THIS is not to encourage road racing or illegal racing in any form. I just want to share my experience traveling and driving throughout peninsular Malaysia for a good 6 years. As some people would’ve known, driving is not just merely going from point A to point B, it is the manner of how you travel between those 2 points is what really matters.

I’ve been traveling a lot since I got my 1st car some 6 years ago. And to be honest with you, I’ve been watching MotoGP (formely known as World Grand Prix) and Formula 1 since I can remember being into life. I love motor racing more than I love football. Even to this date football is second to motor racing in my sporting interest.

If I were given the choice to pick between a professional career in GT racing or a professional football player for Manchester United, the answer will be the former, without second thought.

Racing discipline does not teach you just about speeding. The fundamental aspects of racing are, among others, awareness, reflexes, car control, patience and defensive driving. If everybody on the road applies these aspects on their everyday driving, you can only imagine how safe our road would be.

Let me put a brief explanation on how the above aspects, when applied on the road, can lead to a safer environment.

1. AWARENESS:
- In racing: awareness of the flags, stalled car, radio communication, pit signs

- On road: awareness of other slower cars in front, side and rear. Take notice of all the road signs and warning signs.

2. REFLEXES:
- In racing: how quick you can react in emergency (accident in front of you). The higher the speed, the faster you learn to react

- On road: the faster you react to a situation, the higher the chance you can avoid an accident

3. CAR CONTROL:
- In racing: rear wheel drive and high torque= over steer, wheel spin. Better car control improves your lap times.

- On road: put car into good balance after avoiding a dangerous situation, better handling in rain (u know how fast to go and how hard to brake)

4. PATIENCE:
- In racing: contrary to popular belief, racing driver is more patient than the average Joe on our normal road (including you!). They will always wait for the RIGHT moment to overtake, even if they had to follow another car for 20 laps or more.

- On road: the key to safety! If you can be patient for 20 laps behind a slower car, of course you can wait the right moment to overtake an 80-year-old grandpa on a single busy trunk road.

5. DEFENSIVE DRIVING:
- in racing: racing driver applies defensive driving when they ANTICIPATE what will happen in front of them and take the necessary measures to prevent from being involved in an accident. e.g.: slow the car down or take a different route

- On road: same. If you anticipate something is going to happen in front of you, then you can take necessary measures to avoid it. e.g.: slowing down, take a different route, honk, etc.

REMEMBER! When you took your driving license, they did not teach you the 5 aspects in details, especially Patience. But in racing, these are the BASIC knowledge that every driver has to have to become a pro race driver.

REMEMBER! Racing is not all about speed alone, there are more than just pure speed and gut-wrenching overtaking maneuver. Speed only does not kills, but recklessness and carelessness do. If a racing driver is careless or reckless on the track, he can be punished/ fined/ expelled/ suspension from the race immediately. Speed + careless can kill. Speed + reckless can kill. Slow + careless can kill. Slow + ego can kill. Slow + sleepy can kill.

If you think that speed alone kills, then every week any racing driver that pushes his car 300km/h on a straight line would have died mysteriously.

Take this scenario for instance. If a road that has a speed limit of 110km/h, and EVERY single driver drives at a speed of 110km/h, what you think will happen? Do you think them all going to die? If everyone drives at a constant speed 110km/h, there is much less tailgating and less overtaking because nobody has to push others because they are all on the same speed limit. If you reduce the chance of overtaking and tailgating, you automatically reduce the chance of an accident.

If you reduce the chance of accident, you reduce the chance of fatality. Only those who drive ABOVE the speed limit may have the chance of accident, but driving above the speed limit is speeding + reckless, and reckless driver may get into an accident.

If we all can apply these aspects of driving in our everyday driving, InsyaAllah, our road will be safer and everybody can drive with a smile on their face. I hope this article does educate me and somebody out there, and together we can make road a better place. AWARENESS & PATIENCE is key.

DISCLAIMER:
This is not a conclusive statement and should not be taken as-it-is or applied by anyone on any road in any means purely by reading it. I am not responsible for any mishap that might happen as a result of anybody heeding and applies this article into their driving. But if you benefited from it, that is great! THIS IS JUST AN OPINION THAT CHALLENGES CRITICAL RESPONSE AND FEEDBACK BY ANYONE. I AM TRYING TO EDUCATE FELLOW DRIVERS AND PRODUCE SOLUTIONS SO DRIVING WILL NEVER BE SO DANGEROUS AGAIN.