Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Weekend Car

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Weekend Car

Dear Mr Tan,

In March, my husband drove his weekend car on a weekday to run our errants. In the evening, my pet dog passed away. We forgot to apply for a e-day licence due to arrangement for cremention of my pet. The next day, my husband remembered and went down personally to LTA to seek their assistance for the oversight. To our surprise, we received a fine of $500 for this omission 3 months later !
I tried to appeal to LTA, as this was not an "intentional cheating" and had reported it the following day. However, they refused to waive the fine of $500!
This "e-system" was implemented in January to convenient people with weekend cars. However, it is also a "TRAP" if we forgot to apply for the e-day licence. Just imagine a fine of $500 for a first time offence, imposed on an honest owner who reported the oversight!
EL

14 comments:

Anonymous said...: You have a good case. Go see your MP, seriously.; June 23, 2010 10:33 PM
Lye Khuen Way said...: Let me say that I was amazed when the LTA announced this new e scheme.
Sound so friendly/accommodating, but I suspected from the start that there will be sad stories.

If, technology can be so good, why not just make it automatic for the
In-Car ERP gadget to "pay" as soon as the car move more than say, 100 meter from 0700hrs till 1900 hrs.

I was one of the first Week-end car drivers decade ago. Old fashion coupon-tearing was never an issue. In fact, so used to driving only "off-peak" , I was fined for going through the ERP Gantry without my Cash Card inserted when I drove on my days off on a normal weekday !

So what is in store ? After more such sad stories, LTA will rolled out a improved version, akin to what should be the Fool proof -1st time got-it-right system. But we will have to wait for the next GE.; June 23, 2010 10:50 PM
Anonymous said...: Continue to vote incorrectly, and you will continue to have this problem.

Vote correctly, and sooner or later, this problem will be solved.

Alternatively, go see your MP. And share your experience here with us.; June 24, 2010 8:55 AM
Anonymous said...: REX comments as follows,

Unfortunately i have no sympathy for this case. Owners of weekend car know very well that they are saving tens of thousands of dollars in COE, etc., due to the unique arragnements.
If there is any sypmathy for those who do not follow the procedures for whatever reasons, it is very very difficult to administer the system. Since the fine is high (by design as agreed at time of purchase of weekend car), probably all users will come up with excuses to mitigate. If you were the judge how do you distinguish?

The fine is large, agreed. But in consideration of the special status of weekend cars, it is a responsbilbility of the users to observe their responsibilities, otherwise the system is impossible to administer.

rex; June 24, 2010 8:57 AM
Anonymous said...: Forget is not a good excuse
Drive in London(also e-system and implemented long time ago)forget to pay up and you know what I meant; June 24, 2010 10:02 AM
Anonymous said...: Agreed that forget is not an excuse. However, since the case was reported to LTA, why then such a high penalty for 1st timer ?; June 24, 2010 3:12 PM
Anonymous said...: EL,

One question: do you have the document proof such as a receipt or invoice for the cremation of your pet? If you have, I beleive LTA will consider your appeal. If not, sorry no chance for your appeal. Since anyone can just try to cook up a story or excuse.; June 24, 2010 6:32 PM
Anonymous said...: No use to object, our Govt is short of money, and officials are told to fill up the tin. Maybe the SWFs' losses got to do with it. So just remember this expensive lesson.; June 24, 2010 9:57 PM
Anonymous said...: Sad to note that your pet dog died in a Fine City.
Laws are Laws and we have to respect the Law with regard to driving a Weekend car during the week in a Fine City?.....As Weekend car is for Weekend Driving simple as that!; June 24, 2010 10:11 PM
Anonymous said...: hypothetically, and I'm curious, if husband had not "gone down personally to LTA to seek their assistance for the oversight", could this have been avoided altogether ?; June 25, 2010 12:13 AM
SL said...: fyi, the story doesnt sounds oxymoron.

it was mentioned that on the day itself he forgotten to apply for the elicense. and he went down the next day to LTA to explain??

it is stated v v clearly in their website that the user can apply for the e license till the next day before 2359hrs.

i am sorry, i dun buy his story.; June 25, 2010 12:43 AM
Anonymous said...: Is our Gahment trying to tell us "Dun be so honest in future" ? At least if u dun report the case, there is a chance u may not get fined the $500 !; June 25, 2010 9:44 AM
Unknown said...: Maybe you prefer to pay $10,000 fine for not applying the e-day licence at all.

SMS the vehicle registration number, timing and location to
"77LTA" (77582)
whenever you spot any off-peak car travelling during peak hour.

Let LTA investigates on the validity of e-day licence.; December 17, 2010 10:03 PM
Unknown said...: LTA is too rigid. To them, seem like forgot is unacceptable. They regards forget to pay elience is an serious offend. What at crap. I still see many on the road driving like roller coaster. LTA is getting bad image of not caring.; April 23, 2011 2:09 AM