“Rail network to be further expanded…recent local news (25/8/2015)

Mass Commuting Disruption Caused by MRT Off-Service, are both a "design" and an "outcome".
When news broke that rail network to be further expanded, I am not that excited.

In fact I have reservation that, in the near future this extra rail network may be an added burden to the Transport Ministry or LTA.

It is a bit abnormal to see that since GE2011; The Transport Ministry is seeing baton changing hand that frequently, from Mr. Raymond Lim to Mr. Liu Tuck Yew. What exactly worries me is that, whenever the affected Minister resigns from the Transport Ministry; each time, this Minister left the said Ministry; to a certain extent, I believe, somehow, it is related to MRT earth-shaking breakdown by Singaporean’s yardstick.

To recall, when train breakdown and the un-expected surge in commuters traffic months prior to GE2011; Mr. Raymond Lim, left the Ministry. And just a couple of months before GE2015 (i.e. 7/7/2015 breakdown); Mr. Liu, decided to leave the Ministry too and do not wish to context for the coming GE 2015.

So the follow-up question for after GE2015 will be; by adding more rail networks till 2030s, can the rail operators assure the Transport Ministry that, there will be no similar proportion of train breakdown, like what have had happened on the evening rush hour of 7/7/2015?

In my view, if the Ministry have done all the required processes audit with due diligence, to the current rail network; and if the failure or train breakdown were to happen again within the next 5 years (2015 to 2020);  and whereby its causes are actually related to the natural law of impermanence; and are systemic in nature; then, in my view, this certainly does not warrant the future Transport Minister to resign.

To support my view, I would wish to borrow a know-how from statistic; on the subject of Statistically Process/Quality Control.  

My understanding is that, what the rail network is been subjected to what is known as defective part per million issue (dppm). Assuming the rail network circuitry and processes are already in excellent tip-top conditions; with a process capability of 6-sigma; statistically speaking, there still be 3.4 count of defects or failure that can cause a major train breakdown.

To explain further, our entire rail network is actually fueled to operate by electricity.

The electric current has to be connected in a circuitry manner. However, when there is a small electric disturbance or intermittent in one remote branched-tail end of the circuit; it is capable to affect (in a negative sense of words), the entire electric current supply to operate the trains; leading to the rail network been shut down promptly.

I suspect it is an in-built or been designed electrical system, way back in 1980s.  

Whereby, with just a small electrical fault here or there, the effect is always a mass disruption to the commuters.

With a 3.4 dppm count; by all international quality acceptance standards; this is certainly a negligible defects rate. 

However, the way our current rail network been wired and sewn up; even with just 1 count of electric fault, the rail network will stop operating, and its inconvenience caused is always detrimental to all affected parties.

A lot of caustic remarks will be forthcoming by the public at large; and the Minister or the Transport Ministry and the rail operator will usually suffered the most of this (negative remarks or scolding),  at the other end.

Lastly, the bottom line is whether can the public commuters accept this extremely low defective rate, and be grateful to the Transport Ministry and the rail operators that, for every 1 million trip done; there are 999,997 successful train trips to ferry you from MRT station to your workplace or home; or continue as you wish to increase the caustic intensity of your words to the Ministry and to the rail operator, when there is just 1 train breakdown.

You decide lor.

Driving in difficult situations - Traffic Junction, Raining Day, Taxi, Sharp Corner, L-Driver

Traffic Lights Junction

On the1^st year after passing my class 4A driving licence for omnibus; one traffic offence that I fear most is beating the Red traffic light.  In year one, the maximum demerit point granted is 13.  That is 1 more point than the usual 12. The killer is those “magic box” at the traffic junction. 

Beating the red light and eventually got caught by the camera resided inside this magic box; a sum of 12 demerit points will be slapped onto me. Fortunately, for my 1^st year after passing class 4A licence, I have been a traffic rule abiding driver. Even though I have been driving some 25years in Singapore, I was told, that my previous demerit point of 24 points will no longer applicable; I have to restart with just 13 points only.

So if you are making a long term career as Bus Captain, please get yourself familiar where those magic boxes are been installed along your service route. It would be very stressful to you if you got caught beating the red light and left with only 1 more point to go before your 4A licence got suspended for the rest of the 1^st year.

