Own Time Own Target

上得山多终遇虎

4 points $130

for driving above less than 20km/hr on road of speed limit of 90km.

I guess I should considered myself lucky that it was not higher.

Labels: to Drive

Was driving to work and the electronic board said to avoid lanes 2 and 3 on the KJE to PIE and it looked like this:


That meant that the accident was in the middle 2 lanes of a 4-lane carriageway.

When I passed it on the right, it was an accident with a 3 tonner truck on the 2nd land, a van on the 3rd and a motorbike on the side in front of the van. The motorcyclist was sprawled on the road, in an unnatural position like those you see in movies or some tv shows.

My first thoughts were "OH NO!", "What is his family going to do, so close to Chinese New Year?"

Then I started remembering that no matter whether the truck is at fault, he will be cited for an offense for the fact that he was on the 2nd lane.

Then I started thinking that people should really calm the F down when driving.

And I should probably really seriously slow down.

But the problem is I am stone cold calm when I drive, and slowing down will probably bring me to zzz.

Labels: to Drive

ARGH.

Kenna bwang again.
Was totally stationary again.
Straight hit in the back again.
Rain again, though much heavier downpour.
Slip road going out of expressway again, CTE towards Outram.

This time by a Chinese taxi uncle.

Total damage expected to be $6k-ish due to damage to rear bumper, tail door and boot alignment, plus loss of use for 6-8 days IF the claim is approved and the uncle dont cook up some cock and bull story.

Shit.

Labels: to Drive

142. i wonder why they put 180 then?

i should really calm down tho...

Labels: to Drive

I actually went to 130km/h today driving to work...

I thought I was already pushing it when I used to travel at 110 to 120, trying not to tailgate anybody going lower than 105.

But the March going at 130 today was actually still relatively stable.

That only begets one point: I really should NOT buy a more powerful car if stability is the only thing stopping me from going faster...

Though I really really really hate people "targeting" to change lane in front of me based on the flawed bias that a March is more easy to overtake. NOT.

Ok, something more powerful looking and still small, maybe a swift or jazz then...

Labels: to Drive

I worry.

My mantra on the road recently has been:

"It's not me, but you're just too slow."

It is TRUE, but still.

Labels: to Drive

Received a call from my workshop re the accident which is practically no update.

i.e. both insurers confirmed receipt of report made by me, and the accused's insurer is still waiting for accused to make report.

Conclusion: nothing doing since until HE makes a report, his insurer accepts blame and give go-ahead to for repair, I'm still driving around with a scratched bumper

:(

am wondering if i should go check out quotes for polishing (must guarantee to remove all scratches) and then private settlement with the accused to move things along.

BUT THEN it pisses me off to have to do all the running around for something which is not my fault.

ARGH!

Labels: to Drive

OK, 2 years 7 months after getting my license and 1 year 8 months after getting my own car, i've met with my first car accident.

The Accident

Was a dark and drizzly night, on my way home after work. Came out of PIE (towards Changi) exit towards upper serangoon. Kept left all the way on the connecting road turning into upper serangoon (just outside St Andrew Village), passed the bus bay, passed woodsville close, red light at pedestrian crossing, cars come to a stop and so did, waiting for the lights to turn green. A road i've travelled many hundreds of times.

BAM!

What the....

Hit the hazard lights, put the car on park and hand brake, got out to check. So did the driver behind me, a malay men in his late 30s with a cigarette in 1 hand.

The cars were less 1 cm apart after he's applied his brake AFTER hitting my car.

I got into my car and rolled it forward.

No dents. that's good.

he was still smoking away, "anything?"

i squated down to examine the rear bumper. Too dark to see, even lighted by his feeble headlights of a old nissan with SBR plates. ARGH

"so how?"

i examine the bumper closer. running my fingers over the wet surface.

"sorry ah, mdm, raining lah"

i touched unevenness, and i shone my mini torchlight on it. Scratches. Lines. Across the the whole bumper. I looked back at his front bumper. His bumper had left its exact lined imaged on my rear bumper.

I showed them to him.

He came closer and and traced the lines i showed him.

Now it was time for me to ask him "so how?"

He closed the cover of the rear license plate light, hoping I havent seen him doing so. I did.

"We have to report insurance, you know?"

"Must report insurance?" His eyes went wide.

"Yeah, the new laws what"

"Er, you check with workshop first then I pay you how?"

"Sure, I'll let you know. Please give me your IC"

He handed it over, and i took down the details- Name, IC Number, even his address.

