Blitz on drivers using mobile phones while driving

SINGAPORE : The Traffic Police went on a 3-hour blitz on Thursday to catch those who drive and use their mobile phones at the same time.

IT MAY be a convenient way of finding your way around - but using an iPhone app while driving could be a short cut to a fine or jail sentence.

Many motorists do not realise it, but keying in destinations or looking at a smartphone for directions while driving is illegal.

2,609 motorists have been caught so far this year for using their mobile phones while driving. 

That is just a slight 6.4 per cent dip over last year, when 2,788 drivers were caught for the offence.

It is a dangerous habit that the Traffic Police wants to see curtailed.

Thursday's operation covered areas such as Geylang, Bedok and Tampines.

Two drivers were caught red-handed.

The officers trailed the suspects' cars for at least 10 seconds before approaching them.

Their phones were confiscated, but their SIM cards were returned to them.

The mobile phones can only be retrieved after about two weeks to a month, when the fines are settled.

A first-time offender can incur 12 demerit points on top of a S$200 fine for using a mobile phone while driving.





- CNA/al

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Don't leave the engine on

Motorists get a message: Don't leave the engine on 
More complaints, but few fined for infringing this little-known law 
By Christopher Tan, Senior Correspondent 

THE number of complaints against motorists who leave the engines of stationary vehicles running has been rising. 

Last year, the National Environment Agency (NEA) received more than 2,700 complaints from the public, up from about 1,600 in 2008 and just over 1,000 in 2007. In the first seven months of this year, it received more than 1,300 complaints, most of which are from people in residential estates and passers-by, annoyed by the noise and fumes. 

But even as the number of complaints goes up, just a handful of motorists have been taken to task. Only four have been fined $70 each since last year, and about 600 issued warning letters. 

The NEA, which could not provide infringement figures for earlier years, has enforced the law with a light touch because it understands that motorists want to keep their engines - and air-conditioners - running in this hot and humid climate. 

As part of an 'education' process, however, it has issued 'advisories' to some 6,400 motorists who have been reported by the public in the last three years. Discussion threads in online motoring forums indicate that not many drivers know it is illegal to leave their vehicle engines running while stationary, say, when they are waiting for someone to turn up. 

Going by the Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations, which date back to 1999, the only time it is all right to do so is when a vehicle is in traffic. The law provides for offenders to be charged in court and dealt fines of up to $2,000 for first-time infringements and $5,000 for repeat cases. 

'Leaving an engine running while stationary is inconsiderate,' an NEA spokesman said, as it creates unnecessary noise and air pollution. 

Observers say more can be done. 

Singapore Environment Council executive director Howard Shaw described switching off the engine while waiting as 'a minor inconvenience', hot and humid as it is here.'We don't have 40-degree temperatures, and we have plenty of shade,' he said. 'It's a matter of winding down the windows or getting out of the car.' (getting out of car? also can fine for unattended vehicle) 

Idling engines are a problem when taxis wait in line for passengers, like at the airport, or when coaches wait by the roadside while tourists shop, he noted. 'They contribute significantly to CO2 emissions,' he said. 

Retiree Lee Chiu San, 64, said: 'If I'm alone in the car, I wind down the windows and kill the engine as a matter of principle. 'But with passengers, there can be serious disagreement.' 

'I think it is a great law that now needs to be enforced here, CO2 emissions being the biggest reason, of course.' 

Meanwhile, European car manufacturers from Fiat to BMW are incorporating stop-start mechanisms in their cars. These cut off the engine when the car comes to a stop at the lights, and restart it when the accelerator is depressed. 

The technology is beginning to appear in cars imported into Singapore. Volkswagen's Polo BlueMotion 1.2TDI is one such model. 

But the issue of leaving engines running even when the motorist is not in traffic remains. Some cabbies here have two sets of ignition keys - one to keep the engine and air-conditioning running and the other to lock the vehicle with while they have their breaks. 

Cabby Tony Pang, 60, said: 'This is so passengers don't complain of the heat. 

