I think I can safely say I am giving up the car. It's about 4 weeks since I stopped driving to work. It just didn't make sense. I save about 20 min driving to work in the morning. In the evening, maybe about 15 min. And it's typically jammed all the way on the 22km stretch on the way back. But this 15 min is negated whenever (a) it rains, (b) there is a traffic accident somewhere on PIE on the same side of the road, on the opposite side of the road, or even on a sliproad off PIE. There were days when I would have reached home earlier if I had taken the train. Given the stress, the little savings in time plus the attendant costs of driving such as ERP, parking, and petrol, it isn't worth the effort to drive to work (or otherwise) on a regular basis.
Now I drive to work only when I have to run errands and it's more convenient with a car, and on Saturdays when the traffic is considerably less and there's no ERP. But I was glad when ERP was increased in July; I could find parking more easily if I drove to town in the evenings and not waste time looking for a lot. I know, I must be the only Singaporean to not gripe about the ERP. Yes, I don't like to pay for it. I avoid the ERP gantries where possible. But for me, having a car is for saving time. If you are always stuck in traffic, not being able to do anything else besides listening to the news on radio, there's no point. At least when I'm on the bus or MRT, I can read.
Really, since when has car ownership and its use become an entitlement and a right instead of a luxury? If people are still griping and not changing their driving habits, or even giving up the car, I say, it's not hitting the pockets enough.
We have a decent public transport system but it can't function if the roads are clogged up all the time. Having lived in the north and along the alternative road to CTE, I can tell you the traffic there has become hellish in the past two years. Peak hour travel can take three times as long as during non-peak hour. Car drivers who have to leave their homes earlier are not alone. People who take public transport have to too because of the jams. Asking for a reduction in ERP because you don't mind sitting in jams is ridiculous. You don't mind doesn't mean the rest of the country doesn't, especially those who can't afford the luxury of door-to-door transport. If you can't do your math before you buy the car, please don't expect the government to bail you out by reducing ERP charges. Nobody mis-sold you anything. Caveat emptor.
Now I drive to work only when I have to run errands and it's more convenient with a car, and on Saturdays when the traffic is considerably less and there's no ERP. But I was glad when ERP was increased in July; I could find parking more easily if I drove to town in the evenings and not waste time looking for a lot. I know, I must be the only Singaporean to not gripe about the ERP. Yes, I don't like to pay for it. I avoid the ERP gantries where possible. But for me, having a car is for saving time. If you are always stuck in traffic, not being able to do anything else besides listening to the news on radio, there's no point. At least when I'm on the bus or MRT, I can read.
Really, since when has car ownership and its use become an entitlement and a right instead of a luxury? If people are still griping and not changing their driving habits, or even giving up the car, I say, it's not hitting the pockets enough.
We have a decent public transport system but it can't function if the roads are clogged up all the time. Having lived in the north and along the alternative road to CTE, I can tell you the traffic there has become hellish in the past two years. Peak hour travel can take three times as long as during non-peak hour. Car drivers who have to leave their homes earlier are not alone. People who take public transport have to too because of the jams. Asking for a reduction in ERP because you don't mind sitting in jams is ridiculous. You don't mind doesn't mean the rest of the country doesn't, especially those who can't afford the luxury of door-to-door transport. If you can't do your math before you buy the car, please don't expect the government to bail you out by reducing ERP charges. Nobody mis-sold you anything. Caveat emptor.
4 comments:
i dont think that our public transport is that great neither. i got a bit of an anxiety attack when i took the mrt from town during rush hour after confinement, it is just so crowded that i felt claustrophobic, if thats the right word for it!
i had a physio appointment today at 5pm and I postponed to 5.20pm due to work (procrasination actually). The physio is only 2 bustops away and I planned to take the bus. In the end I left the office AT 5.20pm and i ended up driving there wasting some $2 + $1 upon return ERP and $1 parking (thankfully could find a URA lot otheriwse would be out another $2 plus, when it could have been only about 70cnts in bus fare(i walk back usually)! uurgh I hate me!
i don't drive much anymore because it is stressful on the roads; the combo of cabs and public transport works well enough for me.
edp junkie - usually if it's too packed, i'll wait for the next train and it'll be better. think it's just too many people on this island too fast. I really think i want to migrate if it ever gets to 8 mil..
suzie wong - lol... you have a love-hate relationship with your car or what? But ya, i find that people who have driven a long time usually become very dependent on the car.
sinlady - it is! I used to enjoy driving (back in uni), not anymore. Now it's always so jammed up, and because it's jammed up, ppl are more impatient. I really think we should work towards a system with more cabs and less cars.
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