SELECTED Malaysian roads are gaining "glowing" attention as of late, thanks to a special "glow-up" that can only be seen after dark.
Through pilot projects, these roads have been given the "glow in the dark", or luminescent, road paint treatment.
The first such road was in Hulu Langat, with the paint applied around the intersection of Jalan Sg Lalang Batu 19 and Jalan Sg Tekali Batu 16 Semenyih by the s Public Works Department.
The paint, which covers a length of 245m that is stretched out across 490m of road markings, reportedly has a durability of up to 10 hours in darkness while providing a glow effect, regardless of weather conditions.
A 3km stretch in Padang Sanai at Padang Terap, Kedah, is the longest in the country at present.
It is understood that the fluorescent thermoplastic road marking paint will absorb ultraviolet rays (for example, from the sun) and, due to a chemical reaction, it would then emit this energy in the form of light.
In short, it is what you would expect of normal glow-in-the-dark effects with industrial-grade durability and application.
TREADING LIGHTLY
On paper, the application reads as an ingenious and suitable alternative to dark or poorly lit roads, especially where street lamps are absent.
Photos found on social media also paint a very convincing picture of how this works out in the field.
One would imagine that this works especially well on winding roads with numerous blind spots and sharp curves. The general idea is that it also makes for a great, less intrusive solution to connect smaller villages.
Yet local councils and officials affiliated with these pocket projects are curiously playing it cautious and aren't rushing to illuminate the roads.
Most pointed out that they were monitoring and studying the actual effectiveness of the paint.
The main concern, which has also been shared by some Netizens, is the cost involved. No figures were given but it has been pointed out that the illuminating route is a lot pricier than the standard road paint.
This begs the question of whether there is even a need for the more expensive option if the commonly used paint is already effective enough.
So is this just a fad of the moment?
Cars Bikes and Trucks, along with a couple of other media members, set out to test the effectiveness of the glow-in-the-dark paint.
But a word of caution: We strongly advise against running off on your own to see these "glowing" road stretches for yourself due to how dark and dangerous the specific stretches can get.
Finding the designated area in Semenyih was a major challenge in itself. The specified location wasn't complicated to navigate but rather extremely poorly lit - no street lamps and barely any road signs for the vehicle's headlamp to reflect its shine.
The entire area was practically enveloped in darkness after dusk. A necessary condition but not a good combination for safety when paired with a narrow and winding road with multiple blind spots.
Hint: Look out for a green and gooey coat of paint atop the lane divider marker. You'll know you're at the right spot once you come across this specific substance.
The weather was another concerning factor. Overall, poor visibility made putting the illuminating solution to the test a lot more dangerous. As with any material of similar properties, the luminescence glow was only visible in the dark.
This meant that the vehicle lights had to be turned off when it came time to cross the area else there was no other way to be sure if the marking was "lit up".
The perilous scenario raised more concerns that led to its practical viability in the long run.
Vehicles would have to navigate the road without the use of its front lights for the markings to be visible as total darkness was a requirement for the "glow" to take effect.
It was an area where installing street lamps was just not possible, given how narrow the road was. It would also be highly impractical to focus so much resources on a connecting road with close to zero traffic.
Even then, there were inconsistencies as to how effective this was. During our drive, we found that the glow, while visible, was very faint.
The rain that drenched the area an hour or two earlier was considered a non-factor as the markings were said to be visible even in a downpour.
Also, by the looks of it, motorcyclists, cyclists or those walking along these roads could be the biggest beneficiaries.
But all things considered, there's just too much effort for poor returns. The big issue is that an area needs to be pitch dark for the glow effect to work, which in itself is very faint. And once your light is out, the glow is lost in the background.
Personally, it would make more sense to use reflective technology on markings and signages on roads with no streetlights, which is already in use and also more practical and cost-effective.
Not without its utility but there must be a proper study on which roads will stand to truly benefit from this glow-in-the-dark innovation.