The Field Marshal

Much Ado Nothing. Singaporeans of the inane'st' sort Singaporeans are known by various names. Kiasu(ians) - a term coined by moi - being the term that we are more or less known for around the world. After reading the Forum section in today's Straits Times, I think another new term should be coined to define another subsection of the Kiasuians. For want of a better term, I can only drum up the term By-lawians. Read Ms Theresa Yen York Lan letter to the ST forum to understand the mindset of this select group of special Singaporeans. May 19, 2006Hello, why put on the hazard lights? I AM confused by the widespread use of hazard lights by drivers to indicate that they are stopping, slowing down or when they do parallel parking. Taxis drivers seem particularly fond of doing this. Isn't it the left or right signal that's used for parallel parking, and brake lights for slowing down or stopping? I thought that hazard lights are used only in an emergency, such as car breakdown, poor visibility or when the driver is unable to proceed. Perhaps the Highway Code has changed since I took my test in the 1980s and Singapore now doesn't follow the international standard. Can the Traffic Police clarify? Fieldmarshal's reply to Ms Yen My dear Ms Yen, or if you prefer, Theresa. While rules and examples given in the highway code book, the bible for all learners, are good and proper, we should understand that the book is just an aid to help to new motorists understand the rules of the roads. Rules, something which Kiasuians love a lot, are good. But motorists should be flexible, which may not be a strength of Ms Yen's, when they are on the road. If Ms Yen is so concerned with the abuse of hazard lights, why doesn't she write in to complain about the blatant abuse of the speed limits by almost all the motorists on our roads, especially our expressways? I have yet to see the abuse of the hazard lights leading to chain accidents on the road. I can't say the same for the excessive speeds which some of my fellow Singaporeans decide to drive their cars, driving as if the devil is chasing them. To me, the scenarios of abuse which Theresa, if I may call her that, painted, are actually norms, which may or may not be unique, to Singapore. On the road, if I see a car signalling either right or left, my first reaction is to think that the car is making a turn somewhere ahead. The next thought would then be that it is slowing down. However, if I see the hazard lights lighting up, I would know immediately that the car is going to slow down pretty fast and that it's best for me to slow down in order not to buang the car in front. Apart from the above, the driver in me also tells me to be prepared to fight for a parking lot. Following the rules right down to the 'T', I am sure Theresa's a dream trainee driver for all driving instructors. Her fixation with hazard lights could perhaps be explained by some traumatic experience while she was learning to drive in the 1980s. For all I know, Theresa's trainer may have a fixation with not using the hazard light unless the car is about to explode. As such, poor Theresa has yet to hit the hazard light button on her car since she passed her test then. The fact that drivers, particularly taxi-drivers, love them or hate them, used the small red button with a triangular symbol on it so frequently must be driving Theresa nuts while she's on the road. For her sake, I hope she's watching the road more often then trying to spot drivers abusing the little red button. Her fixation will one day led to a situation when she actually needs to press the little red butoon. Guess the By-lawian thing didn't really catch on here. But I guess you get the drift with what I am writing about. Darn, I am a By-lawian myself. Phuaaa...