tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post2178621143785647973..comments2024-02-11T16:32:48.564+08:00Comments on Diary of a Singaporean Cabby: Driving Mrs. Ex-Singaporean.Diary of a Singaorean Cabbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10742877944090751006noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-64172901893178001332014-11-08T01:19:29.299+08:002014-11-08T01:19:29.299+08:00For the record, NYC taxi drivers can be very polit...For the record, NYC taxi drivers can be very political. It's just they're perhaps, interested in different areas of politics. It's also worth noting that the featured picture of actress actress Lee Lihua shows her posing in front of the Chinese Nationalist flag that's now used on Taiwan. Hence that photo was likely taken before 1949.Sean Kingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-25695316918019915602014-07-23T12:23:57.168+08:002014-07-23T12:23:57.168+08:00Hi, Joe,
I'm not an expert in the taxi drivin...Hi, Joe,<br /><br />I'm not an expert in the taxi driving job and have never thought of using my taxi driving experience as a leverage to earn more income. I wonder whether there is such thing as leverage in taxi driving. <br /><br />In coffee shop, I often hear of TD boasting how street smart they were in upping their income with various "techniques or games they play", like picking and choosing passengers at certain time and place. These are illegal practices and I fear being caught, so I don't use them as leverage to up my income.<br /><br />From my experience, a TD income boils down to how many hours you spent working the road and at which locations that determines how much you earn a day. And of course, luck also plays a part. Contract trips also helps but it comes with "trade-off". <br /><br />For me, I'm just an ordinary TD with an ordinary income and I'm satisfied. Regards: James LimDiary of a Singaorean Cabbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10742877944090751006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-83325820156560221302014-07-23T09:07:03.067+08:002014-07-23T09:07:03.067+08:00Hi James. In the past few weeks, I have been readi...Hi James. In the past few weeks, I have been reading your posts to know more about driving a taxi in Singapore. I just started out as a weekend driver and find your posts very informative and entertaining. Thanks a lot. Think you must have been an English major or something in university.<br /><br />Have you thought of any way to leverage on your own experience as a taxi driver in order to earn more income? I mean taxi driving is like exchanging hours for money - no work, no pay. It is not exactly a good biz model, pardon me.<br /><br />Grabtaxi did it by leverage on the existing pool of taxi drivers. I know this is an open blog and anyone can read what you post here but some ideas won't hurt. After all, the devil is always in the details....<br /><br />Anyway, thanks for putting the effort and time into writing your blog. It is really solid :)Joenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-85784500187082357832014-07-23T03:07:54.701+08:002014-07-23T03:07:54.701+08:00Hi, Anon,
Thanks for your balanced comments. I ap...Hi, Anon,<br /><br />Thanks for your balanced comments. I appreciate it especially from an soon to be Ex-Singaporean.<br /><br />I don't believe that the grass over the hill is always greener but I do believe that I you do not walk over to have a look, you'll never know. <br /><br />Thanks again,<br /><br />Regards : James LimDiary of a Singaorean Cabbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10742877944090751006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-41600651809236309822014-07-18T18:22:06.641+08:002014-07-18T18:22:06.641+08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.kevin loknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-85893862827576803872014-07-16T09:10:25.725+08:002014-07-16T09:10:25.725+08:00First of all, thank you for the article. It was an...First of all, thank you for the article. It was an interesting read. I am also a lapsed Singaporean (waiting to give up citizenship), having lived overseas for over 7 years now. While I don't agree with your passenger's comments 100%, I do think that her views are understandable. I have no love for the PAP, but the governments in the West also have their major failings. While Singapore's government places heavy emphasis on commerce and productivity seemingly without regard to its peoples' troubles, on the other hand the sheer amount of interest groups in the West can be stifling. There are many, very large social problems overseas that Singapore does not have, such as violent crime, rampant destitution, drug use, to name a few. While I do understand that things are very frustrating back in Singapore, Singaporeans would do well to acknowledge that other societies also have their share of issues and difficulties. When foreigners praise the SG 'way', they really are comparing it to the failings of their own systems.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-28817481852804274352014-07-15T12:06:48.179+08:002014-07-15T12:06:48.179+08:00James;