He gave me his handphone numbers, I called him to verify that it worked.


I got home, and I told E "my car kenna bang"

His first reaction (after registeriing the fact that i was standing in front of him unscath, i hope) was "Who bang who?"

I rolled my eyes. Doesnt "kenna" already means "being done something by"? "People bang me lah"

"How bad is it?"

"No dents, just scratches on the rear bumper"

We went down to check again, making sure that all the lights and the reverse sensors worked. They did.

We agreed that E will call the chap to negotiate since Malay men give more respect to men, i think.

I didnt sleep well that night.


The Negotiation & Reporting

Went back to my usual service center Nissan @ Lok Yang.

They were really professional about it.

Took pictures and churned out a quote in a jifty.

$362.12 for Respray rear bumper, renew rear license plate lamp cover and realign rear bumper, AFTER discount, including GST. 1 full day job, may have to leave the car in the workshop for a night if the weather dont let up. 2 days loss of use.

Discussed with E to charge 2 days loss of use at $80 per day since taxi-fare from home to office is already $30+ 1 way.

E called him and called me back in less than 3 minutes, cant be good news.

"He was already shocked when I told him the repair charges, no need even to mention the loss of use"

The nissan guy smiled and gave me more forms to fill, and he will file the report with my insurance company, which is nissan's official insurer.

But I had to drive the car home cos he told me "Nobody will repair until the other party's insurance company agree to pay"

The steps being:

- i file my report and claim with my insurance company, informing them that i wish claim against the other party.
- Wait for him to file his report with his insurance company
- His insurance company will send a surveyor to take photo of my car (I will have to send the car to the workshop for that, to take photo...)
- Wait for his insurance company to agree with the claim, negotiate if necessary.
- Send the car for repair.
- If claim loss of use with car rental, must pay upfront for the car rental an submit car rental invoice. If claim taxi, cash basis.

ARGH.

At least I still get to drive in the mean time.


Other People

Told some colleagues about the accident, and their 1st question was "WHO BANG WHO?"

Goodness, my car get a hit from the back and "WHO BANGED WHO"?

Maybe you reverse and bang pp mah

Wah lao, see me no up. MAJOR ROLL EYES

Maybe you reverse from car park lot and other pp bang into you mah.

ARGGHHHH.

Whats the other party's plate number?

Why?

Buy 4D

i give up.

Labels: to Drive

Happily parked my car and went for lunch.

And when i returned, the car won't start!

Just the Krraaaackkkk-kraaaack-kraccckKKK sound when i turned the key in the ignition.

My male colleague suggested we open the hood to see

(sure)

but then he didnt know what to check

DUH.
.
.

Told colleagues that to go back to office via public transport.
.
.

Contemplated calling E, or MY DAD. Am still a daddy's girl no matter how old...
.
.
.

In the end, I called

1. Nissan EMERGENCY service hotline

"Hello, Nissan servicing?"

"Yes? How i helpch you?"

"Er... my car wont start"

"So you want us to tow for you?"

Thats a leap of logic for me... but "Is it possible to send a mechanic to check?"

"Noooo... we only the towing company, where are you?"

"Jurong, but how much is the towing fee?" not that i will be using them, cause i'm an AA member and towing is free!

"I dont know."

"HUH?"

"We only towing company, we charge Nissan then I dont know how much Nissan charge you"

"Err... ok, thanks. I will call you again" NOT!


2. Nissan Service Center at Loyang

"Hello Nissan Service Center"

"Hi, my car wont start"

"I think your battery is dead"

"But it is less than 1.5 years, and the internal lights and radio still works"

"yeah, i think your battery is dead."

"Oh, so how?"

"Do you want me to send a mechanic with a new battery to you?"

"er.. YEAH!!!"

"Where is your car?"

"car park at Blk XXX in Jurong"

"ok, 1-1.5 hours, $99 cash, 50% discount for the battery since less than 2 years, and $30 for transport"

"Sure..."

"Or, can you get your car to jump-start and drive to our workshop? Then there will not be transport charges"

"er... no." Nobody in that car park.

"Ok, 1-1.5 hours"

So i went to an atm to get some cash, then went to the library to borrow some books and bought a drink and waited near my car.

True enough, a Nissan lorry came by with a mechanic who changed the battery in less than 15min.

"How come the battery die so fast one? Only 1.5 years."