Right Turning Arrow

On one occasion, while servicing 904, I was called up by my Supervisor to answer a complaint from a passenger. The pax had made a formal complaint to our customer service hotline that; I have attempted to beat the red traffic light.

This is one of the strangest complaints that I ever have. I suspect the pax may either from the TP or LTA.

The problem is not that, I want to beat the red light to save some waiting time; I would be endangering any pax travelling inside the bus by a sudden harsh braking. To me, it is a situational judgement issue. After the reviewing the bus CCTV, whereby the incident been recorded earlier, it was found that, as I was approaching the right turn cross junction, the right turning arrow is  “green”. However, the moment, I reached the last white painted arrow head; it started to blink.

For overall safety; I do not stop the bus then and then. Promptly, I assessed the traffic situation and found it to be safe; and I continue to complete the right turning even though the blinking green arrow turns to red.

Raining day

On raining day, the trip time schedule is difficult to adhere to. It will most probably  be a “lambat” for the trip that been caught in the raining.

First, I need to take extra precaution to drive slower than usual.

Second, I am obligated, as far as possible to alight and board passenger at the Bus Stop that can prevent them from getting wet by the rain. Some older generation of bus stop that still in use, is a little bit small to cover the entire length of the 12M bus. At time, either the boarding pax will get wet or the alighting pax will get wet.

Third, as a due diligent on my part as Bus Captain, whiles it is raining, I have to Queue for my turn to do parallel parking for the bus that is closes to the sheltered bus stop. In this way, the pax will have a minimum exposure to the falling rain.

L-Driver

While, I am on internal-line route service, this is a nightmare.

 It is not the L-Driver driving speed, that I am concern about. It is that they stop at T-junction without signal, and when I wanted to overtake them, they will move the car forward again; and I am in a difficult position to pull the 12M bus back into the left lane. So, I just have to blast the horn as loud as possible.

And when they approach a road hump and “slow down”; they actually stopped the car immediately after negotiating it. When I followed their behind, and because of inertia and momentum of the bus, I do not usually, step on the brake after negotiating the hump, as this will cause unpleasantness to the pax. Because of a near misses of hitting the rear of the “L-plated” car; today, when similar situation arises, I will early slow down the bus and keep a far distant from the “L-driver”.

Sharp corner 

For neighborhoods streets and avenues; not all the road have sufficient turning radius to accommodate the length of the 12M bus. To avoid collision or accident with other vehicle, at time, to negotiate the sharp and narrow corner, the bus will have to mount kerb. My rational is that, avoiding an accident with other vehicle is the 1^st priority.

However, for TP test, you are not allowed to hit the kerb as this will warrant an immediate failure and you have to retake your driving test.

Taxi-Sudden Stop in front after cutting into my path.

I have many near accident misses for this kind of endanger situation bought on by those care-less Taxi Uncle.

The potential taxi pax is waiting by the left road side; I am on the outer left lane, the taxi is on my right. The taxi pax beckons for the taxi, the taxi driver saw it, speed up, over took my bus, and immediately cut into my lane and stop then and then.

This kind of scenario repeated very often.  The problem is that, while the bus is speeding at 35km/hr, it can be stopped on time by braking. Even, when the bus is travelling at 5km/hr and when the brake is applied or jam it, to prevent an impending traffic accident, the passengers inside the bus will certainly take a hit.

 If there do not hold on to the grab post or safety handle, the pax will fall, and caused an incident on board the bus. I will be subjected to HQ safety board of enquiry and on worst case, I may be suspended from service for 3 days with ½ pay only. My record will be that I have caused a “passenger mishap”.

If I could not brake on time, and have the front of my bus kissed onto the back of the taxi; under traffic rule act, I am at the wrong again. With demerit points imposed and got suspended from work for 7 days without a single cent!!

Driving in difficult situations - Pigeon and Mynah

( A pair of pigeon is getting ready to mate)

As in the local news today (26/8/2015); It is certainly a big surprise for me that Mr. Louis Ng Kok Kwong, an animal rights activist and founder of ACRES is a member of the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Nee Soon GRC GE 2015 team.

