Hati-hati..

Salam tengah hari Isnin semua. Hari Isnin adalah hebat..! Silalah katakan ayat tersebut berulang kali walaupun Isnin anda biasa-biasa atau tidak bermaya kerana apabila kita berfikiran positif, semuanya akan jadi positif. Tapi dulu Ustaz Akram pernah kata waktu kelas Bahasa Arab Tinggi (BAT) pada hari Isnin bahawa sebaik-baik perkara adalah di pertengahan. Beliau turut memberikan sepotong hadis yang bermaksud:

"sebaik-baik perkara adalah yang dipertengahan"

Maknanya tak kurang, tak melebih-lebih. Sebab beliau menerangkan tentang hadis tersebut? Sebab aku selalu ngantuk waktu BAT hari Isnin. Tak tahu la kenapa. Tu yang beliau cakap macam tu. Terus segar mata yang layu. Hehehe...

Baru-baru ni aku ada menerima satu email dari Pensyarahku yang menjadi Penyelia untuk praktikum tempoh hari. Perkongsian dari wanita untuk wanita. Email tersebut sangatlah panjang maka pergilah ambil air teh dulu ke, biskut-biskut ke sambil nak baca entri ni.

It was last Friday, 15th October 2010. I was heading home from work (from Lebuhraya Mahamehru into Fed Highway and heading towards Old Klang Road, into Jalan Kuchai Lama towards Besraya Highway for Seri Kembangan).

Traffic had been the usual Friday evening traffic – BAD, right from my place of work - it was approximately 7.45pm when I reached and entered Jln Kuchai Lama from Old Klang Road and noticed a heavily tinted old looking taxi (Proton Wira) in yellow & white, the registration plates were not very visible as well. It was HP 60….something… The taxi was driving very close to me nearly grazing the right size of my car. This made me swerve to the left lane just right after Ajinomoto factory before the set of traffic lights (there is a Chinese Restaurant cum Night Club on the left side). The taxi somehow stopped next to me and the driver wound down the window and started throwing abuses at me in Bahasa Melayu which I ignored.

When the lights turned green, I moved on but the taxi kept closeby and cut off in front of me from the left, he then continued to apply his brakes deliberately, I swerved to the right lane & he cut me off, then I swerved to the left and he moved left as well. A few other vehicles who witnessed this- honked and a few motorcyclists even yelled at the taxi driver.

As I continued driving slowly into Bestraya Highway, the taxi slowed down and I passed him on the right, as I did that he turn his vehicle towards mine hitting my right front wheel and side body. He continued with his abuses in Bahasa Melayu with his window down yelling that I had hit his taxi. He over took me and drove in front of my vehicle then applied emergency brakes and stopped his taxi in front of my vehicle. I had no choice but to do the same but managed not to hit his taxi from the rear as I was driving slow.

The taxi driver, an Indian guy alight from his heavily tinted taxi walked straight towards me & pounded on my window with his fist (I was quite afraid that the window would break). He shouted that I had hit him & tried to run away (You langgar saya and mau lari ah? You mesti bayar! You keluar dari kereta sekarang!)- something to that effect. He was very very loud & kept pounding on my window which I refused to wind down. He was obviously a road bully. As I contemplated to reverse my car & drive fast to the nearest Police station, another vehicle stopped right behind me- this time was a Kancil. In that split second I thought I had been trapped and the only way out was to reverse and ram the Kancil to free myself from these gangsters

However, I was surprised when out from the Kancil came an elderly Malay man who shouted at the taxi driver (the taxi driver was an Indian guy in his mid 40s, wearing glasses, medium built, approx. 5’ 6” in height only, in horizontal stripped tee shirt and not white shirt like most taxi driver’s would wear) to stop hitting my car window and to stop harassing me ie: Kenapa you sengaja kacau dia. Dari Old Klang Road you sudah kacau dia mau langgar dia! Then a heated argument ensued. The taxi guy kept shooing the Malay man away telling him that it was not his problem and to leave the scene immediately. The good Samaritan refused and stood his ground. By this time a younger man (early 20s- could he his son or colleague) stood by him & also told off the taxi driver. The Kancil was a TM (Telekom Malaysia) car.

