OPC scheme a disaster ?????

[PDK]

Well, I think you've somehow answered part of your question!

[Bilsteiner]

a close personal friend of mine, thought found a cheaper way to own a car. in the end got caught for tampering or reuse the earlier opc coupon.

 

dunno to laugh at his stupidity or to tell him in his face , wake up from the real reality of owning a car.

 

best,whatever earlier the opc rebate given for his car? got fined and return all back to cheng hu.

 

 

[HSL]

I known of this family which I believe consists of the elderly parents with 2 grown up sons. One of the son is married and the wife is staying with them.

 

The dad drives a Korean car and another Eurovan which I believe the van is for work purposes. One of the sons drives a Japanese Tiong car and the wife drives a continental luxury car. I am not very sure if the brother drives or not. In this family alone, they already have 4 vehicles and they are staying in HDB.

 

That neighbourhood has a very severe problem as parking spaces are very limited. The likely cause is due to the above cases which is very common nowadays. none of their cars is OPC.

[Subutai]

Control the COE quotas. Its call load balancing in IT terms. lol

 

So many scholars but most of the solutions in most sectors are to increase cost as deterrance.

If successful, they get credit and play with light bulbs again. When it fails, their bonus get fatter. Always get the feeling that its tuned towards the latter.

 

[Thedream]

i think you are only right about OPC's objective to encourage people to drive offpeak. It is about managing congestion. But it is not to make car cheaper or to give car ownership to "those who need it more". There is only a fixed number of coe issued; so you don't get 1 extra car on the road just becos a rich son decided to get an OPC impressa. But because he bought an opc, he is more likely to drive it only during off-peak. so the OPC's objective is actually met. Imagine what happen if there is no OPC? This son could have bought a normal impressa and drive it during peak hours. Or if he can't afford a car now; the coe would have gone to another person who buys the normal car, and drive it during peak hour.

 

conclusion: it is not a disaster. but if it tries to do what you just said; i think it will be one.

 

 

Need to control the congestion on the roads. But if cars do not contribute to the congestion (i.e. driven off-peak), then no need to control them as much, therefore the lower premiums for OPC.

 

I think it has nothing to do with controlling whether people buy 2 or 3 cars, or whether they buy GTR, EVO or WRX.

[PDK]

Back to our government's principle of meritocracy..there is currently no restriction on the number of cars one can own, so long as he (or she) can afford to pay for the upkeep of those cars according to the various policies laid out by the government.

 

I am never surprised to see a middle-income family staying in a HBD flat with 3 or more cars. A few learned friends (including an academic) told me before that in Singapore having a set of wheel was a demonstration of one's social status. During past concensus, it was discovered that many buyers of luxury cars (especially Merc E and S Class) stayed in HDB estates. Often than not, these cars cost more than the HDB flats these buyers stay in!

 

One would wonder that one's priority would be to live in a luxurious home before buying a luxury car. But this is not always the case. You cannot show off your luxurious house by driving it around to parade your social status. However, you can drive your S Class around and people would see that you have arrived ! Never mind if home is a 125sqm 5-room HDB flat.

 

Singaporeans take much pride in their cars because they're expensve to own and maintain due to the many punitive measures imposed by the government on car ownership. To own a car shows you have arrived, to own many cars show that you have arrived many times over. And indeed, the government thank you for that !

 

Some people buy an OPC as a need while other as a want. If you need to go to office before the sun rises and leaves after it sets, it makes sense to buy an OPC due to the cost savings. Use it over the weekends when there's less traffic and the policy works! If you want a car but does not need it, buying an OPC still would not make sense to you because you will still park it over the weekend. But hey, you've got a car (albeit an OPC), but it shows that you too have arrived

[Good-Carbuyer]

Pardon for my ignorance but as far as I know, the first implementation of OPC scheme is to encourage people especially families to switch driving during off peak as to cut down traffic flow during peak hours at the same time giving a opportunity for people to own a personal transport since the cost of owning a OPC cuts down by ten++ grand as compare to normal cars.

 

True scenerio, a neighbour of mine whose hubby drives a Hyundai sonota due to work factors needs the car to run around places all the time and being a middle wealthy family , wife too got herself a ride ( Nissan March )to go for majiong sessions, settle household groceries and maybe do shopping with fellow auntie group. BTW side track a bit...I went to Tampines mall during weekdays around 3pm time thinking it will be a breeze to get a lot near esculator lobby side and was supprised that the row of lots was fully booked and while going around the area looking for second best lots, took notice of the car owners out of boredom. Most proprtion of the drivers range from aunties,housewifes and of cos the usual 1to2 lunch people. And my point is???? well use some of ur imagination ba.

