Justifying Bus Fare Hikes, Like This??
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Bus jerks and woman, 68, falls.
Now in hospital, she says of driver and doctor: They thought I wasn't badly hurt
By Arul John
May 16, 2007
SHE had just boarded the bus when she lost her balance and fell.
Instead of helping her, the driver told her to be more careful, she claimed.
Later, a doctor who examined her injuries apparently failed to give her a thorough check-up.
Now, Madam Soh Cheng Hong, 68, is lying in a hospital bed after undergoing surgery for a fractured wrist.
And she may also need to have her eye and legs treated.
The incident happened last Friday when she boarded SBS Transit service 51 at Geylang Lorong 11 at 7.45am.
She was going home to Eunos Crescent, where she lives with her daughter, Miss Kwek Jin Geok, 36, a manager.
Madam Soh had just completed her night shift as a housekeeper at a hotel.
Speaking from her bed at East Shore Hospital, she recalled: 'I had just boarded the bus and was going to find my seat.
'Then the bus jerked and I swung backwards. I fell on my left side on the floor, near the exit doors.'
Madam Soh claimed she also hit one of the metal grabbing poles in the bus as she swung backwards.
Madam Soh in hospital after surgery on her fractured wrist. The polyclinic doctor had told her she didn't need an X-ray, she said. -- Picture: GAVIN FOO
She said the driver may not have noticed her, but after she fell, he didn't ask how she was. Instead, he said that old women like her should be more careful.
Two elderly men offered to help her, but she declined as she 'wanted to get up on my own', she said.
Standing up, she felt her left leg and arm aching.
About 15 minutes later, before alighting in front of Eunos MRT station, she noticed her left eye was swollen.
Around 1pm, when the pain persisted, she went to a nearby polyclinic with her grandson.
'The doctor checked my blood pressure and seemed to rush through the examination. He gave me some tablets for my high blood pressure, some Panadol and a cream to apply on my bruises.
'I asked him if I needed an X-ray, but he said my injury was not serious and gave me a letter for me to return to the clinic for review in two weeks' time,' she said.
Her condition did not improve the next morning, so Miss Kwek took her mother, with her left arm bandaged, to East Shore Hospital.
An X-ray showed that Madam Soh had a fracture in her left wrist.
Miss Kwek said: 'The specialist said she needed an operation immediately to prevent any deformity to her limb and surgery was done later that day.'
She said her mother was in stable condition and may need further treatment for her left eye and leg.
DRIVER SUSPENDED
An SBS Transit spokesman earlier said they weren't aware of the incident as nobody had reported it.
Ms Tammy Tan, SBS Transit's director of corporate communications, asked to speak to Miss Kwek to get more information.
She said in a statement that its staff members have visited Madam Soh in hospital and 'are assisting her'.
Ms Tan said the organisation takes a firm view on such matters.
'All bus captains have been told that they must stop and enquire should any passenger hurt themselves on board.
'The bus captain has been suspended from driving with immediate effect and we will take the appropriate disciplinary action, including possible termination, pending outcome of the investigation,' she said.
Miss Kwek was grateful for the visit by SBS Transit.
She said: 'The bus captain should have been more concerned for my mother and her condition after she fell. He did not even apologise or checked on how she was.
'Old people are frail and when they fall, they can have many injuries that are not immediately visible.
She was also puzzled why the polyclinic doctor had paid scant attention to her mother's injuries.
'Why did the doctor not do an X-ray scan for my mother?' Miss Kwek asked. 'She had to ask for it.'
A spokesman for SingHealth Polyclinics also visited Madam Soh in hospital and said it would investigate the case. -
As you read the above article, you will also note, just how useful and competent Polyclinics are....!!
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Too many of the idiot drivers just speed off the moment they close the door, without waiting for people to settle down first.
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With the proposals of GPS positioning time tracking, upgraded buses from Sweden, and handicap-friendly entrances and exits, it is any wonder why these 'nationalised' bus companies took the opportunity to raise their fees at this time?
Despite the high Q1 2007 profits these companies have recently declared, people must be wondering how the PTC could even conceive any 'upgrade' which would justify their fee hike.
