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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/4-drivers-convicted-of-providing-illegal-chauffeured-services-using Huat ah!!! SINGAPORE - Four drivers have been fined for providing illegal chauffeured services using unlicensed vehicles, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 13). The drivers have each been convicted of using a vehicle as an unlicensed public service vehicle, and driving a vehicle without valid insurance. They were each fined a total of $1,400 and disqualifed from driving all classes of vehicles for 12 months. LTA said that three of the four vehicles used were forfeited in 2018, while the decision over the fourth vehicle is still pending. All four vehicles were foreign-registered vehicles. In all four cases, investigations revealed that the drivers had ferried passengers from Singapore to Johor Bahru for an agreed fare without a Public Service Vehicle Licence (PSVL). In 2018, LTA caught 13 drivers using unlicensed foreign-registered vehicles to provide chauffeured services. Enforcement operations were conducted at visitor hot spots such as Changi Airport, HarbourFront Centre and East Coast Seafood Centre, LTA said. Deterrence operations were also conducted at these locations through the uniformed presence of LTA enforcement officers. LTA urged members of the public against engaging chauffeured services provided by persons using unlicensed vehicles, as these vehicles might not be sufficiently insured against third-party liabilities. Passengers may not be entitled to insurance recourse if they are involved in a traffic accident while travelling in such vehicles, the authority added. LTA group director of traffic and road operations Chandrasekar Palanisamy said: "Our enforcement officers have cracked down on these unlicensed public service vehicles to protect our commuters and our drivers." "We work closely with various agencies to obtain the information and investigate these incidents," he added. "LTA views these infringements seriously, and we are committed to taking severe action against offenders." Under the Road Traffic Act, all vehicles, including foreign-registered ones, are not allowed to provide taxi or chauffeured services in Singapore without a valid PSVL. Any person caught using a vehicle that is not issued with a valid PSVL to provide taxi or chauffeured services shall be prosecuted, LTA said. Those convicted face a fine of up to $3,000, or a jail term not exceeding six months, or both. The vehicle used may also be forfeited.

Have you guys noticed recently that more and more lanes which can go straight previously, have now been converted to right turn only? I can understand LTA removing the discretionary turns, but this seems to be overkill. Some not even repainted/repaved properly, just scrubbing the old arrow off.

20 single-deck electric buses each from BYD and ST Engineering Land Systems 10 single-deck and 10 double-deck electric buses from Yutong The buses will progressively arrive in Singapore from next year, with the final batch delivered in 2020 Source: The Straits Times

https://omny.fm/shows/coe-watch/why-6-digit-coe-prices-are-new-normal-ex-industr Description Hear how the final hour of bidding for COEs can typically go, from a ex-motor trade insider. Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights to Singapore's mobility trends and the vehicle quota system, which includes the Certificate of Entitlement (COE). There are two tender exercises for these COEs every month. It typically opens for three days, from noon on a Monday and to 4pm on Wednesday. But the bidding action only comes alive in the final hour or so, as more bids start to appear and the premiums climb. To help us understand what goes on behind the scenes in that last 60 minutes, ST’s senior transport correspondent Lee Nian Tjoe speaks with Mr Say Kwee Neng, who has been in the motor trade for more than 20 years.

If PMD can travel at 80km/h, why is my grab order so slow to travel? What happened? The footage shows the PMDs going much faster than the camcar while Chinese music blares in the background. While the MCE is fairly empty at the time of recording, it does not change the fact that using a PMD on the expressway is illegal and unsafe in the event of an accident. If caught, first-time offenders face a fine of up to S$2,000 or up to three months in jail, or both. Repeat offenders face a fine up to S$5,000 or up to six months behind bars, or both. With road users in cars and motorcycles needing to pay road tax, COE and other fees to be allowed to use their vehicles on the road, it's no surprise that incidents sich as this frustrate them, especially with how few of them go unpunished. Online chatter Some wondered if LTA had working hours, as in this incident they were nowhere to be seen. Others just complained about how such cases are now commonplace, despite the danger they represent to other road users. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/two-new-mrt-stations-for-north-south-line-by-mid-2030s-potential-new-rail-line Why government hate the west so much? I really thought the next line will be serving the west to city.

