Motorists express disdain over other road users’ insolent and reckless attitudes

Collisions are mostly due to reckless overtaking 

* You can just follow behind this idiot driver and arrive alive at your destination

* Some drivers, mostly those driving German machines, tend to increase their speed when you are overtaking them

* Have a good car radio with nice songs and have enough fuel to just follow the idiot driver in front

* It is also important to know and to do a bit of defensive driving and we must continue going back to the Highway Code as our reminder

* At 60km/h—‘It is Well With My Soul’; at 200km/h—‘I Have Decided To Follow Jesus’ and at 220km/h; ‘Take my life’

By Duncan Mlanjira

There are some bad elements who abuse the social media platforms but there is always a majority of the public that patronise it for the good of others — one such is the ‘Know Your Car’ Facebook Group on which its members share important tips on use of cars, defensive driving and many others.

Tuesday’s post by one member, Kazembe Woo Jin Mateso shared what he observed and offered advice on about two road accidents aftermaths he encountered along the Lilongwe-Blantyre M1 Road, which attracted an avalanche of responses in support.

Mateso said eye witnesses at one peculiar accident said both vehicles were overtaking one vehicle but the motorist being overtaken suddenly shifted to the right — beyond the white line — forcing the overtaking car to brake suddenly and slow down.

The other car that was following up the overtaking process then slammed into the car in front he was closely following behind in support of the overtaking process.

 

Thus, Mateso decided to share this information with members of ‘Know Your Car’ Facebook Group to offer some advice on what to do when overtaking.

He said:

1. When overtaking, do not make the assumption that the motorist in front is aware of your presence. Other drivers can be on the phone or that their vehicles don’t have any rear view mirrors. As such it’s hard for them to be aware of your presence;

2. Before you start an overtake, make sure that the motorists in front becomes aware that you are behind them and you intend to overtake. If it’s during the day, you move your car into the other lane and make TWO QUICK HOOTS or HONKS with your horn (Pee Pee) to make the other driver aware that you are overtaking;

3. If they are a seasoned driver, they HOOT/HONK back to let you know that they have gotten your message and you can pass;

4. If you are overtaking at night, you flash lights twice as well as honk twice for the motorist in front to be aware of your intention to overtake;

5. Some accidents happen because of intolerance. I have noted some drivers, mostly those driving German machines, tend to increase their speed when you are overtaking them. When you meet such motorists, the wiser decision is to avoid forcing matters as such behaviours are recipes for disaster.

He signed off with a sneer, saying: “You can just follow behind this idiot driver and arrive alive at your destination. Let’s drive safe.”

The post was well received by the members with Albert Kasullo attesting that he once had a bad experience with a motorist driving German car, Golf. Midway through his acceleration in the overtaking process, the other motorist decided to increase speed.

Kasullo said he decided to relent and slowed down for the motorist in the faster Golf model to have his way since most of such drivers believe a German vehicle shouldn’t be overtaken.

Henry Kapitapita agreed with Mateso and Kasullo of such “idiot drivers” who indeed increase speed when they are being overtaken while Miriam Nguluwe was incredulous of this behavior — asking the question; “Chimakhala chani, kuzolowela wrestling basi (what is in it for them, is it just their insolent behavior of wrestling for everything)?”

Blessings Munthali said he always advises Facebook Know Your Car members to have a decent car radio with very nice songs and have enough fuel to just follow the “idiot driver” in front.

Moses Somba Phiri applauded Mateso for the “good message as overtaking is the most risky decision made on our roads” while Davie Phiri offered further advice that “it is also important to know and to do a bit of defensive driving”.

“We must continue going back to the Highway Code as our reminder because some of these things can easily be forgotten,” Somba Phiri said.

Another commentator chipped in to say there are some motorists that when they encounter an incomplete overtaking process in front of them, they flash their lights incessantly as a sign of annoyance instead of just slowing down and giving way by moving to the side of the road if there is enough flat surface.

Motorists being overtaken are also asked to exercise caution by reducing speed and giving a bit of breathing space on the country’s mostly narrow roads in the eventuality of an incomplete overtaking process when an oncoming vehicle is approaching.

Yoconiah Chitsonga advised motorists being asked to be overtaken through a horn alert by others behind to also offer to move a bit to the left from the white line to allow the overtaking process be smooth.

“I’ve been called a boring driver because I don’t overtake,” commented Mwangeyi Medi. “I’d rather be boring and alive than be exciting and dead” to which Hope Trifonia Maseko replied that most men, when they notice that the slower motorist they are overtaking is a lady, mostly sneer: “Aaaah, it’s a woman! No wonder she is slow”.

“Ine ndimangoti ‘kapitani sitikupita kofanana’ (go on, we aren’t going to the same destination),” Maseko said.

Patrick Kalumba observed that there are plenty reckless overtaking along the Blantyre-Lilongwe M1 Road than the same M1 Road from Lilongwe to Mzuzu stretch, also expressing the wonder why motorists are always caught over speeding by the traffic police where it is indicated to reduce speed.

Naomi Mpate shared that her driving instructor once alluded that she should always consider other road users as insane and reckless and believe in herself as a ‘normal motorist’.

“Just overtake when it is safe to do so for you. Don’t count on what others are doing or signaling you to overtake them. Just do the best you can by driving carefully.”

She also expressed incredulity that many decide to overtake on solid white line which is a signal not to overtake while others try to negotiate an overtake at a bend without a care that another car might be approaching from the blind side.

She also advised that when a front car’s brake lights show the motorist is slowing down, it means there is something ahead they have noticed and those coming behind should be patient enough and analyse the situation.

Sekani Chenda Mkandawire recounted a nasty incident he encountered last February on the same Lilongwe-Blantyre M1 Road when a Fermak truck driver gave him an indicator that he could proceed to overtake.

After checking that it was indeed clear in front, he started to execute the overtaking process but in the middle of it, the truck driver followed Mkandawire into his lane.

He was struck by the double tyres of the truck’s horse whose impact made Mkandawire’s car fly some 30m off the road.

“By the grace of God, the car landed safely without rolling on its sides,” Mkandawire said. “The truck driver didn’t stop but wellwishers came over to our rescue and assisted accordingly.

“Some other sympathiser in the rescue team alluded that truck drivers tend to do such heartless manouvres as they said my incident was a fourth they had witnessed.”

Skymark Sikwala shared what is supposed to be a joke — ‘Road Traffic recommended Hymns to guide us while driving’ this festive season and beyond but should be considered as something to be mulled over seriously.

At 60km/h—‘It is Well With My Soul’; At 80km/h—‘God will Take Care of Me’; at 100km/h—‘Guide Me Oh Thou Great Redeemer’; at 120km/h; ‘Nearer My God to Thee’; at 140km/h— ‘This World Is Not My Home’; at 160km/h—‘Lord, I Am Coming Home’; at 180km/h— ‘I Fly Away’; at 200km/h; ‘I Have Decided To Follow Jesus’ and at 220km/h—‘Take my life’

Sikwala said: “Please, don’t just laugh it off — learn the hymns and adjust. Most importantly pass it on so that we stop over speeding.

“The road is very patient but it doesn’t forgive. May God continue to help us.”