No Phones While Waiting For Red Light, Malaysians Ask What Should They Do Instead

What to do while the light is red?

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There is a reason why we have laws. While some laws may appear weird, but it is still enforced for a reason.

With the Road Transport Department (JPJ) set to install artificial intelligence-powered (AI) CCTV cameras, Malaysians on social media wasted no time to “raise their concerns”.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said those who play with their handphones while the traffic light is red should be careful as they can be fined.

The CCTV camera with AI is to monitor motorists’ behaviours at traffic lights.

BFM shared this bit of news on their Twitter and this was where we spotted the “concerns” raised by some people.

If looking at their phones while waiting for the light to turn green was illegal, they sarcastically asked what they should do instead.

One Twitter user wondered if the “100 seconds” of waiting time was supposed to be spent talking to other motorists since using the phone was a no-go.

Has there been any accident because motorist/driver was using their phone during red light? Timer 100 second i was supposed to talk to other motorist or stare at the traffic ke
— ⟭⟬ airaa ⟬⟭ (@_musangPutih) July 13, 2023

Don’t know what to do at traffic lights?😅 pic.twitter.com/CQ2m5UrMRX
— Gary Teh (@tckgary) July 13, 2023

what about those traffic lights with countdown timers, are drivers expected to sit and stare at the red light for 3 minutes?
— zed him (@thealzaim) July 13, 2023

and here i thought red light is the time i can catch up with any important message that i cannot read during driving
— Kerol (@Krool2390) July 13, 2023

If phones are illegal, what about books? Or newspapers? And what about fiddling with the car’s radio while the light is red?

Nak baca buku/surat khabar boleh?
— Guna (@G300722) July 13, 2023

saman also people who touch their radio while waiting for the green light
— Helmi Harun (@md_helmi84) July 13, 2023

Understandably some of the major traffic light junctions in the country have a longer than normal waiting time. In some places it goes beyond 199 seconds, which is more than three minutes.

Perhaps we can use this time to sharpen our face-to-face communication skills. Like the Twitter user remarked, roll down your window and talk to the driver in the car next to you.

“Hi bro, lama traffic light ni? Bro makan apa lunch tadi?“

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