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Passengers should only board or alight at the bus stops for their own safety.

Commuters risk their lives alighting from buses that stop in the middle of the road instead of at the bus stop

KUALA LUMPUR: Bus passengers are disembarking in the middle of the road because buses are prevented from stopping at the bus stops by motorists using the stops as their personal pick and drop-off points.

Cars were seen stopping to pick up or drop off passengers at the bus stop at the Bangsar LRT station during the evening rush hour. Some left quickly but some drivers parked there to wait, showing complete disregard for the many buses waiting to stop there.

Impatient bus passengers chose to alight at the spot where the buses were stuck, sticking their heads out of the door to check for oncoming motorcycles before stepping off. Some got off without remembering or bothering to see if it was safe to do so.

The situation was worse at the busy KL Sentral bus stop in Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4, where many Metro and Rapid KL buses plying Puchong, Subang Jaya, Taman Medan, Pantai Hillpark and Bangsar stop, sometimes in quick succession of one another and at times overlapping. Bus drivers were making passengers board and disembark some distance away from the bus stop, which was occupied by cars waiting to pick up passengers.

It is particularly dangerous for the visually impaired, who have to alight without being able to check for oncoming vehicles.

Passengers should only board or alight at the bus stops for their own safety.

Chee Seng Yok, 54, a blind man working in Brickfields, said he was not aware of the danger as he was usually helped on or off the bus by helpful folk.

"Nevertheless, I am always cautious and aware of my surroundings. I listen to the sounds around me," he said.

A 40-year-old passenger, who wished to be known as Anna, said she was afraid when buses stop on the road as it was dangerous for passengers to climb on or off.

"But it is happening everywhere now, and we have no choice but to board or get off the bus wherever it stops," she said.

Bus drivers were also seen abruptly stopping in the middle of the road to allow late passengers running after the bus to climb aboard.

This endangers the safety of the passengers and other motorists, who have to apply the emergency brakes to avoid crashing into the bus.

Baserol Wajiran, 35, however, does not think it is dangerous to board the bus in such a manner as long as one is alert.

"For most people, it is more important to catch the bus so that they can reach their destination on time."

A bus driver said it was usually at peak hours that they stopped in the middle of the road as it was difficult to get back into the moving lane after stopping at the bus stop at the roadside.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my
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