Not the first time similar news (ideas or patent been used by agency) has surfaced on the web. The last was a case with Mindef, for a first-aid vehicle, if my memory don't fails me. About the parking app, without looking at the photo, PP Coupon may have a different meaning to some, especially when Josephine Teo comes into the picture. 😁 Source: https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2023/02/20/nanyang-polytechnic-students-created-parking-app-in-2013-but-were-allegedly-told-by-authorities-that-the-idea-was-not-feasible/ In a recent development, it has been revealed via a tip-off from a member of the public that a team of students from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) were the first to come up with a parking app in Singapore back in 2013, way before students from Temasek Polytechnic claimed the title in 2016, as reported in a 2019 TOC report. The team of third-year students from NYP utilized data provided by government agencies to create the parking app, called “PP-Coupon”. The app aimed to replace traditional paper-based coupons, which were seen as a hassle for users and wasteful in terms of paper usage. Lim Sheng Han, a team member of the NYP project, said to the media in 2013, “Purchasing a coupon and calculating the likely time of parking has always been a hassle. Furthermore, we use a lot of paper when tearing up the coupons. We hope that this app can help to save such wastage.” With their parking app, the team won second place in the student categories at the inaugural PlugFest International Programming Competition in February 2013 and received praise from Mrs Josephine Teo, who was then Minister of State for the Ministry of Transport. Mrs Teo said during the awards presentation, “We don’t want to have to worry about the time limit of our parking coupons during our visits to our families and be unable to enjoy the time with them.” In the same month, the team also won second place at Isobar Create, the first Near Field Communication (NFC)-themed 32-hour hackathon. Similar to the current app “Parking.sg” that Singapore uses, the app by the NYP students also uses Global-Positioning-System for positioning. The NFC sticker on the car is meant to identify the parked vehicle in the system, while the current app just allows the user to type in the vehicle number — a difference that could be tweaked easily. The team shared that they pitched the app to the Urban Development Board (URA) and Housing Development Board (HDB) and was later visited by URA at the polytechnic in February 2013. However, after a presentation to the visiting officials, they were informed that the idea would no longer be valid as Singapore was set to roll out a new ERP system that would eliminate coupon payments for parking. The NYP team did not continue with the project, as it required the support of authorities to launch and kick-off. A few years later, in his National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the launch of a new mobile app that would change how people pay for parking in Singapore. The app was developed by a team at GovTech, and it allowed users to pay for parking via their mobile phones, eliminating the need for physical coupons. The app was created with the support of the Ministry of National Development (MND), URA, and HDB – the same agencies that had earlier told the NYP students that their project was not feasible. When TOC managed to contact one of the team members, he said, “Initially, in 2013, when they told us abt ERP 2.0, we accepted the fact as since there is a new system coming up soon to replace and change the existing system. “But when I saw the news abt Parking.SG – I was very indignant as I started to question why didn’t URA tell them about the ERP 2.0.?” “Where is ERP 2.0 that was informed by URA that is abt to phase in? And why is the app so similar to ours?” questioned the team member. TOC has written to MND for its comments and will include them when they respond.