I'm referring to the notorious Woodlands custom. It carries approximately 60,000 vehicles on a typical day and more on holiday festivals (source from wikipedia). I frequent woodlands custom mainly for Malaysia's cheaper petrol alternatives(Yes... call me cheapskate) but I'm just one of the many sacrificing our lunchtime to shoot in for a tank fill.
The difference is I ride rather than drive. Nowadays I try my best to go on a Sunday to avoid jam. Entering woodlands checkpoint via motorcycle is a huge risk on a Sunday. I make sure that I check the traffic camera before setting off. Although I did my homework, I was caught in bad jam during 11am. Was there really such heavy traffic for motorcyclist on Sunday? NO... It just that the custom officers decided to reduce the number of checkpoint counters on Singapore side.
Woodlands checkpoint is rather pleasing to the eyes compared with most of the customs I been to within Asia. It look pretty modern and techie. The problem is
that it happen to be just a book with nice cover. With its huge daily traffic flow, their strategy to manage the custom is to let it jam.
I never experience crossing the Malaysia checkpoint take me more than 15 mins. There is abundant of counters available and much lesser screening process to go through. The roads are also quite properly constructed as the cars will not causes jam to the motorcyclist.
On the other hand, Singapore checkpoint is worst than the pig slaughter gantry. Often the motorcyclist has to share a lane with the cars which poses significant dangers. The bottleneck of the motorcycle lanes which differentiate manual and automated lanes causes huge unnecessary jams for many motorcyclist.
Bikes are getting bigger in terms of dimension but the lanes are still freaking small. Both my side mirrors scratches are the artistic work of pathetic small lanes. I make it a practice to dismantle my side pannier before entering all thanks to Singapore Woodlands Checkpoint.
I heard sometime ago that Tuas checkpoint was constructed in order to ease the traffic condition over at woodlands by diverting all heavy vehicles to Tuas. The Tuas checkpoint had operated for 10 years by now and heavy vehicles are still using woodlands checkpoint. It caused monstrous traffic jam along Kranji and Woodlands Road during some evenings.
"Hate the checkpoint so much? Don't use lah. Pump Singapore petrol loh". This is what I was told by an acquaintance after making some comments over the checkpoint. OK fine. I didn't not struck up this topic with anyone ever since unless started by the other party.
But it still did not change the fact that - Singapore proclaim to be a first world country but using a third world custom.
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