5 Driving Violations that you might not know

[Ghostrider]

From Yahoo. --> http://sg.news.yahoo.com/five-driving-violations-don-t-025315766.html

 

Between legislation and the reality of a situation, there is always a
practical interpretation of the rules. But here are five common traffic rule violations that people in Singapore commit so often, it's obvious a good number of them have no idea they are breaking the law. Here are five common driving violations Singaporeans commit, and we explain why, fines and punishment aside, the rules are there for a good reason.

1. U-Turns Are Illegal Unless There Is A U-Turn Sign
This one's easy and simple. Under the Road Traffic Act rules:

"13.—(1) No driver or rider of any vehicle shall make a U-turn at any road intersection, road junction or opening in a road divider unless he is permitted to do so by a road sign."

Breaking this rule could net you a $70 fine, if caught.

Why It's Unsafe: Most often this happens at a right-turning junction. If a car does a U-turn when all the other vehicles are turning right, it could result in a collision. In the case of an accident, the U-turning vehicle will obviously be at fault.

2. Going Slowly In The Right Lane

The Singaporean highway mentality is that you can go pretty much as you please in the right lane as long as you're not speeding. This isn't true, as blocking the right lane (aka the over-taking lane) is an offence called road-hogging. According to a news release from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), people have indeed been fined for it, and it's punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine plus a three-month jail term. According to another MHA release, "Over the last three years, an average of 1,750 summonses were issued each year for road hogging."

Why It's Unsafe: Blocking the right lane causes overtaking cars to be forced to undertake (yes, it's a real term, and it's also an offence in some countries) and it also causes more traffic congestion, according to this BBC article. From a courtesy perspective, you might not be in a rush today, but one day you will.

3. Parallel Parking In The Wrong Direction

If you're parking parallel, it's actually an offence to park a car against the flow of traffic. According to the HDB parking rules, this little known offence is worth a $50 fine.

Why It's Unsafe: If pull out into traffic facing the opposite direction, you can blind drivers with your headlights, and you'll also need to go against the flow of traffic to get back on the correct side of the road.

4. Indiscriminate Use Of Fog-lights Could Land You In Prison

The Land Transport Authority does not ban the use of fog-lights here. According to its FAQ they must meet certain standards. It is, however, an offence to use them during regular weather conditions, both day and night. Flouting this rule means a driver is liable for a fine of $1,000 and a three month jail term. Repeating the offence gets you double the fine and/or jail time.

Why It's Unsafe: Just like very bright or badly-adjusted headlights, excessively bright fog-lights can be distracting to the driver in front of you. Also, in heavy rain and or fog, turning on more lights may actually cause it to diffuse further, causing glare and reducing vision even further. Also, neither does using your fog-lights while shutting off your main beam save you energy.

5. Leaving Your Car's Engine On While Stationary

According to the National Environment Agency and the Environmental Protection and Management Regulations for Vehicular Emissions, leaving your car's engine on while the car is stopped, for any period of time, is also an offence, and can result in a fine from $70 to $2,000. As this AsiaOne/TNP news story from August 2013 shows, it's something most people are still unaware of.

Why It's Unsafe: Emissions are bad - everyone knows that. Having a stationary car with the engine idle is probably the worst thing for efficiency, which is why start-stop systems were invented. Also, stationary idling means polluting the air around you, which affects the health of everyone else. One idling car might not be a big difference, but imagine thousands of cars all burning fuel for no good reason. Exhaust fumes are known causes of respiratory illnesses and cancers.

___

Derryn Wong is currently editor-in-chief of the magazines CarBuyer and TopGear Singapore, and he enjoys probing all aspects of the motoring industry, ranging from bizarre holes in the upholstery to the engineered insanity of the COE system. No, not those kinds of holes.

[Pms]

Point no.2, in your face road hoggers!

[Brobear]

Item No. 5 is very questionable. A lot ppl including TP is doing this. You can also see delivery vans/trucks doing this as well. How?

[ins1dious]

That illegal U-turn is the most abused that I see.

 

I think the signboards can also be consistent. Sometimes no u-turn sign, sometimes just a reminder, sometimes nothing....

[Ghostrider]

Item No. 5 is very questionable. A lot ppl including TP is doing this. You can also see delivery vans/trucks doing this as well. How?

