The Killer Highway - KL-Kuantan

[Chia Hak Soon]

Just last week on the 21st May, I attended a friend's 55th birthday dinner . I have known him since 1971 (37 years ago). We share old time memories and I was glad to see his sons grew up. He has two sons, youngest 12 and eldest,William 17. We had a lovely evening.

On Friday the 28th of May at about 3.30pm, I received a tragic sms from my freind that his eldest son was killed in an accident. He cried profusely.

His son William was on the way to Cherating with his tuition teacher driving along Bukit Lanchang stretch of the KL-Kuantan Highway, between Metakab and Temerloh, whereby the car was BLOWN by a cross wind and crashes on to a concrete border. His so died instantly.

Please be warned about that stretch of Killer Highway. May God Blessed his son's Soul. Rest in Peace William Seeto.

[Fabe18]

Yes, crosswind does blow on the expressway... The same goes to the KL Putrajaya highway.... Just curious, what car was he travelling in? A MPV or 4WD would be more prone to getting 'swept' by crosswind and also depends on the speed travelling while crossing path with the cross wind.. Then again, it's quite a straight road, so tendency to go above leagl speed limit is there...

BTW, for those who travel on the east coast hiway, were there any crosswind indicators or crosswind signboards along that stretch?? If there aren't, maybe can sue MTD for some sort of negligence???

[chewie]

Sorry to hear about that. May his soul rest in peace.

We all have to be really careful when driving along all roads. All road does kills if we speed and drive recklessly.

[HAN2]

Yes, the crosswinds on the KL- Kuantan Highway can be very strong. Those driving MPVs / 4WDs should observe the wind gauge ie the orange-colored butterfly net, if its fully blown up horizontally, go very slow.

There is another killer-stretch actually along the NS highway near Air Keroh. A lot of motorists always tell me the highway authority don't use their brains and impose a 90kmph limit here so policemen can make a living - they're totally wrong - its the crosswinds.

I was once riding ona Honda Goldwing, a 1500 cc motobike weighing about 850lbs and when I was coming down Karak Highway back from a weekend ride up to Genting, I realised my bike shifted from the outermost fast lane almost hitting the armco barrier on the side of the highway. Only then did I realised that I was 'blown off track' by the crosswind. Thank God, I was only at about 100kmph and could control the bike and come to a stop quite fast. I wouldn't dare think what would happen to me then if I had not got the bike under control or the winds were then a bit more powerful...

Crosswinds can be very powerful and motorists need to be warned.

p.s. Chia - my condolences to your friend who lost his eldest son.

[Chia Hak Soon]

My friend's son was travelling in a proton iswara on the passenger seat when it happened between 2pm-3pm. Han2 and Chewie thanks, you are also right about the NS stretch near A'Fomosa resort. I was once playing golf there and the sudden strong gust of wind blew through us.

Many of us do not pay heed to the wind indicator, but when it happen , it may be too late . I was greatly moved by my friend's grief as I was the one who took his last family potrait and was with the deceased a week ago discussing on photography which he was keenly pursuing. Drive Carefully, it is better to be late than dead.

Similarly, once I was in a ISUZU 4WD and heading back from bukit beruntung towards K,L , On a raining day,travelling at 110kph . a front car PRada 4WD , suddently skidded in front of me at 50m distance,. I thought that was the end of me and luckily I slided my gear to lower gear and use the middle road guard rail to pull to a stop , just a few feet before hitting the Prada.

4WD are meant for off roads and not for speeding more than 100kph and are vulrenable to crosswind. Becareful, drive safely.

[Fabe18]

Not to dis the plotong saga/iswara, but these are easy prey for crosswind due to its lightweight and probably ineffective aerodynamic design to cut thru wind.. Have seen one Saga got overturned and landed on its roof in the ditch on the Plus hiway southbound some years back... Saw the occupants crawling out as we drove past... Most probably got swept by crosswind...

