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Motorists risk lives to collect coins strewn on highway

Jan. 24, 2011 - 11:46 By 문예빈

REMBAU, Malaysia -- An accident that resulted in about RM75,000 worth of coins being strewn on a highway saw motorists risking their lives as they scrambled to get the money.

They parked their vehicles haphazardly along KM234 of the North-South Expressway and scooped the coins into helmets, pockets, plastic bags and whatever else that they could find until they were stopped by the police.

Some were seen squatting on the highway to collect the 10 sen, 20 sen and 50 sen coins and refused to budge despite pleas from the owners, who were on their way to distribute the coins to stores in Malacca.

Loose change: PULS personnel clearing the coins from the highway yesterday (Photo: The Star)

Others ran to the middle and fast lanes to collect them with no regard for their safety.

The accident occurred at 4pm yesterday when a BMW, which was travelling south from Kuala Lumpur, crashed into the rear of a Toyota Hilux, causing its driver to lose control of his vehicle and crash into the embankment.

The impact caused a steel box in which the coins were kept at the rear section of the Hilux to be flung out.

State traffic chief Asst Supt Abdul Halil Hamzah said his men, who witnessed the frenzy, had to stop motorists from taking the coins and endangering their lives.

The driver of the Hilux, Zairul Hisham Mansor, 28, said he was travelling with a friend from Shah Alam to Malacca to distribute the coins.

Motorists rushing to pick up coins strewn all over the road on the North-South Expressway near Seremban. Others, oblivious to danger, even ran to the middle and fast lanes to collect the coins. (Photo: The Star)


(The Star, a member of ANN)

<한글 요약>

말레이시아의 한 고속도로에서 발생한 승합차 추돌사고로 2천8백만원 상당의 동전이 도로 내로 떨어져, 사고 현장을 지나가던 오토바이 운전자들이 목숨을 걸며 동전 줍는 모습이 포착되어 눈길을 끌고 있다.

화요일 오후 4시 경, 말레이시아 수도 콸라룸푸르에서 남쪽으로 향하던 BMW 승용차가 바로 앞에 달리던 도요타 하이럭스 트럭의 뒷부분을 들이받았다. 이어 중심을 잃은 사고 차량은 길 옆 가드레일을 받았다 

사고 충격으로 하이럭스 뒤칸에 적재되어 있었던 동전으로 가득찬 철재상자가 도로로 떨어져 수많은 동전이 바닥에 흩어졌다. 

사고 현장을 지나던 수많은 오토바이 운전자들이 도로 내에 널리 퍼진 동전들을 수집하려고 달려들었고 교통 정리를 위해 현장에 투입된 지역 교통 경찰들은 이들을 저지하는 등 큰 혼란이 일어났다.

오토바이 운전자들은 자신들의 헬멧, 바지 주머니, 비닐 봉지와 동전을 담을 수 있는 모든 도구를 이용하여 동전을 쓸어담기 시작하였다.
 
피해 차량 운전자 28세 자이룰 히삼 맨서씨는 사고 당일 친구와 함께 동전을 전달하기 위해  '샤 알람'에서 목적지인 '말라카'시로 이동 중이었다.