The Rapid Decline

Source: http://www.vincentchow.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/lrt.jpg

See, I've got a new template! I know it's still one of those default ones that don't require brains to change. I know how to edit the HTML in Blogger, just too lazy to make things complicated. Hard enough to always have to replace HTML codes for Nuffnang. And I've inserted Share and +1 buttons! Up to date, kan?

On to more pressing matters.

Lately the traffic have been a bitch, worse when it rains during rush hour ( which is nearly everyday now). Worst when it rains during the rush hour of a Friday. We hate getting stuck in our cars for hours. There's no place to pee, our asses are numb, the radio blare rubbish all the time, drivers get cranky and rude as if they're the only ones stuck in the jam, and you see the start of your weekend wither away. You can't smoke because a storm is riding outside, and you get more annoyed with BFM DJs constantly going UHHH AHHH ERRR between every word.

So driving in KL really sucks because on top of the bad traffic jams we also have a severe lack of parking lots in every single shop-office, office building and shopping mall. Developers officially have to adhere to strict guidelines to the amount of parking lots they must provide based on the number of shop/office/retail lot they offer. But with a little stack of cash, that strict guideline can always be altered. So developer pay a lot to build more retail/office/shop lots and less parking spaces, as this makes them more money. There you have it, the developers started it, and we Malaysians did the rest; double and triple-park.

On a different matter all together, MALAYSIA is not pronounced MALAYSSSSSIA, but MalaySHia. If you want to ber-bahasa baku, call it MALAI-SIA. Please don't be smart. If it is in English, then it shall be pronounced in English.


But what are the alternatives? Well we have public transportation! Once (many many years ago) proudly bragged as one of the best public transportation system in South East Asia (no need for references), now drowning in a sea of it's own shit with no chance of survival even with government intervention.

Bus
A long, long time ago there was the legendary Mini Bus. If you have had the luxury of being a customer to this, now mythical creature, pink rocket you'd agree when I say: Take The Mini Bus and You're Guaranteed To Arrive 10 Minutes Early. Always. The Mini Bus were efficient, most efficient Malaysia has ever seen a bus company operate. Why? Because bus drivers and their conductors were given a handsome cut of the day's profits by the operators. This motivated the hardworking lot to keep pushing for time.
Fine the drivers were mad and I remember hanging out of the main door a few times because it was so packed with passengers. And they were not air-conditioned, but that was because at that time all buses were not air-conditioned.

Then they were abolished, torn down, god knows why. The buses were sent to serve in cities in Sabah and Sarawak. I don't know if they're still running around towns there, or if they're as brutal as before. From KL Klang to City Liner and Intrakota, all companies fail, consolidate, and fail again until the government finally stepped in and reclaimed everything under the name of Rapid (insert city name). Why have they been failing? Because they suck. Bus lanes are never effective anywhere in town, and because the buses were always at least half-an-hour late, nobody dare rely their time on these worthless trash.

Taxi
Ah, the cab service in KL. Where shall I begin? They charge you RM 20 to take you from KLCC to Pavilion, they are not well groomed, they smell bad, they dress dirty, they don't comb their hair, they spit like camels, they smoke in the taxis, their taxis are smelly and dirty and filled with fleas, and they never take you anywhere you wanna go because they want to avoid the traffic.
Most of them drive like complete idiots, others don't know their way around town. Some tell you sob stories of their sad families and then ask you for extra money. Some also take the longer route to your destination and try to rob you of as much cents as possible.
And now we have the blue taxis, which are supposed to be more professional. I just see it as different package, same product. Unreliable.

LRT
We have 2 major LRTs in town, both circle the least densely populated parts of the Valley. Not in a good way, because all the land surrounding most stops are filled with houses. No apartments, no empty land for development. To be fair, save a few stops: University, Bangsar and KL Sentral. You can cross between the two lines somewhere in town but you'd have to run across the road under the rain. They breakdown so often it's no longer funny.
That many years ago the Putra Line (now KJ Line) was built to accommodate current demands of that time, so they built a line that could take a 2-coach train at a time (probably not an accurate figure, but you get the point). Today if you're waiting for the train in the morning to get to work, you'll have to let at least 4 trains pass before you can board into one.
The funniest thing is, to get to an LRT station you have to drive. And the LRT people don't provide ample parking lots for customers, causing severe double and triple parking problems all over.

Monorail
By far the most waste-money rail in the history of all waste-money rails in Malaysia. It's expensive, it's always late, it's slow, it's small, and it doesn't go anywhere other LRTs don't also stop.

No I have nothing else to say about this useless rail system.

KTM Komuter
Okay this line is actually quite useful, but that's because it's an actual train transportation system revamped by KTM. I think it was quite a successful project, considering others.

The Problem
The problem is not in bad public transportation management, it's in the unwillingness to improve on them. Why? Proton and Perodua need customers, no? Do you think if our public transportation system is as efficient as Shanghai's we'd bother buying cars? Maybe just us few who actually love driving. Then the LRT stations were built on lands owned by friends of families of some Masonians (pure baseless assumption).

The Paradox
The bigger problem actually lies with us, the operators and the consumers. Taxi drivers don't want to go into traffic-congested parts of the city, so they'd rather lose business. Then they complain they don't have business. Then they say they cut cost by not cutting their hairs, leaving their beards, and showering once every two days. Then they say the meters a causing them to lose money because the cost is higher. Then they charge people a crazy RM20 just to get behind KLCC. Then people don't take their cabs because they smell bad and they con. Then they don't get business.
Then everyone would rather drive, causing traffic jams all over town. And that will prevent taxi drivers from ever wanting to enter those areas for fear of getting stuck in traffic.

Conclusion
Until teleportation gets invented or oil completely runs out before a proper electric car gets invented, don't expect rush hour traffic jams to go away. Don't expect taxi drivers to dress well and smell good. Don't expect the Mini Bus to return.