http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20120730-362299.html
The sound of a car horn blaring into the night is a barometer of sorts in this estate.
It measures the anger quotient of someone whose right of way has been blocked by an illegally parked car.
Says one resident of at Jalan Sembilang in Upper Thomson Road, who declined to give his name: "I told a driver that it's not so wise to park here because you could get a fine. "You know what the driver told me? 'It's okay, uncle, I can afford it.'"
B is for bad
Just how bad is the problem?
Data on parking summonses in private estates aren't categorised, but figures provided by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) show an overall rise in summonses issued for illegal parking.
An LTA spokesman says that in the first two months since the LTA took over the enforcement of illegal parking on Nov 1, 2010, about 22,000 summonses were issued per month.
The following year, the figure rose to about 25,000 a month.
No wonder some residents are fed up.
C is for congestion
One Mr Eu, whose shop, Tai Huat Tyres and Batteries, has been in business for 20 years, says illegal parking is a problem no one seems to have a solution to.
He says that after the road beside his shop, Jalan Keli, was made into a two-way road in recent months, things got worse.
"It's havoc on weekends when you have the foodie crowd, the illegally parked cars and those leaving after church services," he says.
"Just last month, a luxury car driver entering Jalan Keli refused to move out of the way as cars were leaving the church nearby. It caused a 20-minute jam and a few loud exchanges."
But it's hard to blame the driver and those leaving the church as the the lane leading out of Jalan Keli and into Upper Thomson Road is usually blocked by a row of illegally parked cars.
D is for damage
Residents have told Mr Kalidas, a retiree who had written to The Straits Times, that their cars have been nudged by passing garbage trucks,which try to squeeze past illegally parked cars.
E is for excuses
So, why do people park illegally knowing that there's a hefty fine involved?
The common reasons offered seemed to be a lack of parking spaces, says one driver, who gave his name only as Mr Devaraj.
This reporter approached him on Thursday evening as he parked his car along Siglap Drive.
"It's just for a short while," says Mr Devaraj.
"I'm just going to buy food from the coffee shop and I'll be out of the way."
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