We're proud of being a shining beacon surrounded by lesser developed world countries (hey, we pioneered Formula 1 night racing!) and proud that our Minister Mentor (MM) Lee is invited all over the world to tell the Singapore success story and his part in it.
The MSM (main stream media) regularly reminds us how well we are doing as a country and of the benevolence of our government.
Why only today we were told that Singaporeans above a certain age and below a certain income level will be getting one time Medisave "top ups" worth up to Sin$500 this year!
So maybe now we'll stop droning like vuvuzelas about the high cost of living and price hikes in public transportation.
Recently, the MRT and bus services (meant to be somewhat complementary) were further streamlined and after the new fares were put into operation there were something like 13 fare errors. When you charge commuters more, they surely will notice!
One could say that it was not a PR coup for the public transportation company which had tried to sell commuters on the premise that the new structure was going to lead to savings for them. (example: The base fare for Seniors went up instead of down which made it hard for people to marry the sales pitch with reality)
And 13 fare errors? That's a ding in our national pride because we are so proud of leading SEA in technology and being effective and efficient. Look at our award winning airport, a source of pride - we'd just as soon renovate or upgrade than do some spring cleaning, judging by the constant building works that go on there.
The world class airport at Changi has a commensurate VIP complex (off limits to ordinary folk like you and me) which is a good thing because our irreplaceable officials need these facilities while travelling to advise others, to make visits to other countries and receive foreign VIPS.
According to the newspapers in the past week or so, MM Lee left for Russia today, I think PM Lee is now back from China and BG Yeo is there (China) for a six day official visit. It just goes to show that our officials are much in demand.
I digress, back to appalling driving and road manners in Singapore!
This morning's papers showed a white VW driven by a woman driver; she had collided with a motorcyclist coming from the opposite direction as she was making a right turn.
Just from looking at the photograph, my humble opinion is that she may have misjudged her and her car's ability to make her turn ahead of the motorcyclist.
Because we have no motorways, inter-state highways and expressways with conditions like they have in big countries, drivers here have little or no experience of real driving. Going from one traffic light to another or at the legal limit 50 kmh in many areas does not prepare one to drive in more open areas like Jurong (industrial park).
The speed limit on Singapore expressways is something like 90kmh (56mph) but often these expressways are so packed that one does not even reach that speed.
Without long distance driving experience people here do not have a sense of pace and judgement; consequently they have little idea what to do in an emergency.
But they fiercely protect their perceived right of way - like the man in an SUV who charged down a one way section of the street and wondered why I had the temerity to be in his way! I was so taken aback I had no time to note his registration number.
Singapore requires all learners to take a Basic Theory Test, practice their driving, then a Final Theory Test and a Driving Test. After that they have to drive with a 'P' plate on the front and rear of their cars - for 1 year.
On paper it does look like we should produce drivers who know the rules of the road, the traffic laws, signs and markings. But in practice, a driving licence seems to be a licence to forget all they have learnt!
All this despite myriad different versions of what I still think of as the "Highway Code" (still goes by that name in many places) at the major booksellers like Borders and Kinokuniya. Aside from the official version, the rest are 'crib' books to prepare one for the two theory tests.
It's a thriving business in Singapore because there is a constant demand for driving licences. So much for weaning us from private cars and onto public transport!
'Cramming' for the Basic Theory and Final Theory tests (multiple choice question and answers format) has trumped true understanding of the principles behind these rules and signs and commonsense.
Why do you think rear end collisions are the main causes of accidents on our roads?
Few have any idea how much space they should leave between themselves and the vehicle in front. And despite the law, many are on their cellphones - which is a huge distraction.
This is also why you will find people parking at street corners and outside driveways - ignorant that they are obscuring the view of other motorists. It's the simple and the obvious that they were never taught and do not know!
It's a system that makes it possible to churn out ignorant and unskilled drivers - as learners they become so familiar with their circuits they can drive them blind folded. But after passing their tests, they find that the rest of Singapore is a different proposition altogether.
And as for drivers from other countries, Singapore should adopt a policy to screen the licence holder who brings in a foreign driving licence. Years ago, in HK, I had to bring in my passport to show a required number of years' residence in the country of issue and so on.
I would go even further and have foreigners take the theory and driving tests - after all we have some uniquely Singapore traffic conventions and they should know them before they are allowed to drive on our roads.
While you can see on tv that cars have taken the place of bicycles on city roads in China, we appear to have gone the other way in Singapore! Here, bicycles are enjoying an unforeseen and unexpected renaissance.
And I am not talking about men and women in bicycling outfits on purpose-made bicycles. But a motley assortment, usually Chinese or Indian sub-content complexioned, riding some pretty ropey looking bicycles that do not have lights or reflectors. Brakes are probably an optional extra!
