that I too could soon end up like that man.

Drivers in general have this shallow prejudice about themselves being more intelligent than the general motorcyclist; on the sole thought of just driving a car whereas a motorcyclist..is, well, a motorcyclist…therefore it could only mean that a car driver is more successful and a more elevated human being in comparison to a motorcyclist.

It’s actually okay, go ahead and think that you’re smarter…but please act smarter too. You might even save a life or two in the process. The world is filled with selfish, self-absorbed people whose importances are slanted only towards their own individuality.

Wake up people! We are all living too, you’re not the only person living in this world and everything else is not a mirage or the product of your mind. Sure you might in your deep yet delusion-ed love of self think so, but that clearly is not how it is. We are all living together, co-existing, susbsisting with each other.

Yes a motorcyclist tends to be more rowdy. The society looks down on him, drivers do not regard them as fellow road users, and chances are they might not be as enlightened in reference to having parents who could afford for a better education that would soon create self absorbed snobs like you and me. However, with the single notion/thought of what would happen to a motorcyclist even if a car slightly grazes him? Surely you are not that dense?

Yes I am being bitter and maybe even hateful but how can I not be angry after seeing with my own eyes time and time again a different motorcyclist lying unconsciously on the rough tar laden road, untouched but looked on by every single passerby which then gradually creates a massive traffic jamm because passerby’s have to have a look, shake their heads and drift off.

Finally, do disregard any hurtful remarks. They were not intended to hurt any individual personally. The main point of the creation of this writing is so that people will open their hearts to fellow road users especially motorcyclists. Not for any superfluous reasons, but because it’s the right thing to do. The world and its leaders and most of its occupants have devoted their lives into lies, worse still self-deceiving lies. Let us not follow suit, let us bring back respect and basic ethics and more importantly selflessness that not only seem endangered but risk extinction.

Let’s slowly change before our hearts are closed to changes and in conducting sincere acts, which in return might indirectly grant us the happiness we long for.

Having said all that, let us stop, 'turning a cheek' or should I say turning a blind eye? Mockeries aside, let us begin with signaling before changing lanes. That in itself could make a huge difference and even save lives. Thank you.