Nov 25, 2009
Ticked off for making 999 call for help
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ON OCT 27, at about 8.15pm, I was riding my motorcycle along Bukit Batok East Avenue 3 on my way home from work.
Just as I was turning into Toh Tuck Road, my motorcycle stalled after a short skid. The weather was dry and there was heavy traffic. Luckily the cars behind me managed to stop in time.
When I manually tried to move my vehicle and failed, I looked back and realised that my rear wheel had locked and that a nylon sheet had wrapped around it. My life was in danger and my motorcycle was a threat to oncoming traffic.
I called the police, managing to successfully communicate my predicament to an officer only on the fifth call. I asked for police assistance but was instead told to call for a tow truck.
With the help of a passerby, I managed to drag the motorcycle to the side of the road. The vehicle was later towed and the repairs cost about $440.
A few days later, I received a letter from the police informing me that four nuisance calls had been made from my mobile phone. There was no mention at all of the fifth call made from the same mobile phone for urgent police assistance.
I have great respect and trust in the Singapore Police Force and respect the fact that the 999 number is to be used for emergencies and calls for assistance. At that moment, I was doing just that, but instead of quick assistance from the police, I got a warning as a reply.
Jaspal Singh
Ticked off for making 999 call for help
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<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
ON OCT 27, at about 8.15pm, I was riding my motorcycle along Bukit Batok East Avenue 3 on my way home from work.
Just as I was turning into Toh Tuck Road, my motorcycle stalled after a short skid. The weather was dry and there was heavy traffic. Luckily the cars behind me managed to stop in time.
When I manually tried to move my vehicle and failed, I looked back and realised that my rear wheel had locked and that a nylon sheet had wrapped around it. My life was in danger and my motorcycle was a threat to oncoming traffic.
I called the police, managing to successfully communicate my predicament to an officer only on the fifth call. I asked for police assistance but was instead told to call for a tow truck.
With the help of a passerby, I managed to drag the motorcycle to the side of the road. The vehicle was later towed and the repairs cost about $440.
A few days later, I received a letter from the police informing me that four nuisance calls had been made from my mobile phone. There was no mention at all of the fifth call made from the same mobile phone for urgent police assistance.
I have great respect and trust in the Singapore Police Force and respect the fact that the 999 number is to be used for emergencies and calls for assistance. At that moment, I was doing just that, but instead of quick assistance from the police, I got a warning as a reply.
Jaspal Singh
