Drivers see red over National Day petrol discount
Traffic along Toa Payoh Lorong 1 came to a standstill yesterday as motorists queueing for Shell's fuel promotion blocked the junction. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM
A NATIONAL Day promotion by petroleum company Shell drove thousands of motorists to its petrol stations yesterday afternoon, causing traffic jams around its stations and leading to frayed tempers among those stuck on the roads.
Motorists anxious to take advantage of Shell's offer - 44 cents shaved off the price of each litre of petrol - lined the roads leading to the various stations islandwide from as early as 15 minutes before the hour-long promotion kicked in at 4pm.
The special offer translated to discounts of more than 20 per cent for customers, depending on which grade of petrol they pumped.
Along Toa Payoh Lorong 1, the queues stretched for more than 300m, as motorists ignored yellow-box junctions and caused a bottleneck at the adjacent road.
The situation in Sengkang was said to be the worst, with taxi drivers informing one another through their own networks to avoid the jam there.
Plenty of car horns were honked during that hour and residents came out of their homes to check what the furore was about. Some quipped at the motorists: 'No money, don't drive!'
One driver, incensed that he was blocked, got out of his car and stomped to the car waiting in a yellow-box junction. He was heard cursing and swearing at the driver, and took out his camera to snap photos of the offending car.
Inside the petrol station, drivers who were interviewed said they waited about half an hour to fill up.
Most accepted the delay in return for massive savings.
Sales executive Edwin Lim, 40, said, 'It's expected; it's such a huge discount.'
A Shell spokesman said such a response was expected due to the 'attractive promotion', and that all its staff were trained to direct traffic properly.
Traffic along Toa Payoh Lorong 1 came to a standstill yesterday as motorists queueing for Shell's fuel promotion blocked the junction. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM
A NATIONAL Day promotion by petroleum company Shell drove thousands of motorists to its petrol stations yesterday afternoon, causing traffic jams around its stations and leading to frayed tempers among those stuck on the roads.
Motorists anxious to take advantage of Shell's offer - 44 cents shaved off the price of each litre of petrol - lined the roads leading to the various stations islandwide from as early as 15 minutes before the hour-long promotion kicked in at 4pm.
The special offer translated to discounts of more than 20 per cent for customers, depending on which grade of petrol they pumped.
Along Toa Payoh Lorong 1, the queues stretched for more than 300m, as motorists ignored yellow-box junctions and caused a bottleneck at the adjacent road.
The situation in Sengkang was said to be the worst, with taxi drivers informing one another through their own networks to avoid the jam there.
Plenty of car horns were honked during that hour and residents came out of their homes to check what the furore was about. Some quipped at the motorists: 'No money, don't drive!'
One driver, incensed that he was blocked, got out of his car and stomped to the car waiting in a yellow-box junction. He was heard cursing and swearing at the driver, and took out his camera to snap photos of the offending car.
Inside the petrol station, drivers who were interviewed said they waited about half an hour to fill up.
Most accepted the delay in return for massive savings.
Sales executive Edwin Lim, 40, said, 'It's expected; it's such a huge discount.'
A Shell spokesman said such a response was expected due to the 'attractive promotion', and that all its staff were trained to direct traffic properly.
