Tailgaters

[StefanK]

Wrong leh. Holding up traffic as long as within speed limit is ok. The rest are all rushing to reincarnate.

 

Tailgating is a myth.

 

It has never happened to me.

 

Roadhogging is also a myth.

 

There are no roadhoggers in Singapore.

 

Just great leaders with a long line of cars

 

behind them and a lot of space in front.

 

Everyone in Singapore is a safe and courteous

 

driver that always gives way, signal early

 

and never sit in a box junction.

 

This is based on how drivers see themselves here.

 

 

[13177]

Really waste time reading such reply from TP!

[GTR78]

Hi StefanK,

 

Actually the 2 emails from our Singapore Traffic Police compliments each other and states very clearly their officlal stand on "road hogging" & "speeding".

 

Let me summarize the 2 emails:

 

TP on road hogging:

Vehicles are to comply to the road speed limit of the expressway regardless overtaking or travelling normally. Road hogging offence will only take place for example a vehicle is travelling below the road speed limit on the extreme right lane of expressway and the traffic flow on the other lanes are clear.

 

TP on speeding:

We understand that in certain situations, there is a need to speed up slightly to do a safe overtaking manoeuvre, drivers should exercise due care and considerations to the vehicles / other road users around him/her before and during overtaking. The drivers/riders are required to keep within the speed limit after overtaking.

 

Cheers

 

[StefanK]

Hi StefanK,

 

Actually the 2 emails from our Singapore Traffic Police compliments each other and states very clearly their officlal stand on "road hogging" & "speeding".

 

Let me summarize the 2 emails:

 

TP on road hogging:

Vehicles are to comply to the road speed limit of the expressway regardless overtaking or travelling normally. Road hogging offence will only take place for example a vehicle is travelling below the road speed limit on the extreme right lane of expressway and the traffic flow on the other lanes are clear.

 

TP on speeding:

We understand that in certain situations, there is a need to speed up slightly to do a safe overtaking manoeuvre, drivers should exercise due care and considerations to the vehicles / other road users around him/her before and during overtaking. The drivers/riders are required to keep within the speed limit after overtaking.

 

Cheers

 

Ya, but what BigMatt is saying that TP's stance in that email is that speeds above the indicated limit is not allowed regardless of situations. It is the one and only steadfast rule.

 

I think this so-called debate will always surface because speed is a relative thing. Some might think at 70km/h, I am overtaking, it is fine. But there will be people who thinks that at 90km/h, I am also overtaking but this vehicle in front at 70km/h is preventing me from doing so safely, road hogger!

 

It can never be resolved. I suggest all take buses and trains.

[Jamesc]

Wrong leh. Holding up traffic as long as within speed limit is ok. The rest are all rushing to reincarnate.

I agree with you its ok.

 

If the speed limit is 90kmh and I am driving at 90kmh

 

on the right lane and there is no car in front of me

 

and a lot of cars behind me that want to drive at 100kmh

 

and overtake me, there is no law that says I have to move

 

left and give way.

 

There is also no law that says if I am eating my nice lunch

 

in a hawker center that another person cannot stand next to

 

me and fart in my face.

 

The reason people don't do that is because its not polite and courteous.

 

If we see people signal to change lane, we can accelerate and cut them off,

 

there is no law against that. If we see people trying to turn out from a small

 

lane, we can accelerate and block them off, there is no law against that either.

 

But should we do it? Just ask yourself, have you never signal to change lane?

 

Have you never pulled out from a small road to main road into heavy traffic?

 

Have you never wanted to overtake a slower car on the highway?

 

Do we want a country with less stressful driving and friendly polite drivers

 

or do you want to meet drivers who behave like an absolute a-----e.

 

If people want more relaxing and satisfying driving then they can start

 

by not driving like an a-----e.

 

Edited July 11, 2012 by Jamesc

[Bigmatt140]

I agree with you its ok.

 

If the speed limit is 90kmh and I am driving at 90kmh

 

on the right lane and there is no car in front of me

 

and a lot of cars behind me that want to drive at 100kmh

 

and overtake me, there is no law that says I have to move

 

left and give way.

 

There is also no law that says if I am eating my nice lunch

 

in a hawker center that another person cannot stand next to

 

me and fart in my face.

 

The reason people don't do that is because its not polite and courteous.

 

If we see people signal to change lane, we can accelerate and cut them off,

 

there is no law against that. If we see people trying to turn out from a small

 

lane, we can accelerate and block them off, there is no law against that either.

 

But should we do it? Just ask yourself, have you never signal to change lane?

