trauma for new drivers in singapore

happy mum · Post by **happy mum** » Mon, 14 Sep 2009 9:27 pm

i just started driving again after a year of trauma in a tight carpark at my condo,can somebody give me some tips on how to overcome that trauma?i'm a new driver by the way...thanks guys...

onlyvictor · Post by **onlyvictor** » Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:10 am

easiest would be to take taxis! Lol...

After my car was hit by a taxi 2 yrs ago while trying to filter out of my lane, i also had some trauma filtering right. Even now when I try to filter, I will be extra careful.

I guess the driving culture in Singapore is not to civilised so one has to be more careful when driving and always assume that the other driver would not be giving way. If is just tight carparks, look for an instructor and take refresher course on parking!

taxico · Post by **taxico** » Sun, 20 Sep 2009 1:13 pm

if you have problems with parking, get a reversing camera for the car. they're a few hundred bucks and saves you all the grief. then practice practice practice by yourself or better, with someone outside the car.

also, get those wide-angled stick-ons for your side mirrors. they help not just with parking but also your blind spot. i bought from a gas station a $9 rectangular mirror which i stuck on the glass near the sun visor.

if you have problems with driving, take it slow, drive defensively, and be careful when you change lanes (especially on the highway). try to not drive behind taxicabs and don't tailgate. good luck.

driving in singapore is madness. if you're tired drive slowly/don't drive at all.

SunWuKong · Post by **SunWuKong** » Sun, 20 Sep 2009 2:15 pm

I've only got 20 odd years of aggressive driving practice under my belt, but I'll wade in on this debate anyway.

Long story short, driving is dangerous, and on a long enough time line, either yourself or another driver, will make a human error that will put your safety in jeopardy. If you like to ride motorbikes, feel free to shorten the time line substantially.

Since moving to Singapore I have breathed a long drawn out sigh of relief at the fact that the public transport system here makes owning and operating a car an unnecessary expense.

And despite my wife's intermittent nagging I'll resist car ownership staunchly in continuum.

Cheers.

If that hasn't cured you, then the advise by 'taxico' is pertinent. Practice by yourself in an environment that you can control. By reducing your anxiety you can learn or re-learn anything.

road.not.taken · Post by **road.not.taken** » Mon, 21 Sep 2009 6:50 am

The only way to get over an irrational fear, is to do the very thing that scares you and habitualize the safe outcome. In other words start driving, be careful, and every time you do it successfully you'll be working toward a normal reaction. Good luck

SunWuKong · Post by **SunWuKong** » Mon, 21 Sep 2009 8:01 am

As a side note after reading 'onlyvictor's post.

And hoping that I am interpreting 'filtering' correctly as merging.

If that is the case then the term is very amusing. Merging carries a connotation of shared enterprise, as to merge requires the cooperation of two or more drivers. However, the term filtering, indicates by its very definition, that the outcome of a 'merging' or 'passing through' operation is uncertain. If you meet the criteria you can pass through, if not, then you're 'filtered' and left stranded in your lane.

Perhaps this reflects the mentality of drivers in Singapore. However the best practice is to emulate common practice, even if you disagree with it. By merging differently to the accepted standard, you are doing something unexpected and unanticipated by other drivers. It doesn't take a lot of wit to realize that that will probably cause an accident.

In Singapore the 'merging' technique seems to be quite organic, and the practical rules for giving way or deference blurred. In short it is the lead car that determines right of way, and the general technique is to 'shuffle' into the 'opponent's lane slowly, yet inexorably, with or without indication. Pausing at any stage due to uncertainty in the other driver's ability to break hard enough to avoid your vehicle is a sign of weakness and will result in failure, and loss of 'right of way'. You've been filtered.

To avoid any uncertainty, and to prevent yourself being the victim of filtering, a good strategy to employ is to drive in BOTH lanes for several hundred meters before the imperative to merge arises. This reserves right of way against most 'opponents'.

For anyone who thinks that this is outrageously aggressive driving, think again. In Singapore this is perfectly routine, and the only people who get upset are foreigners and the small subset of the population who read, and understood, the road rules.

taxico · Post by **taxico** » Mon, 21 Sep 2009 9:10 am

i especially dislike going on the highway during peak hours.

anyhow, i think most singaporeans use "filter" when they mean "lane change"...

there's no way one can "filter out of my lane" if it's a merge. don't singaporeans sorta battle it out by a game of chicken?

some end up crawling along the break down lane with the signal lamp clicking away furiously.

o lo lo... si moi!

maneo · Post by **maneo** » Tue, 22 Sep 2009 3:27 am

happy mum wrote:i just started driving again after a year of trauma in a tight carpark at my condo,can somebody give me some tips on how to overcome that trauma?i'm a new driver by the way...thanks guys...

Oh, no!
Another new driver on the roads???

wcs · Post by **wcs** » Thu, 24 Sep 2009 7:28 am

My understanding of the local use of the term "filtering" means either a) an intersection with a turn arrow that changes to green when you are allowed to complete the turn or b) an intersection with a slip road at the side to allow left turning traffic to proceed when it is safe to do so.

I have not heard any of the locals I have spoken with use it to refer to merging. However I have seen locals drive in a merging lane as though it was a giveway sign instead!

donkuok · Post by **donkuok** » Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00 pm

those who come from OZ or NZ will not be able to stand the way singaporean drive. They just simply no signal when turning, esp the taxi driver. You will swear all the way if you drive in singapore...

valleyman · Post by **valleyman** » Thu, 01 Oct 2009 5:20 pm

The best way to cure your fear is to take a drive upto KL(honestly!).. Once you drive in KL you will start appreciating the driving in Singapore.. which in my opinion is quite ok...

I seriously fail to understand why people complain so much about the driving here...

taxico · Post by **taxico** » Thu, 01 Oct 2009 8:31 pm

singaporeans' driving skills aren't any better just coz there're worse drivers up north/elsewhere.

ksl · Post by **ksl** » Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:39 pm

I can only suggest to be more aware, keep your distance and keep to the speed limits, checking all mirrors every couple of seconds, there are blind spots on the left side mirrors no matter how you adjust it, you will still end up with a blind spot when sitting in the drivers position, which is not good and one reason why you shouldn't overtake on the inside lane.

Singaporeans just play with there lives everyday, unaware of the dangers, myopia being the biggest problem!

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