IT TOOK an accident to restore my faith in my fellow drivers.
I’ve had a driving licence for 16 years now, and bought my own vehicle six years ago. Within months I was involved in a hit-and-run.
The other driver had cut in front of me. He misjudged and grazed my bumper. He raced off, and I gave chase, finally cornering him in a cul-de-sac.
He didn’t deny what happened. But he was defiant, and taunted me.
His exact words escape me, but it went along the lines of: “So I did it. But I’ll lie to my insurer, and it’ll be your word against mine. Given the option of going to court or making you pay for my mistake, guess what your insurance company will do?”
I was taken aback. Speechless. Furious.
Suffice to say events panned out exactly as he predicted, and I repaired the (minor) damage at my own cost since it amounted to than the excess anyway.
There's no honour with Singapore drivers, I would say whenever the topic of accidents or car insurance came up, and trot out this story as proof of that.
Fast forward six years to last Monday night, when another driver reversed into me.
In the weeks preceding the accident, The Straits Times had published a number of stories about scammers making false medical and workshop claims, something that has resulted in escalating insurance premiums and blood pressure on the part of Singapore car owners, it was probably not surprising that my first thought was: I’m screwed.
Just three days ago, in fact, The Straits Times published another story about a car owner who sent his car in for repairs.
The repairs though, cost almost the same price as the car would had fetched if sold, and resulted in the owner’s insurance premium shooting up from $970 to more than $5,000.
Luckily, this experience was very different to my first.
The other driver — let’s call him Mr R — was instantly apologetic. He had been driving an unfamiliar car and did not notice me parked behind him, he said.
He admitted that he was at fault and offered to fix the damage to my car, which had sustained a slight dent to its bumper.
Nonetheless, I regret to admit I was suspicious, demanding he show some form of identity and taking copious photos of the two vehicles.
The next day, we ended up at a workshop to get some quotes. The first asked for upward of $400. The second asked for “$100 plus”. We settled for the latter.
On Thursday, my dented bumper was repaired for $180, at Mr R’s cost, and he even paid for my taxi rides that day.
We shook, and parted on friendly terms.
Thanks to Mr R’s honourable conduct, my faith in my fellow drivers has been restored.
Thanks to him, I will have another story to tell when the topic of accidents and insurance comes up.
Hopefully this is a sign of a more gracious society, and in future more drivers here will have similar tales to tell.