In any event they favour riding on pavements or the wrong side of the road. It's particularly hazardous for pedestrians and motorists at dawn and dusk when it's dark and you cannot see the bicycle, or its rider.
In the past four months I have read of two incidents of cranes crashing into overhead bridges or similar structures - one of them a well utilised pedestrian bridge over a main road.
I could go on ad infinitum about the road users here - a popular topic of dinner conversation in a country that is car mad. But, for survival, I only stress myself out in small, manageable doses!
When I am not otherwise occupied or updating the blogs, I email the authorities a sample of which is below:
BTW, I received a reply from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to my last post, which is pretty good going because government agencies sometimes take their own sweet time (NEA on Tiong Bahru market parking) or not at all (Traffic Police on the emails I have sent them regarding parking violations).
As long as they are working on solutions I have no problem with a brief acknowledgement.
Since I have other issue with parking and traffic violations I replied thus:
Dear Sirs
Potential Accident Sites:
If there has not been an accident at the junction of Outram/Tiong Bahru roads I would be very surprised.
Every time I drive along Outram towards Seng Poh Road I am passed by taxis, pick-ups, vans, cars who do NOT stop at the STOP sign.
In the USA, the traffic police are especially hard on anyone who neglects to come to a complete halt at a stop sign.
Here, at this spot, there are trees and therefore shaded areas which cast shadows on the road. Tiong Bahru Road comes around a corner before the junction.
All it will need is someone speeding from Tiong Bahru Road (which has right of way) and a 'non-stopping' motorist in a hurry to breakfast or the market and you will see a bad collision.
LTA could add signage (I think there is just one STOP sign on the right) and put a speed bump before and after the junction to get people to slow down even if they do not stop. Speed bumps or 'strips' should at least wake them up to driving with more caution.
In the morning, there are also coaches and trucks parked on the double yellow lines before and after the Shell station.
Seng Poh Road before the junction with Lim Liak St has two lanes, but only one is usable because people park along the double yellow lines while they breakfast at the corner coffee shop. This is dangerous as I have previously mentioned.
Road Signs and Markings that are ignored
Why do we paint lines and waste time and money on them when we cannot or do not enforce the law? Would it not make more sense to have LESS doubles and only have them where no-parking or no-stopping is really vital to safety. Then in those areas, enforce them at peak times on sufficient days in the week so that people who would usually park there know you mean business.
Right now, traffic law enforcement is a bit of a joke and we rarely see traffic police except on escort duty. Foot patrols seem to concentrate near MRT stations.
When we discuss the decline of driving standards in Singapore and an increase in both driving and parking violations, my friends keep telling me we have a shortage of policemen and policewomen in Singapore.
If this is indeed the case then why not engage more parking wardens like they do in Hong Kong and train them properly? HK is a city with some very narrow streets and if everyone stopped or parked with the impunity that they exhibit in Singapore, the roads would be jammed like ours.
I am referring to the roads around and off Orchard Road, from Tanglin/Napier/Grange to Dhoby Ghaut. Especially around Claymore Hill and Road - my cousin was telling me how coaches park and double park along Claymore Hill - a between American Club and International Building. Of course, most of the time with engines running.
So when it is peak time and weekends and cars try to park in Shaw Centre and International Bldg car parks the junction becomes a real mess because drivers here will never give way - not even to allow access, egress or reversing.
Need for some yellow boxes
A YELLOW box at that junction might ease some of the gridlock.
Now that traffic from Orchard Blvd to Tanglin and Napier roads is backing up to the Tomlinson/Orchard Blvd junction, a yellow box is much needed. I understand that there was one but it was never 'replaced' after road resurfacing. This junction is also a dangerous one and I have seen a number of accidents here.
Outsource your efforts
While I have seen auxiliary traffic people on a few occasions, my friends and I think we can do a better job - and help older people at the same time. Can we suggest we be given a franchise :
1) to patrol and book minor traffic violations (stopping, waiting, parking when double yellow parallel lines or double zig zag lines are present; when vehicles are too close to corners/junctions and thereby obscuring traffic)
2) Supervise taxi queues to stop taxis from exceeding the 1 taxi capacity at the Orchard Towers and Liat Towers taxi stands (LTA said the taxi stands ARE for 1 taxi although I suggested they could modify the affected roads to allow larger taxi stands).
3) Ticket all the taxis who park and wait alongside the double yellow lines at Angullia Park and Claymore Road and are therefore in violation of the law.
I am addressing this to both LTA and TP - some are within LTA's purview and other are under the watch of TP. But I figure that all traffic and road matters need the cooperation of both parties to be effective.
Thank you.
Anne Wong Holloway
some diagrams are attached for your easy reference:
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