I hope, if his team got elected as MP; he can help to champion the issue in resolving, the slowly but surely population exposure of Pigeon in Singapore heartlands. In fact, to bring the subject matter closer to Nee Soon GRC, all he needs to do, is, go to the open field near the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and see, how many Pigeons are there in the early afternoon.

For me, I am not keen to have an animal or bird as pet. In Woodlands Regional Interchange, there is a big frock of birds. Predominately, are the common Pigeon and Mynah.

 These birds congregated in this open space of the bus parking lots to catch the much needed water. These birds have learned that, the air-con outlet pipe or orifice from the bus do have drinkable water for their life sustaining requirement.

Whenever the bus is parked at the bay, the birds will come close to take advantage of the air-con water dripping onto the tarred ground.

There are many incidences, whereby a bird or two will get squash by the Bus R196 tyre and you can see how bloody is the scene like with white ivory bones been crushed into pieces and patches of red blood.

To recall, about a month ago, I have to confess that, without any intention to kill them, I think the other day, will crossing the cross traffic junction near Sembawang Sun Plaza; 3 Mynahs gathered at the middle of the road to have a drink, right before the traffic junction in the direction of the bus route.

Upon approaching the 3 Mynahs, I sounded the horn, and those 3 birds started to take off from ground zero. However, as I was passing them, one of them got it’s bearing position wrong; instead of flying to the left and away from of the 2.4M width of bus, this bird actually flew from the bus front towards the rear of the 12M bus. Immediately, I heard knocking sound coming from the under-carriage of the bus. A mynah bird is dead on the road, when I looked at the side rear mirror. Sorry….and wished a better rebirth for that mynah.

 In my view, the pigeon is really a nuisance to me; they will shit as and when they like, their dropping will got caught onto the bus big wind screen and I have to clean the shit away.

I did got good grade for my Biology in GCE “O” level; but Somehow, I could not understand their reproductive system or cycle like. This bird will mate anyway and anytime. Whenever there is an opportunity, they can do it on top the bus or perched  on the side rear mirror. I guess, to them, anywhere is also possible to mate.

When the birds are unwell, they will do sun-bathing, with their wings fully spread. While waiting to warm-up, their motor skill and movement is just like a drunkard. On one occasional, I witnessed this real animal behaviour unfolding in front of me.

This she bird is visibility unwell. However, the he bird (the naughty one), is just cannot wait to do his male propagation duty. He keeps on pecking and pecking the she bird, to order her to keep still so that he can do his job…….

Initially, because of her (sloth and torpor) state, she keeps on swaying to left and right, backward and forward and cannot keep still for the he bird to mate her. Later another 2 bird join in to peck her until she submitted and the mating completed in just a under 2seconds. To me it is a bloody scene. Not to be carried away from what I saw earlier, I have to practice an equanimity mental state for the rest of my day.

However, I think the mynahs are a bit more conservative than those pigeons; actually, till today, I yet to see a pair of mynah mating in front of me.

Lastly, in my view, the pigeon is really a nuisance animal and hopefully Mr. Louis Ng can come out some ideas on how best to promote Pigeon husbandry or farming.  However, not much luck for those poor black crows; that have been culled pretty often, by human.

Do you know which organization is empowered to do this routing crow culling?

GE 2015, is Opposition Parties Ready for a good spar with PAP?

( I wore this authorization badge in GE2011 for an Opposition Party)

In my view, in this current state of affair of the various opposition parties here in Singapore, the answer is  NO.

Why I said so?

With reference to ST Opinion, date 4/4/2015 on the article entitled “The Emotional Commitment that Mr.Lee Inspired” by David Chan; towards the end of this opinion article; there is a topic on “What’s Next” for Singapore after the passing away of Bapa Singapura, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew; and on a particular paragraph; I find it worthwhile and interesting to re-quote and comment for the opposition parties to take heal, it run thus:

“But Singapore’s continued success is not a given or guaranteed.

The Country needs leaders who are capable to lead the Country, trustworthy, citizen-centric with a global outlook..

Leaders who ensure that the fundamental of economics and foreign relation are well taken care off”.

Upon reflecting on the said qualities and attributes above, my remarks and comments for the current state of affair of the opposition parties will be:

Capable to lead the Country – still do not have any opportunity to do so at National Level

Trustworthy – at best “smoking-gun”, on what I so far can understand from the AHPTEC saga

Citizen-Centric – not demonstrated on a large scale. Perhaps, person-to-person within its electoral boundary ward, yes

Foreign Relation – Null, it would be disaster for Singapore, if Opposition Parties took the majority in the coming Parliament.