Judging by the numerous letters to the forum, it is not a minority of people who are disgusted with the unnecessary rise in ticket prices.
Now it remains to be seen how quickly and how effectively these new 'upgrades' are implemented and whether they benefit commuters; or whether they will be another set of 'white elephant' concepts, before the bus companies perform a U-turn and claim that their effectiveness is limited and therefore scraps the program? -
It's all basically a lot of fancy Bullsh|t for more money...Originally posted by BillyBong:With the proposals of GPS positioning time tracking, upgraded buses from Sweden, and handicap-friendly entrances and exits, it is any wonder why these 'nationalised' bus companies took the opportunity to raise their fees at this time?
Despite the high Q1 2007 profits these companies have recently declared, people must be wondering how the PTC could even conceive any 'upgrade' which would justify their fee hike.
Judging by the numerous letters to the forum, it is not a minority of people who are disgusted with the unnecessary rise in ticket prices.
Now it remains to be seen how quickly and how effectively these new 'upgrades' are implemented and whether they benefit commuters; or whether they will be another set of 'white elephant' concepts, before the bus companies perform a U-turn and claim that their effectiveness is limited and therefore scraps the program?
What kind of drivers are they hiring? Why do their drivers drive like that? Are they bitterly under-paid and over-worked therefore takes it out on commuters?? If drivers are under-paid, why do they constantly need to raise fares??? Where are the money going to?
How on earth is the gov going to convince people to use public transport when there are always so much such incidences???
Has it become expensive and dangerous to commute by public transport? -
maybe the bus drive wasn't aware of what actually happen to the old lady?
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If that was the case, he must also be sleeping on the job!Originally posted by whiterose:maybe the bus drive wasn't aware of what actually happen to the old lady? -
The bus driver "didn't know".. that is a lame excuse. It's pure common sense that the elderly are much more prone to injuries.. plus anyone operating a public transport vehicle should have been taught how to handle such situations. Doesn't the public bus company require their drivers to go through safety training? Or have they stinged on that in favour of "cost cutting"?
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To engage in any of the above would impede their relentless pursuit to optimise their brand of shameless profiteering?Originally posted by spinsugar:Doesn't the public bus company require their drivers to go through safety training? Or have they stinged on that in favour of "cost cutting"? -
Please post something positive!!!!
i am tired of reading negative report already -
Well sad to say that will continue to roll in as long as ur PAP is in powerOriginally posted by allentyb:Please post something positive!!!!
i am tired of reading negative report already
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Why the topic and the contents not the same huh???
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As per normal, this thread evolved into pap bashing mode.Originally posted by caleb_chiang:Why the topic and the contents not the same huh???
Any, I agreed that with the record profit, SBS shouldn't have increased its bus fare in the first place. Same logic to SMRT and whatever temasek or GLC linked conpanies. -
Originally posted by caleb_chiang:Why the topic and the contents not the same huh???
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What else can you expect in a regime dominated by criminals?Originally posted by Cindyfeh:As per normal, this thread evolved into pap bashing mode. -
Service standards need to be improved. -
What else can you expect in a forum dominated by whiners?Originally posted by walesa:What else can you expect in a regime dominated by criminals? -
TS intended it...Originally posted by Cindyfeh:As per normal, this thread evolved into pap bashing mode.
starting a thread here is always going to turn into sth like that.. -
What else can you expect from sycophants whose unwavering praise for fascists would invariably diminish when such sycophants can't uphold the propaganda they preach?Originally posted by oxford mushroom:What else can you expect in a forum dominated by whiners? -
haha...big words indeed. Go and look up the dictionary for another word to impress others hereOriginally posted by walesa:What else can you expect from sycophants whose unwavering praise for fascists would invariably diminish when such sycophants can't uphold the propaganda they preach? 
