Which country doesn't have its own quirks? Find out the funny and absurd things in Singapore here.
2. Taxi queues
In a crowded day walking past a shopping centre taxi stand, you'll find an incredible picture: a long line of mall-goers patiently waiting in queue for a taxi. Occasionally, 1 or 2 empty taxis will arrive, but those at the end of the line will have to wait for another hour to get their vehicle. Can't picture a more ridiculous picture? How about when there is plenty of taxi and plenty of customers waiting but they must meet up at one single designated point, so only the head taxi can fetch a passenger. The result is an endless queue of taxi and people.
Why is this so? The answer is to prevent the chaotic taxi fighting... but c'mon! Cut the slack off, cabbies! They'd wait for another half an hour in line rather than picking you up off queue.
Read more about taxi in Singapore here.
3. Owning a car
Having a car in Singapore is a sheer nightmare. Government has created a lot of barriers to entry for new car owners. The outlandish automotive tax can skyrocket your car price multifold. On top of that, you'd have to obtain a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) to the car that goes in the system of bidding, akin stock market. And that certificate doesn't come in cheap: at July 2011 the price has gone over $70,000 per COE. So the overall cost of a new car is equal to Registration fee + Cost Price + Road Tax + COE + additional registration fee (140% of OMV) and customs duty (31% of OMV).
In short, for the money that you buy a cheap-o Mazda 3 here, you could afford yourself a beefed up in specs Mercedes-Benz S-class in most other countries.
4. "Choping" tables
If you're not familiar with Singaporean foodcourt system, here's the breakdown: you have lots of food stalls and kiosks surrounding a big space filled with seatings and tables for the patrons. Seats are on a first-come-first-serve basis, so once you've found an empty table, mark it like a dog marking trees. Most people use the ubiquitous marking item - tissue bag. Once a tissue paper the size of a card deck is on the table, the ownership is claimed and hell would be raised if the tissue is gone. Amazing but it works with most of other items you have in hand: bags, umbrellas, books, newspapers, face cream, neck tie, I've even seen purses and handphones!
I once knew a lady who left her laptop at one of the ever-crowded foodcourt for 3 hours, just to come back and find it at the exact same spot. People have thought the laptop was the "choping item".
Don't ask me where did the word "choping" come from, I have no clue :P
5. Illegal gathering
6. "Low crime doesn't mean no crime"
...and I'm talking about the campaign posters. Yes, sure, Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world (hang on, isn't it THE safest?), so it seems like the officials deem that people don't know about the realities of life. How else would you explain the extensive ads across the city à la "move away if someone stands or sits exceptionally close to you" posters?
7. Chewing gums
Banned chewing gums. Nationwide. There is no Wrigley's for you here, opt for a Mentos as the closest substitute. In fear of vandalism and to protect the immaculate image of the country, chewing gums are banned for nearly two decades now. Although you can purchase your chewy delights from local pharmacies with a submission of your name and ID card, it's only a "therapeutic" and "dental" solutions. Some have voiced that "it’s easier for 16-year-olds to visit prostitutes than it is to get chewing gum here" since prostitution is apparently legal in the country.
If you have noticed other interesting facts, please leave it in the comment section below!
1. Hot coffee in a bag
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| Coffee in a plastic bag |
This is one item I always use to bemuse my friends visiting Singapore. Order a hot takeaway morning coffee and be amazed. The coffee more often than not will be poured onto a plastic bag! With a straw! Have you ever tried sipping boiling water from a straw? You can try your luck and I'd like to hear the result. However this has been a common practice and people are completely oblivious about its absurdity.
2. Taxi queues
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| Hundreds of people at a taxi queue in Vivocity shopping centre at around 10pm |
Why is this so? The answer is to prevent the chaotic taxi fighting... but c'mon! Cut the slack off, cabbies! They'd wait for another half an hour in line rather than picking you up off queue.
Read more about taxi in Singapore here.
3. Owning a car
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| Luxurious showroom in Singapore |
In short, for the money that you buy a cheap-o Mazda 3 here, you could afford yourself a beefed up in specs Mercedes-Benz S-class in most other countries.
4. "Choping" tables
If you're not familiar with Singaporean foodcourt system, here's the breakdown: you have lots of food stalls and kiosks surrounding a big space filled with seatings and tables for the patrons. Seats are on a first-come-first-serve basis, so once you've found an empty table, mark it like a dog marking trees. Most people use the ubiquitous marking item - tissue bag. Once a tissue paper the size of a card deck is on the table, the ownership is claimed and hell would be raised if the tissue is gone. Amazing but it works with most of other items you have in hand: bags, umbrellas, books, newspapers, face cream, neck tie, I've even seen purses and handphones!
I once knew a lady who left her laptop at one of the ever-crowded foodcourt for 3 hours, just to come back and find it at the exact same spot. People have thought the laptop was the "choping item".
Don't ask me where did the word "choping" come from, I have no clue :P
5. Illegal gathering
Keeping in mind that Singapore is pretty much a first world country with one of the highest GDP per capita makes this fact even more astonishing. You are not allowed to have "any assembly or procession of 5 or more persons in public", says the law. It applies to demonstrations, commemorations, other commercial or non-commercial publicizing, so at least you still can sit around at the park with your buddies in peace. But just so you know, it can be used against you. This is how Singapore government breaks opposition parties and demonstrators (which are not allowed as well) from creating protest marches.
I remember being chased off of my backyard by police patrols when I sat down with a few friends to have a quiet midnight meeting. Maybe it's a totally different law though.
6. "Low crime doesn't mean no crime"
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| A poster spotted in MRT trains |
7. Chewing gums
Banned chewing gums. Nationwide. There is no Wrigley's for you here, opt for a Mentos as the closest substitute. In fear of vandalism and to protect the immaculate image of the country, chewing gums are banned for nearly two decades now. Although you can purchase your chewy delights from local pharmacies with a submission of your name and ID card, it's only a "therapeutic" and "dental" solutions. Some have voiced that "it’s easier for 16-year-olds to visit prostitutes than it is to get chewing gum here" since prostitution is apparently legal in the country.
If you have noticed other interesting facts, please leave it in the comment section below!
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