JPJ to act on fancy number plate

Malaysian registration plates are displayed at the front and rear of all private and commercial motorised vehicles in Malaysia, as required by law that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database.


For regular vehicles, it should be white letters and numbers, embossed or glued on a black plate. Arial Bold is currently the preferred typeface, but other readable typefaces may be used depending on the vehicle dealer's or owner's preference. Early Malaysian license plates were largely made of pressed metal, but were largely superseded by plastic plates and characters since the 1970s.

After months of issuing warnings, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will begin its nation-wide crackdown against motorists flouting rules and specifications from 1 NOVEMBER 2014 onwards.

The Road Transport Department, JPJ has begun enforcement on motorists using prohibited number plates, strobe lights and High Intensity Discharge, HID lamps on their vehicles.



However, authorities have delayed the enforcement on the new regulation on tinting for car windscreens and windows to May 2015 but isn't it the same operation clampdown conducted by JPJ since 2008.


WE SHALL soon find out whether the JPJ is serious about enforcing the law.

 Yeah I could tell they mean business from the way they treat those who flaunt the law .

NOTE WHEN YOU ARE CAUGHT involved in an offence, it will cost you time, money and you have to go through the troublesome process.

1. When you received a summons, you can’t pay the fine yet!
2. You also get a PG1 notice (Notis Larangan Penggunaan). To get this notice retracted, the car owner needs to brought back the vehicle to RTD for inspection within 10 days. You get about two months grace period to turn up for the inspection.
3. Only after the inspection is completed satisfactorily,  you may be able allow to pay the fine.
4. If you don’t turn up for the inspection, you will get an uncleared summons which means  go to court and face the possibility of the maximum fine up to RM2,000.
5 What if you don’t show up in court? Anyone can be slapped with a fine and held in contempt of court. An arrest warrant will be issued and you will be blacklisted by the RTD.

It's not worth the trouble knowing your plates are not according to specification but still not doing about it. How much to pay to  replace your vehicle's registration plates? Replacement plates cost just Rm 20 for both front and rear plates.

Even if your vehicle number plates that adhered to the prescribed size and specifications but if the plate was defective, then  it will still be considered an offence. Such as when the sun has faded the letters or numbers on the number plate.

The Examples of Vehicles Plate Measurement

Is crystal letterings allowed?

This is how a number plate meet with  the official specifications for licence plates looks like. Although  it's aesthetically ugly, but functionally. The gap created  look like one or more missing teeth.

SCHEDULE OF FINES FOR THOSE WHO BREACH THE RULES

A. Number plates

1. Cars and motorcycles (above 250cc): compoundable fine
RM100 (if settled within two weeks)
RM150 (if settled between two weeks and a month)
 RM250 (if settled after a month).

2. Motorcycles below 250cc: compoundable fine
RM70 (if settled within two weeks)
RM120 (between two weeks and a month
RM200 (if more than a month)

B. Strobe lights and HID headlamps: compoundable fine
RM100 (if settled within two weeks)
RM150 (between two weeks and a month)
RM250 (if more than a month)

According to JPJ director-general Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad Ismail said under JPJ specifications, only three types of number plates are allowed.

For regular vehicles, it should be white letters and numbers, embossed or glued on a black plate while for vehicles of embassies, the United Nations or the International Natural Rubber Association, it should be white letters and numbers, embossed or glued on a red plate.

Taxis and hired cars should have black letters and numbers, embossed or glued on a white plate.


Let me guess why some of the them are still reluctant to change their vehicle registration plates that does not conform to the standard ?

1. I seldom go into town. A case of he wants to play “hide & seek” or cat and mouse.

2. Most people will say how can you say that their vehicle registration plate do not comply with the JPJ specification? It's a new vehicle from the car dealer and  the vehicle registration will usually be completed by the dealer. So is mine's.

3. It's just a FAD that will go away but what if  this time JPJ mean business! We are getting Serious! No more Mr. Nice Guy!

