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November 24, 2009 Tuesday

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Loh Keng Fatt
News Editor, Sunday Times
A simple solution
October 27, 2009 Tuesday, 02:45 PM
Loh Keng Fatt has some ideas to help reduce road rage in Singapore.

YOU play "good driver" and observe all the rules. On the expressway, you filter left early to follow the stream of cars exiting on the slip road. Or you do the same on the extreme right of a road to access a ramp, or slip road, to a highway.

During peak periods however, this eats up time, the line of cars in front of you can be quite long, and that's when the nasty Singaporean driver shows up.

There you are, nursing your car slowly forward, when a small gap opens in front of you and suddenly a car swerves forcefully into your path.

He is, of course, the infamous queue-jumper — and not necessarily piloting some fancy set of wheels.

You mutter curses, and stare daggers at the offender, willing him or her to check the rear-view mirror to meet your blazing eyes.

Most times, the other driver does not.

I think many motorists are confronted by such brazen, irresponsible actions every day.

But you don't have to put up with such nonsense; you don't have to feel like you  need to bash them up (of course, you shouldn't), or even sound your horn in angry frustration.

I've got a  simple solution:

Could  some sort of barrier in the form of poles be placed along the dotted lines separating two roads;  starting at some distance from the exit or entrance point?

Some may say that this would be unsightly. Perhaps. Others may call it dangerous.

But it would only be dangerous if you were speeding and trying to cut in at the last possible moment.

Still, you would have to agree that something has to be done to curb Singapore’s reckless drivers.

It is also dangerous to other motorists who must be on "super alert" to avoid hitting the intruders.

I have learnt to keep a very sharp vigil for anyone who is inclined to cut in.

I actually keep to the extreme edge of the road to give them less space to muscle in. If I am filtering left, I keep my car hugging the extreme right side of my lane, and vice versa.

Drivers should never allow a yawning gap to open in front of them, to let some time-pinching driver sneak in.

Perhaps, if everyone did that,  we wouldn't need to install barriers to ward off the queue-cheaters?

Read more:
Car usage on the rise
Delivery man jailed for road rage
Jail for striking cab with chain



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Total comments: 21
dorkedog
November 08, 2009 Sunday

Did I not read that the Chairman of the Singapore Kindness Movememt once said.... that it will take a generation or two for Singaporeans to be gracious and courteous.
Goodness gracious me. Sorry Kimberly.

comment 7636 | Offensive? Report this comment
tomtom
November 06, 2009 Friday

Singapore is a long way from courtesy & graciousness. You wouldn't experience such Q cutting in NZ, USA, Australia, etc. Hope we arrive there someday...........

comment 7599 | Offensive? Report this comment
Eric
November 04, 2009 Wednesday

I am trying to understand what the fuzz is all about. Let it go. We don't get traffic jam all day long. It is just certain time of the day. Singaporean just can't tolerate being behind. We fly into a rage because someone gets infront of you. How much time do you actually lost. If we all start practicing traffic etiquette, eventually people will get use to it and change their bad habits. I am a Singaporean living in Bangkok and its notorious traffic deadlock but drivers are more patient and traffic does move. There just too much stress at work to bring home more stress.

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Peace
November 04, 2009 Wednesday

The problem is not all turning lane are standardised to either one lane or two lane. Sometimes you are not sure if there is another lane.

Possible solution.
- Put up sign 100 meters or 200 meters away to indicate number of turning lanes




comment 7546 | Offensive? Report this comment
RuiZ
November 03, 2009 Tuesday

i have to agree with Mr Loh's comments. many at times when an evening drive home should be relaxing and all...but with the appearence of the" ugly Singaporean Driver" it has caused us to be more vigilant and alert of them! not to say that we a re not vigilant enough while driving, i just feel that we as drivers should not be holding the responsibility to care for another driver!
also, many traffic jams are caused by such people who rather insert their cars into a small space and hog up the other law abiding citizens queuing up for the turn at the back.

kudos to these drivers! because of people like you around, you have caused much more accidents and wasting the time of so many other drivers on the road. well done! all you need to do now is to get into a real accident to really waste all of our time...

is it really so hard to abide the law and drive safely? i'd rather be slow and safe than to go home in a wrecked up car... your choice.

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