SMRT Taxis SHB902S – Dangerous rude driver
“I flagged down the above-mentioned SMRT Taxi plate no. SHB 902 S along AMK Ave 4, infront of Blk 163. I told the driver, Mr Wong, to go to Golden Village Yishun.
Shortly after Mr Wong started to drive, I heard him talking to someone on the phone using his earpiece. I didn’t think much of it as phone calls using earpiece while driving is apparently allowed in S’pore. He was telling his friend that there was a “fashion cruise event at marina”, how there will surely be “a lot of people”, he told his friend to “go there 10pm”. He ended the call. It was then that I realized he had a tablet on his lap. He lifted his tablet from his lap with his left hand, turned power saver, flipped the tablet cover, placed the tablet back on his lap and finally his left hand returned to the steering wheel. All that time he was driving with only his right hand.
I was concerned about our safety but at that point I let the matter go because he had ended the call, turned off the tablet, continued driving and nothing happened. I thought to myself that should he do it again, I’d have to voice my concern. And true enough, he did it again!
Along AMK Ave 6, he once again drove on with only his right hand on the steering wheel while his left hand was busy lifting his tablet from his lap, flipped the cover open. Then he placed the tablet on top of the steering wheel, the thumbs and forefingers of both hands held the tablet while the other 3 fingers of both hands held the steering wheel below!! He continued driving like that while he turned the tablet on, scrolled through his contact list, one hand off the steering again to plug in one side of his earpiece. All this while balancing the tablet on top of the steering wheel. Imagine the amount of time and his attention that was taken away from the road while he was fiddling with his tablet. Thus, I had to request him to only drive. Our conversation went like this :
Me: Ermm, Mr Wong. It’s Mr Wong right? (I didn’t want to get his name wrong)
Mr Wong : Ah, what??
Me: Could you just drive? Just drive and not use your tablet?
Mr Wong : Oh, no, no, no! I got message. I using earpiece. I tell you what, ah. You go down here ah. I got other place to go.
I spoke calmly and nicely to him. He replied in a rude tone, no apology for putting us both in danger, bet he didn’t think he did anything wrong at all, and HE CHASED ME OUT OF HIS TAXI !!
He stopped at bus stop no. 55171, infront of Castle Green condo. I didn’t argue because I too felt that I should get off his taxi due to his dangerous driving and arrogance.”