"This type of electronic things, very difficult to say one"

"Hmmph! I was going to service my car next week, will they be able to check battery level if going to spoil?"

"If during testing the level is ok, can't say also. Then the next day battery die, customer will call and complain."

"errr..."

The car purrred and started without a hitch.

"Er, Miss, you know how to set the electronic things hor?"

"sure"

"If dont know, just call our workshop, we can help"

He waved a merry hand and left.

And i sat in the car and realized that it was like rebooting an old pda with no memory, everything had to be reset.

The radio channels, clock, even the trip odometer was at zero, BUT NOT the accumulative odometer! HA.

I'm glad i didnt call my dad.

And I think, so is he.

:)

Labels: to Drive

Almost got into a MAJOR accident on Wednesday, and have only calmed down enough now to blog about it.

Was traveling from Mandai-BKE and got into the slip road to join into KJE. Yes, that fateful stretch.

Was already in lane 1 and everybody was travelling 80km/h with the lorries at a slower 50-60km/h in lane 2.

Saw from the rear view mirror that a maroon-ic sedan was cut behind lane 1 into lane 2 too fast, and I was wondering if he will brake in time before hitting the lorry just in front of me on the left.

And what did he do? HE BLOODY CUT IN FRONT OF ME!!!!

I honked at him to warn him to return to his own lane but he proceeded to cut more into my lane!!!

There was no way to brake with the car so close behind me, and all traveling so fast on the curve slip road. It was either
1. brake and be hit from behind,
2. continue and hit him (i wish i had taken this choice since he had obviously preferred me to die when i hit him, then for himself to die when he hit the lorry), or
3. let him in and go on to the white stripes on the right myself to save my own life.

I did the logical and took #3.

I was going so fast, and he so slow that, that at one point i was by his right on the white stripes and saw him looking at me (since i was still holding onto the horn), an early 30-ish chinese man in glasses BUT HE JUST LOOKED AWAY WITHOUT EVEN A WAVE OF APOLOGY!

#(*$*$*@#(*(*&@$^@)(#*@#&*!@##)(&#$)(&!!!!!

the car behind him gave me room to move back in, and I went after the idiot.

tailgating him with 30 cm room at 120km/h, and forcing him to go faster than he is used to, since he was wavering left-right-left in the lane.

for a good 15km from KJE all the way to my exit on PIE.

stupid male driver.

i'm gonna need to change to a bigger and more aggressive car since men since to mistakenly think that a small car driven by a girl will surely be slow and therefore can overtake easily, and even if they didnt do it safely, the girl will obviously back-off and whimper in a corner.

well. FUCK YOU.

Labels: to Drive

Bought a new dress during pre-CNY sale.

It looked alot like this one, but more military looking, with pockets with flaps in front, and pockets at the side of the dress, and normal upturn non-puffy sleeve. Came to mid-thigh on me when standing, shorter when seated.

Totally black so couldnt wore it for CNY proper, so I wore it for a presentation at work instead.

But it had been eons since I wore a dress or skirt to work, being a nice top + pants/ 3/4 pants/ jeans + heels type of girl.

And a long while since I wore a dress when I needed to drive.


What a novel experience.

- Placing my left foot closer to the seat and left knee at an angle pointing towards the right knee, instead of just placing my foot on the footwell and knee pointing outwards.

- The unexpected urge to close my knees whenever I was to step on the brakes.

- Feeling the seat fabric beneath my thighs.

- Getting out of the car gracefully.


I should buy and wear dresses more often, if not for the compliments ;)


Have a good weekend ahead.

Labels: to Drive, to Shop Buy

a couple of incidents on the road set me thinking:

1. Stupid male driver in car park lot see me coming the ramp and probably thinking (a) small nissan march, (b) driven by a girl, (c) equals "don't give right of way, die die go in front otherwise kena stuck behind going down levels of ramps to go out of carpark"

so i let him go, and then tailgated him every turn of the carpark and down the ramp, more heat than he had expected and he almost scrap against the pilars going down. heh.


2. Stupid male driver coming up in lane 1, i overtook from lane 2 with room to spare, he tailgated me, for about 5 seconds... before i pulled off and he ate dust


3. Stupid male driver tailgating me in lane 1, which had a column of cars going slow because of road hog up front, i move to lane 2, zoom up and overtook the stupid male road hogger. The stupid tailgator still highbeaming every car in front to make them give way. duh.


i may LOOK like a rabbit,

but this is a rabbit with BITE.


pretty cool rabbit gif huh? made it myself via http://picasion.com/

Labels: to Drive

ok, it is more like 21,593km on the meter now...

and i finally found time to send the car for servicing.

the 20k servicing package had the front wheels rotated rotated and balanced, change wipers, synthetic oil change, top up everything and check everything

and then i took the opportunity to have its first complete polishing and waxing done versus the usual handwash at petrol kiosks.

it came back with shining glass, smooth exterior, door marks removed, wet look tyres...

