3/15/2010

Why didn’t Singapore think of it?

For years, the only way to get to Sentosa was by ferries or hanging on a piece of wire from Mount Faber. The latter, hmmm, they find it more amusing and interesting, never if it takes longer, to drive up a mountain before being flung into the island by the sheer force of gravity. Getting to Sentosa was never easy, and to move masses in a short span of time will need an ingenious mind to carefully think it over. And they came to the conclusion that causeways, one and latter two, will be the most efficient way to do so. And one is now running and collecting tolls and paying for itself. My thought, why didn’t they think of a more efficient way, like a bridge, and then another bridge? And in this case, there is no need to spend dismantling a causeway, just build the bridges anywhere they want. It was clean and tidy, and no extra cost, no need to change mindset on how to get to the island. And a bridge will make walking across near impossible, thus ensuring that more tolls can be collected. And they didn’t even consider the water on both sides of the causeway that will get stagnant and foul. And the ships cannot sail from one side of the causeway to the other, from Pasir Panjang to Tanjong Pagar. And shipping is a major revenue earner for the island and facilitating trade. Are we making things difficult for ourselves? And the pleasure craft cannot take a short cut from Keppel Marina to the South China Sea. We have done it all wrong! Imagine how beautiful and functional it will be to have bridges to Sentosa instead of causeways. Or is it a case of pride, that copying other people’s great idea would make us look second best?

7 comments:

  1. Have you ever wondered why in some shopping malls they make you walk one big round before you can get to one floor below?

    Also, have you ever wondered why lifts didn't stop on every floor at the older HDB blocks?

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  2. Remember those days in the 70s and 80s where we "Q" at the jetty for the boat/ferry trip to/ from Sentosa, that was the fun part, and that's what is missing in Singapore now.

    During those days, most of us couldn't even afford the cable car trip, but we always look forward for an outing to Sentosa with friends.

    The full commercialization of all this attractions has left us Singaporean in a lost now... did they ever thought about that.

    Back to the topic... by building the causeway, they are killing multiple birds with ONE stone...
    1. bring more people to Sentosa
    2. collect more toll without spending a cent, no ferries, cable car, cut headcount improve productivity.
    3. All the ships can go round and take a longer distance, thus burning more fuel and increase revenue and profits for the BIG OIL.
    4. its much cheaper than a bridge. Cost effective... score points for the official who came up with this... its it MBT??

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  3. Can pedestrain walk over to Sentosa and not being charged?

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  4. I agree with Lost4ever. When my children were younger I used to take them to Sentosa by ferry and that was the fun part. Now, going to Sentosa is just similar to going anywhere in Singapore.

    I totally refused to set foot on Sentosa since the bridge was built. The novelty is gone.

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  5. Taking ferry to Blakang Mati was a big experience for the older generations. Now the experience can still be found going to Batam or Bintan.

    Sentosa is now a new experience for a new generation, casinos, Universal Studios, big theme parks and rides.

    We keep a different kind of memories and reminisce over a different past. Our children and their children will have a different kind of nostalgia of their own.

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  6. It is a bridge.... the water under the bridge is free flowing and is not closed up. Go check it out!

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  7. Modern Sentosa is one of the biggest embarrasments I've ever seen.

    When it was Pulau Blakang Mati, I used to frequent it and swim nude with my gur-fren at the southern coast of the island, ducking into a WW2 pill box for a quickie now and then. Ah...wonderful, romantic nature.

    Then the Sentosa Development Corporation was formed, and the whole thing changed. Now they allow cars on the island. That causeway fucked everything up.

    The cable car was cool in the 70's -- when S'pore was trying to emulate Switzerland. Now, fuck it lah. It's well past its usefulness.

    I don't even bother going there now. The place is like a cheap-skate disneyland. They should have left it the way it was.

    Fucking idiots. Leave it to the government to turn naturally-made beauty into committee-designed ugliness.

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