Even though, in 2000 to 2004, I have done community service as Marsiling RC Secretary, I am no running dog for PAP; and certainly, Neither a running puppy for opposition party. To me, it is another form of National Service. In GE2011, I volunteered and served both as an Election Agent and Counting Agent for an opposition parties. I took an unprecedented 9 days of annual leave for that.

This time round, since I am now working in the public transport industry, I do not have much annual leave days to spare to do some quasi national service as election agent. If the reader so wishes to be part of the modern history of Singapore, and you have the time to spare from 1/9/2015 to 11/9/2015, I urge you to volunteer to be either an election agent or counting agent. Walking the ground and visiting the HDB blocks door by door is very tiring and exhausting. As a counting agent, you will get all the excitement of how the ballot paper is been counted and tally. Enjoy it.

So for GE2015, My wish is that all the opposition parties here to forget and forgive their petty difference, and truly form a credible opposition front to give the PAP’s election candidate an honourable fight.

I believe PAP’s MP candidate itself is also looking forward to it and I re-quote:

A quote from Veteran PAP’s Politician Mr. Charles Chong, “We must give Voters a credible choice”

Good luck and Success to all contesting GE2015 candidates.

Majulah Singapura.

Driving in Difficult Situations - Types of Bus Stop

(Wheel-Chair extension board on a Concave Bus Stop)

I this following blog, I wish to share with you, the reader, on some of the difficult driving situations that I have encountered. This can serve as some background information to you, if you wish to come on board as a Bus Captain later.

Previously, while, driving my own car, I did not notice these kinds of bus stops design and construction. Basically, there are 4 types of bus stop design that I have categorized.

The safest type is the current modern type of bus top, that with a lead-in and lead-out 45 degree angle, that being cut-out adjacent to the left side of the traffic. The difficulty will only arise, as explained in the earlier blog post entitled, “Vehicle parked at Bus Stop”.

The next type is located adjacent to the side of the road but without the 45 degree cut-out. Bus is mandated to stop inside this painted yellow rectangular box. I like this kind of bus stop very much. It is very easily to handle. However, for other road users, they will frown on it, as each time the bus make a call at this kind of bus stop. Do you know why?

Bus stops that situated at either a convex or concave bend of the road; are the most difficult one to handle. Mathematically, with a 12M long bus length; it is not possible to park the bus parallel to the edge of the kerb for both the front and rear of the bus.

If it is a concave type, the bus will be parked in a chord tangent manner; and if it is a convex type, the bus will be parked in a tangential manner. Both are difficult to handle. Some bus stop its curvature is so sharp (i.e. radius not enough), that to board and alight a wheel-chair bound pax is near to impossible! (as shown in the picture here).

As I approach the bus stop, I will tilt the bus front towards the edge of the bus stop and the rear of the bus will be away from the edge of the bus stop. In this way, it is easier for the pax to board the bus. However, for the alighting pax, I am sorry that, there will have some inconvenience caused.

 The standard operational procedure is to keep a 0.5M gap as far as possible between the buses port-side to the bus stop.

The frequent un-satisfactory utterance by pax is “alamak jauhnya”, or “ goodness me, it is too far away”.

On several occasion, a Malay elderly lady will come up to me to give me a hand gesture signal by moving both her hand inwards;  that I must stop the bus as close as possible to the bus cement pavement for a concaved bus stop; so that, her marketing trolley wheel will not got caught in between the gap.

I really, hope, that the pax can understand that it is mathematically not possible to align the bus parallel to a bus stop that been located adjacent to a curved road.  

Driving in Difficult Situations - Vehicle Parked at Bus Stop

(New, Free Parking lot at Bus Stop !)

I do not intend to mince my words here. The driver is selfish and completely lack of understanding and do not empathize the difficulty encountered by BC driving a 12M Bus or 22M Bendy.

Previously it is more rampant for all kinds of vehicle to use the bus stop for their personal requirement. However, with the introduction of CCTV on some specific high density bus stop or major trunk roads (e.g. Jalan Boon Lay), the residence time for these vehicle parked in the bus stop designated zone has been reduced greatly. It is limited to few second to drop off or pick-up someone.