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/keep-to-the-left-and-stay-alert-first-ever-code-of-conduct-for-pedestrians-kicks SINGAPORE - Pedestrians should stay off shared paths, stick to footpaths if possible and keep to the left unless they are overtaking another pedestrian. They should also refrain from using their mobile phones while walking on such paths for their own safety. These points were stated in the first-ever code of conduct here involving pedestrians, which is part of measures first proposed late last year by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel. The code of conduct for users of public paths had previously focused on device users, such as cyclists and e-scooter riders. The updated code of conduct kicked in this month, together with a new rule banning those under 16 from riding electric scooters unsupervised by adults. Another new rule bans device users from using their mobile phones while riding. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Tuesday (Aug 4) that the recommended habits for pedestrians will complement existing active mobility regulations and guidelines for other path users. "We will continue to engage and educate the public on how all can play a part in fostering a safer and more responsible path-sharing environment," said LTA. "A campaign encouraging all users to be more gracious on our paths will be rolled out at the end of the year." The code of conduct recommends these key points for pedestrians: stick to footpaths and pedestrian crossings when available beside shared paths, keep left on all paths, and stay alert when walking on paths. According to the code, pedestrians should stay alert and pay attention to their surroundings when on a footpath or shared path. They should also "refrain from using a mobile communication device or operating any of its communication or other functions - such as listening to music - in a manner as will prevent the pedestrian from detecting danger or oncoming obstacles". The various measures were proposed and introduced in response to a growing number of fires and accidents involving e-scooters last year. However, such issues have been reduced following a ban on e-scooters on footpaths, among other preventive measures. National University of Singapore transport infrastructure expert Raymond Ong said the code of conduct involving pedestrians makes sense from both a safety and an infrastructure perspective. "It makes more sense for pedestrians to keep on their paths for safety reasons... you also want pedestrians to understand that we have a huge role to play in ensuring our own safety," he said. "We don't have a lot of physical space (to create separations between paths), so it is more about shaping behaviour and trying to make the environment more conducive for walking and cycling." He said that research has shown that distracted driving, riding and movement leads to an increased risk of accidents and a pedestrian who is not distracted will be better able to avoid them. Dr Ong added that the lack of mechanisms to enforce the code of conduct is not the issue here but what is important is to educate the public. "Enforcement is something that is very reactive, but to educate and transform such that these behaviours become more like intuitive-based actions is more important," he said. But not everyone agrees with the updated code of conduct. Mr Francis Chu, the co-founder of cycling group Love Cycling SG who previously sat on the AMAP, said it was unnecessary. “Formalising keeping to the left while walking can cause some aggressive riders to shift the blame to the victim,” he said, citing a hypothetical example where in case there is an accident, a device user could blame a pedestrian for not keeping to the left. Mr Chu said certain pedestrians, such as the elderly and young children, may not be able to keep left and be alert at all times. He added that the onus should be on cyclists and PMD users to keep their device in control and ensure the safety of pedestrians. Mr Chu said: “If the main objective is safety for all path users, aren’t the two simple rules of riders giving way and keeping a safe distance from pedestrians sufficient? “It is important to not have a code of conduct for walking and ruin a relaxing walk that elderly pedestrians deserve.” With the banning of underage riding of e-scooters without supervision, the code of conduct for path users has also been updated to include a section for supervisors to refer to. Adults supervising young riders should keep to one rider at a time and have him or her clearly in their sight. They should also educate the young rider about safe riding and the relevant regulations.

