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Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/singapores-only-right-turn-expressway-exit-along-pie-will-make-way-for-new-underpass-later-this-year SINGAPORE - Some time in the second half of this year, motorists on the westbound Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) turning off to Clementi Road and Upper Bukit Timah Road will use a left exit instead of one on the right. The right Exit 26A - the only right turn in Singapore's expressway network - will be removed to improve safety, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said. When completed, the new Exit 26A will lead motorists to a depressed ramp on the left, which will loop around to the right to an underpass going underneath the PIE. The project - undertaken by Megastone Holdings for $32.7 million - is in an advanced stage of completion. The builder has excavated part of the underpass, and that stretch of the PIE has recently reverted to its original alignment. A temporary diversion on the left - built in July 2019 - has been closed off, and will be removed once works are completed. An LTA spokesman said that because of a manpower crunch brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the project, which was supposed to be completed last year, is now slated to be finished by the end of this year. He added that the terrain also posed challenges to the construction process. For instance, the builder had to excavate beneath an existing expressway, digging through hard granite. "The ground below is made up of granite rock outcrop, commonly referred to as Bukit Timah Granite," the spokesman said, referring to a rock formation spanning the central and northern areas of Singapore. The granite had to be removed in stages through controlled rock blasting. Blasting had to be carefully calibrated because of the proximity of a "live" expressway and housing estates. Work to construct the remaining vehicular underpass - a one-lane road - has begun, LTA added. The authority had previously said that the move to replace the solitary right exit was prompted by a regular review of the road network, as well as feedback from road users. With the current right exit, goods vehicles - which are supposed to stay in the left lane - have to filter across several lanes if the drivers want to get to Exit 26A. Besides safety concerns, the LTA said, this slows down traffic flow. Mr Bernard Tay, chairman of the Singapore Road Safety Council, said the council welcomes the initiative to remove the right-hand PIE exit. "It's a good move... as usually, the extreme right lane is for overtaking vehicles," Mr Tay said. "By removing the exit, we will avoid situations where fast-moving vehicles have to slow down to give way to vehicles intending make a right-turn exit." Transport consultant Gopinath Menon, a retired LTA planner, said it is “unorthodox” to have an exit on the right lane of an expressway. “But with proper advance warning signs, the system has fared satisfactorily for close to 40 years, though unfamiliar drivers may face some difficulty. The slower goods vehicles will also have to change from the left to the right lane to exit, which can be difficult during rush hours.” Hence, moving the exit to the left is “desirable”, Mr Menon added.

A little patience can go a long way, let's be honest. If only the driver of that Volkswagen heeded that advice. If someday, someone needs an example, perhaps they can come back to footage of this accident that happened at the junction of Yio Chu Kang Road and Hougang Avenue 2 Now, let's not point fingers here on who's fault it was, we'll let the authorities handle that. But sometimes, just stop and wait for a little while longer at a discretionary right turn. It won't hurt you to be a little delayed if you can save yourself the hassle of getting involved in an accident. And to add insult to injury, the Mercedes ends up blocking the road to Hougang Avenue 2 after hitting the Volkswagen, causing even more inconvenience for everyone. Perhaps slow down a little when you're approaching a junction, for you never know who might try to dash out on the discretionary right turn. Remember what you learned in driving school. Let off the accelerator on the third arrow before the junction, then press it again as you cross the first arrow. After all, would you rather be a little late to your appointment or injured from an avoidable accident? Plus, accident repairs aren't cheap, and neither is an increase in your insurance policy and the forfeiture of your NCD. Food for thought?

This is why, in driving school, the instructors are always going on and on and on about checking for oncoming traffic when making a discretionary right turn, because you never know who or what might be coming from the other side. At the junction of North Coast Road and Woodlands Ave 9, this motorcyclist unfortunately did forget what he learned in driving school, seeing as he took off without fully checking if there were any other oncoming vehicles. Thankfully for him, his bike seemed to take the brunt of the impact, even though the rider did go flying in the air a little. He even is able to look up after landing beside the taxi. The taxi also seems to have slowed down just enough before impact. Sometimes, taking those extra few seconds to check for oncoming traffic while making a discretionary turn won't hurt. Especially if your view of oncoming traffic is blocked by a large vehicle. Better late than injured or worst, right?

A video showing a white car failing to check for oncoming traffic while doing a right turn has gone viral. Unfortunately, the consequences were unpleasant as a Foodpanda motorcyclist was killed in the process. The motorcyclist, a 41-year-old deliveryman from Malaysia, was unconscious when help arrived and eventually succumbed to his injuries at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. He was reported to have been thrown 30 metres due to the impact and suffered brain injuries as a result. According to Stomp, the accident took place at the junction of Toh Guan Road and Boon Lay Way at 7.58pm on the 10th of March. The 36-year old Mercedes-Benz driver has been arrested for dangerous driving causing death. There has been a debate that discretionary right-turn junctions should be abolished as there has been an increase in accidents related to it. Could this signal an end to such junctions?

I was thinking that whether if you have just crossed the last blinking arrow for right turning is it considered as beating red light? Example in this video: https://youtu.be/hMc8PpwV2gM This area has no red light camera, however I'm curious and I want to clear my doubt. Usually when you guys see blinking arrow, would you all still turn?