How to deal with abandoned bicycles in MRT stations and shopping malls

Lately, there have been many cases of abandoned bicycles all over Singapore, or at least in major estates. I have no idea why people would abandon their bikes. Could it be that they have forgotten where they parked these bikes and had no idea how to search for them? Or was it due to moving away from Singapore? If indeed they had moved away, shouldn't the owners unlock their bikes and allow other people to just "adopt" their bikes? Isn't it better than locking these bikes at poles, trees, and rails and allow them to waste away?

In my opinion, the authority should do something about these abandoned bikes. The authority should stick a warning letter to these bikes and allow a grace period for the owners to remove their bikes and failing which the bike will be "towed" away for good.

What to do with the abandoned bike?

I have a good idea. The authority can reuse the metal from the bike frame to build wheel chairs or push chairs for the needy at affordable prices. Most of us have no idea how expensive wheel chairs can be. They are more than sgd 100 and can reach up to sgd 400. Most can't really afford the huge price tag.

Considering that Singapore is going to have a significant number of elderly folks, having a better walkway which is wheel-friendly as well as good and affordable wheelchairs or pushchairs will help many households. Why not pick up these abandoned useless metals and reuse them for making affordable wheels for the needy?

Just a thought.

Air conditioned wet market a value added place with increased item pricing

I hope that Singapore will not phase out the good old day wet market which is a place of bargains for cheap and fresh goods. They are fresh because the goods are bought instantly by buyers everyday. They are cheap because the rent to the wet market isn't expensive and hence not factored into the item to off-set expenses.

When I heard that Singapore will phase out old markets and add value to the place by transforming wet markets into pleasant air-conditioned place, my first thought was, "value addition will translate into higher rent for sellers, and that will translate into higher prices for the items in store". Please tell me I'm wrong.

When I looked at Kopitiam, the good old kopi tiam was way cheaper than the Kopitiam franchise. Now, getting a cup is not as good as last time. Rent up, food price up.

Anyway, it's better than eating at Shopping Malls. The minimum price for a set meal at these places is no less than sgd 5.00 (McChicken set at McD is around that value). Fortunately, we still can have a nasi lemak, chicken rice and mee hoon at sgd 2.20 at stores in major MRT stations.

It's good that there are many shopping malls and air-conditioned eateries (and wet markets), I hope that there will also be allocation for an affordable good old (and hygienic of course) places where we can still get goods such as vegetables and meat, and have a cuppa and breakfast or lunch at affordable prices. Let the goods and food be reflected by the market price of the goods per se rather than it being due to the ballooning price of rents.

I won't mind visiting air-con markets once in a while, but having a good old wet market would still be great to find fresh veggies, fruits, and meat at cheap price.

Just a thought.

Dear nasty Ah Pek (uncle) on MRT

Dear nasty Ah Pek on MRT,

I know you must think that other people should give way and give up their seats to you whenever you are present. I have seen you Ah Peks nudging towards occupied reserved seats with your mouth mum but your EXPECTATION high. I don't really know why you don't ask nicely for a seat in front of you, BUT instead use a nasty look of contempt on youngsters who were too green to know better. As an "old ginger" (aged with experience), I am clueless as your approach to "communicating" with youngsters. In my opinion, you Ah Pek built up such negative energy unnecessarily (or is that your true character, persisted even after you have aged?), when you should be positive and make the first move to ask for seat graciously. The kid in front of you will surely give up his or her seat. Even if one doesn't, then surely the one seated next to him or her will give up his or her seat to you. When you say, "thank you", your gesture is encouraging and fulfilling. However, you nasty Ah Pek never open your mouth. You nudged, you sat and you disregarded the person who moved away.The only time I have seen you Ah Pek open your mouth was when you yawn and dozed off afterwards.

It seemed to me that age didn't increase your wisdom. It didn't tone down your nastiness. It didn't improve your patience. Your pride prevented you from asking people for help properly and it made you look pathetic. You are the creator of bad karma in this world. You mistreat and people reciprocate. You are the bad apple of the older generation and you make it more difficult for the rest of gracious Ah Pek (old "uncle"), or Ah Gong (grandpas) to receive help.

For that reason, I'm writing this entry to remind myself that there are the nasty Ah Pek and there are the good ones. I won't allow a few bad apples to affect me. If I observe an ingratitude gesture by nasty Ah Pek on MRT, I will say, "THANK YOU" on his behalf. That gesture from me will remind the nasty Ah Pek about graciousness and to motivate the person giving up his/her seat.

Just a thought.

Some elders, be courteous or get karma

Most elders are friendly and courteous. However, there are some elders who were brats when they were young, and end up a grumpy and nasty people when they get old. Unfortunately, we will bump into these people occasionally.

A word of wisdom, "don't be misled into thinking that age will tone down the nastiness of people". It won't. Nastiness is an integral part of certain people. It is their character trait. Although some people will grow out of it, a significant will harbor this trait until their last breath.