I know the marketing team was popping bottles when the videos came out on social media. What happened? A convoy of modded (modified) cars were promoting the premiere of Fast X, the tenth movie in the Fast and Furious franchise. Some pretty cool cars took part, an assortment of GTR R35s and Ford Mustangs among others. However, in true Fast & Furious fashion, some complications happened. On their way to the movie, the convoy was stopped by traffic police and LTA, who happened to be there to conduct routine checks. Despite the hold up, the cars passed inspection and eventually arrived at Shaw Theatres for the premiere of the movie. According to Facebook user Daryl Giam, it was an official event organised by Vos Automotive, The Next Thing, AutoCulture Singapore & United International Pictures Singapore. Online chatter Oddly enough there were quite a few people disliking the cars. Like almost all the comments were calling for the cars to be taken away. Writer's thoughts - Why so salty? ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/lta-tweaks-calculation-of-commercial-vehicle-coe-quota-to-even-out-supply SINGAPORE - Buyers of commercial vehicles can expect less fluctuation in the supply of certificates of entitlement (COEs) for such vehicles, after the Land Transport Authority (LTA) revised the way it calculates the quota available for bidding. The LTA now takes the average number of commercial vehicle registrations under the Early Turnover Scheme (ETS) from the previous four quarters, or 12 months, to calculate the COE supply for each three-month quota period, starting with the current quota for May to July 2023. Previously, it used the number of ETS registrations from the previous three months. The LTA told The Straits Times that the change “provides more stability to our COE supply and reduces the likelihood of ETS numbers exceeding deregistrations in a single quarter”. There would have been zero commercial vehicle COEs available for tender from May to July 2023 if the LTA had not modified its method for calculating COE supply for this category. This is because the number of ETS registrations from January to March 2023 – used to calculate the COE supply for May to July – exceeded the number of scrapped commercial vehicles captured in the formula after taking away the contribution to Open category COE. The number of ETS registrations was unusually high in March 2023, with 1,482 such registrations out of 2,512 recorded in the first three months of this year. With the change, ETS registration figures will be recorded in the same way as vehicle deregistrations in the COE supply calculation. The LTA began using the average number of vehicles deregistered in the past four quarters to calculate COE supply starting with the quota for February to April 2023. The number of commercial vehicle COEs available for tender is driven primarily by two components: the number of vehicles that were scrapped, which forms the basis of the upcoming COE supply, and ETS registrations, which is deducted from the deregistration figure. Under the current policy, the supply of commercial vehicle COEs is allowed to grow by 0.25 per cent a year. This is set to remain until January 2025. Under the ETS, the owner of an older commercial vehicle can switch to a new one with cleaner emissions by paying a discounted rate of the COE price instead of having to bid for a new one. The exact amount payable depends on the existing vehicle model and the replacement model that will be registered under the scheme. The current iteration of ETS kicked in on April 1, 2023, and expires on March 31, 2025. In 2021 and 2022, ETS registrations outnumbered commercial vehicle registrations using new COEs. The trend continued in the first three months of 2023, where 2,512 ETS registrations represented 86.03 per cent of the 2,920 commercial vehicle registrations for the period. The dominance of the ETS route to register new commercial vehicles in the first quarter of 2023 may have been driven by the general shortage of commercial COEs available for tender when dealers were rushing to register vehicles before April 1, 2023. The date was when incentives under the Commercial Vehicle Emissions Scheme were halved for some vehicles from $30,000 to $15,000. The ETS benefit was also reduced. In the case of light commercial vehicles, retiring an old van with Euro III emission levels for a new, lower emission model such as a Suzuki Every after the switchover would see the ETS incentive reduced from 45 per cent to 20 per cent. A stricter emission test protocol also came into force. Mr Neo Tiam Ting, director of Think One, which deals in commercial vehicles, said there was a big rush in March for ETS-eligible vehicles that can be used to register new vans before April 1. This has since subsided. In the current three-month period till July, there is a monthly average of 137 commercial vehicle COEs available for tender. This was an increase of 59.3 per cent over the monthly average of 86 such COEs in the previous three months. The price of commercial vehicle COEs has risen significantly, hitting a record high of $91,101 in March 2023. It was $48,889 in March 2022. With the current elevated COE prices, the resale value of a used vehicle in the open market can be higher than the revised ETS incentive. This makes it difficult for motor traders to source ETS-eligible vehicles for buyers keen to grow their fleet. Between 2013 and 2022, ETS has accounted for 63,449 commercial vehicle registrations, compared with the 61,866 units that were put on the road with new COEs in the same period. In November 2022, the LTA and National Environment Agency announced that ETS for light commercial vehicles will end on March 31, 2025. The agencies said they would be looking at other means to encourage owners to switch out of older commercial vehicles and buses.

