Dear TRS,
Recently, My car broke down on New Bridge Road next to Hong Lim Park and I caused some congestion on the road due to my stalled car. What frustrates me most is that because of AAS and LTA's weird policies, I caused traffic problems for almost 2 hours when the issue should have been able to be fixed within a few minutes.
After my car stalled, thankfully, together with a colleague, we managed to push the car to the side of the busy road.
As the car could start but would not move, I realised that the break-down was due to an empty fuel tank as a result of a faulty meter gauge. As I am a member of the Automobile Association of Singapore, I called them for help.
The AAS staff was helpful, courteous even, as they tried to assist me on the telephone. I told them that what I thought was the problem, and I was told that help would arrive in an hour. After an hour had lapsed with no sign of any AAS mechanic, I rang them again and was told to wait for another 30 minutes because the only two mechanics on duty were all out on call. I was also told that one of them would come as soon as he’s completed the other on-site assistance near Adam Road. I was told that the mechanic would come with a $10’s worth of petrol, that would be enough to get my car going to the nearest petrol station for refill.
But after another 30 minutes had again gone by, with more motorists getting agitated by my stalled car on the road, and still no sign of the AAS help, I rang again and was reassured that help was on the way but this time a huge tow truck would be despatched from Jurong, The AAS said my car had to be towed because LTA rules do not allow for “non-vehicle, container” purchases of petrol regardless of the amount.
I had no other choice but continued to wait for the tow truck. When it arrived it was already two hours after my first call for assistance. But within 15 minutes after my car was towed away, it was refilled with petrol and running normally, which prompts me to ask the following:
1) Why are the authorities, (and the LTA should seriously review existing rules if they’re no longer prudent) contributing to unnecessary traffic congestion by not allowing the AAS to purchase small quantities of petrol in containers for bona fide emergency road use? With today’ computerised system, all entries are easily monitored and recorded, so past concerns on security may be outdated, especially when big organizations offer fleet purchases to their staff .
2) If indeed security is an issue regarding small container purchases of petrol, wont it be a concern since petrol can be easily transferred from motorcycles’ petrol tanks for covert purposes too?
3) As fuel pump prices here are the highest compared with other countries in the region, will there still be any illicit trade in such container purchases of fuel at the petrol stations, which have CCTV too to record all activities?
4) Why does the AAS only have 2 mechanics for road-side assistance per shift when it is supposed to have 12?
5) Is it because the AAS has also jumped onto the wrong and despicable band-wagon of maximising profit by hiring our the service of their mechanics to corporate “clients” such as car companies instead of AAS members?
6) When will our service agencies --- membership based and government --- stop thinking of increasing profits and return to their rightful, original missions of service to the nation, to its people, its members and come to terms that “enough is enough” or risk losing everything?
Thank you.
Paul Wee
TRS Contributor