3/06/2018

Parking up the wrong tree

I knew it would come, sooner rather than later. No, I am not talking about the GST hike - that one would come later rather than sooner (you have the Government’s word on that). I am talking about the Parking Places (Amendment) Bill that was introduced in Parliament to curb indiscriminate bicycle parking. When I saw the unsightly mounds of two-wheelers dumped (rather than parked) like scrap heap across the island, I knew the end was nigh - “How long can the Government tahan when even I cannot tahan!?”

So as sure as night follows day, up popped the proposed scheme to license bike-sharing firms and hold them accountable for their customers’ sins. Under this scheme, the size of the operators’ bicycle fleet would be reviewed every six months, based on how well they manage the illegal parking problem and how often their bikes are used. Other details include data-sharing with the authorities and removing illegally parked bikes in a timely manner. Failure to meet the authorities’ standards would attract fines (max $100K) and even cancellation of licence.
It’s ingenious. In one fell swoop, the authorities have put the onus of tidying up the mess on the operators. And they may well succeed. Monetary caning in Singapore seldom fails, let alone the threat of business closure. But is this really the end of the problem? Have we answered the larger question of what’s behind inconsiderate parking? In the same way that litter bugs treat our island like a gigantic dustbin, bikers are treating it like an unregulated bike-park. But why?
I cast my mind back to a 2015 article by The Straits Times’ Han Fook Kwang who lamented on the declining standards of cleanliness in Singapore. Han’s article was inspired by PM Lee Hsien Loong’s FB post of a photo of the rubbish left behind after a music festival at Gardens by the Bay. A sampling of the comments that followed PM’s post included (a) schools should develop the right values instead of focusing only on academic achievements (b) too many Singaporeans are brought up in households where maids do all the cleaning (c) Singapore society looks down on cleaners, so children grow up thinking cleaning up is beneath them. But the one comment that hit the nail well and truly on the head is ownership and responsibility. When you consider yourself as part of the community and not a community apart, you will take ownership and responsibility of the public space in a way that many bike-sharing riders have so far failed to do.  The authorities should not just stop at fixing illegal parking. Our sense of community needs fixing too. Miss out on that and we would simply be parking up the wrong tree.  

15 comments:

Virgo49 said...


Hello, Foo Siangluen,

Pardon me for not addressing you as Gent/Lady as I not too sure your Gender.

Just allow me as a layman to suggest just one Simple Solution to these unwanted parking of the two wheelers.

I have not cycle on these bikes before.But I understand that the User must register with them for an Apps to activate and have details and particulars with them before they can utilize them.

My Very Simple Solution: When the User parked the bikes indiscriminately NOT at the Allocated User Spaces as provided by the Operator in their proper spaces, just simply have the Controlling Authority that may be the HDB, the URA, the LTA or whatsoever Agencies snap a photo of them. Noted the time and place the offence is committed.

Just issue a summons of between S$200 to S$500 for the Offence. Unless the next User takes over the bikes then it is the responsibility of the previous user to pay the fines.

Let's see Whether they will walk a mile or ride a mile just to park the bicycle in the proper lot. The Enforcing Authority just simply gets the particulars from the Operators or ask the offending parties to furnish the details.

Now, we can see that we can walk our spaces, void decks and everywhere without obstructions.

Just simply Fine the Culprits.

Cheers

Save the White Monkeys who approved this scheme and have to debate the next few Parliamentary Sessions to implement this solution.

Anonymous said...

Miss out on that and we would simply be parking up the wrong tree.
RB

Yes the wrong tree for parking, but the right tree for PAP to not only make money but also serves as a deterrent against using the wrong tree for parking.

Virgo49 said...


Just have the White Monkeys don't need to crack their brains and follow what I recommend.

Also, no need to raise GST. Within six months can collect fines easily exceeded the GST increase.

Then, Amy Khor and LBW and that Disgraceful Fu can smirk without exploring about the problems before they smart smart recommended share of walkways that maim and killed innocent elderies. Poor wheelchairs cannot even moved with these obstructions.

Now this Disgraceful insisted that SL apologized and withdraw her statement.

Another PAP skunk after that Shame. Why that Shame kept quiet now??

Face kena flushed in toilet bowls??

Anonymous said...

Pay them millions to be thin skinned & focus their time & efforts to extract sorry, sorrni, sonii, from Wonder woman Sylvia.
Like paying undisclosed millions per yr to HuLeeJinx to buy-high & sell-low in dark fog.
Just managed the abt $1.3trillion reserves (MAS 360, TM 280, GIC????) with 5% return.....returns will be $60bln...what's there to hike taxes & tariffs.

Unknown said...

Dear Virgo49, first of all I am a Him. Secondly, thank you for your suggestion. I agree your idea is good but Government manpower is needed to snap the photos of illegally parked bikes. This means the Government is still in charge of enforcement. The proposed scheme on the other hand transfers enforcement to the operators - if you want your licence approved, jolly well make sure your users don't any how park the bikes. It is a masterstroke. But as I said, it does nothing to instil in people a sense of community and responsibility which would have forestalled the problem in the first place.


Anonymous said...

Virgo, your proposal won't work cause if I am a user and I park at the designated slot and some prank jokers moved the bike, then I Kena. If that is the case no one dares to use lar

Anonymous said...

