Quite some time back, Mr. Sim Wong Hoo wrote on the typical Singaporeans’ “No-U-Turn” Syndrome. I fully support his views and would like to add in my most recent observations of the “Turn-Left-On-Red” Syndrome. For the benefit of those who are unaware, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) had introduced the “Turn Left on Red” sign for many moons now, as a way of improving the flow of traffic along certain selected junctions. This is to allow drivers to turn left if there are no oncoming vehicles coming from the right, as opposed to waiting for the traffic lights to turn green, than having to wait for slow-moving pedestrains before making the left turn. Nothing new in some other parts of the world. Unfortunately in this small dot on the world map, this procedure sometimes causes confusion and much aggravation among drivers.
For many donkey years, the government has preached, taught, threatened and fined the populace into following every sign, law, rule and regulation that they have cast in stone. The meek countryfolks just accepted whatever was dished out, without questioning or had any doubts in the administration. Not that there really were many reasons to do so, for the past generations have seen with their own eyes how the nation has prospered. However, when it finally came time to change, because really the world is changing, the poor nation of followers simply have trouble adjusting.
“You can’t do this!”, “You can’t do that!”, “You’ll get fined!”, “It’s against the law!”, “You must stop at the Stop sign!” – they were all told. But now with the new sign in blue that reads, “Left Turn On Red”, what will the little laboratory mice do? Worse still, place the sign above the Red traffic light and see how intelligent these supposedly literate beings are.
More than 10 times I must have seen an unsuspecting driver stop at the traffic lights, happily waiting for the light to turn green. Suddenly, he was rudely awakened by the driver behind him, furiously beeping the car horn (beeping because it is against the law to horn loudly, unless you are about to kill some innocent). The driver in question slowly peered into his rear-view mirror, frowning a little, wondering what was wrong. Does he have a punctured tire? Is his car boot opened? Did he have his lights turned on? He double-checked, no nothing seems wrong. He is getting aggitated by the joker behind, who is still horning a little, who seemed a little aggitated himself. Then the lights turned green finally. Ah! Time to leave this idiot behind…
The world is changing so very fast each day. Our nation needs to change especially fast, because we are so vulnerable in every aspect. Don’t be the driver waiting for the lights to tell you to move, let your own judgements decide which route you are taking.
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