Let's see...CSJ, Jeya...which Opposition Party leader has managed to dispute the government's facts and figures? How many times have they been found wanting in a court of law for not being able to back up their defamatory statements with real facts? -
ermmmmmmmm.........Originally posted by walesa:What else can you expect from sycophants whose unwavering praise for fascists would invariably diminish when such sycophants can't uphold the propaganda they preach?
you use the word - propaganda
dude this is a democratic country, at least we can still whine about it, if we are a communist, i doubt you can even whine about the government, ISD might be actually knocking at your door, when you are making a negative statement about the country, dude - PAP has been preaching - one people one nation
actually, they already did that long time ago - majority of the parliament member are PAP, at least we can still vote, even though it is a show for the public, this is not a communist country...... the last time, i read about this word in the newspaper- propaganda, it is about north korea - a propaganda state, maybe vietam also fit into this category
then again, our leader is behaving like a autocratic and *shrug*, so what is the difference between, communist and autocratic
*shrug* i guess we still able to vote, and the government, don't actually give a damn to our agony, since they have total power of the parliament, and LHL must have been reading alot of books about fascism, and obsesses with idea of a autocracy state, and *shrug* at least we are not a communist state, otherwise, privatisation will not even occur in this country at all, everything will be state owned *think russia*
*shrug* then again we have Temask holdings, expect it is a private limited holdings *shrugs* who give them the funds to invest in other company
*shrug* so what is this country?
then *shrug* we are the one, who put them into power, so who should we blame *shrug* the answer is so clear *shrug* -
They're too big for you to comprehend, obviously.Originally posted by oxford mushroom:haha...big words indeed. Go and look up the dictionary for another word to impress others here
Let's see...CSJ, Jeya...which Opposition Party leader has managed to dispute the government's facts and figures? How many times have they been found wanting in a court of law for not being able to back up their defamatory statements with real facts?
Wondering how many actually bother (oops, I mean those residing in parts of the world where their press is ranked above 154th) about facts and figures, much less information conveyed through its mouthpieces for the gullible, from a regime that's as credible as something ranked amongst the bottom quartile on the planet... -
Going by your argument, what's there to suggest North Korea isn't democratic? Or, for that matter, what makes you think what the average North Korean folk is inundated with is actually propaganda? It may be propaganda to you, but are you sure it ain't a gospel to them?Originally posted by allentyb:ermmmmmmmm.........
you use the word - propaganda
dude this is a democratic country, at least we can still whine about it, if we are a communist, i doubt you can even whine about the government, ISD might be actually knocking at your door, when you are making a negative statement about the country, dude - PAP has been preaching - one people one nation
actually, they already did that long time ago - majority of the parliament member are PAP, at least we can still vote, even though it is a show for the public, this is not a communist country...... the last time, i read about this word in the newspaper- propaganda, it is about north korea - a propaganda state, maybe vietam also fit into this category
Then again, I could be wrong - the North Koreans are indeed the greatest democracy on earth. Afterall, their brand of democracy is so unique it doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks. So who cares about elections? At least the North Koreans don't.
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Originally posted by walesa:Going by your argument, what's there to suggest North Korea isn't democratic? Or, for that matter, what makes you think what the average North Korean folk is inundated with is actually propaganda? It may be propaganda to you, but are you sure it ain't a gospel to them?
Then again, I could be wrong - the North Koreans are indeed the greatest democracy on earth. Afterall, their brand of democracy is so unique it doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks. So who cares about elections? At least the North Koreans don't.
i serious don't want to find out what are they thinking, after all, one of five is serving in the military so it is another pro imperialism thinking, and honestly i don't give a damn to them, but when they actually able to have an nuclear warhead, that is another alarming fact about their determination, and that is, the whole nation is behind their leader..... this is something, is lacking in this country, we are whining............ -
It's all just a matter of perception, mate. One man's meat could very well be another's poison. You could replace meat with propaganda and democracy and you'd get the picture.Originally posted by allentyb:
i serious don't want to find out what are they thinking, after all, one of five is serving in the military so it is another pro imperialism thinking, and honestly i don't give a damn to them, but when they actually able to have an nuclear warhead, that is another alarming fact about their determination, and that is, the whole nation is behind their leader..... this is something, is lacking in this country, we are whining............