A Response from Traffic Police

Someone in MyCarForum sent an email to the Traffic Police to clarify some "doubts". I will cut at paste his entire email here :


Dear Mr Tan,

Our responses to your questions are stated below in blue.

My apologies for not replying to you earlier.

Regards
MRS M PRASAD | Head Service Quality | Service Quality Branch | Traffic
Police Dept
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To: SPF Feedback TP/SPF/SINGOV@SINGOV
t.sg> cc:
Subject: Clarifications on traffic laws
28/02/2005 02:08
PM

Dear Sir

Many of us drivers are uncertain of a couple of rules which I hope someone
in your organisation can help us with.

1. Is Lane 1 on an expressway designated as an overtaking lane ? and that
only on lane 1, you can overtake other vehicles ?
There is no specific legislation stipulating that the rightmost lane is
only for overtaking.

2. When one drives on Lane 1 on an expressway at the speed limit of 90Kmph,
can one be booked for road hogging - assuming he is not blocking a
emergency vehicle ?
Whether travelling on on the rightmost lane within speed limit constitutes
road hogging is circumstantial. Motorists travelling at or near the speed
limit are generally not deemed to be road hogging.

3. If you overtake another vehicle on lane 2, using lane 1, are you allowed
to exceed the speed limit in the process ?
Driving beyond the speed limit to overtake a vehicle is clearly a speeding
offence.

As these issues are common misunderstandings that might lead to large
groups of drivers to unknowingly break the traffic acts, we hope you can
spare us a bit of your attention and time.

Thanking you in advance
Law abiding citizen

*~*~*~*~*

Wow. I like the "There is no specific legislation stipulating that the rightmost lane is only for overtaking" part. Not even the mention of any road courtesy of keeping left. No wonder Singaporeans use all lanes without regards to the common understanding that rightmost lane is for emergency vehicles/overtaking only. Let me check the NEW Basic Theory text to see if it has been changed.

You can have Lane 1 - Lorry at 70km/h, Lane 2 - Car A at 85km/h, Lane 3 - Car B at 85km/h. And since car B is near the speed limit, he/she will not be considered road-hogging. Nevermind that others want to overtake at 89km/h or even 92km/h.

what is courtesy ? What is road manners ? No Road Courtesy Campaign, TP not giving out awards ? Heck lah ! No need to give way ! Singapore, Way to GO, YEAH !!!!!