Here we go again, expats in the news

[QRM]

....You shouldn't have to tell people these things...

The fact that you have to have signs on the highways telling people to get out of the way of emergency vehicles sort of sums it up!

Which brings up another local quirk, an ambulance here is not regarded as being on an emergency run with just the lights flashing, only when the siren is on then its an emergency. So why don't they just turn the flashing lights off?

[JR8]

Seriously? Wow. I suppose the government needs to change the rule to teach them the common sense process of safely merging onto a freeway ...

If the 'common sense process' requires voluntarily giving up immediate personal advantage for the good of all, then no amount of teaching or rules will change it one bit.

Now if you could hand out $1000 'wouldn't facilitate merge' fines then mebbe...

[sundaymorningstaple]

^^This!

[Brah]

I was just on a "local" forum and its scary that locals seem to think it perfectly acceptable to try and prevent others from entering their lane by accelerating to close the gap its mind boggling how the logic works they are arguing by letting another person in they are effectively going against the law.

By accelerating they feel comfortable that they have in fact enforced "the right of way" law and have prevented it from being broken! Its almost like the indoctrination to follow the rules by the book has overridden, logic, compassion, and just plain common courtesy.

I saw somewhere a comment, Here they value rules, elsewhere people value lives.

Sounds similar to the logic I heard of 2nd-hand, maybe from here, of a taxi driver adamant that tailgating on the highway is safer than being x-car lengths back as if there were an accident being close the impact would be less.

[Strong Eagle]

I was just on a "local" forum and its scary that locals seem to think it perfectly acceptable to try and prevent others from entering their lane by accelerating to close the gap its mind boggling how the logic works they are arguing by letting another person in they are effectively going against the law.

By accelerating they feel comfortable that they have in fact enforced "the right of way" law and have prevented it from being broken! Its almost like the indoctrination to follow the rules by the book has overridden, logic, compassion, and just plain common courtesy.

I saw somewhere a comment, Here they value rules, elsewhere people value lives.

Sounds similar to the logic I heard of 2nd-hand, maybe from here, of a taxi driver adamant that tailgating on the highway is safer than being x-car lengths back as if there were an accident being close the impact would be less.

Fantastic! He's correct, you know... less differential velocity does mean less damage... OTOH, the maroon could have avoided the wreck entirely with a bit less tailgating.

I bet he's the same fellow who constantly presses and releases the accelerator pedal, confident that each time he lets up on the pedal he is saving petrol.

[JR8]

Fantastic! He's correct, you know... less differential velocity does mean less damage... OTOH, the maroon could have avoided the wreck entirely with a bit less tailgating.

Well quite! p.s. Is 'maroon' short for macaroon?

I bet he's the same fellow who constantly presses and releases the accelerator pedal, confident that each time he lets up on the pedal he is saving petrol.

I've often wondered about that. It's most noticeable in the Toyota Crowns that have that habit of stop/go lunging to and fro.

[Brah]

Fantastic! He's correct, you know... less differential velocity does mean less damage... OTOH, the maroon could have avoided the wreck entirely with a bit less tailgating.

Well quite! p.s. Is 'maroon' short for macaroon?

The first and only place I heard that, except this forum by others and myself I believe, was from Bugs Bunny, which we were spoon fed as after-school kids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSZ1h-bydS4

[Brah]

Just saw the video, boy did that guy play this one wrong.

They had a video, it could be submitted for evidence as they clearly put the motorcyclist in a very dangerous situation and did so intentionally.

The foreigner could have had a legitimate case and taught a lesson that would have gone viral, instead he gets the wrath of the low EQ pundits, and people will be talking about this for weeks in poor English rants.

His egregious gaffe aside, what kind of person drives like this so self-righteously and can be so cavalier about people on motorcycles? Do they really believe their own BS, are they so incapable of admitting fault, is "not loosing face" such a coveted virtue that all common sense and humanity just goes out the window to put other people in grave danger? What selfish bastards.

Edit: Seems there are at least a few sensible posters over at hardwarezone:
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-d ... 39-11.html

[JR8]

His egregious gaffe aside, what kind of person drives like this so self-righteously and can be so cavalier about people on motorcycles? Do they really believe their own BS, are they so incapable of admitting fault, is "not loosing face" such a coveted virtue that all common sense and humanity just goes out the window to put other people in grave danger? What selfish bastards.

Edit: Seems there are at least a few sensible posters over at hardwarezone:
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-d ... 39-11.html

I found it disappointing that race plays such a central part in the comments on the linked site. What does it have to do with what actually happened?

[QRM]

what kind of person drives like this so self-righteously and can be so cavalier about people on motorcycles? Do they really believe their own BS, are they so incapable of admitting fault, is "not loosing face" such a coveted virtue that all common sense and humanity just goes out the window to put other people in grave danger?

When I was in Scotland a lot of the roads were two way but single track, so totally relied on the common sense and courteous drivers to function.

I LOL wondering what would happen if two SG drivers were in Scotland and on the same road in opposite directions.

It a road concept that just would not work here! or maybe they should just build single track two way roads here to force the general population to learn to cooperate.

RE cavalier about vulnerable road users, I kid you not, one local thinks motorcycles are less vulnerable as they have more power to weight ratio and can react a lot quicker on the road

[rajagainstthemachine]

Co-operate? What's that word?

[JR8]

When I was in Scotland a lot of the roads were two way but single track, so totally relied on the common sense and courteous drivers to function.

An example from the village where I grew up, down in the SW of the England.



Courtesy and practicality win the day. I.e. every 100M or so there's be a rough patch of 'passing point' (usually a bit of churned up grass verge). He nearest to the last passing point would reverse up to allow the other vehicle past. Of course the drivers could each only judge for themselves who was likely closer to a passing point. So it came down to common sense, and goodwill.

It would never work here.

[bgd]

While searching for the video I came across an article about 5 SIA staff injured in a crash in NZ.

The driver has pleaded guilty to reckless driving. He went through a stop sign and hit a car and horse float. He said he didn't want to stop as it would be uncomfortable for his passengers.

He's an SIA first officer. Really hope he's a better pilot than driver.

[the lynx]

Which brings up another local quirk, an ambulance here is not regarded as being on an emergency run with just the lights flashing, only when the siren is on then its an emergency. So why don't they just turn the flashing lights off?

Not sure if it is universal but over here,

Ambulance without lights and siren = No emergency

Ambulance with lights and siren = Get the f*** out of the way!

Ambulance with lights but no siren = Dead person inside

[sundaymorningstaple]

Why bother then with the lights? If dead person inside, no emergency either. Never see a hearse with flashing lights (well, christian ones, anyway).