4. My car plate is original plate. One thing puzzled me is why the company who actually make the number plate failed to follow the rules set by JPJ ?

5. There are still many drivers have not changed their number plate, so what's the rush? Most  of these people are not ready to hit the panic button just yet.

Definitely not acceptable.  Some of these plates are extremely hard to read from even a short distance.Plates must be readable in daylight and night.  Owners may not use decorative or fancy fonts.

Most owners number plate failed to conform to certain minor legal specifications,  eg. having an incorrect spacing of its letters or numbers but everything has to go by the book. JPJ standards dictate that the gaps between letters are 10mm. Spacing between alphabet and number groups is 30mm. Height and width are 70mm and 40mm respectively with a thickness of 10mm.

Taking action against motorists with fancy plates and difficult to read plates will also help the police to effectively combat crime, as plates with small or fancy numbers make it hard for the police to read and might thus allow criminals flee.

A simple change in letter spacing can make 13 look like B or 8. The letter O can look like D, 12 can look like 15 and the letter S can get confused with the number 5.

This might not work as most of us knows criminals can easily buy new -conforming number plates to disguise a car they have stolen but it does serve purpose in  identify and track vehicles involved in hit and run accidents or imposing a penalty upon the owner of a vehicle for traffic violations. (One example is speeding )

Do pressed metal number plates comply with the regulations?

Will Malaysian car one day reverted back to that past practice fitted with pressed metal number plates? Perhaps the best way is for JPJ to provide the number plates. That way we can have some sort of standardization.

Perhaps the JPJ take a cue from Indiana Jones. No ticket! funny scene.

This scene was a classic. The passengers probably figured if he'd throw an SS officer out the window for not having a ticket, he would have no hesitation to do it to a civilian. Now every passengers will start taking him seriously when he asked for tickets inspection.

Most owners still taking a Wait and See Attitude toward the Legal requirements for displaying their number plate. People can only take it seriously if there is  regulatory inspection and enforcement on the regulations.

Presently, I still see more than 90 per cent of vehicle registration plates on the road do not meet the specifications stipulated by the Road Transport Department (JPJ). Either the crackdown was running out of steam or it just began to heat up?

I'm not taking any chances. My mom always said there is an old Chinese saying, “government officials have two mouths" --> 官字两个口..you can't win them.

The long arm of the law is bound to catch you if you violate the law.

What I would like to see the Road Transport Department (JPJ) do next is to stop these young students riding motorcycles to school  without the proper license class. Most would ride freely without wearing a helmet and this has been going on forever till someone put a stop to this  before a tragedy happens.

Be a considerate road user

Before you even start learning to drive on the road, you need to pass a basic Highway Code and you need to understand them well so you don't putting yourself or others at risk.

New road users must build positive attitudes to road use and to take responsibility for using the roads safely. This, in turn, should result in fewer deaths and serious injuries among road users.
 Improves safety by practising road skills is a significant life saving skill which might safe your life one day. Unlike playing a PS3 game, in real life you won't get that second chance or restarting the game due to your mistakes.  When a fatal error occurs, there's no way to go back and undo. In a simpler words, "What's done cannot be undone."

Road users are required by law to sit and pass the highway code test. Is that enough? I think before getting their license to drive, the authority should include a class to teach drivers to be more civic minded.

So how to be considerate road users?


It is important to be patient with all who use the road. Be patient and stay calm when driving but we often found ourselves become impatient when behind trucks or stuck in a traffic jam.

 Patience is a virtue, and this gentle giant of a dog shows it!

Common Parking Mistakes.

 Is your car parking too close to the other vehicle's? Leaving with no space for  one needs to get in or out of the vehicle.

When struggles to find a parking spot for his car some of them will drew inspiration from Mr. Bean.

 Parking your car correctly.

Drivers who park in two spots or parking spaces is a nuisance and, as a consequence, his vehicle occupied two parking the empty lot deprive other drzivers of parking lots.

