On Yahoo Singapore
today, there is an article asking why modified cars have such a bad reputation in
Singapore .
In most countries, people are allowed to modify their own vehicles but in Singapore ,
that’s a big no-no with stiff penalties against vehicles that are illegally
modified.
The answer to the question of “why” is very simple. In a
word; luxury.
In Singapore ,
cars are a luxury. With our world-class public transport system, cars are not
really needed in Singapore .
So cars are a luxury and modified cars are a luxury on top of a luxury.
That is why most Singaporeans, including me, have little time
for people who modified their vehicles. Personally, I don’t understand why anyone
need to make their car’s exhast louder, or need to have sports rims, and spoilers
on their vehicles. To me, like most Singaporeans, people doing this have too
much time and money on their hands.
I mean public transport is good in Singapore (MRT
breakdowns aside), so cars are a luxury. Now you want to modify your car on top
of that? Go right ahead, but don’t blame me when I laugh if you get into
trouble.
3 comments:
Frankly, I don't think pimping the car is luxury. Luxury means those who buy Ferarri and Lambo. Those who buy a Toyota and modify it is not luxury but more of a hobby. I don't know what is your hobby but there are many people who truly enjoy automobiles and making it more streamlined or powerful machines themselves. There is no joy in buying a stock car and driving fast. There is a sense of achievement if you can buy a car that is not very powerful but you can add horse power and handling by making changes to an otherwise ordinary machine. While you view a car merely as a utility that brings to from A to B, there are others who view it more as a machine and want to know about it workings and enhance its functions. What is your hobby? Would you like someone else to put down your hobby? I think Singaporeans are jus snob. They see a loud Ferrari - nevermind. They see a modified car softer than a Ferrari - they complain. Look at Japan - they can modify their cars and its a big business over there.
First of all, LTA personnel are not mechanical engineers / techinicans. If you asked them, they would refer you to the manaufacturer lah...
Don't kid ourselves to be creative, we are just following the books lah..
Sorry but what sense of achievement can you get when all you are doing is buying the parts (exhast, rims, spoilers) and getting your workshop to install it for you? Now if you are a guy who install it yourself, or better yet build the parts yourself, that's a different story but how many guys you know in Singapore DIY?
Also inspection of the vehicles are done either at Sin Ming or at the inspection centre who are all staffed by techinicans.
As for my hobby; you don't read my blog very often. I have a weekly review of comics!
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