Then an Iranian looking man in his mid 30s, also medium build, curly short hair with moustache, fair skinned came out from the taxi and pulled the brutish taxi driver away from us. The Taxi driver continued his verbal abuses at me that I had hit his car and wanted payment from me. He shouted for me to get out from my car which I refused. The good Samaritan instructed me to stay in the car. He then cautioned the taxi driver that he will lodge a report to the Police for his reckless driving and his abusive ways to me. He also took his mug shot and of the taxi’s with his mobile phone. This angered the taxi driver who went for the older man with intention to hit him but was pulled back by the Iranian looking man. The younger Malay man also came forward to protect to the older man.

Finally the horrible taxi driver returned to his taxi pulled back by the Iranian but turned and threatened all of us that he will find us should we report him to the police. To this the good Samaritan threatened him back that he will find him first and ensure that he be kept in the lock-up! It was a horrible experience even for someone like me who has formal safety & security training. The entire incident lasted approximately 15 minuts and at a dark and lonely stretch of the highway. There were on lookers but no one stopped except this good Samaritan and his young friend. Before we took off from the location, 2 other Malay men stopped and inquired if we needed assistance.. The good Samaritan even escorted me until I reached the tol gates (after Palace of the Golden Horses) before he made a turn back.

I was lucky that this wonderful kind soul came to my rescue and stood his ground with such a horrible brute who clearly had targeted me and only God knows his actual intention. Also what was the Iranian doing in his car? Most likely both were in this together. My car maybe damaged but I am glad my driver’s side window withstood the heavy pounding by the horrible man. The younger man informed me later that the taxi license & photo inside the vehicle is not the driver’s. The plate number was not clear as well.

There is not much I can access but I thank God for the good Samaritan and although with good driving skills which I have earned driving the past 25 years and being taught all the skills of handling a car by my car crazy Dad, I must say this guy was very focus into driving me off the road and into damaging my vehicle with the intention to rob me or maybe even abduct me. I would never know and chose not to think too far. I am no longer young and already way into my 40s and basically is rarely every fearful of anything including open seas, heights, darkness, snakes & ghosts. However, what happened to me last Friday night have made me more aware of the roads I am taking especially in the evenings when one is tired after work and just wants to go home. I must be more alert - I could have driven into a petrol station or made a U turn back when I was in Old Klang road and headed straight for the Pondok Police in Mid Valley if I had sensed the danger.

I am not one to write lengthy e-mails BUT this unfortunate experience I must share with you. I pray that none of you or your friends and loved ones ever have to encounter such and cross paths with such brutes and road gangsters.

Be safe & stay alert always. My next car will most likely be a truck or a vehicle road bullies will not target so easily. I have to be less complacent to assume that road bullies and thugs only targets younger girls. We should all be more aware and alert at all times especially when driving alone in the evenings along lonely dark roads and highways - even if the lonely part are short stretches. Again, I can never thank the Pak Cik who saved me last Friday night- he refused to provide me his details and refused any rewards, he told me that knowing I am safe that night is reward enough for him. God bless this wonderful and caring being and his friend.

Take care all
Be safe always
Joyce Chew

Sudah baca? Bahaya kan jadi wanita ni? Jadi, ketika anda mahu memandu,

1. pastikan telefon bimbit anda dicaj dan mempunyai kredit.
2. JANGAN letakkan beg tangan/beg laptop anda di atas kerusi penumpang iaitu tempat yang senang dilihat oleh orang lain.
3. cuba untuk tidak melalui jalan yang sama setiap hari.
4. sentiasa perhatikan kenderaan dibelakang, kiri dan kanan anda sekiranya ia mencurigakan.
5. jangan terlalu panik sekiranya perkara yang tidak diingini berlaku.

Perkongsian ini perlu kerana aku adalah seorang wanita yang kerap memandu sendirian. Kadang-kadang aku ni berani mati memandu malam-malam sendiri atau melalui jalan yang agak sunyi pada waktu malam. Alhamdulillah tiada perkara buruk berlaku dan minta dijauhkan. Setiap kali memandu, aku akan teringat pesanan sesetengah orang yang prihatin. Contohnya bila aku rasa memandu agak laju, aku teringat Ifdal cakap "Akak, slow kak. Jalan tak elok ni." Atau bila melalui jalan yang agak sunyi, teringat Bik Seri cakap; "Bahaya la ikut jalan tu, tak ramai orang lalu. Tak apalah lalu jalan jauh sikit."