Cyclist Hit And Run On Jalan Kinabalu: Is It Legal To Cycle On 'Jalan Raya'?

We've seen the images, we've seen the videos and while it is clear who is at fault, is it however, legal for the cyclist to have been cycling on Jalan Kinabalu?

With the increased interest in road cycling in Malaysia, it's no surprise that yet another accident has occurred involving a cyclist and a car. 

In an incident on Jalan Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, a cyclist was hit from the back by a red vehicle, which continued to drive away after the collision.

The 33-year-old cyclist, who works at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, suffered light injuries and reported the accident at the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department police station.

This accident gained attention following a viral video that showed that the driver of the red vehicle was clearly distracted, where he slowly veered off to the side of the road before clambering into the back of the cyclist. The driver then acted like nothing had happened and proceeded to drive off afterward.

While the video footage clearly showed that the driver was in the wrong and that there are no two ways about it, it has to be said that the cyclists should also be partially blamed for the accident as he was cycling on a tight and busy road during the morning rush hour. 

As said by Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Deputy Comm Datuk Azisman Alias at the beginning of the year, the police do not prohibit cycling activities on the road, but cyclists are advised to choose a suitable location and time for cycling such as in an area with fewer vehicles and not during peak hours where people travel to and from work.

"Aktiviti berbasikal di jalan raya boleh mengganggu kelancaran lalu lintas kerana kenderaan lain turut menggunakan laluan sama dan boleh mengundang risiko kemalangan. Aktiviti itu dilihat mendatangkan bahaya kepada penunggang basikal itu sendiri serta pengguna jalan raya yang lain", said Azisman as reported by BHonline.

While we are totally on the side of the 33-year-old victim, his route choice for what seems like a commute to work is not the wisest, especially when Jalan Kinabalu is known to be one the busiest, tightest roads in the capital.  

Being fans of cycling ourselves, cyclists should really consider the route they want to ride on, as it could be the difference between life and death. It's better to choose quieter roads, even if it means going the long way around to reach a destination. We're just glad to see that the victim got away with light injuries.

Image credit: M.n. Adzhar Facebook

The police have managed to track down the motorist involved in the accident and have brought him in for questioning to help with their investigation of the hit and run accident. While the police have decided to let the man go after his statement was taken, his vehicle did not leave as they have confiscated it for further investigation.

Just as a reminder, the Malaysian highway code state that cyclist should avoid roads where other vehicles travel at fast speeds. The Malaysian Highway code states under Rule 66 that a cyclist should "Always seek and use the safest route. Keep out of heavy traffic as much as possible. Avoid highways in particular, and fast traffic in general."