Two Road Bully Cases In One Day, What Is Going On?
On the same day, a taxi driver slapped a girl while another man spat on a woman's windscreen. We're worried about what's becoming of Malaysian drivers.
By Hew Lee Yee — 19 Nov 2014, 12:45 PM — Updated about 10 years ago
Remember the story of a woman who was verbally berated and physically hurt by a taxi driver in front of KLCC going viral two weeks ago?
Yet again, another story of a road bully case has surfaced. Facebook user, Jeslene Tan took to social media to reveal her assault in Jalan Raja Chulan following an argument with a taxi driver.
17/11/14, at about 7.40am, behind Hotel Istana, Jalan Raja Chulan. I was assaulted by a road bully, who is a Chinese uncle of age about 60 ( taxi number HBA 7059). I was entering a backstreet with two way lanes. He was coming from far and wanted to exit the road.
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Based on her account, the taxi refused to let her car through in a tight lane and later bumped her car. Both drivers got out of their car, argued and soon after, the taxi driver slapped her.
She said two cars were parked on the both sides of the road and when she drove ahead, a taxi suddenly came in front of her. The taxi driver honked at her and when she refused to move her vehicle, he allegedly rammed her car. The taxi driver then came out of his vehicle and slapped her.
thestar.com.myThen he slapped me on my left face. I slapped him back and then he slapped and grabbed my face on the right. To defend myself i could only pinched his chest. Then he let go. The slap caused a cut on my lips and bleed.
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On the same day, there was also another road bully incident where a man spat on a woman's car windscreen and breaking her wiper along Subang Jaya, USJ
Met wt a road bully on the way to work today.. He was driving left lane right land left lane right lane. I honked him n he came down. Banged on my window, asked me wat I wan, spit on the windscreen, damaged my wiper n bent my side mirror.
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The woman shared images of the incident on Facebook which went viral with over 5,700 shares and over a thousand likes. Her aggressor has since then been arrested.
The victim shared 15 images on her Facebook page and gave an account of the suspect’s acts, which sparked furious reactions from netizens.
thestar.com.myAfter images of a road bully spitting on the windscreen of a woman’s car and damaging it have gone viral on social media, a 58-year-old man has been arrested. He was detained at his house in Subang Jaya, several hours after the victim lodged a report against him on Monday.
thestar.com.myWith two road bully incidents in just one day, it highlights a serious, continuous problem in Malaysia. The acts of causing damage and intimidation is punishable under Sections 427 and 506 of the Penal Code.
How exactly is someone triggered to behave violently in those instances? It is a physiological response, attributed to the increase of blood pressure and testosterone levels, as well as increased breathing and production of adrenaline, amongst other things.
If you identify yourself as a road bully, taking your frustration on other drivers is never the right answer. There are steps that can be taken to avoid road rage.
How should drivers react in the heat of those moments when dealing with road bullies? One simple way is to not engage in confrontation or rude gestures.
When cut off by a driver, our first impulse is often to honk the horn, flash the high beams, or make a certain hand gesture. But road rage isn't an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" type of thing, and these gestures, however gratifying, can inflame an already-heated situation.
esurance.comIf an angry driver yells at you or shares a rude gesture out his or her window, don't make eye contact or yell back. Keep your eyes on the road and ignore the angry driver. Fighting and driving angry is dangerous to both of you as well as the other drivers and will only cause the situation to escalate.
Like in many stressful situations, it is important to stay calm to avoid escalating the situation
The last thing you want to do is get in on the road rage. Keeping a healthy perspective (you won't get home much sooner when you're angry) and understanding how to defuse your own road rage can help you avoid an accident.
esurance.comHowever, in the event that the situation escalates, always keep yourself safe by calling for help or driving to the nearest police station for assistance
If you're at your wit's end or worried about a certain raging driver, pull over and call 911 or your state's aggressive driving hotline. And if you do get into an accident with an aggressive driver, don't hesitate to call the police to the scene.
esurance.comIf you do become a victim of another driver's road rage and you feel threatened, take steps to keep yourself safe. Note the license plate number, make, and model of the vehicle in case the situation escalates and there is vehicle damage. If you're being followed, drive to the nearest police station and request assistance.