Karl Stennienibarra
New cars imported into Malta will no longer have indicators as of next year, while existing cars will have them removed, the Government announced today.
The move comes after a survey by Transport Malta revealed that only one percent of Maltese people have ever used their indicators while driving.
“Furthermore, most of that one percent said they only did so accidentally while reaching for something on the dashboard,” Transport Minister Ian Borg said while outlining the plans.
The survey did not account for foreign drivers in Malta, who Borg said were “goody-two-shoes losers who do everything the Highway Code tells them to because they think they’re better than us.”
As part of the planned phaseout, drivers of existing cars can take their vehicles to a specialist mechanic to have the indicator stalk taken off.
“We understand that most people have never even touched this strange device before, so it might be stressful for them to snap it off themselves,” the Minister said.
Borg added that people could keep their indicator lights as decoration if they wanted to.
Members of the public who spoke to Bis-Serjetà welcomed the plans.
“I like to think that, by leaving the driver behind me unaware until the very last second that I intend to slow down and turn at a junction, I’m injecting a little excitement into their otherwise boring commute,” said Karen Deguara from Iklin.
“Good riddance, I say. This one time, I accidentally pushed the indicator down and ended up driving round and round the same block for three hours because I couldn’t figure out how to turn it off again,” said Benjamin Xuereb from Bugibba.
Meanwhile, hazard lights will be retained for their main function of parking illegally in front of pastizzerias.
