KUALA LUMPUR: In the seven years that Mohd Faiz Khar has worked as a food delivery rider, he has often had to swerve out of harm’s way when cars change lanes without signalling.
“A major danger for bikers threading through traffic is drivers who switch lanes recklessly without signalling.
“There are a large number of reckless drivers in the Klang Valley who flout traffic laws and endanger the lives of other road users,” he said during an interview here yesterday.
Welcoming the ongoing Law Compliance Operation (Ops PUU), Mohd Faiz said police should also focus on motorcyclists, especially the younger ones who often disregard road safety.
“Many do not use the dedicated motorcycle lanes. They also excessively modify their machines and fail to secure their helmets properly.
“We can see some delivery riders using their handphones while riding.
“I suggest the police take stern action against any delivery rider who does not have a handphone holder on his or her motorcycle,” Mohd Faiz said, calling the traffic operation “timely”.
The operation, he added, would not only raises awareness but also keeps motorists on their toes, reminding them not to offend.
“It also raises the credibility of the police force and shows their seriousness in acting against errant motorists,” said Mohd Faiz.
Accounts clerk Goh Mei Lin, 27, has been more cautious in her driving since learning of the ongoing Ops PUU.
“The little things that did not seem to matter, such as being behind a traffic light or junction stop line, are now being closely observed by many drivers.
“There have been times when I don’t put on my seatbelt during a short drive, but such behaviour actually amounts to an offence.
“Sometimes we need such operations to jolt us into recognising the mistakes we make while driving,” she said when approached near Bangsar.
Engineer R. Muralitharan, 55, is glad that traffic police have taken the initiative, as errant motorists make driving stressful and frustrating for other road users.
He also urged traffic police to extend such operations to other major cities such as Penang and Johor Baru, where traffic is congested.
His friend, retired serviceman S. Mohan, said while the Ops PUU is a beneficial move, major traffic enforcement should not be seasonal but carried out as often as possible until motorists appear to be mature enough to obey traffic laws.
“There has to be strictness in enforcement, or motorists will not take the law seriously. When traffic summonses are issued, the offenders must be pursued until they pay up.
“We must do away with the special festival discounts offered on fines, as the practice does not help to create law-abiding motorists or deter them from misbehaving in traffic,” he said.
