Smarter GPS on Smart Phones

Do you have a built-in GPS device in your ride or got a dedicated GPS device like the Garmin?  Now that almost everyone of us is using a Smart Phone, you can easily download a GPS mobile app from Apple App Store or Google Play.  I am using Waze (pronounced as ways) which is developed by an Israeli firm that was bought over by Google in 2013.  

The feature that I appreciate most is the capability to recommend a faster route when the system detects from other users' location data that the current route  is jammed up.  Here's a real example that I encountered earlier this week:

I now use it regularly as I will know the estimated arrival time and can let my friends and family know ahead if I will be late.  This reduces the stress of rushing in traffic and in turn, makes it a safer commute.

In relation to my previous post about the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE), I think GPS users contributed to the congestion in the East-West traffic as most GPS devices or mobile apps were not updated when the East Coast Parkway (ECP) no longer connects to Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) from 29 December 2013.  In fact, Waze was also not updated until 5 January 2014.

The wrong route did not impact me as I was traveling West-East and just continue onto the MCE but I had to rely on the directional sign to exit MCE to join ECP.  Other than that initial usage feeling unfamiliar, I find the change does not make much difference to the daily commute to work except that I miss the nicer scenery from the Benjamin Sheares Bridge.

I find that GPS is becoming a technology that is integrated into my motoring life.  What about you?

Collision or Accident?

Insurer AXA has rejected the claim for the Ferrari crash at Rochor Road as reported by the Straits Times.  If the insurer is successful in up holding its position, it can claim from the driver's estate for all third-party compensation paid to the victims.

Do you think the court will rule in favour of the insurer?  I would support so if it is proven that the speed was significantly over the allowed limit and that the driver had beaten the traffic light in the case.  This will send the right message to owners of high-performance cars that reckless driving is NOT condoned especially if the collision resulted in fatality of innocent victims.

Related post: Ferrari smashed Taxi

Ferrari smashed Taxi

This must be the most tragic local traffic accident in 2012 resulting in three death - the Ferrari driver, the taxi driver and the taxi passenger.  Two others were injured - the Ferrari passenger and a motorcyclist who was dismounted by the taxi from the force of the crash.

The investigation into the cause of the accident is still in progress.  It is strange that the Ferrari was so late in beating the red light.  There is a pedestrian crossing about 30 metres before the cross junction where the accident occurred; perhaps the Ferrari driver had mistakenly relied on the green light of the pedestrian crossing and missed the red one when going at such a fast speed.

Is the accident avoidable?  Let's wait for the official investigation result before making any speculation.  In the mean time, put on your seat belt and drive safely.

Buckle Up to Stay Alive

I was sad to read about the accident that occurred on Saturday which a mother and her two sons were flung out of the car on the North South Highway after a holiday in Malacca (reported on STOMP).  The mother and her elder son died while the younger son was injured, saved by her mother's hug.

The deaths could have been prevented if all the back seat passengers had worn their safety belts.  It takes just a few seconds to buckle up.  The safety belt may be uncomfortable at times but it essentially keeps you intact when an accident occurs and the vehicle goes from 110km/h to an abrupt halt.  You do not want any human cannon balls fired from your car. As a responsible driver, you should ensure that all passengers wear their seat belts.

Always Buckle Up to Stay Alive!

Make Roads Safe

Every 6 seconds someone is killed or seriously injured on the world’s roads. With 1.3 million road deaths each year this is a global epidemic comparable to Malaria or Tuberculosis. And like those killer diseases, road crashes prey on the young, the poor and the vulnerable. Yet by comparison to other global killers, road injury is utterly neglected.

Watch the video below and visit the official FIA site Make Roads Safe for more information about this decade-long campaign. You can help to support this cause by adding a web button link to the official site.

For my Twitter visitors, you can retweet RT Make Roads Safe - I pledge to slow down and be cautious in school zones.

Merry Christmas!!!

Here's wishing all my blog visitors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

And amidst the celebration and merry making, please be reminded NOT to drink and drive.

Stopping in Time

I can feel the chill down my spine when I saw the burned wreckage over last Friday's news about this serious accident on the Malaysia's North-South Highway. It is extremely dangerous to be following too closely when travelling fast on the highway. Based on the chart above, you should always keep a safe distance and scan ahead for road hazard. Note that there is also the thinking time needed before your foot reacts by stepping hard on the brake pedal.

While it is also important to maintain two essential components of your ride - the tyres and the brakes, the most crucial part of the ride is the DRIVER. You control the ride so your ability to stay alive depends largely on yourself.

