Road Rage or Road Ignorance?

[srman]

Funny thing happened to me in my first month here. Driving peacefully along Fort Rd when an audi decided to change lanes in front of me (no indicator) resulting in a last minute swerve. Irritated, I hit the horn only to get the royal finger salute back (when an apology in the form of a hand would suffice). Managed to pull up at the lights together, I wound my window and questioned the action - no response, not even a look in my direction.....until presto, lights go green, audi drives off quickly but not before another two fingered salute!!

what gives with the drivers here man? they seem stressy and intent on avoiding all possible etiquette !!

[Allibert]

Congratulations. You have just experienced a very common phenomenon here in Singapore. It's known as the "I may not have big balls or a brain but I have a car so watch what a hero I am" phenomenon. or "I may not have the money to pay for the car I'm driving but if I'm going to be in debt for the rest of my life just to own it, then everyone is going to damn well know that I have it"

You have just witnessed:

1. a display of kiasuism of the greatest degree
2. proof that although everyone have their 15 minutes of fame the average singapore driver reduces this to a couple of minutes of"yes, i am a d*ckhead and i know it but you sure won't find me apologising for it. I never spoken up to my wife my whole life so here's my big chance and I'm hiding inside my protective car zone"
2. proof that if the average Singapore driver actually takes a driving test he forgets everything he has ever learnt 10 seconds after passing the test

or

3. my personal theory that apart from the 3 registered driving centres there is some secret tree in singapore where driving licences can be found hanging from the branches as most of them would never have actually passed a driving test looking at the way they drive.


I have been here nearly 10 years and love quite a few aspects of Singapore but drivers are not one of them

Apart from not blinking, other things that are missing from most Singapore drivers are: not letting people into, or cross lanes and any knowledge of the meaning of "defensive driving"

[Strong Eagle]

Don't worry about it. Like everywhere else in the world there are a number of permanent jerk drivers about, but really, you don't know if you just caught someone in a bad mood because he got fired. One simply cannot generalize from the actions of a single driver.

I will say that Singaporean 'kiasu' means that nobody ever wants to let you in front of them... like merging on the expressway.

[cavalier]

what gives with the drivers here man? they seem stressy and intent on avoiding all possible etiquette !!

There are jerks everywhere. Ususally I just ignore it in case the guy is some kind of pscho path or is ready to blow a gasket...it's not worth the risk of a physical confrontation.

[realthomo]

Congratulations. You have just experienced a very common phenomenon here in Singapore. It's known as the "I may not have big balls or a brain but I have a car so watch what a hero I am" phenomenon. or "I may not have the money to pay for the car I'm driving but if I'm going to be in debt for the rest of my life just to own it, then everyone is going to damn well know that I have it"

You have just witnessed:

1. a display of kiasuism of the greatest degree
2. proof that although everyone have their 15 minutes of fame the average singapore driver reduces this to a couple of minutes of"yes, i am a d*ckhead and i know it but you sure won't find me apologising for it. I never spoken up to my wife my whole life so here's my big chance and I'm hiding inside my protective car zone"
2. proof that if the average Singapore driver actually takes a driving test he forgets everything he has ever learnt 10 seconds after passing the test

or

3. my personal theory that apart from the 3 registered driving centres there is some secret tree in singapore where driving licences can be found hanging from the branches as most of them would never have actually passed a driving test looking at the way they drive.


I have been here nearly 10 years and love quite a few aspects of Singapore but drivers are not one of them

Apart from not blinking, other things that are missing from most Singapore drivers are: not letting people into, or cross lanes and any knowledge of the meaning of "defensive driving"

This is so wonderfully put!! I agree with everything you have written and couldn't have said it better myself. Singapore has some of the worst and inconsiderate drivers I have ever encountered in a first world country. I recently went back to Australia, to Sydney, and spent 4 wonderful weeks there. Now I know everyone there complains about the traffic and the driving, but I didn't have to use my car horn ONCE. My first day back in Singapore, and I had to use it FOUR TIMES IN ONE HOUR!! So when people in Sydney complain about the drivers on the road, I tell them to be thankful they aren't driving on Singapore roads!

Rude, ignorant, inconsiderate, spacially retarded, and pushy - pretty much sums up Singapore's drivers.

[mules]

similiar experience a few months back when a driver turned illegally in front of me and then proceeded to follow me when i "horned" him.

being female, he told me to go home and ask my husband how to drive - he got personal, i went to the police station. i wonder if he spoke to his wife the same way.

the driving never ceases to amaze me, it's like once you are in a car all forms of etiquette and safety go out the window.

besides the lack of spatial awareness, lane drifting and complete disregard for use of indicators, i actually find it more disturbing that strapping kids into a seatbelt/carseat is totally ignored. it breaks my heart to watch new parents get into their shiny cars at the hospital with their precious new bundles and sit in the front seat just clutching the child. occasionally they get into the backseat, but I cannot understand how a well educated and prosperous society exhibits such lunacy.

[realthomo]

similiar experience a few months back when a driver turned illegally in front of me and then proceeded to follow me when i "horned" him.

being female, he told me to go home and ask my husband how to drive - he got personal, i went to the police station. i wonder if he spoke to his wife the same way.

the driving never ceases to amaze me, it's like once you are in a car all forms of etiquette and safety go out the window.

besides the lack of spatial awareness, lane drifting and complete disregard for use of indicators, i actually find it more disturbing that strapping kids into a seatbelt/carseat is totally ignored. it breaks my heart to watch new parents get into their shiny cars at the hospital with their precious new bundles and sit in the front seat just clutching the child. occasionally they get into the backseat, but I cannot understand how a well educated and prosperous society exhibits such lunacy.

Is it ignorance or stupidity, that's what I'd like to know. For a supposedly educated nation, they are either one or the other when it comes to safety and common sense.

[Ann_Michelle]

I think it's just plain inconsideration, the I-will-do-what-I-like-no-matter-what attitute.

One recent encounter: was in a carpark trying to park. Saw a car about to pull out of a parking space in front so we waited. The driver made some gestures indicating we blocked his way. Mind you this was a one-way drive way and the way he was trying to go was the wrong way.

Made some gestures indicating that no, you cannot go this way.

The driver's wife (I assume) rolled down her side of window and said, "You cannot park here anyway. It's handicap parking."

Now that's very interesting reasoning. Before I could say show us your handicap label the guy'd had enough. He pulled out of the spot and went the right, or long, way around. And I checked and confirmed there was no handicap label or plate. (We followed his car so had a good look. Later we found a legal parking spot.)

Both man and woman looked "educated" to me. But obviously they did not think twice about breaking laws when they felt like it.