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Traffic
How bad is the traffic in your country?
The traffic is pretty bad here, especially in major cities. During rush hours, we can see cars and motorcycles flooding the street. In my country, motorcycle is the most common mode of transport because it is cheaper. Riding motorcycle also enables us to travel much faster because we can take alternative routes to avoid congestion. However, this strategy doesn't really work in metropolitan cities, where alternative roads can no longer accommodate the sheer number of vehicles. Congestion can be much worse during an inclement weather or long holiday season.
What are the main causes of congestion?
Congestion occurs for various reasons. The most obvious reason is the growing number of private vehicles and the lack of transportation facilities like roads or public transport. In some cases, congestion can also be caused by inclement weather, accident, or road construction.
Are there a lot of private vehicles in the street?
Yes, and the number keeps increasing due to the better economic condition. People who used to live in poverty have turned into a middle class that can afford private vehicle. There have been some efforts to reduce congestion, like improving public transport, building more roads, raising the price of petrol or even raising tax on private vehicles. But, car ownership keeps rising because transportation has become an important part of people's life these days. People from the upper-middle class have higher mobility and they tend to choose private modes of transport because it is more convenient than taking public transport like bus or train.
How do most people commute to work in your country?
Most of them are riding motorcycle because motorbikes are much more affordable and consume less gas compared to cars. If you ride a motorcycle, it will be much easier to find a parking place. The parking fee for motorbikes is also much cheaper. Besides, motorcycles have better maneuverability which helps riders avoid congestion.
How do traffic problems affect you?
It affects me in so many different ways. Because of the traffic, I need much more time to go to and from work. Sometimes, people stuck in a traffic and come late to work, which often puts them in a serious trouble. During peak hours, riding a motorcycle can be extremely exhausting. By the time we arrive at home, we will be extremely tired. Traffic also affects people's mood so very often, and they may get a little hostile due to stress and exhaustion. Bad weather makes driving experience even worse, especially for a motorcyclist like me. There will be puddles of water everywhere, I'll be soaking wet, there are a lot of road bumps or potholes that make it dangerous to drive at high speed, and there will always be reckless car drivers who splash water all over me. It only takes me thirty minutes to commute to work, but traffic can ruin my entire day by prolonging the journey to one hour and a half.
What do you do to deal with the traffic problems?
Most of the time, I will just avoid the main roads. I know my way around the city and I ride a motorcycle, so finding alternative routes would be much easier for me. I also have a habit of going to my destination half an hour earlier, just in case I get stuck in traffic and can't make it there on time.
IELTS Speaking Part 2 - Self-Presentation
Traffic Accident
Describe a minor accident that you had in the past
You should say:
Where and when did it happen?
What was the cause of the accident?
How did it happen?
What do you feel about the accident?
Where and when did it happen?
I had a little mishap when driving home from work one time. It happened a year ago, as I was driving in one of the alternative roads in my city. I was trying to avoid congestion in the main road, so I took the risk of taking alternative routes that usually have potholes.
What was the cause of the accident?
The accident was mainly caused by bad weather and potholes in the street. However, I have to admit that I also made a mistake by taking alternative routes and neglecting the weather condition. It was quite risky to take that route because I was riding a motorcycle in the middle of the rain, having a low visibility. As an experienced rider, I should have known better.
How did it happen?
Well, I was not speeding or anything, since it was raining and the road was slippery. But, there were some potholes in the street, and they were covered by puddles of water. My front tire hit a large potholes and lost its grip. I fell off the bike and busted my elbow because I wasn't wearing full protective gear, just helmet, vest and gloves. Luckily, there wasn't any cars coming from behind me, because they might run me over if they were driving at high speed. I lay down for a while to make sure that there's no broken bones or anything. When I was sure there was no serious injury, I got up and quickly killed the engine and pushed my bike to the side of the road.
What do you feel about the accident?
I was shocked, of course. As my body was slammed on the paved road, I frantically looked around, fearing that a car might run me over from behind or anything. I crawled to the sidewalk because my legs were trembling uncontrollably. When I already recovered from the shock, I got up, I pushed my bike to the side of the road and tried to calm myself down. I later found out that my elbow was bleeding. My trousers, jacket and shirt were ripped off and I got some bruises all over my legs. Apparently, I was thrown off the bike so hard, I actually hurt myself pretty badly. The bike was sliding for several meters before stopping, and this was indicated by scratches all over the fairing. My front brake lever was tangled but I could fix it later. The accident not only resulted in physical injury but also cost me a lot of money to fix the bike. I was traumatized a little bit but thankfully the accident did not stop me from riding a motorcycle. It was just a bad luck and I definitely learned my lesson.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Discussion
Driving Safety
What are the main causes of road accidents?
In many cases, road accidents are caused by reckless and distracted drivers, those who don't bother looking at the side mirror before changing lanes, nor using blinker before turning. Accident can also be caused by people who are going through the red light, or driving while texting. These are the most stupid reasons to have an accident because they are actually quite preventable. There are other factors that can cause an accident, such as vehicle malfunction, weather, and other factors. However, these factors are less likely to become the reason why an accident happens and drivers normally do not have control over such factors. For example, a deer that suddenly crosses the street as someone drives at high speed can make them panic, swerve to right or left before crashing the vehicle into a tree or separator. Nobody knows a deer will suddenly appear in highway or anything, so we cannot blame the driver entirely because they only have control over the wheel, not the deer. Accident can also be caused by malfunction in vehicle, but this can be prevented by regular check and maintenance.
Do you think it's safe to ride a motorcycle?
It depends on who's on the bike. I have been riding motorbike all my life and everything is just fine for me and others because I'm always vigilant when riding a motorcycle. The only time I had an accident was when there was an external factor causing me to lose control over my bike, that is the potholes in the street. I don't ride a motorcycle carelessly just to look cool, and this is what bikers should do, especially when they ride a sports bike. Having a 1000cc bike without the right skill, mentality and self-control will only result in somebody getting hurt or killed.
Who should be responsible for road accidents?
It depends on who is being reckless. People will easily blame motorcyclist or car drivers for an accident, but we should realize that anyone who does not adhere to traffic regulation can also cause an accident, including pedestrians. For example, if I ride a motorcycle at 90km/h and suddenly there is some random person jaywalking, then I will have to make a quick decision. I can just hit the brake abruptly with a risk of having a fatal accident and possibly hurting myself or I can just try to slow the bike as much as I can with a risk of hitting the pedestrian. Either way, there's always a risk being involved, and it is more likely that I will have to take the blame despite the fact that I don't brake any rules.
What do you think of drink driving?
Well, I live in a country where drinking alcoholic beverage is often frowned upon and as far as I know, there are not so many accident involving intoxicated drivers here. If drinking itself is a big no no in this country, then leave alone driving while you are drunk. It can get you into a real trouble because it's illegal and somebody may get hurt or killed, so I'm definitely against it.
What loses do you think can occur when an accident happens?
The worst thing that can happen is the loss of life. People can be badly injured or even disfigured. If you get hurt, then you have to pay for the medical bills, and not all people have health insurance here in my country. We also have to pay a lot of money fixing our car or motorcycle if it is broken, so there's a financial damage too. In some cases, we will have to pay compensation for someone else's car damage. So, we better think of all the risks and loses resulted from an accident before doing anything stupid as a driver.
What can we do to reduce road accidents?
To prevent road accident, we have to be a responsible driver and stay vigilant. We also have to lower our ego when driving, because ego can make us do things without thinking, which is a perfect recipe for disaster. People who are proven guilty in road accident will face legal consequences, so we have to put this in mind and make sure that we always abide by the law and traffic regulations.
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