 

Usually NEA officer will ambush those vehicles in carpark. My company lorry kenna once...driver park in the carpark with engine running while having his lunch inside the lorry....NEA "add" dish for him...a summon.

 

Taxi drivers are best at these...lock their engine running cars and go makan etc...I am 2 hands support for this...best catch all these bugger who idle their engine...some do it near coffeeshops. I hate that...told a delivery driver off once cos he left his engine running while having makan in the coffee shop...he ignore me and I took a video and send it to NEA. Dunno got summon him or not.

[Ghostrider]

That illegal U-turn is the most abused that I see.

 

I think the signboards can also be consistent. Sometimes no u-turn sign, sometimes just a reminder, sometimes nothing....

 

I think reminder means that place is die die no U turn cos its a dangerous place to do it. No sign means U turn at your own risk...just dun get caught !! hahahahahaha...

 

Eg Bukit Batok Ave 3...towards PIE turning into WCEGA Plaza cluster...that traffic light is confirm no U turn...no sign to indicate...but still got cars sometime van make a U turn there to be stuck halfway and have to reverse a bit to complete the turn which is damn dangerous.

[Vhtfhwlego]

Single White Line & Dotted White Line: Althought no U-Turn sign but can U-Turn when it is safe to do so.

[Penknife]

let me add another one

 

failure to stop at stop line

[Qpik]

with exception of 4, i know the rest are. i could see alot of drivers flouting no. 3 causing afew near miss especially since the lots are just after a curved road in front of the "jiak hong chu" near my place and it is infront of childcare centre. hv tried highlighting this prob to relevant authorities but kenna taichi to different organisations.

 

as for no. 5, if those in authority are flouting it, then what message are they driving across to the public?

[Kingkong]

Item No. 5 is very questionable. A lot ppl including TP is doing this. You can also see delivery vans/trucks doing this as well. How?

No need to question so much, just call NEA and report them.

[Dark]

No need to question so much, just call NEA and report them.

 

NEA busy suing town council got time for this meh?

 

I have submitted twice with clear video/pictures before both also no sound no picture from them.

with exception of 4, i know the rest are. i could see alot of drivers flouting no. 3 causing afew near miss especially since the lots are just after a curved road in front of the "jiak hong chu" near my place and it is infront of childcare centre. hv tried highlighting this prob to relevant authorities but kenna taichi to different organisations.

 

as for no. 5, if those in authority are flouting it, then what message are they driving across to the public?

 

No 4 is my pet peeve - rear fogs!!!

 

Dunno turn on for f**k

Edited February 11, 2014 by Dark

[Vulcann]

That the bugger next to you but ahead signals to filter into your lane and you rushes forward thinking that he or she is encouraging you to speed up?

 

Not really a violation but more of "utter innocence" I guess?

[Hydrocarbon]

Most annoying would be no.2 .. The rest, while some are dangerous in the wrong situation, doesn't really annoy me..

[Dark]

That the bugger next to you but ahead signals to filter into your lane and you rushes forward thinking that he or she is encouraging you to speed up?

 

Not really a violation but more of "utter innocence" I guess?

 

They are just practicing "defensive" driving, although somewhat differently from what is taught in driving schools.

[Vulcann]

 

They are just practicing "defensive" driving, although somewhat differently from what is taught in driving schools.

 

Some defensive driving it is

[7007]

I would like add one more: The moment the bugger give signal the whole world MUST give way.....slighter better than those fingers disabled motorists!

[Hotamp]

Item No. 5 is very questionable. A lot ppl including TP is doing this. You can also see delivery vans/trucks doing this as well. How?

 

just go to any carparks near shopping centers on saturday/sunday... NEA will have a bumper harvest ...ya lah it is a bad practice for the environment...can really feel the heat generated by those cars when you are inside those older underground carparks where ventilations were poorly designed....but then again also difficult to start/stop the vehicle when tryihg to chope a parking space leh.

[Super7]

Most annoying would be no.2 .. The rest, while some are dangerous in the wrong situation, doesn't really annoy me..

 

 

You always in a hurry, going where?

 

Make the xmm do house calls and see you at your place lah, then no need to rush!