LIFT: Of buses and monopoly

First of all, YES! *pumps arm repeatedly* It seems that Blogger has fixed the image upload problem and now images can be uploaded without a hitch. Thus, I won't be using Imageshack for the time being. And Small Cat Journal will be updated too, after I'm done here.

Here are the 2 LIFT that I did not cover in my previous post. This one belows speaks of the problems faced when taking the bus during peak hours and provides some suggestions, which, in my opinion, are not very helpful. Again, click on the image to view.










My reply:

Dear Miss Yeo,

Like many Singaporeans, I too rely heavily on public transport. However, unlike you, I'm smart enough to utilize a multi-carriage transport device, otherwise known as "the train". Of course, I do understand the fact that the train does not take you to everywhere and in the case of bus service 7 and 16, the buses certainly bring you to places where the train can't.

Despite this, your suggestion of increasing the bus frequency would alleviate bus commuters' problems at the expense of other motorists. Hence, this letter earned itself a place in my LIFT list. Allow me to explain. You see, buses are big, yes? They take up a lot of space on the roads, right? Increasing bus frequency is akin to putting more buses on the roads, which effectively mean that roads are now more congested than ever. What's more, you actually suggested implementing this during the peak hour. On a road as busy as Orchard Road. Peak hour, busy road, more buses - you see the implication?

Your next suggestion of putting up a display to show the waiting times of buses raelly takes the pie. Honestly, I see no reason to do so. In fact, it defies basic logic and confounds me deeply. It took me quite a while to formulate a coherent response.

Traffic conditions vary from time to time and do you have any idea how much real-time updating is needed? You also said "I believe it will not cost very much". Are you a subject matter expert in this area, specifically, the installation of such display panels? Can you give us an estimate of the setup, operating and maintenance cost? Please do us all a favour and don't give the bus company another excuse to raise fares so as to finance your fancy little display board that has less practical use and even lesser economic value than a piece of scrap paper.

I do concur to your point that TVMobile is a "gratuitous service that does nothing to enhance the quality of the ride"; I would really love to see your expression when your suggestion of display panels turns out to be the same. I bet it is something that Mastercard can't buy.

herzberg

The next LIFT is about a bitter Strahub customer who seemed to detest Starhub.










My reply:

Dear Mr Loh,

You seem to be a very disgruntled customer. Accordingly, firms would do two things: either avoid you as if you have caught a highly infectious and virulent disease or go all out to please you. Of course, I believe that you will want the latter to happen but regrettably, Starhub has taken the former as the alternative.

I presume that you, like any sane Singaporeans out there, have taken up Starhub's DVR promotion. If you have visited Starhub's website and read the Terms & Conditions there, you would have notice the following line: "The DVR set-top box is not returnable and the amount paid for the DVR set-top box is non-refundable." Not too far down, the very last line reads: "StarHub reserves the right to change the above offer, terms & conditions, its pricing and packaging plans at its discretion." That said, I think you should count your blessings that Starhub has exercised its discretion to allow you a refund. Do you still think Starhub is having a bad attitude?

Of course, if you did not sign up for the promotion, you retain every right to denounce Starhub as a lousy service provider or whatever you prefer. Then again, this is Singapore, you know? And do you know that in this little red dot, the cable TV provider is Starhub, making the industry a monopoly? You are but a single account, whose contributions to Starhub's bottomline is roughly similar to that of a grain of rice to the body's daily carbohydrate needs. In simple terms, miniscule and highly insignificant.

As such, I see absolutely no reason why Starhub - a monopoly - would want to give you - a pipsqueak customer - any good attitude at all. And you actually thought writing to the papers would rectify this? Well, I have no idea if Starhub will ever take you seriously but hey, as a consolation, your letter made it to my LIFT list. Oh by the way, do you know you can view cable channels online too? Do a search on Google and be awed by the revolutions brought by the digital age.

herzberg

The next letter is not a LIFT but rather, it's a reply from Mindef to the 36 year old chap who has been recalled to serve his duty.










I have no idea why it takes Mindef nearly a week to come up with a reply. Perhaps they are all scrambling to put together a coherent and firm reply or as the reply put it - administrative oversight. Anyway, notice the disturbing similarities between this and the 2 replies I wrote yesterday. Woo-hoo! I'm a psychic! I can foretell the future! Nah, this merely prove that I have lived in Singapore long enough to know how the "official replies" would be like.