Paul Arden | Tuesday, 29 April 2025
I’ve narrowly avoided two head-on collisions this year. Both on account of other people’s incredible stupidity. The first was two cars overtaking on a blind hill a couple of months ago and the second was a car overtaking around a blind bend last week. In both cases cars suddenly appeared immediately in front of me requiring evasive action. If it wasn’t for my super-human fly fishing reaction speeds, I’m quite sure both situations would have been hugely catastrophic. But even so, in both cases, it wasn’t a “that was close” moment but instead “brace for impending impact”. Both times I expected full contact. How it was avoided I do not know. In a parallel universe somewhere everyone is dead.
It’s something that I don’t understand. It’s one thing to risk your own life, but to risk others by doing something that is beyond stupid is the height of selfishness. I’ve had a fulfilled life, but what when children die as a consequence of this bloody thoughtlessness? These idiots will most likely die on the road and become another Malaysian statistic. It’s just a matter of time for them.
There are a lot of accidents here, particularly during fasting month. And one of my near misses occurred during this period. That doesn’t excuse it, but helps explain it. No one makes sensible decisions while operating dehydrated on hot afternoons and I try my best to avoid driving during this period. But last week’s near-death encounter had no explanation. Overtaking on a blind corner, in the dark, on wet roads, at speed… on a blind corner? That was another one of my – fortunately many – lives gone.
And people question why I don’t cycle on these roads!
Here in Malaysia 3.5% of all deaths are a result of road accidents. It’s the fourth leading cause of death. In Thailand that figure is a staggering 4%. By comparison it’s 0.5% in the UK and slightly less in Germany at 0.45%.
Imagine that! In Malaysia you have a 3.5% chance dying in a road crash. That figure is so staggering that I had to check many times to make sure it was right. To me it’s a mind-boggling statistic. And there is not a hell of a lot you can do about it either, when someone else causes the accident through driving recklessly.
It was so close last week than my knees went weak immediately afterwards. The last time I can remember that happening to me was when Tarpon fishing with Gordy Hill in Florida, over twenty years ago. Oh yes a fishing story!
I was on Gordy’s skiff, when we came around a headland and spotted 100 Tarpon over 100lbs porpoising along. When I stood up on the bow to make the shot my knees gave way and I almost fell overboard! That shot went wild. I sorted myself out, got my shit together and put in a decent shot next cast. One of the hundred hooked up, which I ultimately lost in my inexperience. I often think about that moment, when I nearly fell overboard, such was the excitement. I’ve seen it here with guests and Snakehead shots too.
It was also interesting to recall that moment again after the near collision. It’s curious how the mind works.
When I play my life back it’s mostly fishing memories. Encounters, moments, fish. What incredible lives we live as fly fishermen. We are the lucky ones.
I’m down in Kuala Lumpur for Ashly’s swim coaching. (I saw two road accidents on the way down). There are Snakehead babies still around. We haven’t had a Dry Season this year, and instead the lake is now higher than at any point in the past eight years.
There are also Termites appearing which is seeing Gourami portal into the lake from which other dimension where they normally exist and appear at the surface feeding. It’s all about to happen!!
Lots of Sexyloops fly rods going out this week. We are almost up to date for once! Wow!! Have a great week! :D
Cheers, Paul