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WHY become my enemy when you can be my friend? And when I see you next time, I will take good care of you. Such a 'make peace' offering may be effective in resolving a dispute. But in this case, it landed the person who made the offer in more trouble, because he had tried to use it to bribe a traffic police officer into letting him off for a traffic offence. Sergeant Pah Wenxiang was patrolling along Woodlands Road at about 5.30pm on 31 Oct last year when he spotted a driver of a white car making an illegal U-turn and driving against traffic flow for 500m. In doing so, the driver narrowly missed a collision with a motorcyclist before entering a petrol station. The cop then tailed the driver and confronted him when the latter stopped at the petrol station. The driver, Lim Teck Choon, a 56-year-old Malaysian businessman, told Sgt Pah he did not want to be caught in the traffic jam and wanted to return to Malaysia as soon as possible. He even went on to suggest that it was common for vehicles to reverse and drive against the flow of traffic when there was a traffic jam. His excuse cut no ice and Sgt Pah proceeded to inform Lim that he would be charged in court for dangerous driving and that he would be placed under arrest. Tried to bargain Lim tried to bargain with Sgt Pah by asking whether it was possible not to 'summon' him so 'heavily'. Sgt Pah replied that he had no choice as Lim had committed a serious traffic offence. Lim acknowledged that he was at fault and that he could not deny this. While waiting for the police car to arrive, Sgt Pah started a conversation with Lim, who said that he was a businessman with businesses in Singapore and Malaysia. He added that he also owned plantations in Johor which were popular grounds for fishing and hunting. Lim then told Sgt Pah: 'Why want to do this, be enemy. You should let me go. We can be friends. Next time you come to Malaysia, Iwill take care of you, still got benefits.' On hearing that, Sgt Pah felt that the accused was offering a bribe, and he accordingly told the accused that it was an offence to do so. The accused replied 'okay' and did not say anything else after that. Still, the offer to bribe the cop landed Lim in hot water. When his case came up before District Judge Jasvender Kaur, the judge noted that attempting to bribe a police officer is a serious offence. But she took into account Lim's plea for leniency in this case. First, after Lim's request of not being summoned so heavily was turned down, Lim did not persist. Lim admitted he was wrong and that the traffic police officer was only doing his duty. Judge Kaur said: 'I think it is reasonable to say that the accused would, in all probability, not have said what he said had Sgt Pah not started the casual conversation.' Lim also pleaded with the judge, saying that he was a deputy chairman of Malaysian Chinese Association for the town of Kampong Jawa in Johor, and he has helped students and orphans in his constituency As Lim had no previous records, he was spared the jail sentence and was fined $15,000 for the bribery offence. He was fined $2,500 earlier and disqualified from driving for six months. The prosecution has since filed an appeal against the sentence. Under the law, those who commit bribery offences can be jailed up to five years or a fined up to $100,000, or both. |
• Remember that motorists often have trouble seeing motorcycles and reacting in time.
• Make sure your headlight works and is on day and night.
• Use reflective strips or decals on your clothing and on your motorcycle.
• Be aware of the blind spots cars and trucks have.
• Flash your brake light when you are slowing down and before stopping.
• If a motorist doesn’t see you, don’t be afraid to use your horn.
• Wear a quality helmet and eye protection.
• Wear bright clothing and a light-colored helmet.
• Wear leather or other thick, protective clothing.
• Choose long sleeves and pants, over-the-ankle boots, and gloves.
• Remember – the only thing between you and the road is your protective gear.
• Give yourself space and time to respond to other motorists’ actions.
• Give other motorists time and space to respond to you.
• Use lane positioning to be seen; ride in the part of a lane where you are most visible.
• Watch for turning vehicles.
• Signal your next move in advance.
• Avoid weaving between lanes.
• Pretend you’re invisible, and ride extra defensively.
• Don't ride when you are tired or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
• Know and follow the rules of the road, and stick to the speed limit.
• Get formal training and take refresher courses.
Motorcycle safety is nothing to sneeze at. Motorcycles are fun and exciting machines to ride, but also carry with them an element of danger. It is with this in mind that basic motorcycle safety is important to consider before jumping on your bike. You should also look into getting quality motorcycle safety gear to keep yourself as protected from injury as possible.
One of the most basic motorcycle safety tips is to always be fully aware of everything that is going on around you. This sounds like a Herculean task, but is essential for motorcycle rides. Because motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles on the road, they are easier to miss by the drivers of those vehicles who may swerve into your lane or pull out of a parking lot without ever seeing you. With this in mind, you should always have an emergency out, meaning you should have a plan for where to swerve to if someone stops quickly in front of you, cuts you off, blows through a stop sign or pulls out without seeing you.
When following a car you should stay a safe distance back, toward the driver’s side. This will make you visible in two mirrors: both the standard rear view and side rear view mirrors, rather than just the standard rear-view mirror.
The first and probably most important piece of motorcycle safety gear is the helmet. Though not required by law in all states, it is recommended by all safety professionals. Your head is the one appendage you must keep in full working order. Riding without a helmet is asking for trouble.
There are a few different styles of helmet that give you varying degrees of protection. The full-face models cover your entire head, including your face. Not only do these helmets protect your head from injury during a fall, they also protect your face and eyes from rocks and other debris that can be kicked up by other vehicles. Shell-style helmets will protect your head if you fall, but will not help against road debris. The least protective style is the skull cap helmet. This will barely protect your head from injury if you trip and fall while walking to your bike. These helmets are really just worn for looks and by anti-helmet people who live in “helmet states.”