Traffic wardens become punching bags as abuse on the rise

[Darthrevan]

 

Mr Pannirselvam Muthusamy has had hot noodles thrown in his face and he has been punched in the ribs. He gets sworn at almost every day. This is the life of the enforcement officer for parking and traffic offences, because his job is to issue summonses to motorists who flout parking and other traffic rules.

 

Though only six months in the job, Mr Pannirselvam is already involved in three ongoing police cases of abuse by motorists. His plight is shared by many others doing the same job.

 

Certis Cisco, Mr Pannirselvam's employer, told The Sunday Times that the number of cases where members of the public have abused traffic wardens physically or verbally has been creeping up. This is aside from almost routine encounters, when motorists get angry when issued a summons.

 

Traffic wardens said that some drivers would crush the summons, or turn on their vehicles' windscreen wipers to get rid of it, or hurl it back at the officers.

 

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/...e-rise-20120923

 

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MYTHS ABOUT TRAFFIC WARDENS... AND SUMMONSES

 

1.Traffic wardens receive a commission for summonses issued

 

Certis Cisco said this is not true. Traffic wardens are not required to meet a quota and are not paid according to the number of summonses they issue while on duty.

 

2.They can void summonses after they have been issued

 

The traffic or parking offence is recorded once the offence and vehicle details are keyed into the electronic hand-held device. That is why traffic wardens are unable to void the summons.

 

3.You can escape summonses if you throw away the notice or refuse to accept it

 

The Sunday Times was told by traffic wardens that some drivers would crush the summonses, try to use their vehicles' windscreen wipers to get rid of them or hurl it back at the traffic wardens.

 

But that does not mean the motorist will not be taken to task for the offence. An official letter detailing the offence and penalty will still be mailed to the vehicle owner.

[Atonchia]

Irresponsible motorist. Kena fine just pay lah, people have a job to do.

In fact I like the presense of the wardens in my estate.

Too many inconsiderate drivers park by road side of coffeeshop blocked up one lane causing vehicles from both direction to use the remaining passable lane.

[Rustyz]

the third thing is such a ostrich thinking. I dont see mean dont have

[Quirky]

Irresponsible motorist. Kena fine just pay lah, people have a job to do.

In fact I like the presense of the wardens in my estate.

Too many inconsiderate drivers park by road side of coffeeshop blocked up one lane causing vehicles from both direction to use the remaining passable lane.

 

I was talking to a friend this morning about this article - How some motorists could be so unreasonable to break the law, and still abuse the authority who apprehends them.

 

She offered me another point of view - that there are many locals who are poor, and struggles for that last dollar to put food on the table. Their motivation for such an adverse reaction is that, the fine, no matter how paltry, deprives their family of basic needs (eg food, school fees, medical expenses).

 

So, the next time we see a driver behaving badly when summoned, we could offer a serving of empathy. Understand that the driver is possibly suffering from financial hardship.

 

Just another POV.

[Razer_Blaze]

I was talking to a friend this morning about this article - How some motorists could be so unreasonable to break the law, and still abuse the authority who apprehends them.

 

She offered me another point of view - that there are many locals who are poor, and struggles for that last dollar to put food on the table. Their motivation for such an adverse reaction is that, the fine, no matter how paltry, deprives their family of basic needs (eg food, school fees, medical expenses).

 

So, the next time we see a driver behaving badly when summoned, we could offer a serving of empathy. Understand that the driver is possibly suffering from financial hardship.

 

Just another POV.

 

These traffic wardens too are struggling to pay for their family's basic needs AND THEY DON'T OWN A CAR.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Razer_Blaze

[Bigbadguy]

Wah Kow. wanna illegal park. den get ready to pay lo. no money den dont drive. dont hog up the road. cheapo drivers.

[Greyminswift]

Whenever i drive to Tampines on weekend mornings, there's always some cars parked outside Tampines junction (Tampines Ave 5, opposite Tampines stadium). They are usually parents, picking up or dropping off kids at the tuition centre at the first floor. If its quick pick-up /dropoff and go, i wont mind, but cars are usually parked there for 5-10mins or so, and jam up the left lane of a two lane road. Was wondering whom we can call to summon these jokers. Can call the TP hotline or LTA hotline to report them?

