ERP - Rates to be displayed at all gantries?

"Some gantries already have an electronic board alongside the gantry serving the same purpose but, as Transport Minister Raymond Lim conceded in Parliament earlier this year, these are sometimes too small for the motorists to read . . . The tab for the 70 gantries therefore comes to $4.55 million." So wrote Maria Almenoar of Straits Times 12 May 2008.

WTFF? And I don't mean 'what the fish for'? Maybe $4.55 million is small change to our very rich Minister Raymond Lim but, WTFF?

What purpose would it serve anybody, especially the motorists, to know how much he's got to pay to pass. Does he actually have the choice to make a "considered decision" within 100 metres to reverse or take another exit if he feels that ERP fee is not agreeable to him! Maybe it'll create more accidents when some skinflint motorists stop suddenly and/or swerve to the left exit (if there's one in the first place) to avoid paying the ERP? Or will it create more stress for taxi drivers when passengers decide to change their minds when they see the big display of ERP charges? WTF! I think it's better to burn the $4.55 million. At least it'll generate some light and heat!

Seriously, when they can bitch so much and make it so difficult in increasing $30 to $290 per month in PA (Public Assistance) to the poorest of the poor in Singapore (ok, I understand that they have finally improve on it to more than $300 now), why are they so free and easy with $4.55 million when it comes to silly political cosmetics such as this?

With 70 gantries now collecting days and some nights, maybe it's plain peanuts (Mrs Goh Chok Tong's kind?) in spending $4.55 million to show WTFF. The return of investment is still 'ho seh' leh! (great!)

Then again, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan spent $400,000 to change the name of Marina Bay in 2005 to Marina Bay.

So what's new?

Same crap, different time?

feedmetothefish.