ERP rates must least triple to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for Singapore. - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#15068397
ERP rates must least triple to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for Singapore.
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(And parking rates too).

This is because roads are a major cause of flooding and urban heat and by extension, unhappiness in Singapore.

Roads occupies 12% of land area in Singapore https://www.mot.gov.sg/About-MOT/Land-T ... d-Network/ (all buildings only occupy 13%) and many buildings are now green meaning that they are covered with planters and thus recycle rain water for plant use.

Roads however are black, absorb and radiate much heat and are a big cause of flooding because they are designed to drain off surface water quickly to prevent vehicles skidding and are often served by large drains due to their wide girth which may be up to 5 or more lanes across, especially along certain expressway regions in just one direction.

Roads are also a large source of global warming vs carbon emissions as well as highly pollutive from disel and other fossil fuel burning.

Roads are also a source of unhappiness because they block the otherwise straight paths which cyclists and pedestrians may take, make the weather hot and uncomfortable and reduce tree shade for pedestrians because most roadside trees are severely pruned. Drivers are also inconsiderate to cyclist and frequent overtake without adequate safety distance and also fail to give way at zebra crossings and also ignore red light signals. More policemen patrolling the road on bicycles should rein in such errant motorist behaviour.

More 24 hours bicycle-bus lanes should thus be requisitioned so people can exercise and commute 24/7 at zero cost at all. E-scooters should be allowed to use these lanes like cyclist provided their devices are inspected and users properly licensed and all vehicles able to share bicycle-bus lanes shall have LTA provided, tamper proof cameras installed (police, public bus etc) so any accidents or disputes with cyclist can be readily resolved.

Expressways can be reduced by one lane to facilitate building of an additional walking /bicycle path which will be raised and accommodate many more trees and greenery to keep the city cool and give pedestrians and cyclist a rainforest travel experience whilst limiting flooding of lowland areas since surface run off is minimised with narrower paths (the soil below paths sustains tree roots and absorbs rain water).

The provision of a significant network of bicycle paths is also for national security reasons besides cooling the city and reducing the flood problem. Even if MRT use is disabled either due to terrorist attack or highly infectious disease outbreak (like the present COVID-19 situation where government is giving each taxi and PHV driver a subsidy of $20/day https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/si ... s-12431086 ), the citizens will remain resilient since they are confident of using personal means of transport to most places in Singapore within 20 kms to and fro since 40km is the usual range of e-scooter technology at this current time, or use the bicycle as an even cheaper and much healthier option, whether by bicycle path or with reasonable safety on bicycle - bus lanes which shall operate 24 hours on normal roads (single file cycling allowed however during public bus operating hours).


In conclusion,
Bicycle-bus lanes and increased ERP charges are the silver bullet to all of Singapores challenges and problems. It will reduce diabetes rates as citizens fitness is improve as they cycle everywhere in Singapore, it will solve the flooding problem with reduce space occupied by roads, it will achieve LKY air con nation dream by reducing ambient temperatures by 6 degrees C (rainforest conditions) with more plant greenery.

As a bonus, tourism will increase as Singapore will be a must visit place for tourist who want to experience a modern lifestyle in joyful harmony with nature: able to cycle on major roads 24/7 and access amenities a cosmopolitan city has to offer, feeling the rejuvenation associated with exercise and the ectasy of unlimited hawker food of which calories they would healthily burn off en route on bicycle to their next tourist destination. Naturalist will flock to Singapore to learn our biocentric model of urban planning and renewal and gather in Singapore for MICE events where the global fight against climate change is coordinated and led. Citizens work productivity will sky rocket as people feel empowered and lines of inequality broken since everyone rich or poor can now cycle anywhere at zero costs at all. Exercise is also an antidepressant and fitter employees are definitely more productive at work. Birth rates will also increase as fitter people experience fewer impotence related problems and fitter females have much fewer fertility problems.

Doubling the ERP rate is a critical first step to save Singapore and for humanity not to be drowned and mired in climate change, social inequality, chronic lifestyle disease (exponential public health care costs) , etc and other modern day national problems.

And even tourist will flock to Singapore to checkout what true happiness and bliss is about.

Glossary:
ERP: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Road_Pricing

Pictures :
Bicycle-bus lanes (prototype for Singapore (unobstructed by motor vehicles causing congestion) ) :
Image

Naturally very cooling environment inside 'Rainforest Trail' at Singapore Botanic Gardens:
Imagefrom https://youngnautilus.com/gallery/rainforest-trail/

Reckless taxi driver knocked down cyclist on left lane along (empty) Road at 6am (would have been avoided if 24/7 bicycle lanes were in operation at that time)
https://youtu(dot)be/TU_nYvZu7ns
[youtube]TU_nYvZu7ns[/youtube]
news report: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ ... om-driving
Last edited by BicCherry on 20 Feb 2020 04:25, edited 1 time in total.
#15068400
Look at how Denmark and Belgium have dealt with it.

