Safety shift needed for motorcyclists

Extreme ‘lane filtering’ by motorcyclists puts road users at constant risk. — Filepic

It was a typical Monday afternoon commute along Jalan Sentul in Kuala Lumpur as I headed out to run an errand.

Maintaining a steady pace in the middle lane, my focus was shattered when a motorcyclist sliced diagonally across all three lanes at lightning speed.

The rider sped from the far-right fast lane directly to the leftmost exit, narrowly missing my front bumper.

There was no signal, no hesitation and seemingly no awareness of the razor-thin margin for error.

As a driver, it was a heart-stopping moment that sent my foot jerking toward the brake.

Unfortunately, such encounters are far from isolated.

For any regular driver in Malaysia, the sight of reckless motorcyclists manoeuvring haphazardly has become a daily grievance.

We frequently witness “lane filtering” (the practice of a motorcyclist riding between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic) taken to the extreme, with riders weaving through moving high-speed traffic.

Almost every week, I see motorcyclists running red lights, speeding or riding against the flow of traffic to save time on a U-turn.

It happens so often that one begins to wonder if traffic laws even apply to motorcyclists.

So, if a motorcyclist is spotted riding slowly, it is usually because they are squinting at GPS coordinates on a phone while navigating heavy congestion, a sight increasingly prevalent among food delivery riders.

National statistics reveal the grim reality behind such behaviour.

Motorcyclists remain the most vulnerable group on our roads.

According to 2025 data recently highlighted by Transport Minister Anthony Loke at Dewan Rakyat, motorcyclists accounted for a staggering 66.4% of all road fatalities in Malaysia.

“Out of 6,537 recorded road deaths last year, 4,340 involved motorcycle users.

“This is despite motorcycles only being involved in 13.7% of all road accidents,” he had said.

This stark contrast underscores a painful truth: when a collision occurs, the rider almost always pays the highest price.

Addressing this crisis requires a multi-sectoral approach.

Implementing stricter licensing standards that emphasise defensive riding, moving beyond basic manoeuvring, or upgrading dedicated motorcycle lanes could significantly mitigate risks.

However, the most effective change must come from the motorcyclists themselves.

No amount of infrastructure can compensate for a lack of self-preservation.

Motorcyclists must realise that getting home safely is worth more than the cheap thrill of speeding or the recklessness of “superman” stunts.

That illegal U-turn made to save a minute is a poor bargain for a lifetime of regret or a life cut short.

The problem is less about the system and more about the culture.

A friend recently shared his experience renting a car in Hokkaido, Japan, noting a fundamental difference in road etiquette.

There, motorcycles operate exactly like cars; they occupy the centre of the lane, queue behind vehicles during jams and avoid high-speed weaving.

We can achieve this in Malaysia once motorcyclists recognise the inherent risks of aggressive filtering.

The onus is on motorcyclists to manoeuvre safely.

As the saying goes: “It is better to lose a minute in life than to lose a life in a minute.”