Author's note: This post might be provocative and controversial to some readers. Reader's discretion advised. I won't apologize on what I am about to say in this post but I do still respect the freedom of speech. Just drop your comments in the comments section. :)
To most of us, including me, believes that money can buy everything that could be imagined in this world. But we need to realize that there are some things that can be bought with money (please exclude Mafia Wars' notice "This item is a loot drop and cannot be bought" :P). Safety, life, to name a few, are the things that fall under this category.
Let me be straight to the point. Today, in the afternoon I took a usual afternoon drive in my dad's Waja on my way back to my hostel in block V5E. I drove via the usual route from the roundabout near to V2 and V4, and proceed to the road that passes V3. Mind you, this road is a one-way road. This is a one-way winding road with sharp S-curve and there is barely any space left for the vehicles to move at this road as there are a lot of cars parked at the right side of the road. I was driving slowly today as opposed to my usual driving (I once cleared those curve at 70 km/h with many cars parked at the road side), suddenly there was oncoming motorcyclist going at the wrong way. There is barely any space left for the motorcycle to pass but I was able to dodge it since I was driving slowly at that time. Mind you, it was dusk at the moment where visibility is quite limited and I could tell the motorcyclist is heading to the mosque for the Maghrib prayer.
This makes me wonder. It is very good for him to perform Maghrib congregational prayer at the mosque, but why on earth is he risking his life riding motorcycle is such manner? Don't you think this is a selfish act despite his good intention to perform prayer at the mosque? In Islam, it is told to value life and not doing such suicidal act as Islam prohibit suicide. Is it worth to risk your life for the sake of saving the fuel to mosque by taking the so-called 'shortcut'? How ironic, isn't it? Please don't tell me I am bias to the motorcyclist as I am a motorcyclist myself. I also ride and OWN motorcycle in UTP. And I don't think most of the motorcyclist in UTP had ride motorcycle for long journey like I do. For that reason, I think I made myself clear on safety issues and I really hope that those irresponsible, selfish motorcyclist will not commit the same 'stunt' again.
Since UTP is infested with many engineering and technology students where facts and figures matter, I had came out with calculation that is hopefully can prove to these motorcyclist why such thing is not worth doing.
Here it is:
Assuming that a typical 4-stroke, 110 cc motorcycle tank capacity = 4.5 litres
Current RON 95 petrol price in Malaysia = RM 1.80/litre
Therefore,
The cost of filling up the tank (from completely empty) is = 4.5 litre X RM 1.80/litre = RM 8.10
Based on my experience, one tank can lasts up to 130 km on long journey.
Therefore, the fuel consumption is = RM 8.10 / 130 km = RM 0.062/litre
However, the fuel consumption on a stop-and-go daily commute will result in considerably more fuel consumption, let's assume 80 km.
So, the fuel consumption is = RM 8.10 / 80 km = RM 0.101
The journey to the mosque, back and forth is = 1 km
Therefore, the cost to the mosque each time is = RM 0.101
However, this selfish motorcyclist have managed to cut down the journey by 200m and risking his life.
So, the distance now reduced to = 0.8 km = 0.2 km saved on each trip
The price of his/her life by taking this shortcut = the amount of petrol expenses he/she tried to save.
The value of his/her life = RM 0.101 X 0.2 km = RM 0.02
Let say he/she is using the same route one time for each day in a month = RM 0.02 X 30 days = RM 0.60
Conclusion: Is it feasible to risk your life everyday for savings on fuel expenses of RM 0.60 per month? Please follow the proper traffic that had been gazetted. Diri sendiri pun selamat, orang lain pun tak menyumpah. :)
To most of us, including me, believes that money can buy everything that could be imagined in this world. But we need to realize that there are some things that can be bought with money (please exclude Mafia Wars' notice "This item is a loot drop and cannot be bought" :P). Safety, life, to name a few, are the things that fall under this category.
Let me be straight to the point. Today, in the afternoon I took a usual afternoon drive in my dad's Waja on my way back to my hostel in block V5E. I drove via the usual route from the roundabout near to V2 and V4, and proceed to the road that passes V3. Mind you, this road is a one-way road. This is a one-way winding road with sharp S-curve and there is barely any space left for the vehicles to move at this road as there are a lot of cars parked at the right side of the road. I was driving slowly today as opposed to my usual driving (I once cleared those curve at 70 km/h with many cars parked at the road side), suddenly there was oncoming motorcyclist going at the wrong way. There is barely any space left for the motorcycle to pass but I was able to dodge it since I was driving slowly at that time. Mind you, it was dusk at the moment where visibility is quite limited and I could tell the motorcyclist is heading to the mosque for the Maghrib prayer.
This makes me wonder. It is very good for him to perform Maghrib congregational prayer at the mosque, but why on earth is he risking his life riding motorcycle is such manner? Don't you think this is a selfish act despite his good intention to perform prayer at the mosque? In Islam, it is told to value life and not doing such suicidal act as Islam prohibit suicide. Is it worth to risk your life for the sake of saving the fuel to mosque by taking the so-called 'shortcut'? How ironic, isn't it? Please don't tell me I am bias to the motorcyclist as I am a motorcyclist myself. I also ride and OWN motorcycle in UTP. And I don't think most of the motorcyclist in UTP had ride motorcycle for long journey like I do. For that reason, I think I made myself clear on safety issues and I really hope that those irresponsible, selfish motorcyclist will not commit the same 'stunt' again.
Since UTP is infested with many engineering and technology students where facts and figures matter, I had came out with calculation that is hopefully can prove to these motorcyclist why such thing is not worth doing.
Here it is:
Assuming that a typical 4-stroke, 110 cc motorcycle tank capacity = 4.5 litres
Current RON 95 petrol price in Malaysia = RM 1.80/litre
Therefore,
The cost of filling up the tank (from completely empty) is = 4.5 litre X RM 1.80/litre = RM 8.10
Based on my experience, one tank can lasts up to 130 km on long journey.
Therefore, the fuel consumption is = RM 8.10 / 130 km = RM 0.062/litre
However, the fuel consumption on a stop-and-go daily commute will result in considerably more fuel consumption, let's assume 80 km.
So, the fuel consumption is = RM 8.10 / 80 km = RM 0.101
The journey to the mosque, back and forth is = 1 km
Therefore, the cost to the mosque each time is = RM 0.101
However, this selfish motorcyclist have managed to cut down the journey by 200m and risking his life.
So, the distance now reduced to = 0.8 km = 0.2 km saved on each trip
The price of his/her life by taking this shortcut = the amount of petrol expenses he/she tried to save.
The value of his/her life = RM 0.101 X 0.2 km = RM 0.02
Let say he/she is using the same route one time for each day in a month = RM 0.02 X 30 days = RM 0.60
Conclusion: Is it feasible to risk your life everyday for savings on fuel expenses of RM 0.60 per month? Please follow the proper traffic that had been gazetted. Diri sendiri pun selamat, orang lain pun tak menyumpah. :)