Bus stop designated zone is legally for Public Buses to Stop. Personally, I think other vehicle is also welcome to use it for their “very short duration private intend”. However, please do not park or stop your vehicle at the point of entry into the bus stop. If so needed, vehicle should be parked at the exit area of the forward moving bus. The main reason is that, to avoid hitting or causing a side swipe accident with the said vehicle during the process of entering into the bus stop.

To enter into a particular bus stop, because of the way the vehicle been parked at the entry point of the said bus stop(as shown in the picture); BC has to drive the bus in such manner to cut to the right lane first and immediately cut back to the left into the bus stop. Because of the limited cut-out size of the bus stop, and been obstructed at the entry point, it is very challenging for the BC to get the bus to be parallel to the bus stop for the passengers to alight at ease into the raised kerb.  

Often it is tilted at an angle. I guess, some alighting pax may be thinking that I do not care for their safety during alighting from the bus.  Worst case, they may assume that I intentionally parked the bus in this awkward manner on purpose and causes some inconvenience to them while alighting. Also, this will further complicated matter, when there is a Wheel-Chair bound pax around!

I hope more CCTV can be installed by LTA, and fine those vehicle been parked at the bus stop for more than the reasonable time of dropping and/or picking up someone (not including Wheel Chair). Perhaps a waiting or residence of more than 20 sec can be subjected to a fine by LTA. 

Update: LTA have responded to this illegal with more Camrea!!! Article here from Straisttimes
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/cctvs-reduce-illegal-parking-cases

(Here the Simple version of it)

Letter from Singapore Police Force

(Letter Signed by Commander Traffic Police, Sam Tee)

Today having driven the bus to Changi Airport for 3 round trips for some 10.50hours, with a combined meal and rest time break of 38mins, I am totally exhausted when I reached home.

It has been some time that, I did not open my letter box to collect the delivered letters. Alamak, (Malay for O’ My Gosh) I got a letter (as shown above) from Singapore Traffic Police (STP).

For the last 25 years, I could not recall, I ever received any letter from STP. As a Norm, from time to time, I will get letters from Land Transport Authority (LTA); regarding my car road tax expiry dates or got fine for illegal parking  at the HDB loading bay; or driving through an ERP gantry without a valid cash card been insert into the  car IU; or using the bus lane during restricted period.

Initially, I do not have the guts to open the letter, as my initial reaction is that, I may have been caught for speeding along TPE. When the bus is fully loaded during the peak hours, during down slope motion, the bus speed did exceeded 60KM/hr. Out of concerned for some 110pax packed inside the bus, I usually would not hit the emergency brake that will cause the pax to “lunge” forward and backward.  

Since, I am overwhelmed by fear of being summoned by the STP for a possible traffic offence that could jeopardizes in onward career (at least 2 years to go!), so I did not open the letter as yet.

Vividly, I still can remember that just a couple of weeks ago, I did assisted a Chinese PRC colleague to translate a long English letter, from Traffic Police, with several paragraph that he is required to appear in person in Court somewhere in October 2015; for driving the bus at a top speed of 72.3KM/hr !! , along BKE.

Wow, there is some 20% more than the max allowed speed of 60KM/hr for a heavy vehicle. Taking precedent from previous court ruling, I guess my Chinese PRC colleague will get a 3 month suspension from driving or worst case, (is the end of his driving journey career in Singapore).

So coming back to the letter, after dinner, I finally got the courage to open it, and having read the content of the letter, I have a good LAUGH, ha ha ha……

Like many good drivers in Singapore, according to the letter, it was for a complimentary for STP. Congratulation! For having kept a clean traffic record for the past five years without any demerit points!

Bottom line, if you bought my bus service 858 to Changi Airport, next time, you are certainly being in a safe and good pair of Hands. Thank You.

Bus Captains' Jargon

Jargon - special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group

… Oxford Dictionaries

Majority of the BC Jargon are derived from Malay-Hokkien in words

I am not a stranger to the Bahasa Melayu language. I did obtain a pass for this language proficiency in my 1979 GCE “O” level examination.

