NUTS in Singapore

I love driving around Singapore with the boss. I get to sit in the front seat watching the world go by with my head out the window. Ears back, tongue out, dribble all along the van doors...and taking in the fresh air along the tree laden AYE freeway. The boss and i get to chat along the way. Today he was talking about the "No U-Turn Syndrome (NUTS)", which is a term to describe the social behaviour of Singaporeans having a mindset of compliance to higher authorities before proceeding with any action. Phew, what a mouthful! Anyway, in the book Chaotic Thoughts from the Old Millennium, the author uses a comparison of traffic rules in Singapore to those found overseas, to describe the phenomenon : In Singapore, drivers are not allowed to make a U-turn unless a sign specifically allows them to do so, while in some other countries drivers may make U-turns freely so long as the "No U-Turn" sign is not present. This analogy is used to explain the authors 'red tape' he has encountered with hard-nosed bureaucrats, which in turn stifles the very creativity that the Singaporean government has been trying to promote in the recent years.

And in one of those classic photo moments, the boss took this snap shot of me at one of the very signs to tell people what to do. And if you look carefully, you will notice, there are two signs missing; "Hey Uncle, No Jay Walking!" and "Taxi Uncle, don't cut over three lanes with no indicator!"

So remember, when visiting Singapore, if there is a sign, can-lah, If there is NO sign, also can!

See you soon for tummy rubs and big face licks.

Love Jessica