"Nobody Uses Their Signals" — Taiwan Vlogger Says Malaysian Driving Culture Scares Him
"Everyone's like a 'car god'. They own a Toyota, but drive it like a Maserati," he said.
By May Vin Ang — 05 Apr 2024, 04:25 PM
A Taiwanese travel vlogger has garnered attention for his comments on "Malaysian driving culture"
The Xiaohongshu user wrote that on his recent trip to Malaysia, he was really surprised by and scared of the cultural norms he noticed while his friends drove him around the country.
He gave four examples that surprised him, humouring hundreds of Malaysians who have stumbled upon his video.
First of all, he was surprised that motorcycles are allowed on the highway
He said he only noticed it when his friend was driving at 120km/h on a highway, and was blown away when he realised a motorcycle next to their car was also driving at the same speed.
Secondly, he observed that nobody uses their signals when cutting into another lane.
"I was scared at first. But all my Malaysian friends said, 'Don't worry, we knew he was going to cut over.'
"But I was still scared! Maybe, I'm just not used to this. In Taiwan, if you do not use your indicators, you'll be reported," he said.
Third, he said that every car speeds like a "super car"
"Everyone's like a 'car god'. They own a Toyota, but drive it like a Maserati," he said.
Lastly, he realised that nobody honks out of politeness.
"My usual driving habit is that if I see a car too close to me, I'll sound the horn to warn you.
"But this behaviour alarmed my Malaysian friend, who shouted at me, 'You can't simply honk!'" he said.
In the comments section, many Xiaohongshu users generally agreed with the travel vlogger's observations
"Malaysians are usually friendly and pleasant, but they turn into irritable uncles when they drive," said a user.
"When driving in Malaysia, you need to be imaginative and anticipate whenever the car next to you is going to cut into your lane," agreed another.
Meanwhile, a Malaysian user explained, "We usually flash our headlights as a friendly reminder. Generally, you don't sound the horn unless it's urgent.