This happens all the time..Hey there is a empty parking lot but when you're about to turn inside you see the parking spot your car cannot fit into. Why? It's the nerd  people who double park.

Double parking

Don't blocked the access by parking directly in front of someone else car. Again where has his common sense gone?

You may want to imagine yourself when you want to exit from the parking lot and you found your surrounding by brainless road users who blocks your exit path.

This green car collected a lot of angry fans mail criticizing the driver parking habit of blocking someone car exit path

Don't double park unless it's a matter of life and death but still you have to leave your mobile phone number on your windshield or dashboard incase someone want to get out.

The car owner at the back of this 4WD truck is about to learn an expensive lesson as the very angry driver reverse back to give the truck more room to exit but in the process pushed the car in the middle of the road.

Don't park your motorcycle in  designated car parking lot, motorcycles are supposed to park in motorcycle parking space. When the driver starting to reverse, if you park  behind his vehicle he will knocked your motorbike over.

Where's your brain? You may park only in designated motorcycle spaces  but not at car parking lot.

Some might say that why can't the expensive car owner owned by a disabled  person? Answer is when you park in any parking space designated for a person with a disability, you must display a current placard for disability.

What would you do if you have neighbours like this? My neighbour like to  parked his car near the front of my gate, blocking  clear exit pathways. I have sometimes wondered whether his mind would no longer function .

Don't be a Road Hog

Give way to other road user. Never road hog.  Don't hold up traffic and frustrate other road users. Being a considerate driver means being prepared to give way.

A simple rules of the road, if your vehicle speed is too slow you should not occupy the fast lane!

Caution road hog, oops! Correction it's sow feeding piglets

 I know some of you like to like to argue with this,  “I'm doing the speed limit, so nobody can legally pass me  but is it your rights to hogs the fast lane? No, as common sense says if somebody come up behind a slow car in the fast lane and trying to pass, you should just let the other driver pass.

Ahem, I don't know why but certain drivers especially the women will have this habit of road hogging. Although some men also guilty of this way.You may find it hard to believe, even knowing you have indicating you wants to overtake but it's just a  mysterious reason on why they just won't budge.

This is where frustation crept into you. Can't understand why some drivers hog the road and they not even driving at maximum speed limit. So what exactly are they doing deliberately, just to get somebody's attention?

Some women become so engrossed with driving but failed to see other drivers trying to warn other drivers of a breakdown or crash ahead by headlight flashing but usually women(some)  mistakenly interpret the opposite sex as flirting.

If you only look at the middle of the road, you will miss what is happening far ahead on the side of the road and behind you. From time to time the rear-view mirror could be utilized effectively to  overtake a slower vehicle or to check if someone try to overtake then move to the side and slow down to allow them to pass.

Stopping a car safely

I don't know if you have  encountered this before? There are some people who have no common sense, they would stop their car in a wrong place. Is it due to car breakdown? No, just having a  having a chat with someone but he did not care whether his action obstruct or prevent free flow of traffic.



Check Your Rear View Mirror

 Use your car mirrors frequently, they are not for make-up mirrors

Make sure you have a space cushion for the motorcyclist lane.Before you turn into the lane that is closest to the left-hand curb, signal your intention to turn at least 100 feet before making the turn, this is to allow minimum two-second “space cushion” for motorcyclists to react to.

Don't enter a box junction illegally. Box junctions are designed to stop the junction becoming blocked by queuing traffic. 

Oncoming vehicles that are going straight have to avoid the car in the middle of the picture, this car should avoid enter the box junction  if his exit road is not clear.

 Make sure vehicle lights are in proper order

A motorcycle is fast approaching! Wait, Look at it again!

Always drive with your both lights on – you can see other vehicles and they can see you. It is very dangerous to drive with only one headlight working as people could think the oncoming vehicle is a motorcylist and got into an accident.  I would get that fixed that headlights working again  as soon as possible without futher ado.

