PETALING JAYA: A video clip of a tense road bullying incident in Petaling Jaya on Thursday night has gone viral on social media.
The video was taken by a bystander using a mobile phone at 10.57pm along Jalan PJU5/10, which is a one-way lane often fringed by parked cars and restaurant tables.
The 2-minute-and-3-second video shows a black Mercedes Benz which had entered the lane the wrong way, face-to-face with a Perodua Bezza which was rightfully expecting the other car to give way.
But the driver of the Mercedes – a 36-year-old from Taman Tun Dr Ismail – stands his ground, despite clearly being in the wrong, and stares down the Bezza driver, his headlights blazing.
In fact, instead of reversing, the Mercedes driver attempts to intimidate the Bezza driver by moving closer towards it, bullying the driver into retreating.
As traffic begins to build up behind the Bezza, onlookers and diners having a meal at an outdoor restaurant can be heard saying that the Mercedes is moving “the wrong way.”
After several tense moments, the Bezza slowly reverses – but a chorus onlookers begins shouting towards the Mercedes driver that it’s “a one-way road.”
Unhappy that the Bezza isn’t reversing fast enough, the Mercedes spurts forward and knocks into the other car’s bumper, drawing gasps from onlookers and shouts that “someone should call the police.”
As the standoff escalates, onlookers begin approaching the Bezza driver, possibly offering words of support and gesturing towards the Mercedes driver, who is hidden behind dark-tinted windows.
The Bezza driver does not alight to assess the damage to his car, but it is learnt that he lodged a police report at the Kota Damansara Police Station the following day.
Petaling Jaya district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zani Che Sin said the Bezza driver – a 26-year-old from Melaka – lodged the report on Friday morning.
"The driver of the Mercedes Benz committed an offence by driving (the wrong way on) a one-way road and deliberately driving his car into the victim's car bumper," he said.
Zani added that the case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for committing mischief; and Section 42 of the Road Transport Act 1982 for reckless and dangerous driving.