Texting Can Be Deadly

Watch this Public Service Announcement from UK Police to understand the possible consequence of texting while driving. It will stick in your mind and deter you from texting while driving.

Related post: SMS = Send Messages Safely?

Punish Motor Claim Fraudsters

Police is investigating a workshop for fraudalent motor insurance claims. This is excellent news for motorists who are penalized by increased motor insurance premium.

I admire the courage of the motorist who sue the other party that had inflated the claim and use a false witness. It is also high time for the Police to probe and charge those guilty of fraud. The judge hearing the case should dish out the appropriate punishment to deter other fraudsters from similar cases. I think the guilty party should also foot all the legal fees so that will encourage insurance companies to file legal suits in support their clients who are clearly victimized.

Most workshops and accident victims will "inflat" (maximize) their damage claim so insurance companies should negotiate for a fair settlement. Substantial medical claim for whiplash injury should be subjected to close scrutiny. If the victim receive compensation and found participating in a marathon just shortly after suffering the injury. Is he a fraudster?

Do you support putting those buggers behind bars? Unscrupulous parties falsifying evidence, witness or injury claims must be stopped otherwise they will become greedier, stage accidents and cause harm to unsuspecting motorists.

SMS = Send Messages Safely?

New York Times has recently published the result of a study that "Texting Lifts Crash Risk by Large Margin" - the collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting.

In Singapore, Section 65B of the Road Traffic Act covers texting while driving - as long as there is evidence to show that the motorist was holding onto the handphone with one hand, while using it to communicate. This is regardless of the position in which he was holding onto the handphone and the fact that a hands-free kit was also used is irrelevant. The various scenarios are clearly described:

Scenario B (SMS/MMS message)
Writing, Sending, and Reading SMS/MMS messages from someone, with or without earpiece, using one hand to hold on to the mobile phone and the other hand holding the steering wheel.

If you receive a text message while you are driving, do resist the urge to reply immediately especially when your vehicle is still in motion. Remember that the sender will call if it is an urgent matter. Drive safely.

Innovative Signs of the Times

LTA has just announced the Extension of New Road Safety Measures to More Locations. I have not personally driven over the triangles at the pilot sites so I will probably slow down wondering if the vertex will cause my car to rumble or slip. I used to ride a two-wheeler so painted areas on rainy days pose risk when cornering. Are the triangles painted with non-slip paint? I certainly hope so. Was a contest held to name this new sign? I must say that it has a creative name of Traffic Calming Marking (TrCM) ... and I want to suggest planting aromatic herbs along those stretches to complete the calming and therapeutic effect.


The second new safety sign is the cool Your Speed Sign (YSS). It is an electronic sign that displays the speed of a passing vehicle so that you will be more aware of your speed and consequently encourages you to keep to the limit. Gee, I think this new gadget is great as a calibrator. I would compare my speedometer reading to that of the YSS so it may become a distracter.

What do you think? Innovative Signs of the Times?

Keep Alive Belt aka Safety/Seat Belt

I like this iconic logo - from the personal side, the heart signifies life and the belt protects it from harm in an accident and from a loved one's perspective, the belt over the heart signifies the desire to protect the loved one. The recent school mini bus accidents have certainly increased the awareness in the effectiveness of seat belts in saving lives when an accident occurs. Accidents are literally accidents i.e. the party at fault does not intend to hurt anyone but has lost control of the vehicle.

I was amused by the 14 year old boy's response after yesterday's accident, he said "I usually just get on the bus and fall asleep." Does he usually gets home and fall asleep without closing the door? No, it is second nature to us to shut and lock the door as we have valuables in our homes. Thus, we need to educate the young to fasten their seat belts when they get onto a motor vehicle unless they are asleep and carried onto the vehicle but that would then be the caregiver's fault.

Several members of parliament are going to lobby for a new law for seat belt on school buses. I support the motion and urge the authority to accelerate the matter to avoid any more unnecessary death or injury.

Belt Up for School Mini-Bus

After the 8-year old boy was recently killed in the mini-bus accident with two cars, there is much discussion on requiring seat belts in mini-buses and the operators are concerned about how to fund installing seat belts in existing vehicles. Is there a price to safety? How much would you pay for the protection of your child's life? Any parent would gladly pay for the peace of mind.