.
.
.

i think i'm falling in love again.

Labels: to Drive

Lively dangerously is forgetting to fill up your less than 1/8th full tank and going on to the expressway, and less than 1/3rd into that journey, the scary LOW FUEL indicator comes up.

While trying to exit the highway, you
- turn off the aircon,
- roll down the windows,
- gets light footed on the accelerator,
- allowing the car to glide on engine brake (with foot OFF the pedal) as much as possible,
AND
- struggle with a road map to check where the *beep* is the nearest petrol station, preferably a Shell cos that's where you have a petrol card.

slightly more than 10km from the low fuel light first come up, you roll into a Shell petrol station.

YES!

Labels: to Drive

I've become the kind of driver i used to be afraid of as a newly minted driver

I tailgate drivers who drive at the same speed as the slower lane, until they go faster/ change lane or i manage to overtake from the left. No matter how big the car in front.

I drive faster, dont ask.

I give way only if it does not impede my own progress, or am in a really good mood
If you manage to come into my lane, I will not slow down so that you can change lane leisurely, but have to go faster to ensure that you KEEP UP (which is what you are taught to do in driving school)

I have contempt for pp who
- drive fast and fast-looking car but dont drive fast
- cannot keep in lane, whether going straight or on winding roads

I horn faster and louder


BUT I am a better driver, able to see further and anticipate earlier, judging distance (both verticle and horizontal) more accurately.


I just have less patience for incompetency and indecisiveness


I only wonder: have i merely changed as a driver, or have i changed?

Labels: to Drive

just a short post about my car and driving inspired by CB's new car (congrats btw!)


about 10 months into car ownership and my marchie has a couple of dins and dents from inconsiderate door opening of neighboring cars...


i am displaying my first car deco- a black cat


more car parks conquerred -

* Sheraton Towers (some tight tight tight corners)

* Causeway Point (stupid entry/ exit point from main road)

* Vivocity

* White Sands

first Valet Parking experience

- TMC

Labels: to Drive

Had a meeting in town today and returned to the office at 1205pm.

We left for lunch at 1230pm.

I could see immediately upon turning out from my office that there was an ambulance at the first junction. My first thought was "Heart Attack? Pedestrain/ Cyclist/ Motorbike knocked down?"

It is a very dangerous 4-way junction, the side roads with one wide lane each direction and the main road with 2 normal lanes each direction. BUT trailers, containers, buses, cars park on all sides of the road as there are no yellow lines, and that can really hamper visibility for everybody.

I've had scares (thankfully no near misses) while weaving near the center line to avoid on coming traffic, parked vehicles and cyclists. Sometimes to the point of playing "Chicken!" with on-coming traffic where there is not enough room for both vehicles to travel.

As I drove closer, a huge group of people was gathered and watching the on-goings

Right in the middle of the junction, a mid-size lorry smashed in the front and overturned on its side, and a bright blue car SFX or Z 816? smashed in its left front. That side of the 4-way junction totally blocked and cars had to go around the other roads. Police were already there.

All within a span of 25min.

Must have been high-speed and dont give way.

The car's driver ought to be alright since most damage was on the left front of the vehicle, unless he had a front passenger. The lorry's driver might have sustained more serious injuries since the lorry landed on his passenger side, and i pray he was wearing a seat belt properly...

Labels: to Drive

Was running late and rueing every traffic light, but luckily since i travel mostly on expressways there werent many along my route.

But i had to out from BKE to Mandai road then back to KJE as it was a shorter (and easier) route.

Nothing new as I hit the slip road from Mandai Road into KJE. 2 lane merging traffic into the long filtering lane. As i was up 1/3 into the slip road, i saw a black BMW coming up behind me and anchoring to the right. I hated being overtaken on merging traffic. Dont these people know COURTESY and to take their turns according to their place in the queue?

Without thinking much, not even the fact that my little march is going up against a BMW (3-series?), i hit the turbo button and sped up the upslope into the filtering lane.