“Lambat” the Malay word for Late.  Each service trip, there is a stipulated departure and arrival time in the duty time card. Departure time is the time for the bus to call at the boarding berth. Normally, it can achieve a very high successful rate of within +/-3mins for departure time. However, it is the trip arrival time that it is difficult to achieve. To meet the expected arrival time, at time, the Bus Captain (BC) may be driving the bus in jerking and rocking (accelerating and decelerating) manner just to do his best to catch up with the lost time. More often than not, this will result is an unpleasant ride for you, right?

 “Lari kuat-kuat” the Malay word for accelerating or speeding the bus (max speed 60km/hr). There are 3 possible reasons why the BC does drive the bus in a fast and speedy manner. First, he is very much behind time or lambat and tries his best to catch up the lost time. Second, since meal time is very short (22mins on average); BC would like to arrive a few minutes earlier to have a more dignify makan time. Third, just want to have a slightly longer rest time in between trips or rushing for urgent bio-break (pass motion).

Whenever I can afford to slow down a little for the work-in-progress bus trip; or have some time to spare on the road; perhaps due to favourable “green wave” traffic lights junctions; I will do the “Goyang”, the Malay word for shaking the bus.  Yes, the bus can sway to the right and left as its wheel base to the rear end of the bus is actually been over-hanged in the bus construction design.

“Or bak kar” – a Hokkien word for blue black, totally cannot catch up with the expected arrival time.

“Kena sai” – a Malay Hokkien word for got shit. Usually got scolding from commuters or suffered an incident on board or accident while still on active service.

“Lau kua” – a Hokkien word for sweating form the forehead – that is the bus is extremely full and been overloaded. Meaning too many passengers are onboard the bus lah.

“Besuk punya orang” -  BC colleague is not cooperative or un helpful; to help out by overtaking the front bus, to pick up passengers for the next several bus stops; instead of just following behind the front over-crowded bus.

“OT kau-kau” – too much OT done, max cap 72 hours per month. The Chinese PRC BC is particularly fond of this jargon. try talking to them with "OT Kau-Kau" and  I guess you will get a smile in reply....to your statement.  Life for them, while still in Singapore is “made hay while the sun shines”.

Pyschical Conditioning and Injuries

No pain, no gain…

Bus Steering Wheel Radius

I started driving and owned a car since 1992. I used my car to commute between my home and office. Occasionally, I will take my family up North to Malaysia for some 8 to10hours of driving.

Initially, I was not aware, that, the bus steering wheel radius is so much bigger than my ordinary saloon car.  The older version bus has a radius 3x the size of the car; and fortunately the current newer version of buses is about 2x.

Prior to embarking on this new career journey as Bus Captain (BC); I did not do much psychical conditioning or muscle strengthening to my body. As a result, for the 1^st three months of training and driving thereafter, I suffered much skeletal muscles aches and pains.

Specifically, the muscle of the pectorals major, deltoid, biceps, triceps and rectus abdominis; will be undergoing stress and strain in handling the oversized steering wheel.

 

The hand brake

In the bus, the hand brake is located on the right hand side. It is lever-cam method of positive locking and the ease of release with an upward pull movement. My left hand is my power; however, I am not a left handed person. I write with my right hand and eat with my right hand.

My left hand is used for power and strength movement for example in playing badminton and sweeping and mopping the house. Daily, on an average, I will perform repeat movement of locking and pulling the handbrake for some 200 times using my “weaker” right hand.

After 2 years, I have done some 100K reps for my right hand. In the beginning there is much muscle pain to my entire right hand, from shoulder joint to the extreme end of my fingers!.

 Now , I can see in the mirror that, my right hand biceps is certainly bigger than my left hand and I think, it is also, a much stronger than my left hand now. But it still lacks the dexterity of my left hand lah.

As the result of so many-many repeated hand action, daily, my right palm now is also much rougher than before.

 

My Right Foot, accelerator and brake pedals

In early 2015, my right leg toes were swollen very badly with inflammation. To cure my swollen and infected right big toe, I was given a 6 days of outpatient sick leave by a medical officer from Khoo Teck Puat (KTP) Hospital.