 

Anyway , back to main topic. The son just gotten his driving licence and despite the fact that his parent each own a ride , he refused to share as I heard from my mum during one of her gossip session with her friends while I was sending them to market place on my way to work that becos the son feels that the ride his parent own isnt TIONG enuff, so elderly and stuff decided to go for OPC . In the end , he or rather on sponsorship by his dad, gotten a subaru impress..

 

At tat point of time it had me thinking. For every middle range family who owns 2 normal plated cars , whose son or daugther decided to get another one due to the above reasons, doesnt it defeat the objective of the OPC scheme in the first place?????I bet you must have relative of friends who gets a OPC evo to chiong during weekends but drive normal sedan on weekdays????? trust me, I have plenty of friends doing that. Come on , ten grands off for OPC is too much of a temptation to some , which triggered some to own 2 cars . Well it is ultimately my own views.......hehehehehe

 

Should the gov be restricting the OPC categlory to a certain model not inclusive of cars like GTR,EVO,WRX etc etc ....... give those ppl who reali in need of a transport instead of attracting ppl who are tempted to keep a second????? OPC scheme ???? it is definitely not working..what do U think????

No OPC for sportscar? Car Distributors/Dealers either crying or match to MP/Ministers for help

I believe the problem more with the parental guidance, not the OPC scheme

[Darthrevan]

Ever wondered if the OPC scheme was part a political objective to ........ rather than a solution to prevent congestions on our roads?

 

it was already mentioned by LHL that singaporeans aspired to own cars, so he allows them to own it..isn't it good to fulfill the pple's aspirations?

[SimonTan]

OPC is not a failure. Its a success.

It was implemented at a time where car prices was super high.

And it gave those boderline cases to own a car at $17k cheaper. With the trade off excuse of limited usage during off peak period.

Also it gave people the incentives to own TWO cars, a normal daily car + a OPC EVO/WRX for weekends fun.

 

Its always good to have alternatives schemes.

I would like to suggest a new OPCU, Only Permit Competition Use, in view that the Changi racing track is coming up.

A car without paying additional ARF and COE. And the car can strictly be used on the race track, but can be garaged/parked at HDB/public carpark (not restricted to bonded warehouse)!

To move it around, one will need a tow truck.

 

 

[Tanolis]

Its always good to have alternatives schemes.

I would like to suggest a new OPCU, Only Permit Competition Use, in view that the Changi racing track is coming up.

A car without paying additional ARF and COE. And the car can strictly be used on the race track, but can be garaged/parked at HDB/public carpark (not restricted to bonded warehouse)!

To move it around, one will need a tow truck.

 

On that point, I do have a friend who has this idea.

 

On one of the weekends in a month, let the highways have no speed limit.

Drivers on the highway for this duration of time can speed and drive as dangerously as they want, only thing is, while on this road, insurance is void. Accident you own self pay

 

OR

 

During the F1 timing, after the F1 is over, allow all those cheonger wannabe to pay an entrance fee and go drive on the track. Once again, insurance void, and ambulance will only be dispatched after the track is cleared.

 

As you can see, my friend really hates drivers who speed and drive dangerously

[Carer]

is TS driving an OPC avante?

[Blackyv]

On that point, I do have a friend who has this idea.

 

On one of the weekends in a month, let the highways have no speed limit.

Drivers on the highway for this duration of time can speed and drive as dangerously as they want, only thing is, while on this road, insurance is void. Accident you own self pay

 

OR

 

During the F1 timing, after the F1 is over, allow all those cheonger wannabe to pay an entrance fee and go drive on the track. Once again, insurance void, and ambulance will only be dispatched after the track is cleared.

 

As you can see, my friend really hates drivers who speed and drive dangerously

 

 

your friend not a chiongster hater but not that smart.... if no insurance coverage, these chiongster can simply hit your ride and you go repair yourself, btw, u wanna claim from him? sorry, he is a bankruptcy......take a Q number pls....provided your this friend dont intend to drive on that day and make sure he stay at home.. ...

 

 

[Thedream]

On that point, I do have a friend who has this idea.

 

On one of the weekends in a month, let the highways have no speed limit.

Drivers on the highway for this duration of time can speed and drive as dangerously as they want, only thing is, while on this road, insurance is void. Accident you own self pay

 

OR

 

During the F1 timing, after the F1 is over, allow all those cheonger wannabe to pay an entrance fee and go drive on the track. Once again, insurance void, and ambulance will only be dispatched after the track is cleared.

 

As you can see, my friend really hates drivers who speed and drive dangerously

 

Brother, brother...

 

Not say people willing to take full responsibility by voiding insurance means they can be allowed to speed. They die never mind. They kill other people leh?

[Alechi]

should squeeze out those who cannot afford but die die want to buy ... at least will help them save money

[Karebu]

But hey, you've got a car (albeit an OPC), but it shows that you too have arrived

 

i don't think so. i just feel that you are better off (seem richer) NOT having any vehicles than having OPCs. OPCs give me the impression of someone struggling uberly hard.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Karebu