4-4-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) For a Taiwanese man visiting Malaysia, the experience on the country’s roads proved to be a culture shock of epic proportions. In a candid account shared on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, the visitor expressed his utter bewilderment at the breakneck speeds and daring driving habits exhibited by Malaysian motorists.
The Taiwanese traveler’s jaw-dropping observations began on the highway, where he was left speechless upon witnessing motorcycles weaving through traffic at speeds exceeding 120 km/h, effortlessly keeping pace with cars. “At first I thought it was just an expressway, but when my friend was driving at a speed of 120km/h, the motorcycle beside me is also speeding. I exclaimed, ‘Eh, this is really a highway!'” he recounted.
Adding to his astonishment was the apparent disregard for turn signals among Malaysian drivers, a practice that would undoubtedly result in a police report back in Taiwan. The Taiwanese visitor found himself frequently “scared to death” as vehicles abruptly changed lanes without warning, only to be reassured by his local companions that such maneuvers were par for the course.
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping observation came when the Taiwanese man marveled at the blistering speeds at which Malaysians piloted even the most mundane of vehicles. “Every car is a supercar. Drivers who own a Toyota would drive like it was a Maserati!” he exclaimed, likening the driving styles to that of professional race car drivers.
Amidst the chaos, the visitor also found himself perplexed by the seeming taboo surrounding the use of the horn. While his instinct was to sound a warning whenever a vehicle encroached too closely, his Malaysian friends would react with trepidation, urging him not to honk “randomly.”
In the comment section of the viral post, Malaysians largely embraced the Taiwanese man’s observations with a mix of amusement and introspection. Some acknowledged the stark contrast between the typically calm and polite demeanor of Malaysians off the road and their transformation into impatient, reckless drivers behind the wheel.
Others offered sage advice, suggesting that the visitor would need to hone his “power of imagination” to predict the erratic lane changes and maneuvers of fellow motorists – a skill evidently honed by locals through years of exposure to the country’s unique driving culture.