 

Have you never pulled out from a small road to main road into heavy traffic?

 

Have you never wanted to overtake a slower car on the highway?

 

Do we want a country with less stressful driving and friendly polite drivers

 

or do you want to meet drivers who behave like an absolute a-----e.

 

If people want more relaxing and satisfying driving then they can start

 

by not driving like an a-----e.

 

 

+1

good reply

[StefanK]

I agree with you its ok.

 

If the speed limit is 90kmh and I am driving at 90kmh

 

on the right lane and there is no car in front of me

 

and a lot of cars behind me that want to drive at 100kmh

 

and overtake me, there is no law that says I have to move

 

left and give way.

 

There is also no law that says if I am eating my nice lunch

 

in a hawker center that another person cannot stand next to

 

me and fart in my face.

 

The reason people don't do that is because its not polite and courteous.

 

If we see people signal to change lane, we can accelerate and cut them off,

 

there is no law against that. If we see people trying to turn out from a small

 

lane, we can accelerate and block them off, there is no law against that either.

 

But should we do it? Just ask yourself, have you never signal to change lane?

 

Have you never pulled out from a small road to main road into heavy traffic?

 

Have you never wanted to overtake a slower car on the highway?

 

Do we want a country with less stressful driving and friendly polite drivers

 

or do you want to meet drivers who behave like an absolute a-----e.

 

If people want more relaxing and satisfying driving then they can start

 

by not driving like an a-----e.

 

 

But a*****es exist, that's why threads like these exists.

The question then is, do you want to bother yourselves with these people all your life?

[Jamesc]

But a*****es exist, that's why threads like these exists.

The question then is, do you want to bother yourselves with these people all your life?

Yes they do exist but you don't have to be like one of them.

 

[Picia]

Hi Picia,

 

I think you are confusing the issues. Road hogging has nothing to do with absolute speed. Control of absolute speed is the job of the traffic police, not civilian drivers. Whether someone is going above or below the pseed limit is irrelevant to a discussion on road hogging.

I disagree, but I believe we are entitled to our own opinion on this. Let us agree to disagree.

If control of absolute speed is the job of the traffic police, why is lane disciple not also a job of the traffic police as well?

What is potentially more dangerous here, keeping lane disciple or vehicle speed? I believe there is a good logic (physics based) reason why penalties for speeding are so much heavier, but well, thats just me.

 

Now I qualify slightly. There is fast and there is fast. In some cases, you are in the right lane and even checking your rear view mirrors every few seconds you can still get passed on the left without being aware until you see a blur go by. In that case, there is nothing you could have done. If the car approaching is visible some distance behind but is approaching at a VERY fast speed so that it would pass within 1-2 seconds of sighting, it is also safer to just remain in the right lane. But if you have a good 3-4 seconds or more to indicate and move over, you should do so.

Yes, I totally agree with you here.

My personal experience is that many Singaporean drivers seem obsessed with speed (boast about how fast they went etc) Ironically, the absolute speed they are taking about isn't that big actually (120~150km/h etc).

It is unsafe to travel at such speeds on the local highways with other road users on the road, but in the great scheme of things, 120~150km/h is not a great deal at all.

 

Many forumers who responded here are under the impression that I must be a road hog who travels at 89.9km/h on the right lane of the expressway since I "boast about it".

Oh well, all I can say is, it's fun to watch people jump to conclusion since I can afford to take the heat.

Tells me a lot about the other person and makes it easy to see who are the ones who are smart enough to have an intelligent conversation with.

 

Cheers

 

Lane discipline is under control of TP. So too is speeding and a lot of other things. But that is not relevant for road hogging consideration. One should not stay in the right lane for the sole purpose of preventing a speeder from speeding. So too one should not take personal actions to enforce lane discipline or other road rules - live and let live unless your safety is personally and directly threatened. Now I also disagree with the TP reply on road hogging as it is my long standing opinion that road hogging can take place above the speed limit. On this we agree to disagree. As another poster mentioned, it may not be legally required but it is good manners and makes for smoother driving for everyone concerned. You don't want an angry tailgater behind you, the "speeder" behind also doesn't want you blocking his high speed "cruise".

 

On dangers of speeding, I agree with everything you said. But as mentioned it is actually not relevant to the discussion on road hogging. Every km per hour over the limit makes an accident more likely by reducing time to react. So too every cm closer to the car in front makes a rear end collision more likely by reducing the time to react. Unlike some who posted, I believe there is never an excuse for tailgating (well I can think of some extenuating circumstances like something is going to fall on your rear end or another vehicle looks like he is going to clip your rear end changing lanes from behind too late and you needed to move forward to avoid it but that is so small chance it is not worth talking about). You choose your distance to the car in front, if someone cuts in just in front you can also choose to take your foot off the gas until a safe gap is re-established. Note this on tailgating not directed at you personally I am just repsonding to some of the other posts on this.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Picia

[Shull]

I tot one would naturally slow down when one sees a speed camera ?

