Monday, August 21, 2006
The Wheels are Turning?
U.S. could learn a thing or two from Singapore [link]
Firstly, this USAToday article starts with a seemingly less harsh tone than the NYT article on our Biopolis.
Secondly, I actually learnt something that I've been pondering about so much - just how is the revenue from COEs spent? Although the article doesn't state where it gets its stats from...
Hmmm, what's this then about a fare hike back home when public transportation companies are turning in a profit then?
Lastly and sadly, the article isn't very well written...
It paints ERP in a very glowing light, but when the reporter mentions "premium lanes", I think that a lane is singled out of the other lanes that make up the road for ERP... but the fact is that the whole road - all the lanes on the road, is subject to ERP.
Now while the reporter somehow paints the picture that it works, else why write it up, in truth, ERPed roads are still conjested during these "premium" periods and the non-ERPed roads are unable to handle the volume of traffic from the so called commuters whom think "money is more important than time".
I wonder when they would extend the ERP system to our public transportation system, where there is a premium charge if you'd like to travel with guranteed seating and some semblance of personal space. Carriages adorned with "Raffles Class" you say?
No doubt our policies that tax the road user are intriguing and novel, however, I believe it needs to be fine-tuned somemore as I'm just not seeing its benefits they claimed it would bring - fewer cars lead to jam-free transportation.
And about our government making policy that encourages the take-up of vehicles that utilize alternative fuels or helps people save money in light of record-high petrol proces, just ask anybody who has gone in search for an diesel version of a car - it's non-existant.
I think it's quite poignant now that I catch a Top Gear episode now where the hosts compete to travel from London to Oslo, pitting private transport in the form of a Mercedes SLR travelling via France-Netherlands-Belgium-Germany-Denmark-Sweden-Norway to public transport (boat across the sea straight to oslo). Gotta love these crazy brits!
Some clips from that episode here!
Extracted individual YouTube links for the despos -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JPRVY7dCM2I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NEj2sflrVLs
http://youtube.com/watch?v=15C0MAuSyFU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SYorUMqLe6A
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jQ4pMfu_A4Y
In other news - Evidence my heart rules over my brain...
Yep, after that stance on sustainable energy, I still lust after a BMW, but hey! I want a diesel Beamer!
Over the Air: Embarassing display of brain power when this lone chink actually lost money on the game show "Temptation".
Firstly, this USAToday article starts with a seemingly less harsh tone than the NYT article on our Biopolis.
Secondly, I actually learnt something that I've been pondering about so much - just how is the revenue from COEs spent? Although the article doesn't state where it gets its stats from...
The money goes into supporting an efficient, highly developed mass transit system, which today handles about 4 million rides per day, compared with 3 million daily private auto trips.
Hmmm, what's this then about a fare hike back home when public transportation companies are turning in a profit then?
Lastly and sadly, the article isn't very well written...
It paints ERP in a very glowing light, but when the reporter mentions "premium lanes", I think that a lane is singled out of the other lanes that make up the road for ERP... but the fact is that the whole road - all the lanes on the road, is subject to ERP.
Now while the reporter somehow paints the picture that it works, else why write it up, in truth, ERPed roads are still conjested during these "premium" periods and the non-ERPed roads are unable to handle the volume of traffic from the so called commuters whom think "money is more important than time".
I wonder when they would extend the ERP system to our public transportation system, where there is a premium charge if you'd like to travel with guranteed seating and some semblance of personal space. Carriages adorned with "Raffles Class" you say?
No doubt our policies that tax the road user are intriguing and novel, however, I believe it needs to be fine-tuned somemore as I'm just not seeing its benefits they claimed it would bring - fewer cars lead to jam-free transportation.
And about our government making policy that encourages the take-up of vehicles that utilize alternative fuels or helps people save money in light of record-high petrol proces, just ask anybody who has gone in search for an diesel version of a car - it's non-existant.
I think it's quite poignant now that I catch a Top Gear episode now where the hosts compete to travel from London to Oslo, pitting private transport in the form of a Mercedes SLR travelling via France-Netherlands-Belgium-Germany-Denmark-Sweden-Norway to public transport (boat across the sea straight to oslo). Gotta love these crazy brits!
Some clips from that episode here!
Extracted individual YouTube links for the despos -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JPRVY7dCM2I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NEj2sflrVLs
http://youtube.com/watch?v=15C0MAuSyFU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SYorUMqLe6A
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jQ4pMfu_A4Y
In other news - Evidence my heart rules over my brain...
Yep, after that stance on sustainable energy, I still lust after a BMW, but hey! I want a diesel Beamer!
Over the Air: Embarassing display of brain power when this lone chink actually lost money on the game show "Temptation".
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