'It used to be a common practice, but not so now, since diesel is so expensive. But I know some older drivers still do it. It's a matter of choice.'

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Parallel Parking

1. Position the car more to the left (the left side kerb should be inline with your own point on the wiper) and ahead of the parking lot. *Remember to straighten the car (left side of the car parallel with the left kerb) and steering wheel.

2. Change to reverse gear, check rearview mirror and signal left.

3. Check safety on the right, front and look through the rear windscreen.

4. Look over your left shoulder through the left rear door window and reverse the car slowly.

5. Reverse the car slowly till it reaches your turning point, then turn the steering wheel one round to the left and continue to reverse.

*Note: the picture above is just a general guide and it might not reflect your turning point because everyone has their own turning point. 

*You can adjust the left side mirror to view whether your rear left wheel will hit the kerb or not at this point as the picture above and once you confirm the left side won't hit the kerb you can now shift your attention to the right side.

6. While reversing, look at your right side mirror - when you see the right side of your car reaches the black color kerb, turn the steering wheel one round to the right.

7. Adjust your right side mirror till you can see your rear right wheel and continue to reverse.

8. When the rear right wheel sits on the yellow line, turn the steering wheel full-lock to the right and continue to reverse slowly.

*Note: Turning the steering wheel before the rear left wheel sits on the yellow line will cause the front left wheel to hit the front kerb and also resulting in the car being parked outside the lot. Turning the steering wheel after the rear left wheel crosses the line will result in your rear left wheel hitting the left kerb or resulting in your car being park too near to the left kerb.

9. Reverse and stop before the rear wheel hits the kerb behind then change to D gear and using the forward motion to straighten the car and steering wheel.

10. Position the car in the center of the parking lot, engage gear to P and apply handbrake,  then raise your hand to let the tester know that you are done with the parking.

Moving out of the parking lot


1.  Select R and release the handbrake.

2.  Turn the steering wheel one round to the left while reversing slowly.

3. Stop before hitting the rear kerb.

4. Adjust back the side mirrors.

5. Change to D , check mirrors, signal right, check your blindspot, if safe, turn the steering wheel full-lock to the right very quickly while moving forward. (remember the car needs to move very slowly at this point and the steering wheel needs to be turn fast.)

6. When the left corner of the front windscreen is inline with the left kerb as the picture above, check blindspot again then turn the steering wheel to the left as the car moves forward.


*Do NOT turn the steering wheel faster then the car this time or the rear wheel will hit the left kerb, just turn the steering wheel to match the speed of the car as you move out*

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Thinking "What If"

What is - 'What If'.......??

When learning to drive one of the major problems for everyone is a lack of road-experience.

Most drivers who have been driving for some time will have built up an internal data base of 'Where things went wrong before'. They will have encountered problems that will have ranged from a mild 'Mmm, I didn't expect that to happen' to possibly the very more serious and potentially lethal incidents that will have been a huge shock to them. All these events will have been automatically catalogued and stored in the subconscious part of the brain. As these memories are reinforced by further incidents the subconscious brain, along with the conscious part of the brain, will be warning the driver about problems that may arise as they navigate their way down the road.

Unfortunately a learner or new driver doesn't have this data to rely on (yet). This means that the learner and new driver will have to make a deliberate effort to consciously think about all the possible problems that may lay ahead.

Think' What if?' Imagine that you are driving down a road and you intend to turn either left, right, blind junction*, or through a filter lane.

• What if there is a lorry coming towards me on the wrong side of the road ? Will I be able to stop in a position that is safe and not causing any problems?
  
  
• What if there are cars parked on my side of the road just around the corner? Will I be travelling at a speed that allows me to react and stop in a position that is out of the way of any approaching vehicles?
  
  
• What if there is a pedestrian just stepping off the pavement just around the corner?
  
  
• Etc. Etc.

This What if.......? should be applied to all driving, especially when you are approaching situations where there is not enough information!