 

Oh well.. here we go again.. this topic all over again.. May i point out the last person who insist on cruising at 90km/h on lane 1 is CORRECT got banned..

 

 

FYI, all stationary cameras in SGP (except for KPE), have allowance of 10-15km/h.. i've gone past the camera on PIE (near BKE exit) at close to 100km/h multiple times (the speed limit is 80km/h).. no flash, nothing..

 

try at your own risk though, cos your speedo may be out of calibration

Edited July 12, 2012 by Shull

[GTR78]

Hi Picia,

 

Glad we are having a good discussion here.

In a good discussion, different opinions are raised and debated, but the ones debating never lower themselves to personal insults and put downs (eg. "shut up lah, you roadhogs all one kind one...")

 

My friend, we all have opinions and sometimes, our opinions of what is "right" does not tally with what is the law. But we all have a right to have our own opinions, because that is a freedom I believe we should all have We should all have the maturity to accept people who have views different from ours are not always wrong, just different.

 

Whether we like it or not, the law of the land applies to all (mostly all anyway....) and I will be wary of promoting a view that runs contrary to it in my own forum.

 

Anyway, not my forum here, so the prevailing house rules apply I guess.

 

Cheers and have a good weekend.

 

 

Lane discipline is under control of TP. So too is speeding and a lot of other things. But that is not relevant for road hogging consideration. One should not stay in the right lane for the sole purpose of preventing a speeder from speeding. So too one should not take personal actions to enforce lane discipline or other road rules - live and let live unless your safety is personally and directly threatened. Now I also disagree with the TP reply on road hogging as it is my long standing opinion that road hogging can take place above the speed limit. On this we agree to disagree. As another poster mentioned, it may not be legally required but it is good manners and makes for smoother driving for everyone concerned. You don't want an angry tailgater behind you, the "speeder" behind also doesn't want you blocking his high speed "cruise".

 

On dangers of speeding, I agree with everything you said. But as mentioned it is actually not relevant to the discussion on road hogging. Every km per hour over the limit makes an accident more likely by reducing time to react. So too every cm closer to the car in front makes a rear end collision more likely by reducing the time to react. Unlike some who posted, I believe there is never an excuse for tailgating (well I can think of some extenuating circumstances like something is going to fall on your rear end or another vehicle looks like he is going to clip your rear end changing lanes from behind too late and you needed to move forward to avoid it but that is so small chance it is not worth talking about). You choose your distance to the car in front, if someone cuts in just in front you can also choose to take your foot off the gas until a safe gap is re-established. Note this on tailgating not directed at you personally I am just repsonding to some of the other posts on this.

Edited July 13, 2012 by GTR78

[Picia]

Hi Picia,

 

Glad we are having a good discussion here.

In a good discussion, different opinions are raised and debated, but the ones debating never lower themselves to personal insults and put downs (eg. "shut up lah, you roadhogs all one kind one...")

 

My friend, we all have opinions and sometimes, our opinions of what is "right" does not tally with what is the law. But we all have a right to have our own opinions, because that is a freedom I believe we should all have We should all have the maturity to accept people who have views different from ours are not always wrong, just different.

 

Whether we like it or not, the law of the land applies to all (mostly all anyway....) and I will be wary of promoting a view that runs contrary to it in my own forum.

 

Anyway, not my forum here, so the prevailing house rules apply I guess.

 

Cheers and have a good weekend.

 

I don't suppose anyone actualy expected TP to support driving above the speed limit. TP know what speeds drivers go at, they don't enforce strictly 5-10kph over automatic booking. It's an informal policy but naturally not one they would want to publicise. The reality is that a significant proportion of drivers do travel at 5-15km over the limit. We cannot ignore this fact or the fact that simply because they are over the limit some drivers decide not to give way thus causing holdup not only to the driver who wants to overtake but in many cases the cars behind him who also want to follow. Now where we differ is you think they should slow down to the speed limit, I think the speed limit follower should pull over where practical. Now I wonder which scenario is more likely or probable?

 

As I mentioned few times, in my mind they are two separate and distinct topics but it seems to some people they are not. At least I leared the method or thinking behind some road hoggers "madness"!

Edited July 17, 2012 by Picia