Seven weeks jail, ONLY? Poor Hazel Ng~

Driver jailed, banned from driving for knocking scooterist down

Wait, what? Jailed for seven weeks and banned from driving for 5 years, ONLY?

Refer to my previous initial post on my reaction about the video that went viral here:

Ms Hazel Ng knocked down on PIE viral video

I don't understand Singapore's law sometimes. Somehow the law seems to always be in the favour of reckless drivers. How does seven weeks of jail time replace the pain, the trauma that Hazel went through? All her surgery that she has to undergo, physiotherapy sessions that she has to attend, and most importantly, her active lifestyle is stunted just because of an irresponsible driver who decided to side-swipe her even though the other lanes are free for this imbecile to overtake her in a proper manner.

In my opinion, drivers who cause hurt or even death SHOULD and MUST receive the heaviest sentence. That is the price to pay for causing danger to someone's life. Singaporeans should really get rid of the notion that motorcyclists are always RECKLESS and IMPATIENT.

Which reminds me to an incident that happened on 23rd August 1998, the date that took my brother's life away. An incoming cargo lorry exceeded his lane and hit my brother head on, causing him to be flipped off his scrambler, and he came crashing down head first onto a lamp post. Then several years later, that bloody imbecile have the cheeks to re-open the case and fight the case. What more does he want? Does he get the satisfaction if he wins the case? Is the years of suffering, remembering that fateful day not enough to our family that you have to rub salt into our wounds?

Anyway I didn't remember what the sentence was as i was still too young to understand. I was then 9 when he left us all.

But in 2008, my biological father passed away whilst on duty and a drunken trailer truck driver lost control and crashed into the vehicle that was parked by the side of the road, and the impact dragged my late father and his colleague down. His colleague was hit till his face was beyond recognition. And the sentence was just a minor few weeks jail term. FOR CAUSING TWO BLOODY DEATHS HE ONLY HAD FEW WEEKS OF JAIL TERM!!!

So YOU tell me, if the law in Singapore for reckless drivers is fair or not?!

The Traffic Police and Land Transport Authority officers should rethink about their policies, seriously. And take a look into the behaviors of drivers on Singapore roads than to pick on motorbikes with illegal modifications or riders with tinted visors or bikes with illegal exhaust pipes. Like come on!!! I am sure these officers are motorcyclists themselves and I am so fucking sure that they're aware of how reckless, rash and impatient some of these drivers can get!!!

Which reminds me of an incident early September this year when me and my colleagues were on our way to one of our colleagues wedding reception at Sengkang. So there was me & norman with our GSXR600, nurdin with his Busa and omar with his SP. Needless to say, there was an LTA officer parked at the bustop on AYE at NUS, from afar I noticed that somehow, he was targetting us (since well, our exhaust pipes aren't so "silent"), but we slowed down and adhered to the speed limits. Then, this spark rider with pillion came by and TAILGATED EACH AND EVERYONE OF US TO GET THROUGH TO THE FRONT, swerving in and out in the process.

So what happened? I saw the officer get on his bike, BUT, he bypassed us so we were safe. *phew* (anyway there's nothing to be afraid of lah, because our pipes aren't illegal or modified anyway. *winks*). But just before Normanton (or was it Alexandra's exit), the LTA officer was on the road shoulder .. with .. jengjengjeng , the SPARK135 rider!

This is the kind of enforcement that we all need. Singapore's roads ain't so big as compared to other cities elsewhere, and i'm pretty sure that it's easier to clamp down on reckless drivers and riders. It's enough that we are all paying COE for a certificate that we have never seen or touched, and you're hiring officers to stop and summon vehicles with "illegal" or "modified" parts. like how on earth can an aftermarket brake calipers be illegal? it's supposed to give you a better braking system, which is essential in times of emergency when the vehicle in front of you jammed his brakes, isn't it?

So to everyone, ride and drive safe, especially in this unpredictable weather. A taxi driver almost caused me to lose control of my bike because that bugger was speeding and drove right into a puddle which splashed against me, HARD.

haiz~ please lah you all, raining also want to speed. for what? your grandmother want to give birth ah?

A motorcyclist's rage.

Presenting... my (ex) ride. But well, this post isn't really about what i'm riding or why I sold off my bike, but I'm just going to vent my frustrations on the attitudes of the road users in Singapore.