TL;DR - Smelly reputation of Yishun persists after cam car spots contradicting road marking and signage. So can only turn left or can also turn right? Watch this 46-second clip of a confused driver not knowing which signage to follow. https://www.facebook.com/reel/514684020845464 What happened? Cam car was puzzled as to which directional signage he should follow - the one on the road or the informative road sign in his direct line of sight. Even if you don’t drive, it is a no-brainer to realise that they are contradicting. One says to only turn left, whilst the other says you can turn right too. And of course, this had to happen at none other than the infamous neighbourhood, Yishun. Online Chatter Hopefully LTA can investigate this soon to not mislead more drivers. Indeed, Yishun never disappoints. Weird things one can only find in Yishun. I wonder what happens if a ‘goondu’ driver actually turns right and goes head on with another vehicle. Is the blame on the driver for having less of an IQ or on LTA for being careless? ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

TL;DR - A Toyota Hiace with illegal modifications refused to stop and even sped off from the Traffic Police. [UPDATE 15/02/23, Wednesday] - Mission to escape the traffic police failed as the Toyota Hiace was found abandoned in one of the multi-storey car parks in Yishun. MIA driver though. Watch these two videos fresh out the oven of the great escapade by the van driver. Part 2 Part 3 After beating the red light, speeding against the traffic and fleeing from the police, the van was finally found stranded in a MSCP. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the movies, high-speed police chases are often thrilling and sometimes explosive, but on the streets of Singapore it is a different story. Want to be fast and furious, at least not with a van lah… Watch this 36-second video to see just how fast this van accelerated to evade the traffic police. What happened? A Toyota Hiace was caught zooming across the not-so-empty road in Yishun, with a traffic police chasing closely from behind. Rumors have it that the van was carrying drugs, which caused his fight-or-flight response to bolt off. Surely something’s sus about the van driver, be it the illegal modifications of his van, carrying drugs or whatnot. No matter what, he is definitely getting charged for traffic violations - it is against the law to elude any authorized (police) officer. Online Chatter Even a Ferrari cannot outdrive Singapore’s traffic police, did this van driver really think he had a chance? Bo beh zao man... Takeaway Never think you can outwin the SPF. Be a safe driver, do the right things and you won’t fear seeing the law enforcers. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

COE is 33years old... LTA still cannot get its act together. adjusting and adjusting... a thermostat is cheaper and faster.... https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/lta-adjust-coe-quota-calculation-reduce-supply-volatility-3219981 SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Friday (Jan 20) that it would be adjusting the method for computing Certificate of Entitlement (COE) quota available for bidding. The adjustment - six months after a similar move last year - is to "further reduce the quarter-on-quarter volatility of COE supply", said LTA. With effect from Feb 1, the number of COEs available for bidding in each quarter will be the rolling average of the number of vehicles deregistered over the previous four quarters, instead of two. For example, the number of COEs for the upcoming quarter of February to April will be 25 per cent of the number of vehicles deregistered from January 2022 to December 2022. The number of COEs for the next quarter - May to July - will be 25 per cent of the number of vehicles deregistered from April 2022 to March 2023. The start of each new COE quota bidding period will continue to be one month after the close of each calendar quarter. COE QUOTA FOR FEBRUARY TO APRIL The COE quota for February to April will be 9,437. This is a 3.4 per cent increase from the 9,128 COEs in the previous quarter. Bidding under the upcoming quota will start on Feb 6, said LTA . Under the previous method, the quota for the February to April period would have been a lower figure of 8,695, a difference of 7.9 per cent or 742 COEs. The next quota announcement for the bidding period of May to July will be made in April. After the adjustment in calculation method last year, experts told CNA that COE price peaks would not be as high as they would be under the current counting method. However, COE price troughs will also not be as low as they would have been.

Hi bros, Bought a 2nd hand car, detected catalytic converter has been cut and welded at STA. Dealer said he will fit back original exhaust for me to pass LTA inspection. What should I do? STA mechanic mentioned in order to pass, they must not see any signs of welding..

