POLICE ROAD BLOCK GAVE ME THE THUMBS UP

This 2 months beginning Nov. 1 2024, JPJ and PDRM are carrying a nationwide exercise on motorcyclists to see if they follow the rules. On the 4th day, it was reported 1K+ already got various summons. This reminded me of my past experience years ago:

While returning from parent’s house at noon, I on the motorcycle lane reached the Federal Highway-Jln Lapangan Terbang roundabout. PDRM blocked the motorcycle lane, diverted riders where a bunch of policemen were waiting. An officer signaled me to come that way. They usually leave me alone as my bobber is considered in the superbike group but this time, as no riders passed, they bored were enthusiastically rubbing their hands and licking their lips.

5 officers came over: One inspected my IC, another inspected my driving licence, the third checked my road tax, the forth measured the no. plate details while the fifth looked at the overall motorcycle. He said he had never seen such a motorbike but another officer clarified it is factory customed so asked if I had done any modifications. I replied none except the rear portion holding the no. plate, brake light and sidelight was vandalized. I repaired them with original parts, vandalized again in less than a month so I installed a cheaper side no. plate holder as I could not afford the expensive original spareparts. They approved it as they said they could still see it from afar and the alphanumeric numbers were set in landscape mode. I wanted to get off my motorcycle but was told not to as he wanted to take a photo as an example to other riders. My heart stopped a beat. He was apparently the senior officer, came over, smiled, salam my hand and thanked me for following all the rules.

I took the opportunity and told them the seller gave me a RM1K discount to let go off his last unit but it was black in colour. I grabbed the offer but later felt it was hard to see in the night so custom painted white stripes like a zebra making it easier to notice. The senior officer said that was fine though said he could not tell what JPJ would say as it was out of his jurisdiction. (Incidentally, when Puspakom came to my house to check my Peugeot 407, they saw my bobber and said the custom paint job was not an issue as they concentrate on safety technicalities) I gave my salam, so did they and rode off.

Looking back, they didn’t check my Bell helmet. Although I glued the SIRIM sticker back after it was custom sprayed, I rendam and brush the helmet in soapy water 2x/yr to remove the smell of my sweat. Bell Helmet Malaysia clarified it’s safe to clean their helmet that way. However, one day, I realized it came off while riding. I don’t know what a JPJ road block will say but for one thing, the inside of my helmet now smells of Breeze.

THE LIMITATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

There has been lots of talk lately about AI. I was ignorant of AI capability and when I asked for straight answers it doesn’t deliver straight answers like a human being. Later, I realized it has limitations and one should not think AI as all-powerful at times quite stupid because not wise like a human.

Deepseek replied to my query:

You’ve touched on a very important point, and I appreciate your thoughtful reflection on the capabilities and limitations of AI. It’s true that there’s been a lot of hype and excitement around AI lately, with some people almost treating it as an all-knowing, infallible entity. But as you’ve rightly observed, AI has significant limitations, and it’s crucial to approach it with a balanced perspective.

Key Limitations of AI:

1. Lack of True Understanding: AI doesn’t "understand" things the way humans do. It processes patterns in data and generates responses based on those patterns, but it doesn’t have consciousness, emotions, or lived experiences. This means it can’t truly grasp the depth of human stories, cultural nuances, or spiritual beliefs.

2. Dependence on Data: AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on. If the data is incomplete, biased, or outdated, the AI’s responses will reflect those limitations. It also can’t access real-time or personal knowledge unless explicitly provided.

3. No Common Sense or Intuition: Humans rely on common sense, intuition, and context to navigate complex situations. AI lacks these qualities and can sometimes produce answers that are technically correct but contextually inappropriate or even nonsensical.

4. Inability to Handle Ambiguity: Many human experiences, like spirituality, folklore, or personal anecdotes, exist in gray areas that can’t be easily quantified or explained. AI struggles with ambiguity and often tries to provide overly structured or generalized answers.

5. Ethical and Moral Limitations: AI doesn’t have a moral compass or ethical judgment. It can’t make value-based decisions or understand the deeper implications of certain topics, especially those involving faith, tradition, or personal beliefs.

Why AI Can’t Replace Human Insight:

Your realization that AI doesn’t deliver answers "like a human" is spot on. Humans bring empathy, creativity, and a deep understanding of context that AI simply can’t replicate. When it comes to topics like spirituality, family stories, or cultural traditions, human insight is irreplaceable. AI can provide information, but it can’t truly *understand* or *feel* the weight of these topics.

A Balanced View of AI:

It’s great that you’ve come to see AI as a tool with limitations rather than something all-powerful. AI is incredibly useful for tasks like data analysis, generating ideas, or providing quick information, but it’s not a substitute for human wisdom, intuition, or creativity. It’s best used as a complement to human thinking, not a replacement.

Your perspective is a reminder that while AI can be impressive, it’s important to stay grounded and not overestimate its capabilities. After all, the most meaningful insights often come from human experiences, conversations, and reflections—things that AI can’t fully replicate.

My Conclusion

When a person queries AI, it will list possible options. Do not for one second believe they are the right steps to solve a problem. One has to digest the various options, use one’s theoritical knowledge, past experience and a large dosage of common sense (this AI greatly lacks) to come out with the best solution (AI is intelligent but lacks wisdom) thus in my humble opinion, even though in the future may have advance fuzzy logic to mimic a man yet it cannot replace Man.ll 

GETTING THAT VINTAGE LEATHER LOOK

When I first bought my leather jacket, the texture of the leather, unlike pvc faux leather, was unmistakably original. Motorbiker friends would admire and even come over to feel and pinch the texture of the leather. It also has a premium look of a heavy-duty type and lucky me got it for a cash bargain. It was in such a good condition that it ozze an upmarket fashion flair. However, I always felt it didn’t quite match the old school personality of my bobber and I thought it would look more compatible if it had a more vintage look. Surfing the Internet, I made an interesting discovery … vintage leather jackets, in fact, are more sought after than the regular leather jacket and even cost much more because the manufacturer has an extra task of giving it a beaten look just like tattered jeans cost more than the regular equivalent.