As most of us know, in Singapore, to own a vehicle, one must obtain a COE (certificate of entitlement) and also have road tax that has to be renewed every 6 months or one year. Now YOU tell me, has anyone seen the actual "CERTIFICATE OF ENTITLEMENT" of your own vehicle? No?

Then, WE ALL KNOW how Singaporeans are. KIASU. And we all know that most Singaporeans live a hectic lifestyle. Always rushing, mostly always late. Unfortunately, rushing to work has become a very bad habit for Singaporeans. 

The attitude of most Singaporean drivers are appalling. The road etiquette of foreign drivers on Singapore roads are worst! They all seem to have these mindset that "EH! I DRIVE CAR, MY COE AND ROAD TAX MUCHMUCH EXPENSIVE THAN YOU, YOU DIEDIE MUST GIVE WAY OKAY." Sad much? We motorcyclists pay road tax too. We have our rights on the roads to. And we deserve every ounce of respect because we are much more vulnerable on the roads.

It's a pity how the social media portray motorcyclists in a bad light and seems to always put the blame on motorcyclists for every serious accident or fatality on the road. Take Ms Hazel Ng's accident 2 months ago as an example. If she had realized that the lorry has been tailgating her, even when she tried to get away from that lorry, the lorry's deliberate act still knocked her down. So is it Hazel's fault? To say that Hazel knocked onto a lorry will be a very very very bad understatement. why not those people who made that claim, try get their ass on a bike and on purpose, go hit a lorry. doesn't make sense does it?

IN ALL HONESTLY, squeezing in between lanes isn't a wrong thing to do. It is just RIGHT for motorcyclists to be out of the way for most cars. Why do the driving schools emphasize so much on checking of blindspots before making every lane change and before making every turn? Why do driving schools emphasize on checking of both side and rear mirrors to make you aware of the traffic around you? WHY? It is because it's for all you brainless selfish drivers to keep a lookout for other road users and pedestrians alike. They are all much vulnerable to get hurt than you are.

It is also brainless for drivers to SUGGEST and ENFORCE the ruling that motorcyclists stay on the leftmost slower lane. HELLO, don't driving schools teach you that heavy vehicles have wider blindspot? DO you even wish to stay behind a big heavy vehicle whilst driving? I doubt so. SO please, don't suggest or emphasize rulings on matter where you yourself are unwilling to adhere to.

Why did i say that it is only right for bikes to squeeze in between lanes? Imagine if the car infront of you jammed brake, even if you kept a safe distance behind the car, it would still take you some time for you to get to a complete stop SAFELY if you have a good sense of balance. But even if you managed to stop behind the car that jammed his brakes, will the car behind you manage to stop in time? Drivers nowadays have completely no respect for motorcyclists. They have this assumption that since bikes only has 2 wheels, it would be easier and faster for us to brake and slow down. WRONG. we need to balance ourselves as well!

talking about safe distance, on a normal day on the expressway, a rider can't really keep a safe distance between himself and the car infront. why? because there will ALWAYS BE that impatient driver who will try to deliberately cut in front of you.

nowadays, LTA has been running on heels, stopping bikes and looking out for bike modification and such. Why is the government even bothered about these modifications? AND MIND YOU, THE FINES ARE QUITE A HEFTY AMOUNT. It's really stupid, that the government will rather enforce such ruling based on the modifications made to a vehicle, rather than enforcing safe driving and help save PEOPLE'S LIVES.

You know, in Shell, anything that happens to a plant, it will always be PEOPLE BEFORE ASSET. Meaning, anything happens, they will try to rescue the people be it contractors or its own staff FIRST. Afterwhich they will do what has to be done to the damage on site.

But has anyone realized that here in this money driven country, it is always FINES after FINES after FINES. Smoke anywhere, kena stopped by NEA and kena fined. Never put parking coupon, KENA FINE. Wear tinted visor, KENA FINE. There isn't even GIVE AND TAKE. On a sunny day, if one is wearing a tinted visor, okay la understandable. SUNNY AND GLARING right. If one is wearing a tinted visor at night, then THAT is a valid reason to fine him/her as wearing a tinted visor at night will limit ones vision. But to fine someone for wearing tinted visor on a sunny day, with "it will make your vision limited and risk your life" IS UTTERLY STUPID.