On the MRT, I have seen plenty of times how nasty and grumpy some elders can be. These elders mistreat others. Remember the grumpy old man who poked his stick/umbrella at a youngster to signal to the young man to leave his seat so that the old man can take it? What an ill-mannered way to ask for a seat! Age doesn't give a person the license to be obnoxious and ill-mannered. As expected, the young man didn't budge and refused to let his seat. The old man took the young man's picture and posted it on Facebook. How vindictive this grumpy old man can be?

Today, I've seen an old man in his 50s. He was not frail and didn't look like he needed seat. Anyway, he needed a seat. What happened next was unexpected, the uncle moved to the reserved seat where a young girl was seated. The old man gestured with his hand for the girl to stand up and move away. How rude can the uncle be? The young girl left her seat. Out of the blue, this uncle started grumbling about how rude the young girl was for not letting her seat "willingly" or on her own accord.

What happened to courteousness? Shouldn't we lead by example? Did age wasted away good-manners in certain old people? Would age erode kind words from our vocabulary, such as "please, thank you, may I have your seat, you are really kind, god bless you, appreciate your kind help, thanks for your understanding" when we get old? Should we expect people to let their seats on their own accord and expect to reciprocate by being a nasty old person if they failed to do so? How on earth do people know who needs a seat? Being courteous is a two way traffic.

My conclusion is that, nasty old people are sometimes derived from the nasty and bratty youngsters. Age obviously didn't change their character nor tone down their nastiness. If I were the receiving end of this ill-mannered treatment by grumpy and nasty old people, I will surely shoot back, "Uncle! be respectful if you want to be respected!!!"

Lastly, don't be misled by appearances.

Just a thought.

SMRT "care sticker" for those willing to help

SMRT "care sticker" was launched recently to identify commuters in need of seats. I've not seen anyone wearing them yet. Japan had the sticker for sometimes now. I'm not sure about Europe. 

All of them have something in common, "let the wearer be noticed by those seated in the reserved seating".

What is lacking in all these implementations is the involvement of the majority of the public. Most of them are caring individuals. 

In most time while we are travelling in a public transit, we are not aware of people around us. It could be due to the sheer number of commuters around us or it could be due to distraction,  e.g. smart phones, lethargy, etc. For whatever reason, there are most of us willing to give up our seats if we are made aware of the people who need them.

Instead of identifying commuters in need of seats,  why not provide an identification mark for those willing to give up their seats? By including the participation of the general public, we can show how caring society really is. 

This article was written after reading a comment from Straits Times. 

Battery compartment door/cover of compact camera

Compact cameras. They have one thing in common,  i.e. the battery compartment door/cover is made flimsy (non-durable, easily damaged).

This part of the camera is important. The door act not only to cover the battery compartment for aesthetic reason, but also to close the circuit of the battery. When the circuit is not closed, you won't be able to switch the camera on. Try it, open the door ajar and press the "on" button. Nothing will happen.

So, it is important that the door is intact. If you accidentally break the door, you should keep that piece with you. Use a tape to stick the door to the camera for it to work. If you lost the door/cover; you must find a compatible cover for the camera to work. Using a cardboard and sticky tape will not revive your camera.

I have no idea for the reason to ensure that the door must be closed to operate the camera. Was it to prevent shocks from the exposed battery? Whatever it was, it seemed important enough for all camera manufacturers to want to implement the same design concept.

My Nikon coolpix S6000 has a clumsy design at the cover. My camera automatically switches off whenever I want to use it (even though the battery indicator showed full bar). The problem seemed to be due to the cover constantly losing contact with the battery and hence breaking the circuit. If anyone has an "automatic switched off camera" problem, it's likely caused by the cover/door to the battery.

Nikon conveniently stated that the cover/door to the camera is not under any warranty. That was their point when I first bought the said camera (S6000 series). Try asking the sales representative or Nikon Service Center. Most probably, the policy is still retained,  i.e. no warranty for battery compartment cover/door.

Another problem I faced with this camera is that,  now I'm having dead pixels at two corners of my LCD screen. I just hope they don't spread. Worst come to worst, I'll have to shoot without any cue from the LCD, just like old compact camera (but without "view finder"). Haha.

MRT captain had no choice but to key in available announcement for train delay

Train stalled due to congestion was used several times,  then an announcement about train fault. Later, the train sped at full throttle. To me, it didn't feel like train fault. To me,  the announcements were made at intervals to act as "fillers" and to break the silence commuters experienced while stranded at the station. True enough, the train sped off the station and made jerky journey due to abrupt speeding and brakings, probably to adhere to the right schedule again. Now,  how I wished all MRT trains were automated. How I wished technology was playinh a part in driving the MRT as well as buses. 

In addition,  how I wished the MRT rails ran in loops. Isn't that the most efficient way rather than to wait for the train on terminals to clear before the next train could dock. Furthermore, to decommission the train for the day, just exit at service points for daily maintenance. Alas, that is not to be. 

Now, how I wish that I'm with SMRT, SBS and major public transit companies, working at managerial level to oversee the running of Singapore's mass transit. I will enforce a rule for my managerial level staffs to take the public transit at least three days per week to taste the running of our business.