1 misparked car, 1 cop. 4 silent demonstrators 40+ cops
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Duplicate
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From http://www.todayonline.com/articles/77217.asp
Vinita Ramani
[email protected]
SLEEK and sexy, it is a car that would have drawn envious stares from passing drivers on an ordinary day.
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But it is no ordinary day for the driver of this Mercedes Benz SLR series sports car, nor for the passing drivers.
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Its 28-year-old owner returned from his Sunday afternoon visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum's Vatican City exhibition to his car — and a group of seething tourists and drivers.
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It took him a while before he realised that he had single-handedly stalled traffic along the one-way street for more than an hour yesterday, triggering a tailback of over 30 vehicles — all because he had parked his car illegally around a bend at Empress Place. Because its rear was jutting out, a tourist bus could not pass the narrow bend.
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Looking shaken and overwhelmed by what he had unwittingly done when a traffic cop — and a busload of tourists from Bangalore, India — descended on him with a torrent of questions and reprimands, the researcher, who declined to give his name, could only apologise profusely.
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He said: "We saw that other vehicles could pass us so we parked here. I didn't think a bus would come through here. I'm sorry this happened."
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But sorry wasn't enough for the tourists from Bangalore who wanted to know why action hadn't been taken more quickly and why such an "efficient" country did not respond sooner to the incident.
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They had just completed a city tour and were on their way back to their hotel for lunch. Instead, for over an hour, they had no choice but to linger on the streets, hungry and restless.
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One of them lashed out at the driver: "No point saying 'sorry'. Can you give me back my one hour?!"
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Another ranted: "Don't you know Singapore's traffic rules?"
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Others had harsh words for the authorities.
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Said Mr Krishnaiah Babu: "Our tour guide made a complaint to the police 50 minutes ago and they said someone would be here immediately, but we're still waiting."
.
Added another Bangalore resident: "The police should have at least guided people to not enter this road, to avoid such a big jam."
.
With only one police officer managing the situation, some drivers took it upon themselves to get out of their cars and helped direct traffic from entering Empress Place.
.
Said one British expatriate: "I'm telling the cars to drive back the way they came and I'm explaining to them what's happened here." -
The lone traffic police officer told Today that he had called for a tow service. Short of that, all he could do, he said, was to issue a $70-summon to the owner for parking on double yellow lines.
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When Today asked the traffic police spokesman yesterday what the standard procedures were for such cases, and at what juncture the decision to tow such obstructing vehicles is made, he declined to comment.
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Ironically, the tow service vehicle arrived at the same time as the man who had caused the ruckus.
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It was the last two hours of the Vatican exhibition, which came to a close yesterday after a four-month run.
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Said one stuck driver Mr Chua, who had to pacify his three agitated children — aged 10 to 14 — in the backseat: "I guess we'll end up missing the exhibition." Illegally parked Mercedes causes an hour-long traffic jam outside Empress Place
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The 4 silent demonstrators should be proud that they warrant much more attention than a Mercedes SLR even though they caused no traffic jams of 30 cars and didn't upset any Indian tourists. -
reading it once is enough to register the point.thank you.Originally posted by Cindyfeh:From http://www.todayonline.com/articles/77217.asp
Vinita Ramani
[email protected]
SLEEK and sexy, it is a car that would have drawn envious stares from passing drivers on an ordinary day.
.
But it is no ordinary day for the driver of this Mercedes Benz SLR series sports car, nor for the passing drivers.
.
Its 28-year-old owner returned from his Sunday afternoon visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum's Vatican City exhibition to his car — and a group of seething tourists and drivers.
.
It took him a while before he realised that he had single-handedly stalled traffic along the one-way street for more than an hour yesterday, triggering a tailback of over 30 vehicles — all because he had parked his car illegally around a bend at Empress Place. Because its rear was jutting out, a tourist bus could not pass the narrow bend.
.
Looking shaken and overwhelmed by what he had unwittingly done when a traffic cop — and a busload of tourists from Bangalore, India — descended on him with a torrent of questions and reprimands, the researcher, who declined to give his name, could only apologise profusely.
.
He said: "We saw that other vehicles could pass us so we parked here. I didn't think a bus would come through here. I'm sorry this happened."
.
But sorry wasn't enough for the tourists from Bangalore who wanted to know why action hadn't been taken more quickly and why such an "efficient" country did not respond sooner to the incident.
.
They had just completed a city tour and were on their way back to their hotel for lunch. Instead, for over an hour, they had no choice but to linger on the streets, hungry and restless.
.
One of them lashed out at the driver: "No point saying 'sorry'. Can you give me back my one hour?!"
.
Another ranted: "Don't you know Singapore's traffic rules?"
.
Others had harsh words for the authorities.
.
Said Mr Krishnaiah Babu: "Our tour guide made a complaint to the police 50 minutes ago and they said someone would be here immediately, but we're still waiting."
.
Added another Bangalore resident: "The police should have at least guided people to not enter this road, to avoid such a big jam."
