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I was chatting with a friend from the industry recently, and the topic inevitably came to Singapore's transport system. I drew an analogy that compared transport to dining, and said that driving is like having a buffet, and public transport is equivalent to a la carte meals. Let me explain further. It's very simple. When you purchase a car, you pay a hefty fee up front, much like you would pay a bit more at a buffet. What you're paying for, is the FREEDOM, to eat whatever you want, at your own time and free will. So similarly, a car is meant for personal transport, to be used whenever the owner wants, needs and requires. After all, he/she paid for it. A hefty sum no less. Public transport, like a la carte dining, is paid only when the services are needed. You pay as you use, only if required. Put in that perspective, things like ERP actually don't seem to make sense. It's like saying, you go and pay for a buffet meal, and then you get charged some more when you take your food. Makes sense to you? No, me neither. I understand that some sort of restriction is required to help control the traffic population on our tiny island, but the way it is being implemented puzzles me greatly. If the Government is really against cars, then they can do the easy thing and just ban cars outright. If they simply want car buyers to use public transport more, then that's not going to happen if cars cost a bomb to purchase, because nobody in their right mind will pay 100 grand and leave their expensive possession sitting at home to rot. That's simply illogical. To everyday people anyway. And add to the fact that public transport costs are ever increasing, and that it still isn't effective enough (according to regular users), then the Government is really shooting themselves in the foot. It is policies like these that make us citizens feel that the Government is only out for money. No wonder Singaporeans are upset. I can share all sorts of tales about how public transport systems are so much better in other countries, but I'm sure most of you already know full well that they are. Mr Transport Minister, please explain to us what is the country's stance on public and private transport. Because I, for one, simply do not get it.