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Tighter checks on carpark wardens promised by HDB The Straits Times reported that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has promised to step up its carpark monitoring with tighter checks, after an unsatisfactory report card from the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) on Wednesday. The AGO's annual report found that both statutory boards had been lax in monitoring their parking wardens. Some of these wardens, who were hired under contracts, failed to check all vehicles, others did not turn up for duty at all. 88 surprise checks conducted by the AGO found five instances where patrolling officers were not present at their patrol sites, despite indicating that they were. It also found 26 instances where wardens did not inspect all vehicles in the carparks, although they were required to do so. An HDB spokesman said it will be conducting more checks on wardens to ensure compliance. It will also introduce e-parking systems at "more carparks where it is technically feasible to do so". URA will do the same for all of its 200 off-street carparks where feasible. E-parking systems have already been implemented at 368 of the existing 1,800 HDB carparks. This minimises the need for manual checks by wardens.

From The New Paper: Don't hate me, please Benita Aw Yeong The New Paper Tuesday, Feb 04, 2014 “Do you have a quota?” This is one of the top three questions Mr Victor Kumaran receives from friends whenever he tells them he works as a parking enforcement officer. The other two include whether he gets a commission from booking cars parked illegally, and if he can “close one eye” if you give him your car plate number. The answer? “No, no and no.” The 29-year-old, who has been doing the job since July 2005, explains that parking enforcement officers like him issue summonses to motorists who park without a valid coupon or illegally. He now runs a team of 36 officers. “If there was a quota or commission to earn, I wouldn’t have to spring surprise ‘audits’ on them while they work,” says the tall lad with a chuckle. Part of his job is to deploy members of his team to different areas daily, and to ensure they are doing their work. On top of that, he pounds the pavements as well. The job has its challenges, he admits. “It’s not too popular because you’ve got to endure the heat, and quite frankly, once people see our white uniforms, they don’t like it already,” he says with a rueful smile. “Not too popular” may be an understatement. In fact, just a few days ago, he was assaulted in Banda Street and it was captured in a news report. - See more at: http://business.asiaone.com/news/dont-hate-me-please/#sthash.8CdPZTYM.dpuf And stories from the drivers? Here goes: Confessions of drivers who got fined We asked some people to confess what excuses they had previously used to get out of parking tickets in the past. “I said I was fetching a friend who lost his way so I just left the car for a minute to bring my friend over.” – Teacher, 47 “I blamed it on the officer who didn’t even bother asking me why I was parking there, when I was standing right in front of him.” – Businessman Kwong K. C., 53 “I tried to say I didn’t know the rules and regulations. It failed.” – Mr Kelvin Tay, director, 53 “I said I had a stomachache and needed to run to the kopitiam toilet, all while apologising profusely to the macik.” – Madam Koh Bee Leng, 36, assistant manager “I said my kid needed the washroom badly. She didn’t.” – Mr L. Ng, 30, who is in sales Of the 50 people we spoke to in a straw poll, 80 per cent, or 40, said that they never gave excuses to get out of a parking fine - See more at: http://business.asiaone.com/news/dont-hate-me-please/page/0/7#sthash.o0QEUeR7.dpuf

Mr Pannirselvam Muthusamy has had hot noodles thrown in his face and he has been punched in the ribs. He gets sworn at almost every day. This is the life of the enforcement officer for parking and traffic offences, because his job is to issue summonses to motorists who flout parking and other traffic rules. Though only six months in the job, Mr Pannirselvam is already involved in three ongoing police cases of abuse by motorists. His plight is shared by many others doing the same job. Certis Cisco, Mr Pannirselvam's employer, told The Sunday Times that the number of cases where members of the public have abused traffic wardens physically or verbally has been creeping up. This is aside from almost routine encounters, when motorists get angry when issued a summons. Traffic wardens said that some drivers would crush the summons, or turn on their vehicles' windscreen wipers to get rid of it, or hurl it back at the officers. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/...e-rise-20120923 ---------------------------------------------------- MYTHS ABOUT TRAFFIC WARDENS... AND SUMMONSES 1.Traffic wardens receive a commission for summonses issued Certis Cisco said this is not true. Traffic wardens are not required to meet a quota and are not paid according to the number of summonses they issue while on duty. 2.They can void summonses after they have been issued The traffic or parking offence is recorded once the offence and vehicle details are keyed into the electronic hand-held device. That is why traffic wardens are unable to void the summons. 3.You can escape summonses if you throw away the notice or refuse to accept it The Sunday Times was told by traffic wardens that some drivers would crush the summonses, try to use their vehicles' windscreen wipers to get rid of them or hurl it back at the traffic wardens. But that does not mean the motorist will not be taken to task for the offence. An official letter detailing the offence and penalty will still be mailed to the vehicle owner.

