Personally, I wish the local council could do something like widening the road from town to the two schools, SRK Sultan Yussuf and SRK/SMK St. Bernadette Convent, to enable safe cycling by students.
Well, Cheng made the grade with her defence on her thesis proposal and it is now getting down to finding the right supervisors. So she will be in Maastricht for another two years.
While Malaysia is learning from Holland the technology in agriculture, the developed country has gone past the material stage and pedal power is very much evident because of its eco-friendliness.
Malaysians are ashamed to be seen riding a bicycle (unless it is the expensive one costing over a few thousand ringgit owned by enthusiast with all the right gear), because it seems to reflect the person as a villager (and therefore uncouth?), or a poor person who cannot afford a car.
Over in Europe, and especially in the Benelux countries, riding bicycle is the norm and a necessity. If you travel by train, you can see the hundreds or even a thousand bicycles parked by commuters.
While we cocked up on the double-tracking, we have missed by another few years, the advantages of commuting by train to take off the load from the clogged up expressways.
Our new station in BG has been idle for a number of years. Now that the double-tracking between Rawang and Ipoh has been completed, we have to wait for another two years for the coaches!
Malaysia Boleh!
mr. ong... you forgot to mention that your son commutes to work daily by bike!
ReplyDeletebk
Ha ha ha!
ReplyDeleteYou are not in a Benelux country. Still, UK is far more cyclist-friendly than Malaysia. The motorists respect pedestrians and cyclists.
Outside, Maybank in BG, there is a pedestrian crossing just before traffic lights. The golden rule for your own safety is to look at the traffic lights and ensure it is red and the cars begin to stop before you attempt to cross the road. Even then, you have to look at the driver to see if he or she is about to stop for you!
I spoke to Mat Nor, a traffic policeman about it and he said 'biasa lah, mesti tengok dulu'. The best part was, their presence does not include making sure the drivers obey the rules on pedestrian crossing! So life goes on with motorists breaking rules and pedestrians risk breaking their legs.