ISSUE V: Road safety in Singapore

My mum drives me to school every morning. And I hate it when male drivers bully her on the road. They like to overtake her at junctions. They refuse to give way at yellow-boxes. They like to turn at junctions where turning is prohibited. They like to blast their horns loudly at her, frightening my poor vulnerable mum. I hate it and I feel weak being unable to give her any form of protection. I can only verbally reassure her that being honked at has nothing to with her driving skills. She was one law-abiding proper driver. How I wish I could just disembark the car and raise my fist at the other party, and perhaps engage in a fist-fight with those idiots. But this act would not comply with my policy of non-violence.

On the 23rd of Feb, the papers reported that a boy was killed while cycling on the road. He was returing home from tuition on his bicycle. He was 10. Another boy, 12, had to undergo multiple surgeries after a vehicle collided into him on the 6th of March.

Three weeks ago, my cousin was cycling on the road when a reckless motorist collided into him at the infamous Bishan Junction. The accident severely damaged his bicycle but thankfully did not give him any major injuries.

Three years ago, my good friend's family was involved in a major accident. One young male driver was test driving a sports car along Upper Paya Lebar Road when he lost control of the test car and sent the car flipping across the road divider. The car landed on my good friend's car. All five passengers in my good friend's car were saved by seat belts and the rigid structure of the BMW car frame. They were hospitalised for a week. The young female car sales assistant who accompanied the man on his test drive was killed. The driver survived. He was speeding at the point when the accident occurred.

Just what is wrong with motorists these days? Haste, carelessness, recklessness, complacency, arrogance, influence of alcohol, distraction due to phone calls, poor driving etiquette, and a basic lack of respect for other road users. These are the main problems plaguing the typical Singaporean driver.

I am a road cyclist. On the road, female drivers are looked down upon, children are frowned upon, drivers of small Japanese sedans are bullied and pushed around, the cyclists are trampled upon, and the innocent get killed.

The road is a dangerous place, regardless of who you are, or what you are travelling on. The incidents provided by me are merely 4 of the numerous examples that highlight the ugly side of Singaporeans. While I believe all accidents are unintentional, the drivers can actually prevent accidents by driving carefully.

I hope that we won't ever have to feel guilty of reckless driving. Guilt creeps into one's heart and stays there for the rest of his life.