So far the Malaysian Chinese I encounter do not seem to be handicapped by not being able to speak English and I mean those I meet in the construction industry. They are however more comfortable communicating with us in Mandarin though. Maybe the warden feels that way too? From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Online...ory_738992.html Parking wardens should know some English Published on Nov 29, 2011 ON SUNDAY, I tried to strike up a conversation in English with a Cisco parking warden on duty at the junction of Telok Kurau Road and East Coast Road. He did not respond as he could not understand English. He then spoke in Mandarin and said he was from Malaysia. Maids are required to learn and pass English tests before employment. Shouldn't parking wardens on public duty understand basic conversational English? Ang Chin Guan

STOMPer hiranmaya spotted traffic wardens prowling the streets of Chinatown for jaywalkers. Said the STOMPer: "I saw traffic wardens catching jaywalkers opposite Pearl Centre traffic light crossing. "Most of the time people are seen crossing when the red light is on, especially the elderly folk. "They are often seen doing such things. "The festive season is approaching, thus, people should be more careful."

Have you guys ever encounter incidents whereby no summon ticket was issued but red letter from HDB informing to pay up offence committed???? I used to think it was neigbouring kids or BO LIAO neighbours trying to be funny by taking away the summon ticket from the windscreens but after hearing a story from a so called witness. He claimed seeing parking wardens putting the summon ticket into the poket after keying the neccessary informations and details of offence together with date/time as such. The thing is , by the time driver received notification from HDB via ANG letter stating the time . date and place of offence...normally it will be weeks later. Unless for drivers who has the habbit of keying into HDB parking site to check on the exisitng summons against his/her own vehicle... btw ANG letter received, dun you think it is hard to recalled what actually happened that particular day???? If you can hardly remember what happened that day, how to make appropiate appeal ????? Of course it is only the witness onesided story,hopfully it isnt true but if it is????? So for the parking warden , wont it be a win win situation???? If driver is lucky enough to keep track of the summon commited everyday on HDB wedsite, good for him/her ...make an appeal then matter settles. If liike most of us who , can say take things for granted...only make appeal upon seeing summon ticket on windscreen...than with according to what witness said, HO SEY liao .... can anyhow summon and put ticket in pocket then receive comission if driver lan lan paid up because cannot recall what happened because thought ticket must have being removed by naugthy kids or bo liao neighbours like myself????? BTW, is it really true that aprking wardens got extra incetive like a comission basis for every ticket issued???? can anyone verify this myth???? Drivers are punished for committing parking offences, kiasu go tempt with coupon and such heavy fine and jail term, what if parking warden commite an offence how????? Wrongfully summon or the above case situation???? Maybe can suggest a point system like licence ??? Commite more than designate offence , warden licence kangtong and cannot appy for the same post after 2 years or so..... No offence , I like many drivers may hated them down the gut but still without them , who the heck will wanna follow law and buy coupons and to ensure safety rules precaution????? However dun you think they (P.wardens) should be penalized too if they commited an error or wrongful summon with intend???? Hmmm .... maybe better this way. 一事同人嘛？？？？ agree???? [rolleyes]

Anyone here have similar bad experience to share? -------------- By Reggie J Tue, Mar 24, 2009 The New Paper LIKE many motorists, I have a hate-hate relationship with parking wardens. I believe their sole function is to slap the maximum number of fines on the maximum number of windscreens, cause the maximum amount of inconvenience and use the minimum amount of discretion. I can remember a time when they were helpful. If you stopped and waited for another car to vacate a space without holding up the traffic behind, they wouldn't book you. They turned a blind eye if you parked briefly on a single yellow line, as long as you were not obstructing other vehicles. Now they pounce, their eyes full of dollar signs. I was in Chinatown the other day with my sister and my wife, and we were conscious that the time on our coupon was almost up. Though we had heavy bags to carry, I hurried the two women, and a short distance away, spotted the warden, hovering near our car like a vulture ready to pounce. I shouted to him that we were back. I even broke into a short run. He waved to me, slapped a fine on the windscreen, and walked off. I noted that we were all of five minutes late. An hour or so later, after we had re-parked, I spotted him again, eating at a nasi padang stall in the next street. I couldn't resist it. As I passed his table, I said: 'Enjoy your lunch.' He looked up, smiled, and said: 'Join me.' I replied: 'Can't lah, cannot afford.' And walked on. We thought of appealing the fine, but decided it was too much trouble. Sadly, this is now typical of the official approach to what is public service. It is a cash cow. And it is all rules, rules, rules. Motoring in Singapore is already stressful with the high taxes, ERP charges, traffic jams. And in addition to all that, we have these over-eager parking wardens. I would say the old adage that the rulebook is a wise man's guide and a fool's bible has never been so convincingly demonstrated as in Singapore now. Forget the public, forget service, forget sense, discretion, judgment, flexibility and long live the regulations, unto the third and fourth sub-paragraphs of page 503. What can we do, except maybe to hope they get their comeuppance when they park their car somewhere and another friendly warden slaps them with a fine. The writer is a former Singaporean marketing professional.