I strongly feel that LTA should at least amend the code to require new school buses of all sizes should come equipped with seat belts and leave the existing bus operators to decide with the schools and parents. There is no one funding model that will work for all existing operators so all the stakeholders should work out a solution.

Don't Drink-Drive! You may be cornered by TP Ring-Fence

Traffic Police has started to deploy the ring-fence roadblocks around cluster of pubs (see news article on Today). This is my favourite poster on Drink Driving - the message is clear: When will you have had too much? You can't calculate your alcohol limit, so don't try.


Update July 10, 2009: Sorry folks! The image of the cool poster has been taken down by the site keginabox. Just imagine this scene in a bar and the image of a less-than-half-filled beer glass with the beer foam nicely lining up one side like the markings of a ruler. I can try to draw it if there is enough demand *LOL*.

Carrots for Giving Way to Buses

Oct 16 Straits Times: Give way, save others time

SBS Transit launched a campaign to encourage motorists to give way to buses exiting bus bays after a survey conducted over almost two years, found that the average waiting time for buses dropped by between 38 per cent and 80 per cent when motorists gave way. Land Transport Authority and SBS Transit officers will be handing out $10 petrol voucher to motorists who give way to buses exiting from bus bays during the campaign (ending December 15).

I was pleasantly surprised to find that carrots are being handed out this time compared to errant motorists being fined for obstructing in bus lane. It is usually during the peak hours that everyone is rushing and the willingness to give way is hard to cultivate. Will the LTA or SBS Transit officer stop the kind motorist on the spot? Hopefully not as that may cause more delays .....

There were earlier discussions to scrap bus bays since buses have to wait for the left lane to be clear before they can resume the journey - I strongly support this proposal because travel time is critical to those who use public transport. LTA has invested a lot of money, though I do not agree to a few of them such as:
1. Centre Divider in a bus bay - just to ensure that bus drivers pull in properly? It is too even narrow for any pedestrian to stand.
2. Concrete half-height posts to provide any vehicle from running up to the bus stop? It is an overkill just because of one or two accidents recorded. But I think the contractor who was awarded the job appreciated such a safety measure.

Motorists will just have to get used to being intermittently delayed on the left lane when a bus stops for passenger boarding or alighting. It is such a simple solution and the improved flow for public buses can easily be simulated through all the data that LTA collects to prove the case.

So, what are we waiting for?

Your Ride's Contact to the Ground

Do you know how much direct contact area does your ride have with the ground? Well, it is just about four rectangles of 20cm by 10cm. The four pieces of tyres are what holds your car to the tarmac at all speed, whether you are stationary, moving off or travelling at high speed. Thus, you should budget for a good set of tyres suitable for the local climate and your driving style.

You can check out the "TECH" section this website 1010 Tires to find an appropriate set of tyres for your ride. You should also examine your tyres on a regular basis for wear and tear; this is especially important if you are going on a long trip e.g. driving up North to Kuala Lumpur.

One of the more interesting tyre-maker website that I have came across is Michelin's. You can explore Michelin's A Better Way Forward interactive site which is very entertaining and educational. You should not miss visiting the Safety Zone to watch the video on how to react to a blow-out tyre while driving! Drive safely!

Give Up Your Car and Use Taxis?

Picture: Taxis near Taipei 101, Taiwan

Would you give up your car and use taxis? Think about the advantages you will have:

• No parking charges
• No summon for parking or driving offences
• No vehicle maintenance
• No road tax and radio license fees
• No need to purchase petrol

I have thought about giving up the car since taxi service is also able to bring me from point to point but I could not bring myself to do so due to two key reasons - safety and availability. Taxi operators are profit-making companies and reducing cost will increase profitability. I am always concern about the road-worthiness of the taxis that ply our roads. Although LTA has set minimum safety requirement and regular inspection, management of the taxi companies will always try to stretch the maintenance intervals and lifespan of tyres while not violating regulations to meet business objectives and get their performance bonus. I hope they will balance short term gain with long term sustainability as I am appalled to see taxis with bald tyres and smoking exhaust.

I have on one occasion hired a taxi with the driver who is constantly checking the booking system for new calls as we are near my destination. He would whisper his calculation of how long to reach my destination and then to the pickup point and lament about not being able to make the booking. His behaviour really had me worried as his mind is not focus on the road condition. On several other occasions, I had drivers who were almost dozing off at the wheels and I had to keep up a conversation to maintain their alertness. I certainly ensure that my safety belts are securely fastened.