Instead of imposing fines on anything and everything, Singapore and it's concerning bodies should...

1- SET UP SAFE DRIVING CAMPAIGNS

2- STOP PRIVATE DRIVING INSTRUCTORS

3- ENFORCE DRIVERS TO KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR MOTORCYCLISTS

4- STOP BEING SO ANAL ON VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS. IF A CAR CATCH FIRE BECAUSE OF HIS ILLEGAL MODIFICATION, IT IS THE CAR OWNERS PROBLEM. BUT IF 1000 DRIVERS ARE RECKLESS DRIVERS, 10000 OTHER ROAD USERS' LIVES ARE AT STAKE

5- HAVE MORE THEORY LESSONS FOR CLASS 3 LEARNERS. STOP E-LEARNING FOR CLASS 3 LEARNERS AS THEY CAN JUST SKIP THROUGH THE E-LEARNING PROCESS.

6- SET UP QUIT SMOKING CAMPAIGNS. IMPOSING FINES AND INCREASING CIGARETTE PRICES WON'T HELP. 

7- STOP POSTING GORE IMAGES ON CIGARETTE BOXES. GORGING ON FAST FOOD EVERYDAY RISKS ONES HEALTH AS WELL. STOP THE DOUBLE STANDARD

It will be a very long post if I continue on. That's it for the night.

Please don't be a brainless driver. Please keep the roads safe. 

Yours truly,

xoxo.

The fall of Ms Hazel Ng, the female rider.

(**Update-- Visited the injured motorist in my viral beedeo today. Thankful she is fine however with another operation to go, after two operation performed on her. Glad that she will take a stand against the road tyrant after she recovered. Let wish her speedy recovery.

However on the sad part, until now no arrest has been made by the police- according to ST. I certainly hope that investigation in progress after I have email e clip to SPF last Saturday. A fair punishment is answerable to the public.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151253723543602&set=a.464109023601.245889.742493601&type=3&theater)

(this video clip was taken on 18012013, Friday afternoon)
GBB 2439 X, you are going to be in public scrutiny for intention to cause injury or death to other road user.

Dear Netizen, you be the judge. I am showing the full 3 minutes to show the tyrannical act of this road bully who nearly kill a motorist. The accident took place on Friday- 18012013 afternoon on PIE – Eng Neo to Steven Road.

The first 2 minutes of the video clip shows the road bully tailgating hazardously behind this motorist putting her into a very helpless situation. Look at the safety distance between my vehicle and the road bully and compare how this road bully is putting motorists into a hazard. If you have followed closely to the first 2 minutes if the video clip, look at how busy the express way. This lady is very blessed that no vehicle is travelling alongside with my car during her fall. I couldn’t image what will happen if a truck is alongside with me at the point of accident. I am not trying to exaggerate the outcome of the situation but take a closer look at size of the vehicles using lane 3 in my video clip. No joke.

At the last minute of this video clip, his action says it all of his remorseless and self less attitude- walking to the scene of the accident. Being a stranger to both the road bully and injured motorist, I stayed very neutral and look at this road accident as a mishap where nobody wanted it. While waiting in the scorning afternoon for the ambulance and traffic police to come, I took an umbrella to shade the injured motorist who is still lying on the road. This road bully took over my umbrella and I thought he wanted to redeem his mistake. Absurd action of this road bully, he took my umbrella to shade himself from the sun! Needless to say, his remorseless action has change my perception of this accident. On site, his statement with the traffic police mention that the motorist has knock into his vehicle. This has really stir up the heat in me to uphold justice and bring the right punishment to this road bully.

After watching this video clip umpteen times, I personally deducts that this impatient road bully was trying to shove the injured motorist to lane 3 after hogging him for the past 2 minutes. However the injured motorist was not able to react in time due to the road bully reckless action.

Special thanks to the elegant lady of SGW 3366 X who offer her help in this accident.

Posting on behalf of video owner- Aaron Ng

Found this on Facebook on 19th January, it really went viral online, well i guess at least to most motorist and people who are sane enough to see how rash this driver was.

the full video clip. As you can see CLOSELY, the female rider has been tailgated for quite sometime, about 2 minutes in this video. I wonder how long she was tailgated in real time before she was knocked down. Her fall was captured at about 2:05 minutes.