.
With only one police officer managing the situation, some drivers took it upon themselves to get out of their cars and helped direct traffic from entering Empress Place.
.
Said one British expatriate: "I'm telling the cars to drive back the way they came and I'm explaining to them what's happened here."
.
The lone traffic police officer told Today that he had called for a tow service. Short of that, all he could do, he said, was to issue a $70-summon to the owner for parking on double yellow lines.
.
When Today asked the traffic police spokesman yesterday what the standard procedures were for such cases, and at what juncture the decision to tow such obstructing vehicles is made, he declined to comment.
.
Ironically, the tow service vehicle arrived at the same time as the man who had caused the ruckus.
.
It was the last two hours of the Vatican exhibition, which came to a close yesterday after a four-month run.
.
Said one stuck driver Mr Chua, who had to pacify his three agitated children — aged 10 to 14 — in the backseat: "I guess we'll end up missing the exhibition." Illegally parked Mercedes causes an hour-long traffic jam outside Empress Place -
I know. I have edited the first post.
Thank you for your feedback. -
then, police need to employ fortune-tellers OR psychics to predict which stretch of road will have traffic jams/accidents, so that they can be there and call for help in advances.Originally posted by Cindyfeh:Added another Bangalore resident: "The police should have at least guided people to not enter this road, to avoid such a big jam."
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Talk about priorities -
you think she's a psychic to predict that her original message will reach the limit to be ''consolidated'' into a link??Originally posted by Xcert:reading it once is enough to register the point.thank you. -
I think the crux of the problem is how that 28 year old merc driver could think that illegally parking his car on the road and then disappearing for 1 hour plus is an acceptable act...I mean..if he illegal park for 10-20mins...I can understand(I am not saying that its correct to do it)...but 1 hour plus?
TP should have called for the tow truck sooner.
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I dont think U know what I am talking about.Originally posted by Mr Fugue:you think she's a psychic to predict that her original message will reach the limit to be ''consolidated'' into a link?? -
the original text is too long, over the limit hence it ''wrapped up'' into a URL.Originally posted by Xcert:I dont think U know what I am talking about.
but she dun want it that way, hence she re-post, splitting up the original text into 2 messages.
you're the one who dunno what's happening!! -
they need people to ''bao toh'' or they just jolly well hire psychics.Originally posted by Xcert:TP should have called for the tow truck sooner. -
do U happen to know that the article was repeated many times until it was deemed to be a long post...hence the link?Originally posted by Mr Fugue:the original text is too long, over the limit hence it ''wrapped up'' into a URL.
but she dun want it that way, hence she re-post, splitting up the original text into 2 messages.
you're the one who dunno what's happening!!
dun come and act smart and talk crap on destiny and fortune-telling.
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singaporeans bo kar lan, dun want to report but want authorities to come to help in advance.........
......it's like saying, ''I'm down with flu, please read my mind and give me medicine.'' -
If it's a convertible, reach in an release the handbrake. If it has windows, break it and release the handbrake.
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do you need a psychic-reading??Originally posted by Xcert:do U happen to know that the article was repeated many times until it was deemed to be a long post...hence the link?
dun come and act smart and talk crap on destiny and fortune-telling. -
if it's a ditzy , reach out to his erected cock and use it as a handbrake instead.Originally posted by ditzy:If it's a convertible, reach in an release the handbrake. If it has windows, break it and release the handbrake. -
I dont believe in something that is so inaccurate.Originally posted by Mr Fugue:do you need a psychic-reading?? -
while you're at it, please suck till dry, then it'll work one~!!Originally posted by SMAPLionHeart:if it's a ditzy , reach out to his erected cock and use it as a handbrake instead. -
it's already dry , didn't you suck it yesterday?Originally posted by Mr Fugue:while you're at it, please suck till dry, then it'll work one~!! -
astrology readings will have plus/minus.......but psychic readings are very very accurate and detailed one.Originally posted by Xcert:I dont believe in something that is so inaccurate.
but unfort, I'm not a psychic. -
Whatever. Anyway, you are a disgrace to the Diviners. I won't forget what happened with FI last time.Originally posted by Mr Fugue:astrology readings will have plus/minus.......but psychic readings are very very accurate and detailed one.
but unfort, I'm not a psychic. -
he's already a spastic to begin withOriginally posted by iveco:Whatever. Anyway, you are a disgrace to the Diviners. I won't forget what happened with FI last time.
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I knowingly knew she gave me a false date that's not hers, so I got back at her..........Originally posted by iveco:Whatever. Anyway, you are a disgrace to the Diviners. I won't forget what happened with FI last time. -
of course U arent.if not U would have sensed that U are going to get flammed.Originally posted by Mr Fugue:astrology readings will have plus/minus.......but psychic readings are very very accurate and detailed one.
but unfort, I'm not a psychic.
I remember posting in another thread to U...something like "if U want people to respect U...u have to show the same respect to people."
Get off my back,smart alec