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No, you won’t be fined S$1,000 for using your mobile phone while crossing the road: S’pore police source: https://mothership.sg/2019/12/pedestrian-mobile-phone-fine/ Using your mobile phone while crossing the road as a pedestrian is not a crime, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) would like you to know. The police put out this clarification on Wednesday, Dec. 18, to deem false a message making the rounds in message apps and chat groups claiming otherwise. The message claimed that from Dec. 1, 2019, pedestrians may be fined S$1,000 for using their mobile phones while crossing the road. Not true The police said: “The police would like to clarify that it is not an offence for pedestrians to use a mobile communication device when crossing the road.” “However, we advise pedestrians to avoid using such devices when crossing the road, as such usage would distract them from the road conditions and the movement of vehicles around them.” The police said the issue is more about safety. It said pedestrians should exercise caution at all times, and look after their personal safety and that of other road users. The police also urged members of the public not to spread unsubstantiated information which may cause public alarm. Highway Code amended What has changed is the Highway Code, where amendments came into effect on Dec. 1, 2019. The Highway Code is a code of conduct for all road users. They include guidelines on the use of personal mobility devices, giving way to emergency vehicles and pedestrians’ usage of mobile communication devices.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153209282974874 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153209282974874

Before you think that this photograph is taken at India or Malaysia, it is not. It's taken on my way home from Saturday morning breakfast at PIE, Jalan Eunos exit. The 4 sides of the lorry were surrounded by wooden planks to increase its storage capacity, and the planks were bounded together merely by a green rope as shown in the photo. I could not phantom the consequences if the rope decide to give way one day. The wooden planks would probably crush some windscreens of the unlucky cars which happen to be at the sides of the lorry. However, the result could be much worse if the planks were to fall on a motorcyclist and I believe serious injuries would be assured. Even if the planks do not fall off, there are large openings between two perpendicular planks whereby a piece of cargo could fall off easily. For instance, the orange tin can on the top right corner of lorry could be a potential piece of flying object. For myself, I try to keep a distance from the lorry and overtook it in double quick time to avoid being a casualty. The driver is an elderly man. Come to think of it, it was quite an ingenious idea which reminds me of the case in Frankel Ave whereby the owner of a terrace house decides to create more space by building his house taller than the rest. Coming back to the topic, I am wondering if the traffic police has some regulations laid down with regards to the carriage of goods. Artificial storage space should not be created to accomodate more cargo than what the vehicle is designed for, as this may pose a hazard to other road users. I hold that the elderly man will reconsider such practice going forward and make the public road safer for all of us.