Dose any body ask why this "do not care mentality" has already and quietly eroded in the brain of the people, not just the riders.

Goh said...

Laochek Virgo ah
No need teach chenghoo how to fine sinkies and make our life more miserable just becos you hate bicycle.
It's not a way to solve problem.You will find those no brainer anyhow book citizen and cause more misery like how those apos attached to nea,wan ong apek,for littering,just to secure promotion.
So you mean million dollar salary scholar no brain to solve this problem so need to seek help from expurt from site like msn meh?
Nah.I say Do away with these bicycles for rental and stop issuing licence to operators.Do it totally together or step by step.
All those who want cycle are to buy their own bicycle.
It's a wrong move to grant such rental services,making sinkies more lazy and not accountable.
I love bicycles and rode when I was a kampong boy.Brought my 2 sport bicycles to hdb after resettlement but got stolen at hdb void deck though secured .
That time they dun entertain bicycle theft cases ,too many bicycle theft and affect their crime rate report I suppose..
Bicycle owner will not anyhow hang or park their bicycle .
Yes.Stop issuing licence or approval for such rental .Make ownership.That's the only way to solve.No need feel paiseh to copy my idea.No need pay me million dollar.
Oops ..forgot to add..please give free coe or road tax to bicycle ownner:-)



Virgo49 said...

Ahgongkia, when you have to zig zag your way everyday just because of these inconsiderate jokers then you will see whether want to fine them or not.

The PAPies DONT walk like the masses as they aresheield from these happenings that they DONT see.

Wait till the day you are pushing a wheelchair bound person or you yourself in it and find that you cannot even maneorve your way round.

Then you will cry father and cry mother.

Anonymous said...

Just make heavier.need 4 person
To carry.

Goh said...

You oso bring your dog pee n poo everywhere.I oso got to siam like many others .So far who propose to fine you for allowing them to peepee.same same lah.
Just stop allowing them to operate and cheongkong if they continue to supply bicycle .
Send to Tai Cheong for scrap.
Those who want cycle to buy their own.Problem solved.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

One thing the Singapore govt is excellent at is delivering their Iron Fist when required...i.e. to bring some sort of ORDER to CHAOS in this instance.

Bike rideshare is a new concept to the people who culturally still cannot go to the PUBLIC toilet without committing anti-social acts they would not do in their own homes.

Singapore has yet to even come close to the social norms of JAPAN, where people "lose face" if they resort to anti-social behaviour. Singaporeans simply do not respect or are ignorant of the needs of their so-called fellowmen, that an the Iron Fist of The State is often required to smack down hard on the heads of these miscreants.

The operators of these fledgling startups in bike rideshare need to understand and accept the CULTURE where they operate their business, especially if they are taking advantage of the PUBLIC SPACE to earn revenue for their various enterprises.

So fuck them, they don't get a "free pass" from the taxpayer who has to pay to clean up the mess made by their customers. They want to earn money, they're responsible for the "negative externalities" caused by their slack-arsed customers.

Singaporeans are fucking litterbugs. When they're out of Singapore, for e.g. in Malaysia or China, they throw litter everywhere...they don't give a flying fuck because there's no Iron Fist to identify and fine them. A friend who works at ENV complains that Singaporeans are anti-social assholes. Singapore is CLEAN because workers clean up the the shit made by Singaporeans, not because the locals are responsible and self-governed to pick up their trash (when no one's watching) and place it in the bins!

As the saying goes, "Ass, Grass or Cash...No one rides for free!"

In Singapore, there re no free rides. Add that to your Reality Checklist ;-)

Virgo 49 said...


Ahgongkia, my dog got more human sense than the humans.She ran to hide behind bushes to pew and poo.Also I told her if can look for those PAP plaques of trees planting ones to-do her businesses.

Anyway, Mr Foo, very simple, the PAP had been using the Peasants from time immemorial to have the Chinese saying : Borrow knives to kill someone.

Long time ago, they already ordered the Ushers of theatres to stop the smoking in their premises. If not they be penalised. So many ushers on MCs Orr bak kars. Ahgongkia complained they skivred.

See they are talking about those who parked indiscriminately that the charges would be running if they did not park in their proper lots.

So they must have plans that the bicycles once returned there be an activation that it is in proper lot.So they must have a sort of catch or lock in the proper lot to signify it.

So for that Anon Bro, no worry someone will sabo you.

Next have all the retirees go for their $500.00 Skills Development Class learning how to take clear photos with date and time shown. Next e-mail or E-meow and What's App.

The oldies with certs are now steady of economic value.Free time they can also take Japanese Porno pictures as they already learnt how.

Next tell them to play the game of pokemen.Now they poke their Arses of the bike users. Tell them one photo of bikes parked not in lots reward you $5.00.Aiyo, better than working in fast food joints.

Bet your life, they be out full swing to look for bikes pokemen.Better than bet $5.00 on MU vs Leicester and win just $7.50. Some more no guarantee win.

Then just e-mail or what's app with the photo's to the respective operators. If the PAP wants to have early GST collections, one piece rough paper $500.00.

Only $5.00 for unkos and unties. $10.00 admin fee for the operators.

Still make $485.00 for piece paper and also no need pay Manpower fees and also have the oldies gainfully employed.

One month's Income can go Genting two trips

Oldies also Smart nation net savy.

Anonymous said...

Pharking up the wrong tree.