Bird watching.

It would be interesting to hang around the Orchard Road area near The Heeren or The Paragon between 6.30pm to 7.00pm to watch what the hawks or falcons can do to frighten away or relocate the nearly 5,000 smaller birds, mostly mynahs and starlings living there. Noisy chirpings and droppings from the large number of birds around this area have been a huge nuisance especially to shoppers, vehicles and people walking by.
Bird droppings on my taxi if not washed away immediately can be difficult to remove when it dries up, so just imagine when these aerial terrorists start to drop bombs on you, its  just devastating. I will be bringing my umbrella, just in case, to see this 'live' action of Nature's act of war. I feel sorry for residents living in whichever area when the large families of birds pick for their new homes.   

On the look-out.

Yesterday was quite a fun working day as I kept a constant watch over vehicles all around me to try and spot an unmarked Traffic Police car. Unfortunately, there were none to be seen anywhere during the whole period of my shift. I was on the lookout for vehicles with the QX number plates as they are officially known to belong to Traffic Police vehicles.
All this while, I was also particularly aware of Traffic rules and regulations lest I be caught violating any one of them whilst trying to be on the look out for one. It was not an easy task trying to spot them, at the same time keeping an eye on the road during the peak hours, due to heavy traffic movements.
At the end of the day, I realised how tiring it was to be a private eye. I guess its more profitable for me to be on the look out for potential passengers instead of wasting my time and energy trying to spot an elusive 'Phantom'.

Sex Blogs?

Recently, a woman Blogger made headlines with her porn-like video showing her kneeling in front of a guy and trying to take off his pants to suggest her sexual intentions in a short video uploaded to Youtube. Shocking and tasteless in her bid to attract readership to her blog which garnered 40 to 50 thousand hits in a day from sex starved readers trying to satisfy their lusts. Woman Blogger, Ms. Peggy Heng readily admits her whore style intention to grab attention, knowing very well that it must cause sensational outbursts from netizens which will eventually benefit her monetarily. She has put her reputation at stake to earn an income but unknowingly, she has also invited sex predators to her doorsteps. Other women bloggers like Ms. Wendy Cheng and Ms. Melissa Faith Yeo (Boob-job Blogger) are also using sexual modes to attract and popularise themselves.
Its true, people get turned off or are simply not attracted to serious and dry topics which can be dull and boring. Being a taxi driver, I have listened to my passengers, discussed about all things personal and sexual unabashly, such as counselling and giving advice to those faced with marriage breakdowns, adulteries, cheating partners, assaults, sexual failures and lots more. I may post about true sexual encounters with my passengers, some even lurid to cause sensationalism in my future blogs, what do you think? Should I?

Beware the 'Phantom' Squad.

Traffic Police last used 'Phantom' patrol cars (ordinary private cars) in 2004 to enforce road safety by keeping a 'private' eye on errand motorists to ensure that traffic rules and regulations are obeyed and also deter speeding and dangerous driving on the road. Revival of Enforcement by unmarked police cars will certainly curb accidents and would be offenders will definitely show more courtesy and consideration to other road users for fear of being caught red-handed this time, anywhere and everywhere at anytime.
This latest move by the Traffic Police is certainly most welcomed, especially with the increase in vehicle population, more massive traffic jams are expected along highways, excessive overcrowding, ugly congestions and even more frequent daily road accidents occuring everywhere. This offensive will be treated very seriously, especially by taxi drivers as they are on the roads practically 24 hours a day throughout the island, and it will certainly not be in their interests to run foul of any sort of traffic offences which will ultimately result in heavy loss of income.
With this 'private eye' in operation, I will have to learn to be extra vigilant, extra careful, extra patient and to show extra courtesy in my working environment from now on. 

Dark Clouds Looming.

I wonder what's going to happen to members of a family when they have to decide, or ballot among themselves as to who really needs to use a vehicle badly, or for that matter who has to give up his or her vehicle first, if what the Government's recent hint becomes a reality in the near future.
At present, it is not uncommon for a middle-income household to own three or maybe four vehicles. Already complains of lack of carparks in HDB estates have recently been making the news together with gripes of daily traffic congestions and jams getting worse each day. These are serious problems we face today and whatever remedies there are in store for us, it is still going to cause a lot of discontent and resentment among us. In simple words, as citizens of an affluent society, with very high expectations, and living in land-scarce Singapore, with its population still growing steadily, I think all of us better brace ourselves for an even greater onslaught of all sorts of future unforeseen problems yet to come.

Its all in the mind.

After I introduced myself as a taxi blogger to this lady whom I picked up at SGH (Singapore General Hospital), she immediately exclaimed "Uncle, wow. I am amazed, at your age you are IT savvy". She said her mother who is 67, whom she was visiting, is suffering from depression and is presently being looked after in the hospital, is my age. She told me that her mother is afraid to use high tech mobile phones, let alone a computer.
You know, many of my passengers were surprised and have shown astonishment when they learn that I am blogging and trying to do it everyday. Honestly, if we want to try to learn or do something new, something out of this world, we can, when we immediately set our minds to it, start learning how, and then  finally DO IT. The thing is this, if we think we are old, then we become old. Learn to understand that 'its all in the mind' to anything and everything and we are on our way. Fear of the unknown has always put us off from trying or experiencing new adventures. Shying off from doing things new and old is actually, to put it simply, LAZINESS, thats what it is, the Truth and nothing but the Truth.
To write blogs everyday is not an easy thing to do but I try my best, and in so doing, I find that I have improved in my typing speed, learnt more new vocabularies and putting them into use, my memory cells are put to strenous test daily when trying to remember more details and storing them till called upon for usage. I sense that I am more alert in doing things and wanting to learn more of everything, but the only trouble is, I don't seem to find enough TIME to do so.

