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KUALA LUMPUR: A hair-raising collision between two motorcycles in Johor recently has captivated netizens and divided public opinion over who is to blame.
Occurring at a rather chaotic stretch of road in front a primary school, the crash was captured in its entirety by the dashcam of a stationary car, which became collateral damage in the incident.
The footage begins with the dashcam-equipped car pulling to a stop in front of the school. Traffic seems a tad disorderly, with motorcycles weaving around each other, and skirting large puddles on the rain-soaked pavement.
Within seconds, the collision occurs roughly five metres from the car, in the opposite lane – a speeding motorcycle blindsides another bike whose rider is attempting to make a right turn.
The impact topples the pivoting motorcycle, sending its two riders – a mother and her pillion-seated young son – smashing to the ground. Broken-off parts of the motorcycle fan out into the foreground.
The striking motorcycle and its rider, meanwhile, ricochet into the opposite lane and slam into the front of the dashcam-equipped car with a jarring thud.
Horrific as the accident appears, no one is seriously injured.
The boy and his mother rise unassisted from their recumbent positions, while dazedly looking at the other motorcyclist.
The young man on the offending bike, meanwhile, practically springs to his feet and immediately lifts his fallen vehicle, before sedately resting it on its stand (we know where HIS priorities lie).
Other than the victims and passers-by soberingly assessing the post-crash situation, not much else occurs in the 1-minute-and-45 second video. But on the internet, the viral footage has generated a roaring traffic jam of netizen comments, with some blaming the woman, some blaming the man, and some blaming both for the mishap.
The young man’s speeding – especially in front of a school, and following a downpour – has made him the immediate target of accusatory fingers. The fact that he failed to come to the immediate aid of the woman and boy he struck has earned him additional a*****e points.
But others have pronounced the woman “guilty” for moving rather abruptly from the middle to the right side of the lane; for not looking over her shoulder before beginning her turn; and above all, for not even signalling.
Both parties, however, have been buried by an avalanche of condemnation for not wearing helmets. (They say that motorcyclists’ brains are actually housed in their helmets, not their uncovered heads).
Who do you think is ultimately to blame?