When you use high-beam headlights, remember to switch to low beams  rather that your high beams so you don't blind other drivers. The high beam is to provide a long-range illumination of a darkened road and chiefly for use in driving in nonurban areas.

A picture shows a Chinese police officer making a driver sit and stare into bright lights after he was
caught driving with his high beams on. When you shine a bright light in your eye will your vision go small
 causing the driver out of focus.

Harsh punishment  meted out by the officer but as the old saying goes, two wrongs do not make a right.


Proper hazard and signal light use


 Turn signal lamp or a vehicle hazard warning should be correctly used. Sometimes you also see drivers leaving their turn signals on for mile after mile without noticing, or to turning left while indicating a right turn (or vice versa). This will sends out completely the wrong message to other driver.

Simply can't touch this without knowing its purpose.

Hazard lights are supposed can be activated only when:

1-As a general rule of thumb, is it recommended to switch on your hazard warning lights when your car stopped on the side of the road or STOPPED and not driving due to a flat tyre or motor vehicle breakdown.

2- They are also suppose to be used if fast moving traffic suddenly slow down or comes to a stop. Now suppose you are going 60mph and suddenly to avoid an accident that happened in front of you, makes you slow down drastically. You have to immediately turned on the hazard lights to warn the drivers behind you of the sudden change of speed.

3- The third reason, if you have a serious emergency situation. Transportation someone to the hospital where the ambulance transport was not available or some circumstances like you're in a funeral convoy escort as part of a funeral procession may then flash hazard lights on.

Driver recklessly cutting lanes and tailgating.


Make sure you move into the correct lane in good time. If you find you’re in the wrong lane and you don’t have time to change lane safely, carry on in your lane and find another way back to your route .


 Do not change lane suddenly by cutting in front of another vehicles, always turn on your signal and change lanes slowly.


Never make sudden lane changes by cutting in front of another vehicle may cause traffic on the lane you are entering to crash onto you. Second, it is not polite to do so and will annoy other drivers.



 Overtaking in the emergency lane.

In the event of an emergency or breakdown, a motorist can pull into the shoulder to get out of the flow of traffic and obtain a greater degree of safety.

If you need to stop your vehicles due to a car breakdown then you may used the emergency lane but you have to place the warning triangle at least 3 cars from your vehicle to warn other users that your car break down.

Always yield the left-of-way to allow fire engines, ambulances, police cars, and other emergency vehicles that are using a siren and/or emergency flashing lights to reach their destination as fast as possible.

Driving in the emergency lane is prohibited for all vehicles. Hey you're not the emergency response vehicle !

Following too close is a bad habit. As a general rule, maintain a safe distance. You should leave space between you and the vehicle in front of you. This space cushion will give you room to brake or maneuver if you need the space for emergency braking or for avoiding collision.

Funny bumper sticker to remind those who has the habit of tailgating  people, another funny
I have seen is bumper sticker on the car just ahead:
 DON'T DRIVE SO CLOSE WE HARDLY KNOW EACH OTHER.

One of the favourite techniques used by Kung Fu master to train our mind is one would never let his guard down dan expect the unexpected from your opponent.

 
What this mean never assume the other driver will not do this. For example, this driver give a signal indicator to turn on the right but at last minutes he might changed his mind and go for the left.

You see the road is clear but out of no where a car speedingly approach you.There is another explaination of this is your on the Blind side of the road and this is where many things can go wrong.

Sometimes it will be impossible to avoid an accident, be alert when another driver might leave you with a  potential exit routes when it seems like there's danger ahead in front of road.



Eating, drinking and smoking while driving  may also cause distraction.

Don't talk on the phone while driving without using headphone or headset with bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. No words ever spoken over the phone have ever been so important they can't wait till you're not in the car.