[Little_prince]

I was talking to a friend this morning about this article - How some motorists could be so unreasonable to break the law, and still abuse the authority who apprehends them.

 

She offered me another point of view - that there are many locals who are poor, and struggles for that last dollar to put food on the table. Their motivation for such an adverse reaction is that, the fine, no matter how paltry, deprives their family of basic needs (eg food, school fees, medical expenses).

 

So, the next time we see a driver behaving badly when summoned, we could offer a serving of empathy. Understand that the driver is possibly suffering from financial hardship.

 

Just another POV.

then they shouldnt be driving at all

[Ninja]

Ya L like to see more enforcement on the jay walking part.pedestrian who doesnot follow the trafficlight signal.you don have to own a vehicle to be summon ya.

[Soya]

I was talking to a friend this morning about this article - How some motorists could be so unreasonable to break the law, and still abuse the authority who apprehends them.

 

She offered me another point of view - that there are many locals who are poor, and struggles for that last dollar to put food on the table. Their motivation for such an adverse reaction is that, the fine, no matter how paltry, deprives their family of basic needs (eg food, school fees, medical expenses).

 

So, the next time we see a driver behaving badly when summoned, we could offer a serving of empathy. Understand that the driver is possibly suffering from financial hardship.

 

Just another POV.

 

 

own a car and use financial hardship as an excuse to dodge the law?? wat a super stinky load of crap.

 

liddat might as well say let's decend to a state of lawlessness.

[TVT]

then they shouldnt be driving at all

Some of these drivers need the car for family transport or business, not for social or show-off... some just earn enough every month for all expenses including car running cost. Hence they have no extra for paying summon. The majority of them are the middle-income earners, which the govt does not support.

[TVT]

MYTHS ABOUT TRAFFIC WARDENS... AND SUMMONSES

 

1.Traffic wardens receive a commission for summonses issued

 

Certis Cisco said this is not true. Traffic wardens are not required to meet a quota and are not paid according to the number of summonses they issue while on duty.

I don't believe that, indirectly it may not be but I am sure he is being appraised on the no. of summon he issues. If not what else is he being appraise on for his performance and job scope?

[0wnage]

Some of these drivers need the car for family transport or business, not for social or show-off... some just earn enough every month for all expenses including car running cost. Hence they have no extra for paying summon. The majority of them are the middle-income earners, which the govt does not support.

no money to pay for summon then abide by the law.

i believe there are carpark spaces within a few hundred metres radius.

[Quirky]

own a car and use financial hardship as an excuse to dodge the law?? wat a super stinky load of crap.

 

liddat might as well say let's decend to a state of lawlessness.

 

The POV is about the reaction. No mention of dodging the law.

 

Anyway, the drivers my friend had in mind are the lorry drivers, pizza delivery guys and so on.

 

I can understand why most of you immediately assume the driver is the guy blowing more than half his monthly salary on a car he could barely afford.

[Jtay]

own a car and use financial hardship as an excuse to dodge the law?? wat a super stinky load of crap.

 

liddat might as well say let's decend to a state of lawlessness.

 

Agree. Dont use financial hardship as excuse.

 

Dont do the crime if you cant do the time / fine

[Booboon]

my personal experience was that some warden pang chan their own race wor when it comes to issuing summons to illegae parked vehicle when attending void deck wedding. it happened on a sunday and the mscp was just beside the dinning venue.

[Hondacub777]

Some of these drivers need the car for family transport or business, not for social or show-off... some just earn enough every month for all expenses including car running cost. Hence they have no extra for paying summon. The majority of them are the middle-income earners, which the govt does not support.

What tok u? Then follow the rules lah,then these pple won't have problem with these summons

And why need the gov into play???

 

[Hondacub777]

my personal experience was that some warden pang chan their own race wor when it comes to issuing summons to illegae parked vehicle when attending void deck wedding. it happened on a sunday and the mscp was just beside the dinning venue.

Not really lah.I went to chinese funerals and most also closed one eye leh.