Just by watching this video, any normal tom, dick and harry will blame this lorry driver for driving with his brain up his penis without any consideration for other road user, in this case, an obvious female who is unprotected and is still a P-PLATE.

in all honesty, i didn't quite bother to see whether she had been tailgated for quite sometime. what triggered me to watch this video closely was this article on Stomp:

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/stomp/sgseen/this_urban_jungle/1560220/female_biker_in_lorry_accident_says.html

So okay, this lady, Hazel, has had her say. So okay, she says that she's happy sad and angry with what happened to her. Okay. But she said that she had not realized or had not known that she had been tailgated. WOMAN?!!!!! How can you not realize that fact? I don't know if what she said is true, or she's just trying to say things to make herself look like a very vulnerable victim.

WHICH, in HER CASE, she WAS a victim ....... UNTIL SHE SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T NOTICE BEING TAILGATED. oh my goodness you just don't know how i flipped when reading that sentence. because firstly lady, no matter how new or experienced you are in the world of riding, checking mirrors is one of the most important things you do irregardless of you being a rider or a driver. What for, the driving centers KEPT on EMPHASIZING on safety check, check blindspot, check mirrors etc. CHECK CHECK and ALWAYS CHECK. what, just because you're a qualified rider, you can throwback all that you've learnt?

Besides, she is riding a scooter. A SCOOTER. a scooter is always fitted with erm... large mirrors. unless our dear Ms Hazel is trying to be like some ahbeng or rempit and took out her mirrors uh. So it's pretty impossible to forget to check your mirrors once in awhile to see what's at the back.

You see, the whole point is, it's your responsibility to check for any potential hazards, be it from your left right front or back. Personally, if i were to be tailgated, and continued to be tailgated after gently pressing my brakes to signal the bugger behind me to keep a distance back, i will just change to another lane and let him past, or just throttle up and away, far from the bugger. Because, how far can a car catch up with you on a busy Singapore road right?

Anyway, instincts will always tell you "hey babe, bugger behind you is breathing down your neck. change lane babe, let this asshole go far from you." But there are cases where some drivers (maybe they are those Chikopek kinds who just loves to bully females...), will persistently tailgate you.

IF people were to flame, saying that she's just a new road user and such, well i feel that this is absolutely ridiculous. Yes it will take some time to acclimatise to the busy roads here. With the distance that the lorry tailgated her, i believe that the lorry should still appear in her side mirrors, UNLESS, unless she doesn't know how to adjust her mirrors properly la.

ANYWAY, enough of the rider. Let's talk about the lorry driver. Just from the video description itself, the lorry driver really is a dick. With his reaction and all. I bet it's going to be a hard claim for both of them. HOW can Ms Hazel knock into his lorry. WAHLAUWAY COMMONSENSE LA. You knock her, her impact and momentum of course will cause her to knock back into your lorry what. Anyway his lorry is already rundown, claim also claim what? Spray back your lorry meh?

Reminded me back of my first accident when the taxi driver wanted to claim from me because i knocked into his taxi after i fell. Sheesh~ it's all because of that Phantom rider who swerved in front of me suddenly when i was lane splitting, making me jam on my brakes, fish tail and knock into the rider himself. The irony? The rider didn't fall, but i fell due to the hard braking. Thankfully cars behind me stopped in time.

Ms Hazel has to be aware that for claims to be in her favor, anything she says will be taken into account. SO for saying such things like "She didn't realize that the lorry driver was tailgating her" will definitely brought against her. It may be a different case if she said things like "i noticed the driver tailgating me, i tried to speed up to increase the distance between me and the driver behind but he still sped up, caught up with me." that will proof that the driver is rash and reckless. And with that, he tried to overtake her and with poor judgment, unfortunately caused her to be knocked down.

Sigh~ Singapore roads these days are filled with assholes. I just wish i could invest in a Go-Pro camera and record my daily rides each day. I travel to and fro from tampines to jurong island to work daily, imagine how far i travel. I am sooo thankful that I'm working shift now, thus i need not have to battle with the office hours peak hour traffic. The traffic at 5-6pm on AYE n ECP is crazy i tell you. Mad mad mad crazy. Even worst on PIE.

Speedy recovery to her though. thank your lucky stars for being alive and no heavy vehicles were on lane 3 when you fell.