Thursday, January 12, 2006

Talk about inflexibility!!!

This polio guy got a ticket for parking at a disabled lot. He refused to pay and was summoned to court. Judge says, I can see you're disabled, but hey, you're not certified. Get a sticker, then I believe u! And to add insult to injury, the $50 fine was increased to $400 as he could not argue well enough in the name of court I suppose.

Now when I threw in the argument that Singapore was inflexible, people will throw in counter arguments saying but "law is law", "we have to draw the line somewhere" and BS like that. But this one takes the cake. I can't freaking believe that this case would even happen, even at court. The arrogance of the court, inflexibilty of the system totally disgusts the shit out of me.

When Mr Lee Kwan Yew said that he would not have gone after the guy who did the documentary "singapore rebel", but he said that because the law is fixed, the police would have acted anyways unless the law is changed. I think he is insinuating that there's deeper problem here at hand - here is a government and society that has moulded a country with citizens who are too inflexible with the system and dare not take charge and make appropriate changes for fear of the "big brother". Yes we now have a bunch of sheeps called Singaporeans, but the problem is, the shepherd is getting old, and these sheeps are in no shape to lead the pack.

Link to Channel News Asia Article

11 comments:

Xia_mi_mi said...

Huh? My gosh its really inflexibility here. If the man with polio has to pay then who else is this lot built for? Such irony....

Anonymous said...

Singapore's public officials (and citizens?) have long lost the ability and the necessity to think critically. Its easier just to follow the 'book' than to explain your actions. Exactly the type of robotic behaviour you'd come to expect, no? And is also exactly the reason why the country is losing its competitive edge.

Singapore is what it is today because her forefathers were intelligent and risk-taking visionaries. Unfortunately, many of these qualities have failed to manifest themselves in the present generation.

Anonymous said...

think the truly inflexible is the government body that grants the disabled lot label: according to reports, u literally have to be in a wheel chair to use disabled lots, what about crutches then?

Anonymous said...

The fine is uncalled for. But the point is that all he needs to do is to apply to NCSS with proper documentation.

Just like applying for credit card, you provide the necessary documentation or your card won't be approved. Is it that difficult to do?

Stop using critical thinking as an excuse. If he is granted the disc without documentation. Sooner or later there'll be some other anal guy who will ask why was this guy given the disc without the necessary paper trail.

Damn if you do, damn if you don't

Anonymous said...

Catch the real culprits!

http://disabledlot.blogspot.com

Yee-wei Chai said...

To anonymous who said "Stop using critical thinking as an excuse":
Hey I hate responding to comments, but yours is fucking nuts.
READ the article from CNA - he did apply to NCSS!
And NO!, it is not the same as a credit card application! Shit, this guy got polio and u ask "is it that difficult to do?" Stop fucking talking like "if i can do it so can he" - everyone has got their own story, so stop judging people based on your own healthy standards.

Just because you are afraid of an anal guy coming down the road in future, doesn't mean it should stop anyone from doing the RIGHT thing. The bloody judge could simply "slap him with a warning" and rule that NCSS issue him a sticker like they did for other polio victim! (again read the freaking CNA article!) He is a judge with the power to do THE RIGHT thing. But guess he's afraid the police will come and catch him if he did not follow the rules??? Or another anal guy coming to give him trouble in future?? Geeze!

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised they reported this on CNA.

The local CNN of asia song b???

Anonymous said...

This case shouldn't even have made it to courts. The idiot issuing the summon should have automatically cancelled it considering this guy's condition. (I didn't read the article so I couldn't tell if he went to contest it with the whoever issuing him that shit.)

Anonymous said...

Anal anonymous coward here. Please read the Straits Times as well. The issue is that another polio victim has applied and approved with the Disabled Disc. The victim's application was not approved becasue he did not provide a doctor's certificate as proof of disability, which is required.

I sympathize with the victim, an agreed that a fine is uncalled for. But the clerk at NCSS will only see whether he has submit the right documents. And he won't care if he has whatever severity. I am just advising how to make his own life simpler. The fact is, if a person could get a doctor's cert, a fully abled person will likely get the disc as well.

Anonymous said...

I know there will be lots of reactions to this view but polio victims are not really disabled. Most polio victims can walk and function like a normal person except that they have to make more effort to walk. If you can walk, does this classified as disabled??

Yes, I do sympathize them for their condition but lets not find simple excuses if you can truely walk. I have a friend who is also a polio victim and probably in worse condition that the guy on TV. Yet he goes around doing his own thing ... goes to the market, goes fishing and etc.

The question is not whether you have a disc or not. The question is whether you really need the disc to park in a diabled lot. What if there is another really disabled person who needs this parking lot?? What would happen to his need??

Singaporeans should stop complaining for the sake of being right. If you feel that you really need the privilege to park near to the exit or lifts ... not whether you are entitled under the law. Use your own conscience to determine your action and whether you will deprive another of the need.

Anonymous said...

What a judge! A stupid one.