Stop! You are on camera

WHY is it that seemingly mild-mannered people turn into angry, violent monsters when they get behind the wheel?

This transformation ala the Incredible Hulk isn’t a new development, but the recent spike in road rage incidents could be directly linked to the sheer volume of cars on our roads.

The horrendous traffic jams we have had to put up with lately could be reason for the return of the ugly phenomenon known as road rage.

How else can we explain stuff we’ve seen recently on Malaysian roads? In the space of just one month, we’ve seen a pickup truck racing with a bunch of supercars and eventually colliding with a Lamborghini; a man nonchalantly waving a revolver from an open car window and taunting other motorists; a MyVi weaving through traffic dangerously while cutting into the emergency lane; a biker reacting violently by brandishing his helmet at motorists; and illegal street racing by motorcyclists endangering other motorists.

But there’s more. The above incidents are all caught on camera as were another two incidences – a motorcyclist assaulting an older man on the road next to his car; and two men coming to blows following a heated argument over a traffic accident.

Police have opened investigation papers on all the aforementioned cases but what really is happening on our roads and why are we so quick to get angry?

Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department principal assistant director Supt Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin told The Star that recent cases of road rage might have been due to the shock of high volume of traffic after a traffic-free two years due to the pandemic.

“Many Malaysians have worked from home for two years during the pandemic and rarely used our highways and roads.

“For those who do, the traffic volume was not that high compared to normal days.

“However, during the transition into the endemic phase, the traffic volume was much higher than expected,” he said.

Supt Bakri believed that the sheer volume of traffic caused some road users to lose their patience as they had set their minds to be at a certain place at a certain time.

“When they lose their patience, it will only take a little provocation to trigger an aggressive reaction,” he said.

Supt Bakri advised road users to plan their journey properly to avoid any unwanted incidents.

“Don’t take the law into your own hands. The goal is to prevent accidents and prevent any provocation between road users. Always be courteous and drive safely,” he said.

It’s no surprise that almost all these road rage incidences were caught on dashboard cameras. The dashcam footage is subsequently uploaded on social media and quickly shared. Netizens seem to share a perverse glee in making these videos viral, hoping to bring the perpetrators to justice.

These videos caught media attention and served to alert the authorities to act on road bullying cases. Suspects can be investigated under Sections 427 and 506 of the Penal Code for committing mischief, damage and criminal intimidation. If found guilty, road bullies can face up to two years in prison and a fine for each charge.

But these road menaces rarely seem to get prison sentences. The altercation between the drivers of the Lamborghini and four-wheel drive vehicle resulted in both of them being slapped with a RM2,000 fine. But if you look at the video of the incident, it’s a miracle that none of the other road users were seriously injured.

I have been toying around with the idea of installing a dashboard camera in my car for some time now. The recent road rage incidences have now convinced me to install one as soon as possible.

Dashcams are now widely available on online shopping portals. These dashboard cameras are relatively easy to operate and are also surprisingly cheap. Walk into any car accessory shop and the odds are that dashboard cameras are among their most saleable items.

They range from a paltry RM68 to upwards of RM1,000 depending on the specifications of the model and also recording resolution and memory capacity.

The installation of in-car cameras is already commonplace here and it’s probably only a matter of time before it becomes a standard accessory for car manufacturers.

They are normal practice in Europe and the United States, where several car manufacturers issue them as standard for new vehicles. The camera footage can be used by the police and Road Transport Department as traffic evidence, and it certainly can be used against road bullies.

Hopefully, cases of road bullies terrorising innocent drivers will drop drastically when they realise someone, somewhere may have recorded their act. Dashboard cameras can and will play a crucial role in road safety and security.