When thinking 'What if?', think about the situations that will really cause you problems. For example, if you are thinking that there may be a vehicle approaching, don't just think of an average car - think about the so called boy-racers. (You know the ones I mean? The ones who are causing your car insurance to be in excess of one thousand dollars because they are making a habit of writing off cars and in the process injuring and killing themselves and others!!) These drivers can go fast but the problem is that they don't have the skill, the experience and probably the wit to take care of things when things go wrong. They may be coming towards you on the wrong side of the road, as you go around that blind corner!

You  should not only be going at a speed that allows you stop in time but be going slow enough to allow the other driver (who is approaching you far too quickly) not only to see you but also allow them their panicky 'freeze-on-the-controls' moment before they actually start using the brakes.

* Blind Junction - A junction where the driver cannot gain much information on the approach due to sharp corners, houses, parked vehicles, hedges etc.

Thinking ' What if.......?'  will help you drive defensively and keep out of trouble.

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Most Common Class 3A Test Immediate Failure Mistakes

1. Mount Kerb during Directional Change
   Drive up the kerb while going in and out of the course or when reserving into the lot.


Solution: 

• Position your vehicle in the center of the lane.
• Remember your stopping and turning point. i.e do not turn the steering wheel when your vehicle is stationery.
• Remember to check the position of your vehicle when it's in the reserving lot, make sure to do corrective action when turning out if your vehicle is too much to the left.

2. Improper action causing accident / near accident

• Striking & mounting of kerb
• Striking objects i.e wall, pylons, etc
• Involved in an accident 
• Requiring assistance from the tester to avoid accident

Solution: 

• Keep in the center of the lane (1 metre side clearance from left kerb)
• Keep a safe following distance, apply the 2 second rule or 4 second rule if raining
• Look far and wide, anticipate traffic movements to avoid sudden braking or steering movement.

3. Fail to obey Traffic Rules & Signs

  

• Stopping in yellow box
• Fail to obey traffic light i.e turning arrow
• Going against traffic flow, no entry, no right or left turn mandatory sign

Solution: 

• Know your traffic signs and what they mean
• Look ahead for road markings, traffic signs and traffic flow
• While approaching or waiting at traffic light junction do not forget to observe the change in traffic signal.

4. Exceed stipulated time of 3 mins during vertical parking

   3 mins or more have elapsed before the car is properly parked in the lot. 

Solution: 

• Position your car correctly
• Remember your turning point
• Keep your vehicle at low speed

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SSDC Woodlands Class 3/3A Test Circuit

This is the test circuit map on the 1st level.
The highlighted portion are meant for class 3 and class 3A.

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Tyre Puncture while driving.

Tyre puncture and how to control the car when it happens.
Watch this video and it may save you and others.

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My car keep stalling

Yes, "my car keep stalling", that's the most common problem that students encounter.
The car will stall when the engine is forced to slow down.

Assuming that you are in 1st gear and about to move off and the car stalls. Eek!
Why? It is because you release the clutch pedal too quickly.

Assuming that you are in 1st gear when moving off, it is your releasing of the clutch pedal too quickly that causes the car to stall.

Remember if the clutch pedal is released too quickly the car will not be able to move off quickly but on the contrary it will stall. The car weighs over 1000 kg and it needs an awful lot of inertia to get it moving. If the car cannot move off quickly then the only other effect that can take place is that the engine will slow down and forced to stop, i.e. Your Car Stall.

So, just depress a bit on the accelerator and be patient when releasing the clutch - when the clutch is at the biting point, release it by another 2mm to the moving point. Now is not the time to be impatient!  Pause slightly and hold the clutch pedal where it is as the 
car starts moving, then just let the clutch pedal come up slowly through the moving point to the driving point, allowing the car to get going in its own time - which is about 2-4 seconds when on a level road. As you release the clutch pedal accelerate a bit more. 
If the engine is making more noise because of your depressing on the accelerator don't be alarmed because at this stage the speed of the car is controlled by the clutch. 

Don't let drivers behind gets you into a panic, they don't expect you to shoot off like a rocket.

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