TL;DR - Bentley driver was caught driving against the flow of traffic, leaving traces of leaked fuel. He was eventually arrested after police reports were made. There's just endless outrageous/appalling road incidents in Singapore. Typically, it'll either be a road rage confrontation or some sort of chain collision - which isn’t too surprising since Singaporeans are just really 'kiasu' creatures to begin with. One 'chiong', all follow suit. But this accident is quite a rare occurrence. Watch this 76-second video to see how this Bentley went against traffic flow, thinking this is his grandfather’s road. What happened? Cam-car reported that the Bentley driver drove against traffic along CTE and mounted a kerb at Ang Mo Kio before getting arrested. At the same time, his very ‘huat’ car also had some type of fluid (most likely petrol?) leaking all the way back to 6 Jalan Angklong, presumably his residence. SCDF and Traffic Police arrived after a police report was made. It is unclear what happened after. But either way, I don’t know if there’s any valid or near-valid excuse for this. Online Chatter Seems like netizens have come to a consensus that the Bentley driver drink-drove. What do you think? Let us know in the comment box! ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/vehicle-buyers-to-pay-more-as-lta-increases-its-fees-registration-fee-up-59-per-cent-to-350 In a letter sent on Dec 5 to motor traders, which was obtained by The Straits Times, the LTA said 25 fees and charges will rise from Dec 19. They include fees for vehicle registration as well as those for certificate of entitlement (COE) transfers, vehicle-type approvals and vehicle recall notifications. LTA said the hikes were necessary to keep up with administrative costs, adding that the last revision was in 2017. Most fees will be increased by between 10 and 25 per cent, with the vehicle registration fee seeing the sharpest spike at 59 per cent. This fee, which is payable each time a new vehicle is registered for use in Singapore, will go up from $220 to $350. It was raised periodically over the years. The fee was $140 in 2000 and then increased to $220 in 2017 – a 57 per cent hike. For motorcycles, the registration fee was $5 before 1998. Given that 45,000 to 125,000 new vehicles are registered each year, the increase in the registration fee alone could add $5.9 million to $16.3 million to LTA’s revenue. Motor traders were surprised by the LTA move, which comes as COE premiums remain at near record levels and core inflation stays high. Mr Neo Nam Heng, chairman of diversified motor group Prime, said: “Everything is increasing – from vehicle inspection to chicken rice. This will only add to costs, which may be passed on to consumers.” Mr Nicholas Wong, general manager of Honda agent Kah Motor, said: “I think in this period of high COE prices and poor market sentiment, it is bad timing for the increase.” An ST report showed that car buyers have been shying away from showrooms amid sky-high COE prices, with scores of car sales staff leaving the industry as well. Added Mr Wong: “The most impactful is the increase in registration fee from $220 to $350 – this is a 59 per cent jump! I think it’s not justifiable, and adds to the inflation rate. Dealers will have to absorb these costs.” Mr Neo Tiam Ting, director of parallel importer Think One, said: “Under current costing, there would be no change. But moving forward, when dealers redo their costing, they will include this increase. Most dealers include it (the registration fee) in the packaged price.” Mr Norman Lee, a director at motorcycle retailer Race Werks, said: “Isn’t it ironic that most LTA services are already digitised, online or self-service. “Yet, over the years, such costs have had to rise, instead of falling because of cost savings and increased productivity?”

If I have a new car, how often do i need to go for vehicle inspection? How much will it cost and where are the inspection centres?

