Welcome Home !!!

donsan · A Forum Mentor

RE: How to familiarise with Singapore roads ?

donsan · A Forum Mentor

bridgestone wrote:

GPS guides you every turn like pax guiding us, we never use our brain so learning is definitely slow.

I was GPS die heart supporter, now very seldom use it though it still mounted on my dash board every shift, reason is I want to learn quicker.

For instance, Joo Chiat to Boat Quay, GPS guide you go Tg Katong Rd->Paya Lebar->CTE... and if the pax doesn't know then we may think this is the model route and it will be burned into our memory... can't correct easily.

The same situation above, without GPS first thing of course panic lar cos duno how to go... but since pax flag on the side towards Geylang Rd, most of the time they already know the direction, so I will dim dim go towards Dunman direction. While on the road I can ask pax for help... quite embarrass situation but once learned never forget.

My pax told me 'uncle you can go by dunman, airport and nicol...' now this route already welded in my brain. So if same location pax goes Suntec, Espanade, CityHall.... same route no need to key in no need to press GO and wait for GPS to calculate. Faster learning curve right?

Never used GPS before, wonder if it shows alternate route to avoid jam.
For example, 6 pm, weekday, from Airport to Yishun Ave 6.
Does it guide you to use Seletar air base to avoid the Lentor Ave jam?

bridgestone · Guru

Yes, the latest Nokia Navigator exclusive from Singtel comes with Singapore live traffic.
If speed less than 30km it reroute to alternative route.

I bought this phone 2 weeks ago, the bad traffic segment is clearly indicated in red on the map from beginning to end. How accurate it is I really no idea.

bluenuts · Veteran Guru

bridgestone wrote:

Yes, the latest Nokia Navigator exclusive from Singtel comes with Singapore live traffic.
If speed less than 30km it reroute to alternative route.

I bought this phone 2 weeks ago, the bad traffic segment is clearly indicated in red on the map from beginning to end. How accurate it is I really no idea.

COOL!!
Give us the update and review bro!

bridgestone · Guru

Yes Sir.
Will try it out these few days if possible will make a few screen shots.

Steel · New Member

Sembawang is a maze to me.........

Chiku · A Forum Mentor

Steel, to give your more confidence. The whole Singapore island is a maze to me.

Just to share with you my experience as a "newbie". I go to Jurong Point taxi stand every morning. 90% of the pax are transit in the region. So is one good way to familiarise yourself with the area. Now i know go straight turn right is AYE, turn left go to PIE. Like Donsan say, once you know the expressways, you won half the better.

U can do one week one area, and you will get better.

Even places as small as Toa Payoh also is a challenge for me. So i look at the TP town map, broad category know if I come out from PIE Lor 6 exit, turn left go which lorongs, turn right go which lorongs. After that can get pax to give you lor.

For me, I very seldom spend empty mileage to familiarise. Most pax are happy to guide you. We just need to be humble to tell them we are new and not familiar, apologise upfront. Only problem is some pax give you last minute instructions e.g. you on extreme right lane, pax tell you to turn left just 20m. So I always turn on my GPS to anticipate and also keep on middle lane.

To give you even more confidence, I dont even know how to use the GPS when i first started driving e.g. 200 metere, I have no idea how far is that? I am totally idoitic. So what I am saying is, if I can do it. so can you la.

Most pax already know the route (especially morning pax cos they going to work mah). Most of these pax also know the shortcuts if any. So this is the best platform to learn all the shortcuts. My experience is that short cuts may not be shorter but you can siam all the traffic lights and heavy traffic.

Good Luck and Drive Safe

-- Edited by Chiku on Saturday 16th of November 2013 08:56:40 AM

Zhivago · Senior Member

Never have any GPS driving since day 1. If want to learn fast , imo learn it the hard way. lol.

taxiuncle · Senior Guru

yishun is a maze for me. all the ring ring ring road....

-- Edited by taxiuncle on Sunday 17th of November 2013 04:14:39 PM

Niteowl · A Forum Mentor

now i learning to memorise..

enter from lentor..

will arrive at

1) yishun ave 1
2) yishun ring
3) yishun central

then the test route

yishun ave 5 on ur left after yishun station

rest...? dune noe liao.. flip directory lo

iamlost · New Member

Chiku wrote:
Steel, to give your more confidence. The whole Singapore island is a maze to me.
Just to share with you my experience as a "newbie". I go to Jurong Point taxi stand every morning. 90% of the pax are transit in the region. So is one good way to familiarise yourself with the area. Now i know go straight turn right is AYE, turn left go to PIE. Like Donsan say, once you know the expressways, you won half the better.
U can do one week one area, and you will get better.
Even places as small as Toa Payoh also is a challenge for me. So i look at the TP town map, broad category know if I come out from PIE Lor 6 exit, turn left go which lorongs, turn right go which lorongs. After that can get pax to give you lor.
For me, I very seldom spend empty mileage to familiarise. Most pax are happy to guide you. We just need to be humble to tell them we are new and not familiar, apologise upfront. Only problem is some pax give you last minute instructions e.g. you on extreme right lane, pax tell you to turn left just 20m. So I always turn on my GPS to anticipate and also keep on middle lane.
To give you even more confidence, I dont even know how to use the GPS when i first started driving e.g. 200 metere, I have no idea how far is that? I am totally idoitic. So what I am saying is, if I can do it. so can you la.
Most pax already know the route (especially morning pax cos they going to work mah). Most of these pax also know the shortcuts if any. So this is the best platform to learn all the shortcuts. My experience is that short cuts may not be shorter but you can siam all the traffic lights and heavy traffic.
Good Luck and Drive Safe

-- Edited by Chiku on Saturday 16th of November 2013 08:56:40 AM

Nice write. I wanted to take up a license but sometimes discourage as I am a noob on the road...... i really depends alot on GPS. Can I still be a taxi driver? Ask pax for direction, is it okay ? The worst part is how to get out of an estate to the HW... haizzz... not easy for an idiot like me.