I filtered 3 lanes out to avoid the slower heavy vehicles and and spied the BMW doing the same. My heart skipped a beat as he was closer than necessary on the medium flow traffic. I was being tailed-gated!

I filtered left quickly to the connecting BIG C road between BKE and KJE , and keeping my fingers crossed that the BMW was continuing onwards on KJE. nope.

He filtered left into the connecting road too, and took my left quickly and tried to overtake me. But there were cars in front of him, not enough for him to speed up enough to overtake me safely. He slipped back RIGHT BEHIND me. I couldnt filter left and let him through since there were other cars on the left.

We were going 120 on a 50 limit. sheesh.

Heart in mouth as i tried not to brake and have it taken further as a challenge, and fought the march from flying out of the curve.

I tried to look for an opening to filter left once we were on KJE and let him through. But there were too many heavy vehicles with little long stretches for me to filter into without applying heavy brakes.

Still being tail-gated.

I had to slow down into the bend as there may be speed cameras on bridge near Corporation Road exit.

Then i saw the BMW swerved quickly to the left to exit Choa Chu Kang

i heave a sigh of relief went on my way.

but i cant help but wonder, was i wrong for not yielding and giving MY right of way to the bully on the slip road out of mandai?

No. definitely no wrong. but my loss if i had lost control of my car. He could probably afford his loss if he ran into any problem.

Will i yield the next time?

I honestly dont know.

Labels: to Drive

First, the Good:

More parking lots conquered!

- Wheelock Place
- Paragon
- Center Point

:)


The Bad

Never ever go to Shenton way aread in the evening after 6 and leave at 7.

Had to pick up documents from Capital Tower at by 6, and I reached there just before. Unfortunately i couldnt just leave as i had to rearrange all the documents into proper sequence in proper folders for Boss's meeting that evening. Which i managed in 30min (big mistake number 1) while sipping coffee at Starbucks.

And then to deliver the documents. Since I had no idea how to get from Capital Tower to the other side of town, i sat in the car studying the road directory for 5-10mins (big mistake number 2). Alright... Cecil Street - Cross Street - Eu Tong Sang Road - River Valley Road - Hoot Kim Road - Paterson Road - Stevens Road - blah blah blah.

I drove out of the lot and smack into a long queue of cars trying to LEAVE the car park. And was stuck for 10min on my floor trying to get into the downward spiral. Then another 15 min in the spiral before turning out on to Cecil Street, and then another 10min to filter left and get to the 2nd traffic light that is Cross Street. Good grief, almost 30min to travel a distance of 100m.

The only bit of good, i didnt get lost. Not until i had delivered the documents and on my way home anyway.


The Ugly

Had to reach office darn early, much earlier then usual.

Which meant that traffic patterns were different.

No prob on all the highways, until i hit Mandai Road.

I usually keep to the right most lane, filtering to center lane before the zoo junction, and filtering left 50m after the junction to get in lane to turn left into slip road to KJE.

well, this time, it was heavy traffic on all 3 lanes, and i didnt manage to filter to center lane until just after the zoo junction, at which point i was alredy in a mild panic since i saw that the queue to KJE had started BEFORE the zoo junction.

Checking the rear view and left mirror I took a chance and tried to slip into a small gap that had opened. But had to jam brake when the car in front stopped suddenly, the car behind him wasnt moving since i was half way into the gap, BUT the car behind me had to jam brake too, with a good blast of the horn for good measure. I waved my apologies and made a hasty escape when the car in front moved.

I could still feel the flush on my face from the sheer embarrassment.

Thank goodness, nothing and nobody was hurt.

Labels: to Drive

I guess it had to happen. Sooner or later. An accident.

But thank goodness it was only in a dream, though a very realistic one.

It seemed that I was in some nightspot, and having had some drinks decided to drive to check out an auto-center nearby to change my tyres with my friends.

They left first and i was anxious to catch up, so i gunned my car when reversing out of the lot and backed into the front of a very expensive old car, instantly waking me up from my drunken high. As some un-naturally beefy men came menacing towards me, i found out soon enough to belong to some underworld figure.

The good news was my boss knows him and they decided not to kill me, the bad news was there was no way to repair the car or to make an insurance claim because of the dark connections. So they gave me a bill for $25k to settle on the spot.

By then i was not only stone-cold sober, but also had the greatest remorse of driving under the influence.

As i sweated and sweated over the troubles that i was in, i managed to wake up from this nightmare.

If you drink, dont drive.

Labels: to Drive