Appeal To The Traffic Police

[kenntona]

Extracted from......

http://www.petitiononline.com/TP123/petition.html

To: Singapore Traffic Police

In the last one month, there has been a flood of letters to the media on driving in Singapore. There is also a visible increase in Traffic Police (TP) presence on our roads.

But while we support and laud TP's efforts at making Singapore roads safe, we are disturbed by accounts of such instances:

* Law-abiding motorists with decades of clean driving record getting fined for minor speeding infractions.

* TP with mobile speed cameras hiding at spots to catch speeding motorists. A team of police officers was recently spotted inside the compound of a Chinese temple with speed cameras pointed towards the traffic!

* Drivers getting pulled over for catch-all offences such as "careless driving"

According to the Road Accident Situation Report 2003 published on 4 March 2004, TP acknowledged that the traffic situation in Singapore for 2003 remained good and our fatality rate per human population was lower than many OECD countries. The 2004 figures have not been published. But nonetheless we are puzzled by the sudden step-up in enforcement action.

A deeper analysis of the 2003 report raises many questions:

* In the report, TP identified the three serious traffic offences are drink-driving, speeding and red-running. This being so, TP's enforcement actions should be proportionate and not overly focused on speeding alone, especially when TP acknowledged that the number of speed-related fatal and injury accidents in 2003 actually decreased.

* Motorcyclists and pillion riders remained the most vulnerable group of road users. They comprised about half of all the total road accident fatalities and TP's enforcement should accordingly be aimed towards this group of road users. TP reported that in the single-party fatal accident cases involving motorcyclists, the common causes include failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to have proper control of their vehicles, failing to give way to traffic with right of way, and disobeying traffic light signals. Since TP is aware of the causes, its enforcement action should be targeted and focused.

* Pedestrians were the 2nd most vulnerable group of road users and they accounted for 30% of fatalities. As such, TP should similarly focus its efforts on pedestrian safety and education.

In short, while we applaud TP's efforts against errant motorists who speed recklessly, the cat-and-mouse tactic employed to catch unsuspecting and generally law abiding motorists will slowly alter their driving behaviour in addition to catching speedsters. These motorists will eventual move their focus of attention off the roads to flyovers and overbridges for fear of committing the most minor of speed infractions.

We should not allow such driving behaviour to emerge as the main focus of the driver should be on the roads and on the cars ahead of him. Instead of elevating the overall safety of the roads, the safety of pedestrians and other motorists maybe compromised.

We believe that the Traffic Police should not lose focus in their pursuit of errant motorists who speed recklessly by the heavy-handed approach of summoning motorists even for the most minor of speed infractions.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

[rodders]

Swee swee. Thanks Ken.

[Wayansurfer]

informative indeed...
rite on Ken

[Azrielsc]

kenn,

Thanks for the article. U think that this petition/letter actually works? TP can totally ignore this right and we are back to Square One!

[Ronkovic]

Originally Posted by Azrielsc

kenn,

Thanks for the article. U think that this petition/letter actually works? TP can totally ignore this right and we are back to Square One!

I agree with you bro.

Even if the whole of Singapore signs the petition, TP will just ignore it.
They can't possibly admit anything as it will be an admission of liability.

Unless of course some hot-shot journalist decides to burn his own ass to feature this story. But then again, even if he does, you know how the media framing works in this country so it'll probably end up something which puts the drivers at fault for their own paranoia.

[rodders]

Actually, given the amount of feedback being written to the various forms of media over the last couple of weeks, I believe TP and the relevant authorities will have no choice but to acknowledge that there is in fact a growing number of drivers who are getting pissed off with their harsh enforcement of the traffic laws. If this thing gets big enough, I don't think it's something they can just choose to ignore.

My two cents.

[Azrielsc]

I hope that they don't ignore it and review their tough stance as soon as possible. I can't swallow their statement on the "fact" that there have not been any accidents caused by drivers trying to spot cameras on overhead bridges. Does this mean that somebody MUST be in an accident or hurt trying to spot the cameras before TP does something?? I know that I have been staring at overhead bridges, bus stops and flyovers everytime I drive... and it ain't healthy!!!

[SL2]

It's getting really stressful to drive nowadays. Like what Sam said, I myself have been consciously staring at over head bridges, bus stops, etc trying to spot TP before they spot me. They are always there to catch someone who drives either 80 or 90 km/h on a non expressway road when it is actually a reasonable speed. Just imagine how much the country's economy will slow down if everyone drives within the speed limit set by the authorities....And they are ALWAYS blind to the road hoggers, idiotic bus or taxi drivers and even errant pedestrians(I'm sure one can find plenty of old folks in older estates who cross roads as if they own it).

[Ghostrider]

The message that TP is driving across is very plain and simple.

No to speeding. Ok to hog.

So now I shall heed what the good commander of TP has taught me...speeding kills....road hogging is alrite with them. So I shall drive below the limit to avoid getting a nasty surprise from them....

Maybe all these will die down by election....but I think the damages has already been done. Good luck to the ruling party man....your new commander has made you many new enemies.

[fabsmiche]

i thought i was the only one always checking everywhere. i think it's road hogging to maintain 60 km on the streets but it's legal to drive below 60km on normal roads........

i agree that it has been very stressful driving from place to place now.