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THE warning by the federal traffic chief ("RM300 fine if you don’t give way to police outriders" — NST, May 5) is an indication of arrogance and high-handedness on the part of the police.
It also smacks of refusal by the police to appreciate the rights of the public, particularly motorists, on roads and their lack of understanding of the behaviour of road-users.

Please educate police outriders and escort drivers about road courtesy and the need to communicate effectively.

This will make motorists understand what they are supposed to do when confronted with a police convoy with outriders.

Do not blame the public when a police outrider gets involved in an accident while doing escort duty.
I can vouch for other motorists that if police outriders give clear signals, motorists will respect them and give way.

Instead of zooming through with sirens blaring, the outrider should slow down and wave cars on the left to move further to the left side of the road.

Then, signal the other cars to move towards the right side, thus creating an opening in the middle for the police convoy to pass smoothly.

The police must avoid zig-zagging through traffic as this only serves to confuse motorists.

By : Y.K.H., Ampang, Selangor

Article from:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/ ... index_html

I CANNOT agree more with the views of “YKH” (The Star, May 7). My impression of police outriders is that they are arrogant and expect the whole city to come to a stand still when the siren is sounded.

The statement from the federal traffic chief seemed to suggest that outriders are only for VIPs.

However, judging by the occasions where outriders are used, the threshold for attaining VIP status so as to be entitled to outriders must be very low.

I certainly hope that outsiders should only be for the King, Sultans, Prime Minister and other 'real' VIPs and the outriders must be educated to think that they are facilitators and not more important than the VIPs they are escorting.

Many people are thoroughly tired of the present situation.

FRANCIS TAN,
Kuala Lumpur.

Article from:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fi ... &sec=focus

I WOULD like to second the letter by “YKH” on the arrogance of the police warning issued by the federal traffic chief (The Star, May 5).

It is indeed arrogant of her to blatantly disregard the public's outcry on the rude behaviour of police outriders and instead chose to pin the blame on the public.

Police outriders who are rude and bully motorists are well known and I believe almost all motorists can attest to this.

I have personally witnessed a police outrider kicking a car that was slow to make way, yelling at motorists and showing hand gestures that were uncalled for.

Often, they direct motorists to move aside like bullies.

The police should really go on a public relations exercise to further educate motorists on how to react to a police convoy than to blindly blame the public and threaten them.

In reality, it is difficult to know where the convoy is coming from simply by hearing the sound of the siren.

Motorists will only know it is approaching upon seeing the outriders.

And in Kuala Lumpur, roads are often congested and motorists will only see the outriders when they are a few cars behind.

When the police threaten, are rude and bully motorists, they will not get the desired co-operation.

OBLIGING MOTORIST,
Puchong, Selangor.

Article from:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fi ... &sec=focus

KUALA LUMPUR: Police escort riders must follow the speed limit while on duty just like other road users, said Federal traffic chief Senior Asst Comm II Datuk Nooryah Md Anvar.

“There are no special privileges given to traffic policemen. They have to obey the traffic rules.

“This is to ensure that they do not pose a danger to other motorists while they are on duty,” she said, adding that the escort riders’ motorbikes had sirens which could be heard from 100m away.

She was commenting on public grouses that some police escorts pose a danger in the manner they rode their vehicles while on duty.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) deputy chairman Hisham Harun Hashim urged motorists not to tailgate ambulances as there was a high risk of collision.

“Ambulance drivers are professionally trained to drive at high speed. If they stop suddenly, accidents can occur,” he said.

On Friday, SAC II Nooryah said drivers could be fined RM300 if they trail or obstruct ambulances, fire engines or VIP motorcades.

She was commenting on the accident in Kuala Terengganu last month when two traffic cops escorting the Regent of Terengganu were killed when they rammed into a car which came to a sudden halt at a junction

By RASHITHA A. HAMID

Article from:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fi ... sec=nation