My 6th form physics teacher oso shared his hairy crosswind experience on the Plus hiway. He felt his car lifting and tilting, however, he didn't panick, use his left foot to press lightly on the brake pedal instead of lifting off the gas pedal completely... Managed to slow the car down gently and avoid a nasty accident... He did admit he was going at 160kph at that time..

[USJ27Resident]

My 6th form physics teacher oso shared his hairy crosswind experience ...He did admit he was going at 160kph at that time..

160 ! - must've been trying out his laws of physics... you don't need crosswinds to kill you at these kinda speeds.... a blown-out tyre, a stone in the windscreen, a busted fanbelt... etc, etc,... can have similiar effects... and if in a Proton!... that's a deathwish!!!

[Weezy]

it depends on the type of vehicle. on some, 160 doesnt feel fast at all...

[thkhong]

yes, years ago I was driving the old junky BMW320 along Ayer Keroh. The crosswind literally swept the car to the outermost right lane without warning. Fortunately I had decided not to be a rally driver that day.

My deepest condolences to Chia's friend. It is very hard to see a son just lost like that especialy in our twilight years.

[HAN2]

it depends on the type of vehicle. on some, 160 doesnt feel fast at all...

C'mon my friend, lets be a little responsible in this forum. Lets get real, 160kmph might not feel fast in some cars but it is fast as a speed per se.

I used to own a Beemer 740i and even 200kmph do not feel fast on our highways but I also know that anything like was USJ27Resident said could happen would minimum put me in the ICU. That Beemer was the car that started BMW saying "The Ultimate Driving Experience".... even then it is not going to withstand a crash at 200kmph, no way!

I ride bikes up to 230kmph but that was at the old Batu Tiga / Shah Alam race circuit and then at the Pasir Gudang track and later at Sepang International. BUT I have never passed 180kmph on public roads....

[Fabe18]

160 ! - must've been trying out his laws of physics... you don't need crosswinds to kill you at these kinda speeds.... a blown-out tyre, a stone in the windscreen, a busted fanbelt... etc, etc,... can have similiar effects... and if in a Proton!... that's a deathwish!!!

If I remember correctly, he drove a ford... Anyway, feel of speed differs from car to car. Driving at 160kph is snap of fingers for some... I do that once in a while actually on open road... to decarbonise the engine... And also during track days in Sepang (carbon buildup in the combustion chambers and exhaust system reduces the efficiency).. However, i do always keep a lookout for those 'orange butterfly nets' and drive with caution at these zones... Don't pray pray with the cross winds..

[davidtcf]

im from kuantan and drove that stretch a few times...

my family drove it too... that new highway... it is actually more convenient as it is shorter (3 hours or 2.5 if fast)

so far no problems with the crosswind... and yea do watch it when it blows up high... actually means something there... (those orange wind trap things)

sometimes i see ppl speed so fast on the east coast highway, which explains the accidents...they can go up to 140-160 an hour... i mostly wouldn't dare hit the 120-140 mark the most.... (at straight roads only, esp not the stretch at karak, there drive slow and care...)

anyway my condolences to him... it is sad to die so young...

just be careful when u drive...

[scorgio]

The S'ban-Nilai stretch of NSE also got crosswind.
PLUS didn't put any crosswind sign/indicator there.

Once my car was swerving left & right, I was at 100km/h. I thought it's the alignment or drive shaft problem. Then I saw the trees on the side, I realised it's crosswind.

[USJ27Resident]

it depends on the type of vehicle. on some, 160 doesnt feel fast at all...

Doesn't matter what type of vehicle, one can end up in the hospital many times... but in the morgue... only once!

my condolences to the bereaved family...

[isarahim]

Really sorry to hear this. I drive to Cherating a lot, and of course I've noticed this.

Apart from the wind; as usual in Malaysian roadbuilding there are also a lot of curves on this highway with entierly wrong grading; often pulling the car strongly to the right even when no wind at all. If you're unlucky to have the wind pulling in the same direction, the combined pull can be serious even at 80 km/h.

Luckily we don't have frost in this country, else all these horrible road builds would blatantly reveal themselves and cause even more deaths than we have.