Tips for new drivers on the highway

I've had almost 2 years experience driving (everyday) on the highway for 1 hour plus (to and fro journey) and at all hours (morning, afternoon, evening and nights), so I thought I can compile a short list of some tips for new drivers taking on the highway for the first time. 

*Note that this post may be true for Malaysian highways only. I'm not sure what the situations on the highway are like for other countries.

1. Speeding 

A big N.O. unless you have too much money to spend on samans (speeding tickets). However, there may be a small loophole... that was tested by someone (anonymous). For police with camera or patrol cars, an addition of + 5 - 9 km/hr won't get you a saman (speeding ticket). 10 km/hr is the absolute max and it's best not to test your luck by driving at 10 km/hr above the speed limit since speed of the car fluctuates (unless you have a robot driving your car, then I have no comment on that). Who knows? Maybe that instant the police officer took a snapshot, your speed is at 11 km/hr. 

However, for AES or any other speed cams, these sort are accurate down to decimal places so don't bother trying to find a loophole... just slow down. 

Speeding while trying to overtake other vehicles also counts as speeding. So seriously, don't overtake anybody if you see an AES coming up or that a police officer with camera is just around the bend.

Also, if you somehow still gotten yourself a speeding ticket after reading this... like seriously.... pay it as soon as you can in order to get a discount. It's just a couple hundred of ringgits after the discount... no biggie! *Then, drown yourself in a pool of tears*

Random lame joke: In Penang, we don't have AES (thank goodness!), but we have PWC.... Policeman with camera!

2. Weird Noises 

Sometimes, you might hear pinging noises while driving. Don't get too distracted! It may just be gravel that were kicked up by the care tyres, hitting the side of your car. Only be worried when the noise is pretty much consistent... it may mean something is wrong with your car (and you should slow down or stop to check) or something is caught in some moving part of your car (and you should stop and check).

3. Encountering Aggressive Drivers

If you pretty much insist on driving on the fast lane, you will be encountering plenty of aggressive drivers - drivers who will honk the car horn at you, flash their cars' headlights, tailgate your car or coming up fast behind you. Do realise that not everyone follows the speed limit. but that's their problem, not yours. You don't have to be some sort of a 'road vigilante' and drive at the speed limit on the fast lane, forcing all other cars to follow your speed (especially in cases when the slow lanes are clogged with slow-moving lorries, buses or trucks). 

In this case, my advice is be reasonable and protect yourself. Flip on your indicator light (signal) and find a suitable spot in the slow lane. Don't rush yourself. The indicator light should let the drivers behind you to lay off a bit since you're practically telling them that you'll let them pass... once you get the chance to move your car into the slow lane. Once you get your chance, slowly move into the slow lane. Especially in the case of tailgating, do not brake suddenly just so you can fit into a space in the slow lane (this is a major cause of accidents). Slowly ease off the oil pedal instead.

Sometimes, the cars behind you will find ways to overtake you via the slow lane. In these cases, stay in your lane and let them pass. After that, you might want move your car into the slow lane yourself. 

4. Encountering and overtaking lorries or trucks 

Nobody is expecting any car to follow a slow-moving lorry or truck. However, there will be obnoxious truck/ lorry drivers who will purposely speed up whenever you try to overtake them. If so, then don't bother trying to overtake them and enjoy the ride.

Sometimes, you will be forced to overtake trucks or lorries. This happens when you see (and hear) that the truck or lorry in front of you is dropping small rocks at its wake. These rocks will damage your windscreen and may even crack them. In this case, don't speed up to much (high speed = larger impact the stones have on your windscreen = higher risk of windscreen breaking and crashing on you) but try to overtake it. If you really cannot, slow down or switch lanes so that your car won't bear the damage.

5. Be Reasonable

The usual advice for driving will still apply although they are not covered in this blog post, for example, don't drink and drive or if you're feeling sleepy, stop and get yourself a cup of coffee or tea. Use your indicator lights whenever you're switching lanes or turning.. etc etc. I'll add more common sense stuff here when I thought of any (since these habits are supposed to be second nature for all drivers, we usually do these without really thinking about it...).

6. Driving at night

If you're an absolute newbie, I would advice against driving at night. The moon seem to have a weird effect on drivers and you will definitely encounter drivers who are driving at crazy speeds... even bus or lorry drivers. As usual, my advice is to protect yourself. Those drivers may have a death wish but you don't... or at least I think you don't. Anyway, you don't have to be pressured to have a death wish as well. Move your car into the slow lane and ensure that your headlights are on (for some brightly lit highways, you may not notice that your headlights are not on lol).

7. Driving in heavy rain

Know when to use your headlights! If you're caught in a heavy rain, the first few things that you should do, especially if the road is hardly visible is to slow down (30 - 40 km/ hr or even slower) and turn on your headlights.

Some people may even switch on their emergency lights but I advice against that. Emergency lights should only be used in an emergency... so unless you have someone very ill in your back seat and it is between a matter of life or death, don't use the emergency lights.