You're going to have to increase mass transit, and actively discourage driving. Denmark has a 100% tax on cars, for example. Dividers like bollards or small curbs help a lot.

In Denmark, if you hit somebody, you are automatically guilty. That gives people real incentive to not be aholes. I'd really like to see that in my country.

Intellectually, this is easy. But the politics can be a nightmare.
#15068504
late wrote:Look at how Denmark and Belgium have dealt with it.

You're going to have to increase mass transit, and actively discourage driving. Denmark has a 100% tax on cars, for example. Dividers like bollards or small curbs help a lot.

In Denmark, if you hit somebody, you are automatically guilty. That gives people real incentive to not be aholes. I'd really like to see that in my country.

Intellectually, this is easy. But the politics can be a nightmare.
To be fair, Singapore already has an extensive and well-invested public transport.
#15068505
fatboi666(hwz)  wrote:https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat- ... t125269004

not only that, GST must be 20% to help the poor ma

LoveHurtsDeeply(HWZ)  wrote:yes, do that please... when logistic cost increase... expect your daily bread and butter commodities to go in relative as well... more people ditch cars better... lesser revenue for the govt, seek alternatives for tax to recoup...


Image

Thanks for all your feedback , I have since updated the main title to clarify that ERP rates must actually increase by 3 folds or more. .....

And nope, gahmen already said increase in GST is mainly for healthcare cost, ostensibly because Sinkies live stressful and sedentary lifestyles and there is significant unused vacant capacity on roads at night for bicycle transportation and exercise.

Once a person has bought a bicycle, he may not need anymore public transportation subsidies and even the expensive government contracted public bus services can be reduced when most people cycle/ e scooter for last mile/ short trip distances.

National healthcare costs will plummet when people are happier and healthier cycling (less sedentary lifestyles) so the GST revenue increase will no longer be required.

Delivery and tourism are all very lucrative and non sedentary jobs suited for those typically categorised as 'poor' people. These jobs will boom in new economy with increased demand for home errands and deliveries, increased Eco tourism and MICE events going on wrt sustainable living. So since healthcare costs budget is down and every poor Singaporeans owns his own PMD which he can use to transport himself anywhere in Singapore, GST might even be able to REDUCE a percentage or two in view of government cash transfers reduction since Singaporeans are now in majority self sufficient and not dependent on government handouts.

Yes, goods delivery cost may even reduce with AI driven technology to improve economies of scale for goods/ logistics deliveries and cyclist or e-scooter delivery riders provide bespoke delivery service of goods from goods distribution nodes right up to doorstep. Only the senior management executives who demand personal limousine service will see transportation costs increase but anyway, their salary scale is so high already.

ERP may only happen in daytime hours, nothing is to stop deliveries from happening at night. Night shift workers can exercise and safely cycle to work to receive these deliveries before dawn too.

To LoveHurtsDeeply, there is no stopping ERP rate and parking charges from rising to 4 times or more what it is now or even petrol prices too, if customs can charge a tax on the vacant petrol tank capacity of cars exiting Singapore and an exit fee for cars exiting Singapore more than 1 time/ week. Satellite ERP can even impose surge ERP pricing and increase ERP by 10 folds during peak hours of the day. Even if road tax related revenues decrease, the overall benifit to the Singapore society and economy will more than compensate for this revenue lost (e.g. flood prevention expenditure can be cut back significantly when the green areas and soil conditions are improved significantly upon), highly talented expatriates used to cycling to work in their own advanced cosmopolitan countries will also feel at home working or migrating to Singapore too, thus benefiting the Singapore economy.

Image
#15068511
maipenrai (sgtalk)  wrote:My opinion is bicycles and buses don't mix. If the cyclists do not get run down by the buses, the bicycles would slow the buses down to cycling speed. I have witnessed this to be true even on weekends when the traffics are light.

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All longer distances should be served by train rides for economies of scale reasons since trains are automatic and have the highest capacity. Buses will mainly be for feeder services so people will need to transfer between the two modes if they travel beyond their local town vicinity.

Buses will always be slow, more so with more handicapped persons around since much bus floor space will have to be catered to wheelchair users because they are much less nimble, have much shorter range than escooters or bicycles and no other travel option. All bus passengers will have to wait for the wheelchair users to slowly board and disembark and since wheelchair users always have priority to board buses, non wheelchair users may well remain stranded at bus stop if there is no space thereafter to board. Bus passenger should thus consider themselves lucky to travel by bus at cycling speed or less home, assuming they manage to board their select bus service at first instance. Otherwise, they too should opt for the bicycle or e-scooter option for their last mile home too, or just walk home from the train station and consider that their daily exercise dose.