Do MCFers notice that there are more wardens coming from JB now? just a question only.. don't think starting a poll is useful.

I am considering writing to the Traffic Police with regard to the above. Every day I see drivers flouting traffic rules. Be it, illegal mods like number plates, head lights,loud exhausts, window tints , body kits etc. Or reckless driving, using hp and driving, littering, failure to form up, changing lanes w/o signalling, speeding vans/lorries/taxis. The list goes on. Cyclists riding w/o lights or reflectors and against the flow of traffic! The guilty ones I observed so far are mostly the foreign workers.( For this issue The Traffic Police has replied to me that they have been to work sites and agencies to brief and educate the foreign workers, it's not working isn't it? ) It seems that the Traffic Police are a lot more lax lately. I am sure they have limited resources so that is why I am proposing traffic wardens to help them keep the sanity on our roads. Think about our own safety and the safety of our love ones! What do you guys think?

LTA has contracted six traffic wardens from a private company at $34,000 a year to take down the licence platenumber, make and colour of vehicles that intrude into bus lanes at peak hours. (They are incognito with camera in hands......so don't expect to see a TP, etc) Note you can get fined $130 for dropping someone off at or near the bus stop. Bus Lane operation hrs : 7.30 am to 9.30 am and 4.30pm to 7pm (Weekdays) 7.30 am to 9.30 am & 11.30 am to 2 pm (Saturdays) LTA has intensified their operations at the following areas: 1) Eunos Link 2) Hougang Ave 3 3) Jurong Town Hall Rd 4) Lorong Chuan 5) Orchard Rd 6) Upper Serangoon Rd 7) Upper Thomson Rd 8) Yishun Ave 2 Additional spots where speed traps were seen, 1) PIE towards airport near Toa Payoh exit, tripod mounted speed camera at the pedestrain overhead bridge. 90km/h 2) PIE towards jurong near adam road exit, tripod mounted speed camera over at Adam Road flyover. 90km/h 3) Braddell Road after Bishan Junction towards CTE, tripod mounted speed camera at the pedestrain overhead bridge. 60/kmh 4) Queensway towards Bukit Merah, tripod mounted speed camera under tree before Ridout McDonalds. 60km/h 5) Spot along Upper Bukit Timah Rd towards Woodlands Rd, tripod mounted speed camera under tree after a curve turn - 60km/h. Fine imposed is $170 and 8 demerit points.

Have they been around for awhile? Today just saw 1 on duty, unbelievable... plainclothes with civilian bike... the only way to identify them is when they whip out the machine for summon ticket.

LTA has contracted six traffic wardens ... from a private company at $34,000 a year to take down the licence plate number,make and colour of vehicles that intrude into bus lanes at peak hours. Take note of the operation hours : Bus Lane operation hrs : 7.30 am to 9.30 am and 4.30 pm to 7pm (Weekdays) 7.30 am to 9.30 am & 11.30 am to 2 pm (Saturdays) LTA has intensified their operations at the following areas : 1) Eunos Link 2) Hougang Ave 3 3) Jurong Town Hall Rd 4) Lorong Chuan 5) Orchard Rd 6) Upper Serangoon Rd 7) Upper Thomson Rd 8) Yishun Ave 2 Additional spots where speed traps were seen, 1) PIE towards airport near Toa Payoh exit, tripod mounted speed camera at the pedestrain overhead bridge. 90km/h 2) PIE towards jurong near adam road exit, tripod mounted speed camera over at Adam Road flyover. 90km/h 3) Bradell Road after Bishan Junction towards CTE, tripod mounted speed camera at the pedestrain overhead bridge. 60/kmh 4) Queensway towards Bukit Merah, tripod mounted speed camera under tree before Ridout McDonalds. 60km/h Hhmmm... why are all these happening immediately after the recent General Elections? Why did LTA not implement this BEFORE the General Elections?