Three letter words.

For your information, the population of Singapore is 5.18 million today, and very soon in the near future, it will reach the Govt planned figure of 6.5 million. I dread to think of what it will be like, imagine driving my taxi at a snail's pace in future, (no more speed limits). With increasing road congestions and traffic jams so common nowadays, on roads not having enough future space for further widenings, due to scarcity of land to accomodate the increasing volume of vehicles.
I think the Authorities will definitely approach its famous ways by firstly creating more new (3)-letter words to try to curb vehicle growth. "Walau, (BTH) 'buay tah han' liao!
Limit the release of Certificates of Entitlement (COE), increasing Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates, which is at present already too high, raise Road taxes and every other additionals involving motor vehicles. Maybe having two or even three 'tiered' highways and more tunnels are other possible alternatives don't you think? At least these suggestions may deter or prevent some of the imminent drastic changes foreseeable in the near future..

Unselfish Acts.

This is one particular trip I will not forget.
I was hailed by this pretty young lady along Thomson Road late last night around 11.30pm, and she wanted to go to Ang Moh Kio St.44. Along the way, we started talking generally about working life. She said she was on leave today and that she works in a handphone retail shop in Sim Lim Square. Her straightforward information started me asking lots of questions about mobile phones. She did not feel irritated at all, instead responded to my queries in a happy fashion, about the latest iPhone4 model which I was carrying and she too had a similar one.
You see, I have yet to learn how to manage the many functions it has and she told me for exanple, how to prolong battery life, turn off activities which I don't use, cost of phone accessories, like battery chargers, leather coverings, how to make free calls through Skype and so many other things. The information she gave me was so interesting and comprehensive, all of which I was totally unaware of. She was so kind to offer to help me with certain adjustments to my mobile as soon as we reached her destination. When we arrived, she was so thoughtful by asking to allow her to pay the fare first and thereafter she immediately started working on my handphone, deleting and updating datas, at the same time, instructing me on how to perform and activate certain functions with the handphone which I needed to know. She was very knowledgeable and tremendously helpful, but most of all, she was very patient. I thanked her and was very grateful to her for helping me make adjustments to my mobile. As soon as I began driving away, I suddenly felt so lousy and ungrateful for having collected the taxi fare from her earlier after what she had done for me.
I am truly blessed to be able to meet, get to know and ferry so many beautiful passengers aboard my taxi everyday.  

Friendly Laughter.

Its funny but true, the very first passenger that I fetch always determine what kind of day I will be getting into. There are the good, the bad and the ugly.
Almost all passengers I get are the good but last week, I fetched a very delightful and bubbly lady passenger whom I picked up at the Lucky Plaza taxi stand and she wanted to go to Pasir Ris St.11. She was different, I was totally entertained by her with her continuous wit and humour which kept me laughing all the way to her destination. She was a very happy person, she made my day. How I wish I can have the same with at least one commuter a day.
I try my best everyday to make every passenger laugh, chuckle and giggle and smile a bit by engaging them in friendly interesting conversations and you will be surprised, almost all will respond in the same way telling me even more livelier anecdotes, their lifestyles, experiences good, bad and sad stories, what kind of day they had and what will come next for tomorrow.
Once they open up, we chat as if we have been friends for ages. I have always enjoyed friendly gestures, laughter and chit chats with people from all over the world for we are brothers and sisters no matter what we are, who we are or where we come from.

Fabulous Rewards !

Last night as I waited at the Clarke Quay Taxi stand behind three other stationary taxis, I was pleasantly surprised by a young lady who tapped on my left passenger seat window and gestured to want to talk to me. I wound down my left window and she handed me a pamphlet, telling me that every taxi driver is entitled to a FREE ride on the Singapore Flyer upon presentation of our identification tag from now till the end of this month 31st, Oct. 2011. Each subsequent guest we are allowed to bring will also be entitled to a 25% discount for up to 4 persons. She continued and said smilingly, Singapore Flyer Pte. Ltd. is pleased to offer all taxi drivers in Singapore a FREE flight to reward us for all our hard work. This is indeed a kind and wonderful gift I thought. She urged me to grab this rare chance to bring my family to this latest lifestyle destination, with exciting views, 'edutainment', food and lots of fun. "Everyday?" I asked in disbelief, and she lighted up saying, "Yes, its the truth, no joke, except for only one ride per day, everyday till the end of the month". I said "Really?, thank you very, very much, thank you!" Just then, I had to move on in front to pick up a waiting lady commuter. After ferrying my passenger to Orchard Hotel, I stopped to read the colourful pamphlet given to me earlier and it contained every single word told to me, its true, its real.
Well, well, well, I must say, as a taxi driver we do sometimes get bonuses and surprise 'perks' from kind and friendly well wishers. I have not yet been on board the Flyer and I am excited, maybe tomorrow I'll take a break and go 'Relak" for a while. "Waa, Shiok man! this time, I can really enjoy my coffee breaks everyday in the air, Oh, how sweet it is!"