And yes, bus lanes need to be widened so buses can safely overtake single file cyclist with wide berth, who are cycling on bicycle-bus lanes during public bus service hours.
#15068516
lazysundae(HWZ)  wrote:https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat- ... t125270782
====================

nonsense it's the number of COEs just halve it

Sent from YNWA at Anfield using GAGT

PHV driver spotted.

Politically not palatable to increase COE prices further because will cause a lot of unhappiness and disruption to those planning to buy a car.

PAP ministers salary is already at world record levels, so car prices is not another record which the PAP cabinet will want to be know for. In any case, COE numbers have since stopped increasing, so new COE issuance are based on old COEs expiring or prematurely surrendered for refund claims made.


Some people also like to own cars as status symbols or as security blanket, e.g. many old folks who will take bus or cycle to go out to makan during dry/ hot weather but drive when it is wet and cold outside because afraid will slip and fall down when taking public transportation, or go grocery shopping or bring sick family member to see doctor (because they are technology unsavy and dunno how to hail grab/ have wheelchair) , or even as insurance when public transport breaks down; but they are otherwise very happy with highly subsidised public transportation which they will choose 95% of time.

COE is also too blunt an instrument and can cause instability in car prices as u can see the 10years COE prices yoyo and easily double in a 10years peak-trough period, this kind of instability already stressful to business and individuals alike, so any COE cuts are unwarranted for the time being. A sudden cut will cause car prices to spike and consequent political resistance against ERP increase which is actually the target objective being most equitable and most effective and the focus of this discussion.

ERP rates increase is very very acceptable because it allows for the maximum possible population to own cars, yet reduce road space to reduce urban warming, reduce water flooding as well as make way for increased bicycle paths and shady pedestrian pathways to achieve Lee Kuan Yew's 'Air con nation' in the most natural and equitable way.

With cooler urban temperatures environment and naturally shaded bicycle paths (lush like rainforest walk at botanic gardens), bicycle transportation will be attractive and natural alternative to driving a car. Consider road use for haulage of heavy cargo or emergency use where one is late and need to get to destination fast or is involved in a grand event like marriage or funeral procession enroute to crematorium. Only such important/large group activities necessitate private motor vehicle transportation which would obviously entail not insignificant road toll. All other private/ personal transportation is best conducted on lush greenery surrounded and shaded bicyle paths. Good for private contemplation and acknowledging mother Earth. Technology should be leveraged so more can do teleconferencing and work from home and less academic persons do door to door deliveries in a comfortable and natural environment akin to travelling within the Singapore Botanical Gardens Rainforest Walk. If Singapore wishes to progress from an economy of dirty heavy industries to a true service and knowledge based economy, then Singapore must provide an inclusive and high quality of life to migrants, expatriates, locals and even tourist who work and play here, which means feeling safe on roads whether one is on public transportation, car or bicycle where nobody cuts in without warning or exits slip road without care. Where the rule of law prevails and all modes of transportation are equal, each for their own unique reasons although the unique specifics for each mode will defer.

ERP charges is thus the most equitable and progressive policy to help Singapore move forward and over come future challenges as one united people.... "so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation".


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SG Parliament clapping hands:
Image

Glossary:
"COE": https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certifi ... ntitlement
#15068533
Geylang Prawn Seller(HWZ) wrote:https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat- ... t125274091
================


actually he got a point

coe is too expensive. erp and petrol is too cheap

tax the usage of cars on congested roads. why tax the car itself when some people use their cars more than other people


Think the army of arrogant and self entitled PHV drivers have become a force to be reckoned with because they use 9x the mileage of an average normal (non PHV) family sedan car. "...400km a day, ... ... more than double what a single-shift taxi will register on average, as well as nine times the mileage of an average family car."- https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ ... ay-experts

Thus the unabashed and antisocial campaigning out of self interest with their beggar thy brother approach. (They believe that COE cuts will yield them more customers as owners ditch cars whilst an ERP rate reduction will increase their profit margins- typical tragedy of the commons mentality which will do Singapore in.

At least 'geylang prawn seller' is a virtuous person, able to see right from wrong and can see that these cheapskate PHV drivers are just trying to free load on limited supply public goods.


But we know the character of these arrogant cheapos , many whose driving behavior is nothing near safe nor perfect.

Thank you Geylang Prawn Seller for speaking truth to power. It is reassuring to find out that in Singapore, there are still sensible and honest Singaporeans around.

Glossary:
PHV: more about 'private hire vehicles': https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/si ... l-11786370
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