Initially, I sought treatment form Woodlands Polyclinic. This is one of the medical institutions that my company would recognize any medical leave (MC) been issued in Singapore. For the last 30 years working in Singapore; I have not visited any government run clinics. The waiting time in the Polyclinic is very long and very uncomfortable at all. Having waited for close to 3 hours a kind staff approached me and redirected me to another floor; so that the physician can attend to me to sooner.

To me, this is can be considered as a kind of legal way of “Cut Q” and I am grateful for that concession been offered to me.

I showed the kind doctor of my big toe condition. According to him, it has to be operated asap; to release all those fluid been building up inside the big toe. His professional judgement was that, I need to get to a Hospital that have the full facility to operate on me.

He immediately, gave me a Polyclinic referral letter to go to any A&E of my choice. Since KTP is in Yishun and is the closes to where Woodlands is; immediately, together with my son, we drove to this Hospital to seek treatment. The rest is history lor.

I have learned my lesson on how to use, my lower extremist in getting the bus moving forward and stopping. To prevent further recurrence to my right foot toes; I now use the sole of my right foot to do the job.

Because of repeated foot action, the area below and around the small toe of my right foot; corns are continuously growing here and there. Corns are caused by thickening of skin.

 It is very painful whenever; I walked bare footed while at home. The painful feeling is caused by the pressurized contact point of the corns against the hard floor. This has caused repeated physical pain to me. When I could not take it anymore, I will use my finger nails to peel it off to reduce the pressurized pain; the relief is only good for couple of days, and the whole cycle of skin growth and pain will repeat itself and this suffering is going on round and round again.

I guess this unavoidable, and I continued to suffer and bear with this physical pain as it is needed to exert sufficient leg stepping force or pressure to brake and stop the bus.

Beside corns, my right leg muscle of tibialis anterior is the most affected muscle. This set of muscle is used throughout my driving journey. The heel of the leg will act as a fulcrum on the bus floor, and the calf muscles usage is not so strenuous as compare to the tibialis anterior .

The tibialis anterior is a muscle situated on the front of your shin, and primarily is responsible for ankle dorsiflexion, which the up-and-down motion of your foot used to brake and stop the bus.

Right side front window

When reversing the bus, for safety reason, the right side window has to be ajar.   I follow this safety requirement so that, if anyone is horning or shouting at the vicinity to avert an accident, I can be easily picked up the sound. When the window is shut, the audible decibel is much reduced.

When reversing the bus, the rear of the bus is a blind area. Something that is blind to the BC, there is always potential danger lurking around. Unfortunately, almost daily, in the depot and bus interchanges, a lot of bus to bus accident cases happened when the bus is reversing!.

Beside using the right side window as above; it is also often been used by me, for lane changing from the far left lane, cut across, 3 to 4 lane to get to the outer right lane. My personal practice is that for safety and to give a positive signal to the on rear oncoming vehicle. Having opened this right side window; I now can easily stretch out my right hand in an affirmative manner and “telling” the vehicle behind me, that, I am now cutting cross the lanes and please give way. Of course, I will have the right signal lights, on, throughout this process of negotiating the lane switching.

My right hand deltoid muscle does have pain from time to time because of this repeated opening and closing of the right side window of the bus.

      

Engine Compartment Door

The bus engine capacity is a 12,000cc power plant that can carry some 110pax in one go. It is located at the rear of the 12M long bus. With this engine size, diesel consumption is like drinking water. On the average, a liter of diesel can only move the bus no more than 3KM.  The engine compartment door is fastened with two resistant hinges. 

The engine cover door is big, and I need several pound of muscle strength to open it. For 1^st parade task; it is mandated that, this engine door to be opened to check; the engine oil level; power steering oil level, belts and radiator water are in order even before I can crank or start the engine.

To open this large door, I will use both hand to grip the handle and keeping my both feet in parallel position, and in one motion of using my pelvic and lower back strength to yank it open.

Closing the door is also a chore. In order to close the door properly, it is necessary to confirm that positive locking on both far end of the door are secured. Normally, I will my buttock to it slam it close. Hurray, done!

I am a mid-heavy weight person by Asian standard. I am about 85Kg and 1.75M tall. Personally, I find it difficult to manage this opening and closing of the engine compartment door, and at time, I wander how those lady BC or smaller built BC can manages this 1^st parade task day-in-day-out without a noise from them!!, how lah.