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/taxi-driver-given-warning-lta-after-failing-search-vehicle-personal-items-left-passenger-3060091 SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has agreed to review a rule where taxi drivers are required to search their vehicle for any items left behind by the passengers after a trip. The National Taxi Association (NTA) and National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) had reached out to LTA for an explanation and clarification after one taxi driver received a written warning by LTA for "having failed to search the vehicle for any property accidentally left behind by the hirer", said Yeo Wan Ling, Director of NTUC U SME and U Women and Family in a Facebook post on Friday (Nov 11). Ms Yeo, who is also adviser to NTA and NPHVA, added that the associations reached out to LTA after drivers gave feedback and expressed concerns about the incident. "Like our taxi and (private-hire vehicle) driving community, the NTA and NPHVA are concerned about the warning received by the driver and we reached out to the LTA for an explanation and clarifications on behalf of our P2P community," she said. LTA clarified that this is a long-standing rule and serves as a good practice on the part of the driver, she added. WARNING LETTER WITHDRAWN LTA has decided to withdraw the warning letter to the taxi driver and shared that its intent was to "remind the driver on such good practices", said Ms Yeo. An earlier Facebook post made by user Ong Boon showed a letter from LTA dated Oct 26 stating that the driver had made an appeal against the warning to the transport authority through Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling on Oct 11. According to the letter, an investigation by LTA showed that on Jul 9 at about 1.26pm, the driver had failed to search his taxi for any items left by the passenger after the trip. "Hence, our investigation finds you liable for the offence of 'Failing to search vehicle for any property accidentally left by the hirer' under rule 39(1) of the (Road Traffic Rules)," the letter stated. Ms Tin, who is MP for Macpherson, said in a Facebook post on Friday that she had made two appeals on behalf of Mr Ong, who was also a resident of her constituency. "Along with my second appeal days ago, I separately asked LTA based on what did they conclude that my resident didn’t search the vehicle," she said. Rule 39(1) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Vocational Licences and Conduct of Drivers, Conductors, Trishaw Riders and Passengers) states that immediately or before the end of the journey, the driver of a vehicle should search his vehicle for any property left behind. The letter also noted that a written warning was issued to the driver on Sep 28. It stated that LTA was "satisfied" with the investigation findings that the driver was liable for the offence and was hence unable to rescind the warning. NO DRIVERS PROSECUTED Ms Yeo's post also said that LTA has never prosecuted any driver for such breaches. "Going forward, the LTA agreed to review the continued relevance of this rule together with stakeholders." The Associations and the National Trades Union Congress believe that the safety of our drivers must be a top priority, she said, adding that the drivers' work conditions often do not allow them to "search for items accidentally left behind by hirers" safety and effectively. "While it is a good practice to have, it should not be an obligation that attracts penalties. "We thank the LTA for withdrawing the letter of warning to our driver and will continue to work together with the LTA and other stakeholders to support our drivers." Ms Tin said she is glad that LTA has acceded to her appeal and will be withdrawing the warning to Mr Ong. "I appreciate LTA’s willingness to review the matter and thank NTUC & the Associations for championing this as well."

The Review On 1 October 2021, a government panel, Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP), has produced a set of recommendations to review regulations to enhance road safety. The recommendations consist of the following rules and guidelines: To continue allowing cyclists to ride abreast in a maximum of 2 on roads with two or more lanes. Introduce a rule for on-road cycling groups, for them to limit their group length to 5 bicycles. Essentially, this means a limit of five cyclists in a single file or ten cyclists when riding abreast. Introduce a guideline to ensure a safe distance of 2 lamp posts (30 metres) between riding groups. Introduce a guideline in the Highway Code and driving test handbooks that require motorists to have a minimum passing distance of 1.5 metres when passing cyclists. Highly encourage cyclists to sign up for third-party liability insurance. When involved in an accident, third-party insurance will compensate for victims and protect cyclists from potentially expensive claims. Source: https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltagov/getting_around/active_mobility/rules_public_education/rules_code_of_conduct/pdf/2021-10_amap_report_for_the_review_of_on-road_safety.pdf My Two Cents After reading the recommended rules and guidelines, certain thoughts came to my mind: For recommendations 1 – 3, is there a point behind it? After all, what is the point if cyclists don’t adhere to these recommendations? Unless they are caught in the act of flouting these rules and guidelines, matters will remain the status quo. Besides, recommendations 1 – 3 will only be effective when proper enforcement is present. And this, unfortunately, is a hard nut to crack. Recommendation 4 will be only and most effective when implemented – but why? Well, it is pretty simple. It is easier to take enforcement actions against motorists than cyclists, as motorists must be licensed and officially registered with government bodies. Hence, it makes motorists more accountable for any actions committed by them. Lastly, recommendation 5 is the most perplexing recommendation of them all. Considering a significant number of citizens have no insurance coverage, the tendency to take up third-party liability insurance for cycling is going to be pretty damn low too. Conclusion Nothing spells ineffectiveness more than this proposed set of recommendations, which practically solves none of the issues at hand. Instead, the proposed recommendation aims to tackle every other matter, except that one crucial matter – Holding cyclists accountable for their actions. Netizens' Comments This basically summarises all the issues at hand. --- Thinking of selling your car? sgCarMart Quotz guarantees the highest selling price for your car. We’ll even give you $100 cash if you find a better offer elsewhere! Get a free quote to find out how much your car is worth today!

