I was speaking to a fellow crusader the other day. He's been driving in and out of Singapore since the new millennial.
THAT'S.TEN.YEARS.WAH.LAU.EH.
I have to say, it's been barely 4 months since I started this life of mine, but it's been a tiring and sometimes painful 4 months.
My only motivation is coming home to my daughter and family. The rest of the day is sometimes just a huge blur to me.
Men are often pushed to their limits when it is for something they deem worth sacrificing for. Take my friend here, he's doing this for his family, his house and his Camry. For a better life.
I see hundreds and hundreds of cars on the causeway everyday. Just how many of us do this everyday? Would 10,000 drivers be an overestimate?
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Flames on the causeway
In what was to be my worst jam at the Woodlands Checkpoint since my crusading days started, I was stuck for over 1 hour and 20 min before I was able to hit the causeway.
And I do believe this would have been considered a short wait, especially since the jam seemed to have extended beyond the Woodlands Avenue 3 exit.
I knew I was in trouble when I barely moved a centimeter 10 minutes into my queue which started about 50 meter after the Woodlands Avenue 3 exit.
I was to find out about 20 minutes into the jam that a vehicle caught fire on the causeway, causing traffic to come to a complete standstill on both sides of the causeway. A quick check on the traffic cam on onemotoring.com.sg confirmed this, a white vehicle was smack right in the middle of the causeway, and 2 long queues of traffic on both sides stopped a safe distance away. The picture on the traffic cam was surreal, almost zen like.
As we drove by the vehicle in question (it was actually a freight truck) on the causeway, we could see a very visible charred engine.
The CIQ on my way back, as always, was smooth as a baby's behind.
I guess there will always be days like this i.e. when the jam's totally terrible and unexpected. I just hope there isn't another one such as today's anytime soon.
And I do believe this would have been considered a short wait, especially since the jam seemed to have extended beyond the Woodlands Avenue 3 exit.
I knew I was in trouble when I barely moved a centimeter 10 minutes into my queue which started about 50 meter after the Woodlands Avenue 3 exit.
I was to find out about 20 minutes into the jam that a vehicle caught fire on the causeway, causing traffic to come to a complete standstill on both sides of the causeway. A quick check on the traffic cam on onemotoring.com.sg confirmed this, a white vehicle was smack right in the middle of the causeway, and 2 long queues of traffic on both sides stopped a safe distance away. The picture on the traffic cam was surreal, almost zen like.
As we drove by the vehicle in question (it was actually a freight truck) on the causeway, we could see a very visible charred engine.
The CIQ on my way back, as always, was smooth as a baby's behind.
I guess there will always be days like this i.e. when the jam's totally terrible and unexpected. I just hope there isn't another one such as today's anytime soon.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Accidents in Singapore
Ever since driving in Singapore, I've been shocked at the number of vehicular accidents I see on the roads and expressways in the island nation.
Last Thursday (3rd June), there was this bus that drove through the barrier on the PIE near the Toa Payoh exit, and landed on the first lane of the PIE towards Changi. I drove by the accident site around 7.30am, by then the jam was already building up.
For those stuck on either side of the PIE during then, tough mate, tough.
I read on forums that the entire stretch of PIE towards Tuas was jammed up. Which meant, if it were true, total chaos on all the slip roads and non-expressways. Seriously, if I stayed in the east, I'll just drive home and chuck a sickie (or take MC for the uninitiated).
And I realised that I never read about any of these accidents I see on the roads, even those that involve fatality. I think it's the same in Malaysia as well (unless its extra horrific or involve half a dozen of car). Also, how most of the accidents seem to happen on the first lanes.
Berhati, berhati, di jalannnn raya.
Last Thursday (3rd June), there was this bus that drove through the barrier on the PIE near the Toa Payoh exit, and landed on the first lane of the PIE towards Changi. I drove by the accident site around 7.30am, by then the jam was already building up.
For those stuck on either side of the PIE during then, tough mate, tough.
I read on forums that the entire stretch of PIE towards Tuas was jammed up. Which meant, if it were true, total chaos on all the slip roads and non-expressways. Seriously, if I stayed in the east, I'll just drive home and chuck a sickie (or take MC for the uninitiated).
And I realised that I never read about any of these accidents I see on the roads, even those that involve fatality. I think it's the same in Malaysia as well (unless its extra horrific or involve half a dozen of car). Also, how most of the accidents seem to happen on the first lanes.
Berhati, berhati, di jalannnn raya.
The in-between week
Last week was a unique week, unique in the sense that Singapore has started its June holidays while Malaysia only started this week.
My fellow crusaders have mentioned to me before that the traffic on the causeway is significantly lesser during school holidays.
To be honest, I never understood why, and was a bit skeptical about it. So came Monday (that's 31st May), the causeway was pretty packed, but being Monday it was understand. But the rest of the week was really significantly less jammed. Unbelievable!
So I had 3 theories to explain this:
1. Lots of cars decided to leave earlier (very very unlikely I reckon)
2. Lots of cars decided to leave later (possible, since the roads on Singapore are less jammed now)
3. There exists a significant population of parents/drivers that ferry their children to school (again, possible, given the poor state that JB's and Malaysia's education are in now)
I believe (3) to be more plausible, but of course I have no way to prove/disprove it. It is my personal observation that the number of bus sekolahs has reduced significantly 2 decades ago, supported by how much the amazing shringgit has shrunk.
But it was a lot more jammed this Wednesday morning, right up to the CIQ exit. And now its the Singapore side that's jamming up the causeway. I swear, sometimes the inefficiency on the Singapore side can give our Malaysian kastam brothers (and sisters) a run for their money.
On a side note, today marks the first time I've seen a 0.5 (in 231.50) in the exchange rates in a while.
My fellow crusaders have mentioned to me before that the traffic on the causeway is significantly lesser during school holidays.
To be honest, I never understood why, and was a bit skeptical about it. So came Monday (that's 31st May), the causeway was pretty packed, but being Monday it was understand. But the rest of the week was really significantly less jammed. Unbelievable!
So I had 3 theories to explain this:
1. Lots of cars decided to leave earlier (very very unlikely I reckon)
2. Lots of cars decided to leave later (possible, since the roads on Singapore are less jammed now)
3. There exists a significant population of parents/drivers that ferry their children to school (again, possible, given the poor state that JB's and Malaysia's education are in now)
I believe (3) to be more plausible, but of course I have no way to prove/disprove it. It is my personal observation that the number of bus sekolahs has reduced significantly 2 decades ago, supported by how much the amazing shringgit has shrunk.
But it was a lot more jammed this Wednesday morning, right up to the CIQ exit. And now its the Singapore side that's jamming up the causeway. I swear, sometimes the inefficiency on the Singapore side can give our Malaysian kastam brothers (and sisters) a run for their money.
On a side note, today marks the first time I've seen a 0.5 (in 231.50) in the exchange rates in a while.
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