Dear in HK

To my dearest currently in Hong Kong, hope you're having a good time =)
Miss ya loads

Car price-wage ratio

Car price-wage ratio is simply the ratio of average car prices to the average wages that people earn in an economy. Comparison made in respective currencies or a common currency poses no difference. It's just a ratio made by me to demonstrate some contradictions, perhaps irony.

As mentioned, Malaysia's car price-wage ratio would be simply higher than, say, Australia. But clearly the amount of congestion Malaysians experience, especially in KL, is much higher than that of Australians.

So why do people still opt for private forms of transportation? Common sense: simply because there is inadequate substitute/alternative. To rephrase: So why do people still opt for private forms of transportation instead of public?

Take a look at buses. Two major bus companies have just merged about one year ago, forming a not-so-aptly-named Rapid KL. Well, whether they've been able to cut costs and competition aren't of our concern, but there are two clear possibilities why they'd merged: administration and service inefficiencies. Sure it's an uninformed opinion, but I'd like to think it's more of the latter.

Well, they retained their old routes even after the merger.

So many systems, so many routes. Just could have take you so much longer to reach an otherwise straight journey. And money! People who use public transport most are working people. Having to pay for several systems, it's going to cost them quite a bit over some time. Who have never thought about this? And the quality and timing of 'liner' buses?

But all being said, the Malaysian public transportation system still serves its purpose of commuting some people who happen to be lucky to be able to travel conveniently through the systems available.

When so many still prefer to drive, however, it should be a good indicator that public transport is still far from adequate and maybe we could improve of what we have instead of adding more trouble (systems, I mean).

Let's forget about cycling coz we have just bred too many drivers who take the road as a race course rather than a means of civil link.

And dear Malaysians... If only we could all be more serious in what we do...

Bad bus experience

Let's start off with a pissing joke that happened today:
I was waiting for a bus to get to the gym in Mid Valley when I thought I was lucky coz the bus showed up pretty quickly plus a friend of mine had me occupied on the phone while I was waiting.

Sure it was no surprise if a newbie driver couldn't print my ticket, but what struck me was his decision to check the exterior of the bus instead of the ticket machine.

Guess the newbie driver experience came to a climax when the bus broke down before reaching the next stop. I, two aunties and one uncle decided to stay in the (still, luckily) air-conditioned bus for about another hour.

With no sight of any form of assistance, I thought maybe I could just take a darned cab. But poor me walked out from the house with change only enough to get a bus ticket. Pretty dehydrated by then, I asked this shopkeeper if I could purchase a bottle of drinking water with an RM50 note. He just freaking shook his head.

Fine, fine. Having already waited for one hour, perhaps it's only normal to expect the next bus will arrive soon. So I waited. And waited. And waited for another hour. It's hot, it's sticky (I know it's humid, but I'd prefer to stress it this way), and by that it's just completely pissing. Even if I had made it to the gym, I would just take a shower and go back. Well, some satisfaction at least.

Yes, only after two hours of waiting did I see the bus coming from the opposite direction of the route. Although the terminal isn't too far away, knowing these morons, it would take at least another 20 minutes.

Man, forget about it. Forget about buses, Ben, I told myself. All those efforts to save a few ringgits has such a big price to pay. TIME.

Frankly we all know KL is packed with an excessive number of cars. But I wouldn't have any idea what the government is doing to try to reduce these on the road besides a few nah-save-it ads on the TV.

With the car price-wage ratio so high (yeah that's my ratio) there are still so many of us wanting to buy cars. Why? Common sense: we simply have no good alternative/substitute. Now let's see why in the next post.

First post

Hey there

After more than 10 days of waiting I finally have access to a darned PC. I hope this blog will at least fill some of my time during this summer break.

Well, thanks in advance for your support!