Thought it is interesting to note that there are laws for cycling in Singapore. Not sure if cyclist are aware of them as I often see "professional" looking cyclists riding in 2 or 3 abreast or weaving in and out of heavy traffic. Hopefully more drivers and cyclists can be aware of these relatively simple laws so that the roads can be a more pleasant environment. :) Extracted from: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/ohs/safetyforeveryon...n%20Cycling.pdf http://www.pedal.sg/pedal/Singapore_Laws.html 1. These Rules may be cited as the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules. Definitions. 2. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires

On 11th May 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) uploaded a video onto their official Facebook page featuring the Commander of Traffic Police, SAC Gerald Lim. Spanning 4 minutes, the video takes on the latest amendments to the Road Traffic Act and other traffic-related matters. Key amendments to the Road Traffic Act 1. Illegal speed trials An illegal speed trial is defined by a trial where two or more vehicles compete at high speeds through a stretch of road. As noted in the video, vehicles that are involved in illegal speed trials may also be illegally modified to go faster, which is an offence on its own. For first-time offenders, individuals will face a fine of up to $5,000, up to 12 months of imprisonment or both. Repeat offenders will face a jail sentence of up to 24 months, a fine of $10,000 or both. Additionally, MHA announces that the vehicle forfeiture routine for illegal speed trials will be amended to make it non-mandatory. This means that if an offender is not the owner of the vehicle involved in an illegal speed trial, and if an offender had used the vehicle without the owner’s consent, there will be no forfeiture of the vehicle to the state. This will ensure that the forfeiture regime is consistent with other offences. 2. Pretending to be the offending driver Under the new amendments, it is now an offence to defeat the course of justice by asking someone else to pretend to be the offending driver for various situations. This involves not just the individual who is facing the penalties on behalf of someone else, but also the individual who is asking someone else to face the penalties on their behalf. The penalty for this offence includes facing imprisonment for up to 12 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Offenders will also be disqualified from driving. 3. Road rage While road rage has been steadily declining in recent years, this uncouth behaviour still exists among local drivers. As such, MHA is introducing new laws to make it easier for motorists who commit this offence to be completely disqualified from driving. According to a CNA article, this new amendment includes license disqualification for all offences under any written law committed in the context of road rage. These offences include voluntarily causing hurt, causing death by negligent act and wrongful restraint. For motorists who find themselves a victim of a road-rage offence, SAC Gerald advises drivers to: 1. Remain calm 2. Avoid an exchange of words 3. Apologise to diffuse the situation 4. Call the authorities if the offender continues to be hostile Additional amendments MHA has also introduced minor amendments with regards to road safety. 1. Driving license suspensions Under the new amendment, there is no need for secondary legislation to prescribe the circumstances and suspension lengths for future suspensions of driving licenses. This is to provide more operational flexibility. 2. Enhanced criminal penalties Enhanced criminal penalties for serious traffic offences and repeat offenders will only apply to individuals who have been convicted on at least 2 previous instances. This would mean that drivers who have been charged and convicted of the same offence before will face the enhanced penalties, even if the maximum penalty for the offence is lower. 3. Taking compounded offences into account for court sentencing With the new amendment, the court will be able to take into account any traffic offence compounded after 2019 as aggravating factors during sentencing. What are your thoughts on the new amendments? Should there be more done to ensure greater traffic safety on our roads? For further clarification on the new amendments, you can read the full article on Channel News Asia.

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Motorists beware Due to the rain? I usually report to one service app n the patch is done within the day or two days But the weather has been erratic of late so not sure if that's affecting road patches This one looks like ubi/Eunos I think this one near at tampines/simei?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTXdDSNjv48 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/05/08/darker-rear-windows-now-an-option/ https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/05/11/police-accept-governments-decision-on-new-tint-ruling/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnSuioVSdwA This Malaysian car reviewer explained it logically. I wonder if these jiuhu vehicles were to come across here to SG. So how would our LTA response to this?