Don't drink and drive and don't ride with anyone who has too much to drink unless you want to take him home

Driving while smoking can be dangerous should the cigarette butts drop on the car seat and start fires


Many drivers ignoring the Road Transport Act 1987's stipulation that it is illegal to use handphones whilst driving because you'll lose ur concentration in driving your car. It's easy to get so engrossed in conversation that you miss exits and those attempt to drive and talk on their cell phone with one hand on the wheel will slow down.

Don't Be a Jerk: Put the phone down while you drive. Do it for your own safety, or others around you, that's when we the drivers behind you wheel get annoyed or irritated.

You should see some of the insane or psychopathic people is capable of texting and  snapped selfie while the vehicle is in motion. Not to mention, how some motorcyclist able to receive telephone calls while motorcycling.

The front car turn left from the right  turn lane in front of traffic when the light going straight turn to green.
 Just to suit his own convenience a little faster to get ahead of the traffic he would  cuts lane dangerously. What a Jerk!

GOD send SMS to motorcyclist , "Do you value your life?"

Road safety education is considered an essential component of teaching children.

Parents have the primary role in their child's development in ensuring that early childhood period that children develop their basic values, attitudes and safety training by educating them to be a careful and responsible driver for the future.

Picture this scenario: Their  children see their father doing this. They observe his habits,  do not wear safety belt in all the times, likes to drive the vehicle weave in and weave out of traffic and  have no disrespect on the roadways.

The parents is to lead by example of what not to do on the road. Its well known that the children will follow what their parents action, whether they did it knowing their children watching or unkowingly influencing them.
Many years ago before my  brother-in-law children get a driver's license,  while he was driving he will point out  as a defensive driver who anticipates potential dangers is key to safe driving. This will in future their learning  knowledge and skills and learn how to integrate them into driving appropriately methods.

There are others parents who do  involved in educating their children's on road safety. In fact, what I detest about some parents is to let their young children using their motor on the road. Some of them even use it as a transport to school.   Do these school children have a valid driver license to legally operate a motor vehicle and what about the school and the council doesn't seem to be doing anything about it?

So, in this case the government should enact laws highway that can impose fines on parents  who allow their children to drive / ride without a valid license and helmet.

Imagine if an accident occurs ,who is to blame?

Road dirty, need to improve on cleaniness

Uncivilsed road user who dump their rubbish while driving on the road , deserve to slap with a hefty fine. Most annoying when it comes to fruits season.. Yeah you know those donkeys after eating will throw the fruit seeds on the road. Oh say can you see it's the fruit season, how do I know? Just observe on the road there will be littering with rambutan, durian, langsat etc..

Goods transported by lorries- you see them carrying dangerous things like wood or timber or stones. I wouldn't want to get too close if I were you. You never know when those things will drop when applied emergency brakes.

 

We got debris! Just like the movie Twister you will be avoiding debris 

Other things that irriated me was the road will be dirtied by the mud on the roads.My cars will get dirty with this mud left on the road even when it has been swept. A law must be enforced on especially those in construction to have their tires lorries clean properly clean before leaving the main road.

 Why can't trucks leaving construction sites wipe tyres before they track muddy ?The US commercial drivers throughout the United States are required to have body, fenders, frame,
 undercarriage, wheels, or tires shall be cleaned of debris before driving on a paved public highway.

Wheel-wash stations to remove contaminants mud from all truck wheels before they leave the construction site

I would prefer one day the Malaysian Road Transport Department (RTD) can accomplish it this way when instead of just giving those graduate to a full driver licence, why not in order to obtain this license, you'll need to attend a licensing ceremony . They will come to some sort of graduation ceremony where  men and women who take their oaths in this ceremony swear to be a considerate road users and  willing to abide by all traffic laws and regulations.

Okay, there are some say that talk is cheap but some do take swearing seriously.

Anyway, I believe that most of us after getting their a valid driver license they often showing disregard some traffic laws learned from driving school.

You can say after passed it seems we have  a pair of horns growing out of our head and become a  devilish driver. Okay I might be guilty becoming one of them.. I promise to trim a bit of those horn before grown longer.