Road Etiquette ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Firstly, let me apologise for the lack of updates over the past week. This writer has been busy with academic matters from other modules, thus rendering him with no time for sussing out interesting roads for readers of this blog.
Anyway, just want to comment a little bit about road etiquette on Singapore roads.
Thou Shalt not Be RudeBased on my limited driving experience, Singaporean drivers seem to rank low on road courtesy, even when compared to places like Bali and Bangkok, the latter where traffic is notoriously haphazard.
How many times have you signalled right on the expressway, only to have the driver on the right lane speed up and zoom ahead of you? How many times have you driven at 105 kilometres on Lane 1, only to have impatient drivers overtake you (and in a reckless, to-heck-with-safety manner no less)? And how many times have you almost gotten into an accident, because the driver in front of you cuts your lane without signalling his intention?
My answer to all three hypothetical scenarios: ALL THE TIME.
One reason for this lack of basic courtesy could be because of the frenetic lifestyle that Singaporeans lead. Let's face it, we are not the most laidback of cities in the world. In fact, we have the fastest walking speed among city dwellers worldwide. (I've always found this study mildly amusing, because the execution of the experiment can be comical -- imagine having someone plant him/herself in the business districts, staring intently at the swishing footsteps of people walking by)
This behaviour on the pavements would definitely mirror that of the roads. Drivers, eager to get home after a tough day of work, would maneuoveur the roads with impatience, and this translates to bad manners and reckless driving.
Third World Roads, First World EtiquetteRecent holiday trips to Bali and Bangkok led me to an interesting observation about the traffic conditions in both regions. Both cities are not blessed with the bright streetlights and tarred and smooth roads of Singapore. The roads there are often confusing and not as efficiently mapped out as that of Singapore's.
However, in both places, drivers seem to have a tacit agreement on how to drive. As such, they are often all smiles, even when traffic comes to a complete stalemate during traffic jams. In Bali, drivers sound their hones all the time, but no one finds it offensive because they understand that by sounding the horn, drivers are requesting others to allow him to pass. And they all do so, without the frustrations and grumbles that would ensue if the driver was Singaporean. And in Bangkok, if a car were to cut another's lane, no one would lose sleep over it. They do not let such trivialities affect their moods.
It's almost a shame that with its so-called "first-class" transport infrastructures and facilities, we are still so primitive when it comes to road etiquette, something which our "third-world" neighbours surpass us by more than a mile.
By singaporeroads at 9:36 AM
