Today I decided to write on a rather mundane, simplistic topic which many of us (at least in my network) wouldn’t think of in our routine lives.
I think I might have written about this topic in the past, but not sure. My regular audience will surely know of repeatitis (!), though the language could be different this time.
The other day I decided to take a bus to my eye clinic which is located just less than 3 KMs away from my home. I debated about driving and parking nearby, which I would have normally done, but ultimately decided to save the earth from climate emissions from my car (!). The actual reasons for not driving to the eye clinic were: (1) you got to wait for a possible indeterminate length of time, though usually it would be around 30 minutes or less; (2) they would surely dilate your pupils (so that the pupils expand) in preparation for eye scanning; and (3) of course, it may not be safe to drive on the way back home, which will then force me to spend time and money on nearby shopping waiting for my eyes to clear up fully.
So, I took the bus. All public transport buses in Singapore are air-conditioned (as are the MRT trains), and so one cannot complain about the heat from the tropical sun. Neither can anyone complain about rains as almost everyone carries a sometimes hidden umbrella. And as a senior citizen, I enjoy concessionary rate for all public travels (around one-third cheaper). The bus stops are situated just at the doorstep of my condominium building. So, there is really no excuse.
The bus rides in Singapore are always smooth (VOLVO buses) as the roads are very good and the drivers are cautious. I have never seen an instance of the bus driver trying to move away when the boarding or de-boarding is not completed, or he / she not stopping at a bus stop when you wave at the bus to stop. The bus bays are clearly marked, so the bus stop does not hold up any traffic on the road.
I went to the clinic, and was handled with clinical precision (!). This blog post is not just about public transportation, but also about eye care (!!). Apart from the usual tests (when the nurse asks you to read the letters), the clinic conducted three scans on three different machines. And, surprise. Everything was over in less than 45 minutes.
At home, we always discuss about the possibility of returning to India at some time in future. That future never seems to arrive, rather it keeps getting postponed well into the future! The issue for us has always been the necessity for good public infrastructure and high efficiency in delivery of public services. I am yet to meet any government official or bureaucrat in Singapore in the past 25 years (before that I did as I had to visit the Immigration Office).
I believe India is well on its way towards the Singapore model, though it might take around 10 to 20 years in my considered opinion. Comparison with Singapore is mostly inappropriate because India is huge and Singapore is just one city-state.
The positive ability to leave one’s car at home and take public transport has immeasurable benefits, though I have to complain that Singaporeans are more prone to drive out at any and every opportunity. Even if the bus stops are just located outside your own building or the MRT station is just a couple of hundred metres away. Government here has been trying hard for a long time to move people away from personal transportation, but I guess it has failed. The result? Huge cost for anyone willing to spend on a car in terms of the CoE (Certificate of Entitlement) which is a monthly auction based determination of the cost of a piece of paper allowing one to drive one’s own car. It is not the price of the car itself. No wonder even CNN Global wrote about the price of CoE recently (just google or bing it).
There are over 650,000 cars and nearly a total of million vehicles overall in Singapore, in a land area of 800 Sq KMs. This density is not sustainable for the long term.
People have to change their routine. But even I am not prepared fully to do that, though I am all for climate change restrictions. If I need to drive 20 KMs for some work, I prefer to drive as it would take me not more than 20 – 25 minutes, compared to nearly an hour on public transport using a mix of bus and MRT. The latter is still a better option from the cost point of view.
I made a decision not to continue driving in couple of years when my own CoE expires, which means I have to scrap my current car (you can own the car only for 10 years, unless you are in “love” with your car and decide to do a final extension of the CoE by another 5 years). I think it might be more prudent to use a mix of taxis, buses and MRT trains for almost any destination in such a small city. Why bother to pay a sky-high auction price (current month’s auction exercise dropped the prices, though it would still be around US$ 100,000 for engine capacity of 1,600 cc or more – not the car price, but the cost of the piece of CoE paper) combined with the car price, on top of which we have to pay insurance and road tax every year, and on top of which we need to pay tolls and parking fees?
It just does not make economic sense, especially in a city with such an excellent public transportation and public infrastructure.
So, life’s routine has to be prepared for a drastic change. It would be drastic as the convenience factor plays on your mind. There is no “status” symbol in having a car here as it was some couple of decades ago. The youngsters are moving away from the 5C principle (Car, Condo, Country/Golf Club, Cash and Credit Card) which was a very popular materialistic dimension of success in the Singapore city. Now, young people are worried about the one C which matters most in a small island with sea all around – it is Climate Change.
Well, I better get ready with two years to go, after which I will have no personal car. Imagine taking on that kind of commitment in a larger country. But, I think younger generation has already moved on.
We all should be better prepared. Electric Vehicles (EV) are not the answer because their batteries deplete critical minerals from the earth, and they, in any case, occupy the same space on the road.
Think of your life without a car.
Have a good weekend,
Cheers,
Vijay Srinivasan
25th November 2023