I was sitting in a huge traffic jam yesterday on one of the highways. I knew there must be an accident coming up. Then I noticed that WAY behind me was an ambulance stuck behind all the traffic. His lights on. His sirens on. Sitting... waiting patiently with all the other cars/trucks/mopeds/etc. Yes, that's right. You don't have to pull over for emergency vehicles here in Singapore!
No one really pays any attention to emergency vehicles. I saw one the other day waiting to turn in an intersection, lights on, sirens on, and NO ONE let him turn. Isn't that just crazy????
I did some online "research" to figure out why no one pays attention to emergency vehicles here. I read this on one website:
"Remember that a lot of Singaporeans consider an ambulance nothing more than a rich person's ride to an expensive private hospital." And on the same page, someone wrote: "They do say that if you want to get to the hospital fast (and in one piece) here, take a taxi." Someone wrote that they actually witnessed a taxi passing an ambulance (with its lights on and siren blaring).
Thank goodness that we haven't had any emergency that would require calling for an ambulance, but I believe I might dial a taxi instead after what I witnessed the other day.
2 comments:
All I can say is OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Hopefully you won't ever need an ambulance, but like you said.....just call a taxi, or with Brian's driving experience, you would probably get there faster.....a couple of new grey hairs, but faster!!
That is absolutely ridiculous! I am actually really surprised to read this, since Singapore has such strict laws governing so many things! Would NOT be cool if the little ones were in the back of an ambulance! Can you imagine taking a taxi instead?? "Um, excuse me, cabbie, please don't mind the blood gushing from my head. Hospital, please, and STEP ON IT!". Yikes!!!!
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