There have been many letters written to the local papers’ forum about the taxi booking fees. You cannot find any empty taxi during peak hours and rainy weather. They are strategically parked and will appear as soon as you make a booking. Many foreign tourists must have wasted precious time queueing at taxi stands in vain and seeing all arriving taxis with “on call” sign lighted up. The booking fees have become a talking point and it is one that foreign delegation should come to study it as a negative example - they should NEVER implement such a system back home. I am sure that LTA is aware of the complaints from the public so what is LTA doing about it? I felt that the taxi booking fees should be scrapped before we can claim to have world-class public transportation.

In the meantime, I will renew my road tax and continue driving my trusty MPV. I have full control over the servicing, tyre change, etc. and safety in my own hands. I would just have to bear with using taxis to and from the airport for my overseas travel.

Boy ran down on Pedestrian Walkway

A delivery truck hit and killed a 8-year-old boy when it reversed onto the pedestrian walkway at Simei MRT station (see CNA) on May 22. I am appalled that a witness said the truck sounded its horn while reversing from the main road and expect that all pedestrians will stay clear of its path. The driver was later arrested by the police.

Is there a flaw in the design of the area? How can motor vehicles be even allowed to go onto the pedestrian walkway? If there is a proper and safe loading/unloading bay nearby, then the truck driver is surely guilty of reckless driving. I think he does the same delivery routine every few days and this is one day that he made a bad decision.

I hope the Traffic Police and LTA will do something to prevent such accident in future. Concrete columns have been added to bus stops near road bends but that again is an after-accident action taken. Designers of our buildings and road infrastructure should take safety as an important component into the design blueprint.

Accidents happen when we least expect them so do always carry out your safety checks especially for your daily routines. An example is at the carpark near your home or workplace where you do the same routine everyday …. Don’t take for granted that the pathway is always clear for you! Drive safely everywhere …..

(Originally posted on WordPress blog on May 23, 2007)

When should an Elderly Driver give up driving?

Would this be the vision of an elderly driver? I am in New Jersey after my previous post on Veteran Taxi-Drivers and had read the May 2 edition of USA Today. It had the feature story of “Stopping older, dangerous drivers a growing problem” (you need to purchase the article to read it in its entirety).

The issue is serious enough to be the cover story on USA Today’s front page. The case featured was a 90-year old lady drove past a red light near her home in Dallas and crashed into another car driven by a 17-year old girl who was going to school to take a test. She died five days later and her family pushed the Texas Legislature to pass a bill to tackle bad elderly drivers.

As our population ages, there are more elderly drivers on our roads and the attention to ensure safety will be increasingly important. Aging affects our mechanical reflexes, visual acuity and ability to focus - all these capabilities are integral to safe driving. Although elderly drivers are slower but their misjudgement at intersections posed much risk to the other drivers who are going at higher speed.

Drivers above the age of 65 years old have to pass the medical examination every three years mandated by the Traffic Police to renew their driving license. Should more be required on the elder drivers? I strongly feel so especially using on-road assessment and also involving their family members who are able to monitor their health status during the three years between medical examinations. The ability to quickly respond to illness symptoms and near-misses is essential to assure road safety for all.

(originally posted on WordPress blog on May 5, 2007)

More Veteran Taxi-Drivers?

You should have read about the recent case of the taxi-driver running down the driver after a minor collision. I believe that most of us would be angry at the merciless taxi-driver and sympathetic towards the victim who is lying in coma. The motoring public did rally for the key eye-witness (lady passenger in the taxi) to come forward and she did finally surfaced to give her side of the story.

The taxi-driver is a 68 years old relief driver - he may a grandfather by this age and I cannot imagine that he would intentionally run over the young man. I hope that the circumstances of the incident be analyzed in details for a fair trial. I have the hunch that his health and visual capability may have strong bearing on the case. So I googled and found a related article at OneMotoring’s FAQ on Taxi Drivers’ Age Limit.

Taxi Driver Vocational License can be renewed to qualified taxi-drivers age up to 73 years old from 2006 as long as they pass the medical examination. The medical examination is required on a biennial basis for those from 50 to 65 years old and on an annual basis for above 65 years old. For the group from 70 to 73 years old, there is an additional special test conducted by qualified occupational therapists with two components i.e. off-road tests and on-road driving assessment. The tests include reaction times, vision, cognitive abilities, physical control of vehicle, etc.

I wonder if HE at 68 years old could pass the special test … Should LTA consider lowering the age limit for the requirement of the special test?

(Originally posted on WordPress blog on May 1, 2007)