I never expected that within one week, I could encounter a second parking idiot. Yesterday (a Sunday), this off-peak Hyundai car, reg. no. SFP1330K, was parked in Deck 4A of Blk 171 Ponggol Field, a multi-storey HDB carpark just next to Punggol Plaza. When I parked my car there at 5.30 pm, the car was already parked this way. When I went back to get my car at 7.00 pm, it was still parked this way. (Sorry that the timing on my camera was probably showing GMT time.)
Parking at this car park on Sundays and public holidays is free, like most other HDB car parks. However, non-residents must park on Deck 3 and above. Lower decks are reserved for residents. Because of its proximity to Punggol Plaza, many weekend visitors to the shopping centre take advantage of the free parking in this car park. (I checked - this car did not have a resident carpark disc and hence probably belonged to a visitor, like me). Parking a car in two lots is a despicable act which no sane driver would condone, even more so if this selfish act is done in a popular car park like this one.
Unlike the driver I encountered earlier in the week whom Chun See thought could have been a victim of circumstances, this driver clearly had no excuse for parking the car this way. If you refer to the above photo, there was a passage way to the right of the car. The driver had left a very wide clearance of at least 4 feet away from the edge of the passage way. In fact, he/she had parked the car more than 1 foot into the next lot.
A free car park does not mean a free-for-all car park where drivers can park any way they like. Alright, so he/she was driving an off-peak car which meant that he/she probably drove only once or twice a week. He/she may lack some practice in parking but still, it is no bloody excuse to park this way. Clearly an idiot, no doubt about it.
Parking at this car park on Sundays and public holidays is free, like most other HDB car parks. However, non-residents must park on Deck 3 and above. Lower decks are reserved for residents. Because of its proximity to Punggol Plaza, many weekend visitors to the shopping centre take advantage of the free parking in this car park. (I checked - this car did not have a resident carpark disc and hence probably belonged to a visitor, like me). Parking a car in two lots is a despicable act which no sane driver would condone, even more so if this selfish act is done in a popular car park like this one.
Unlike the driver I encountered earlier in the week whom Chun See thought could have been a victim of circumstances, this driver clearly had no excuse for parking the car this way. If you refer to the above photo, there was a passage way to the right of the car. The driver had left a very wide clearance of at least 4 feet away from the edge of the passage way. In fact, he/she had parked the car more than 1 foot into the next lot.
A free car park does not mean a free-for-all car park where drivers can park any way they like. Alright, so he/she was driving an off-peak car which meant that he/she probably drove only once or twice a week. He/she may lack some practice in parking but still, it is no bloody excuse to park this way. Clearly an idiot, no doubt about it.
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We Singaporeans are far from by gracious. When SM Goh this PM, he tried instilling this sense of graciousness in us Singaporeans. Magazines and newspapers were made available onboard public buses as an added service to the commuters. And what happened? The magazines and newspapers were found missing, apparently "stolen" by communters who decided that this service should be extended to the comfort of their homes. Sigh.
Now with PM Lee at the helm, the social graces of S'poreans still leave much to be desired. It will take many generations for it to materialises, if at all.
It indeed looks like a selfish act. Probably he realized his mistake when he got out of the car but too lazy to repark it.
It will take a long long time for us to be gracious.
Chris - Another Singaporean trait is: we like to complain a lot, just like what I am doing now, hee. I can't help it. I am in complaining mode now because it was sparked off by someone.
Frannxis - Welcome back. How was your holiday? I was missing your blog entries.
If the driver realised his mistake but was too lazy to re-park the car, then he is really worse than I thought. If he didn't realise it, I still can forgive him (even though it's hard).
i know this comment is pretty late but i think i should say this, however late it may be.
i think it's not fair how you 'downgrade' OPC drivers. Not all are the same and the same goes for normal plate drivers. Some of us are nice and courteous people whereas some of us are complete jackasses. This OPC driver that you are talking about may have fallen into the 2nd category, I agree, but I don't think it's because he drives an OPC? Please review what you have said cos I believe it may affect some people indifferently. I am an OPC driver myself but I clock the same mileage people with normal plates do every year. I drive everyday cos my working schedule is the 7am-7pm type. So please don't judge people blindly. It's fair to judge them appropriately.
Thanks.
Hi Yan - Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. After re-reading the article, I would like to clarify what I have wrote.
I am sorry if inference is drawn that I was 'downgrading' OPC drivers. That was certainly not my intention at all. At no point did I say that all OPC drivers are the same. In fact, I have used words of uncertainty, i.e. "probably" and "may".
I was a weekend car driver myself in the early 1990s. My elder brother is currently also driving an off-peak car. I can therefore fully understand your point and agree with what you have said, i.e. not all OPC drivers park like that. (My brother and I certainly don't.)
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