ST Dec 1, 2006
Book those who enter the lifts with lighted cigarettes in hand
I live in a HDB apartment in Yishun. I have nothing against smokers, except those who force their habit on others.
I encounter residents who smoke in the lift daily. Being courteous and telling offenders politely to refrain from this uncivil behavior is always met with negative responses.
"You are not an officer", "I'm not inhaling, just holding the cigarette" and "It's none of your business" are just some of the common retorts.
However, the fact that I am using the elevator makes it my business. The town council tells me it is difficult for them to enforce the rule, and more conspicuous signages may help.
All I want to know is who is responsible for enforcing the smoking ban and what I can do for my part, if need be?
If coffee shops are law-abiding by maintaining "No Smoking" zones, there's no reason why public lifts are not off limits to smokers too.
All we need is an officer to book those who break the law. I'm sure this will help. The fines collected can be used to pay for the "waste of manpower".
Siew Charn Ho
I seriously wonder how many people are actually caught and fined for smoking in lifts these days. Remember all lifts carry the “FINE $500” signs.
Law without enforcement are nothing.
I’ve encounter a few time people who dare to even bring in lighted cigarette into the lift and after a told off by me they actually either wait for the next lift of put out the cigarette. Guess I am more lucky the Charn Ho.
However I did encountered many times people who came out of the lift after a smoke in there on their journey up or down the flats alone. I can tell you the smoke can lingers in an enclosed place for hours.
The way which Charn Ho’s Town Council replies to his feedback is the typical “I don’t know what to do and don’t bother me anymore” response from the civil services. I wrote into my town council a few years back regarding the same issue and till date I am still waiting for their reply.
Charn Ho’s Town council suggested “more more conspicuous signages. I doubt even when you paint the whole lift interior with no smoking signs the situation will improve. The problem is that these smokers knew they are no allow to smoke in the lift but they couldn't care less.
I guess all we need to is to install smoke detector in the lifts. Remember those urine detectors? Well nowadays I don’t see anyone urine in the lifts these days.
We just need to get a few offenders, charge them in court with the press presents and no one will do it for a long long time.
If our technology can catch people tapping into other people wireless network then I guess it will not be difficult to catch a few lift smokers.
PS: I am really interested in what the response to Charn Ho’s letter will be like.
2 comments:
A social problem again. I thinks its real sad to have smoke detectors like the urine ones.
Our education system is a failure, our people is not gracious and have no consideration of public space and property.
How many more detectors, fines or laws do we need to control such behaviour??
Mr Chan writes:
who says now no more urine? My flat always got people urinating inside the lift...f*ck...dunno why these sad suckers do that for what...want to pee, go pee in the bushes...and i think i am overpaying my conservancy charges as well...obviously the stupid urine detectors are not working...lucky i got a good cleaner who is in charge of my block and makes sure that it gets cleaned up soonest...
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