Inconsiderate Drivers of the Week: Episode 16

(Screenshot: ROADS.sg Facebook Page)

In this week’s episode of Inconsiderate Drivers of the Week, we feature drivers who can’t seem to keep a lookout for other road users and pedestrians, and one desperate Taxi driver.

In this weekly feature, we'll be taking a look at drivers who were caught on camera for their inconsiderate and reckless driving. These drivers exhibit poor driving etiquette, and we hope you never emulate their behaviour on the roads.

Apologies for skipping an Inconsiderate Drivers of the Week article last week, but we are back this week for a new edition!

1) Taxi Driver Stops on the Right Lane to Pick up a Passenger from the Road Divider

Never before have taxi drivers needed to face such strong competition for passengers, with ride-hailing companies like Grab ‘taking away’ riders who were frequent taxi passengers a few years ago.

The desperation for passengers is real, especially with this taxi driver. In the video, it shows the taxi driving on the right lane at night. Suddenly, the driver slowed down, turned on his hazard lights, and stopped on the right lane. A man can then be seen getting into the taxi from the road divider.

Taxis are not allowed to do this, as it risks an accident with other drivers not expecting the taxi to stop. The passenger also shouldn't have flagged a taxi from the road divider, and the driver shouldn’t have stopped. Both parties must have been super desperate, and in some way, super lucky to find each other. But we doubt other motorists and the authorities would view this situation in the same way.

2) Mercedes Driver Hits a Cyclist at a Zebra Crossing

It goes without saying, drivers need to slow down and stop if necessary when approaching a zebra crossing to ensure that no one is crossing or about to cross.

In the video, we see a Mercedes driving towards at a zebra crossing, but neglecting to stop despite the fact that a cyclist was crossing the road. The Mercedes driver clipped the bicycle at the zebra crossing, causing the cyclist to fall off his bicycle. Luckily, the cyclist wasn’t injured and managed to get back on his feet.

The cyclist then appeared to have a strong word with the driver, but the driver never got out of the vehicle. Instead, the driver simply drove off shortly after. Not only was the driver reckless, he or she was also uncaring for not exiting the vehicle to check on the cyclist.

3) Taxi Drives the Wrong Way down a One-Way Street

It’s common to hear about drivers making a wrong turn or exit from a small side street and driving the wrong way down the main road, but it takes a special kind of driver to do what this taxi driver did.

In the video, we can see a Taxi driver driving down the wrong way on a multi-lane, one-way street.

(Screenshot: Google Maps)

According to the post, the road in question is Hoot Kiam Road. As you can see, there are no side streets on Hoot Kiam road. Therefore, the Taxi driver must have driven and turned in from Grange Road or crossed the road divider at Grange Road driving in from Paterson Hill. With the former more likely, the taxi driver should have entered Irwell Bank Road, right next to Hoot Kiam Road at the junction.

Driving down a road like Hoot Kiam Road the wrong way is extremely dangerous, as there is no side road or adjacent street (Irwell Bank Road is separated from Hoot Kiam Road by a row of landed properties). Furthermore, the video appears to show the taxi with a red sign, meaning it could be either ‘Busy’ or ‘Hired’. Hopefully, it is the former and the taxi driver wasn’t carrying any passengers when he or she committed the reckless act.

4) Mercedes Goes Straight on a Left-Turn Only Lane, and Gets Clipped by a Truck

Our left and right signals are powerful tools that inform other road users of our intentions to turn or change lanes. However, turning on our signals doesn’t make it all okay when we are in the wrong, especially when certain road users can’t see them, or your vehicle at all.

In the video, we see a black Mercedes on a turn-left only lane, while a truck is to its immediate right, signalling left. At the junction, the Mercedes signals right, telling other motorists he doesn’t want to turn left, but go straight, in violation of the road markings. The truck to its right, signalling left, doesn’t see the Mercedes and clips the side of the car while edging left.

From the video, it is unclear if the truck wanted to turn left or go straight and change to the left lane. Regardless, if the Mercedes driver just turned left, which he or she should have done, the accident wouldn’t have happened.

5) Toyota Driver Turns Right at a Junction and Almost Hits Two Pedestrians Crossing the Road

While we do see many pedestrians crossing roads dangerously and/or not paying attention to surrounding traffic (jaywalking, looking at/talking on the phone etc.), it is down to drivers to keep a lookout for them, especially at junctions and turns, for example.

In the video, we can see two pedestrians crossing while the light is red, and the crossing sign is green. From the right, a Toyota Wish appears and turns right, towards the two pedestrians. The Toyota driver failed to notice the pedestrians crossing until the last second and brakes, barely missing them, who were extremely taken aback by the car that almost hit them.

While we are sure the driver was making a discretionary right turn, the onus was on the driver to check for crossing pedestrians before completing the turn.

One theory by netizens is that the driver’s view of the crossing pedestrians was blocked by the car’s A-pillar. Therefore, in the video, a short clip about a car’s A-pillar and turning safely at a junction was attached after the incident was shown.

The purpose of this compilation isn’t to shame or expose these drivers, but to learn from their mistakes. In all honesty, the driving culture in Singapore leaves a lot to be desired. We lack basic road courtesy and we don’t mind causing inconveniences to other road users if it benefits us. We sometimes even put their lives at risks with our careless and nonchalant driving.

To improve our driving culture, we need to look ourselves in the mirror and learn to share our roads. Instead of treating fellow motorists as competition, we need to remember that every other road user is just like us—all they want is to reach their destination safely and on time.

Read more: Inconsiderate Drivers of the Week: Episode 15

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