it is reported that the Event will be a mo...James;<br /><br />it is reported that the Event will be a monthly affair and our Fren Redbean aka Mr Chua Chin Leng of My Singapore News(Blogsite) has offered to buy coffee for his readers. Me am one of his long time fan and commenter at his Site, so we can have coffee together on any of the events. Btw, do hope that You visit My Singapore News where one can find one Singapores' most passionate citizen.<br /><br />patriotAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-69602572351394679642014-07-14T04:32:11.947+08:002014-07-14T04:32:11.947+08:00Hi, Patriot,
Me too also didn't attend becaus...Hi, Patriot,<br /><br />Me too also didn't attend because of a wedding dinner at Ritz Carlton around 7pm. My apologies. Rdgs: James.Diary of a Singaorean Cabbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10742877944090751006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-53397250723777512602014-07-13T23:27:01.871+08:002014-07-13T23:27:01.871+08:00James;
me likes to apologize for not turning up a...James;<br /><br />me likes to apologize for not turning up at HLP. <br />Was having a terrible headche and it is still on and off.<br />Hope You had a good time meeting others and had enjoyed tge Event.<br /><br />patriotAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-66749377164561779292014-07-13T10:40:20.071+08:002014-07-13T10:40:20.071+08:00James, thank you for your message in answer to min...James, thank you for your message in answer to mine. There is no problem with the US government. However, one cannot use the Singapore passport to enter Singapore if one has not given up. The point is, one does not have to renounce but the Singapore authorities must not know you have obtained US citizenship or else they will make you decide. So, I guess this lady has gotten US citizenship but have not renounced and probably going to. It does must sense since she must be retired and collecting her social security and is afraid the risk of losing her CPF monies in the future? Who knows!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-32923738771408053762014-07-12T14:19:15.665+08:002014-07-12T14:19:15.665+08:00Hi, Anon,
Thanks for sharing your experiences as ...Hi, Anon,<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your experiences as an ex-Singaporean now happily residing in USA.<br /><br />While its true that you can't legally holds dual citizenship but if USA don't need you to renounce your citizenship, then what's the problem? Its different here. If anyone wants to become a Singapore citizen, they must first renounce their original citizenship. If you're rich, the world is an oyster. <br /><br />Singapore is slowly becoming not an ideal place to raise the next generation because of many social and political reasons. If I'm young with marketable skills, I would surely want to migrate to maybe NZ. <br /><br />Good Luck to you, Anon. God Bless! Diary of a Singaorean Cabbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10742877944090751006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-72689554271895754462014-07-12T11:40:40.295+08:002014-07-12T11:40:40.295+08:00Hello James, I left Singapore at age 39 and migrat...Hello James, I left Singapore at age 39 and migrated to the US. I lost my job at age 37 and could not find another one. That was in 1986 during the recession. Either you are lucky or I was unlucky. I chose to renounce get all my CPF monies. It is not true you can maintain both Singapore and US citizen status. The US Government does not require you to give up but Singapore does want you to choose. So, I have a feeling she is only a PR in the US until today and finally decided to renounce to get her money out. I read the TR Emeritus every day and obtained a lot of information of life in Singapore. I do come back once in a while and still have a brother and nephews in Singapore. My wife's whole family is there too. I say one thing - Singapore is getting very expensive. The MRT is getting very crowded. Housing getting out of reach with the younger generations, especially one does not earn much, so I learned. Not enough for retirement, as read an article today on CPF in the TR Emeritus. I am glad to have left.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-43425138686309586752014-07-11T20:57:30.100+08:002014-07-11T20:57:30.100+08:00
Hi, Everyone,
My post has generated a lot of co...<br /><br />Hi, Everyone,<br /><br />My post has generated a lot of comments in TR Emeritus and here, therefore I feel I should let you know my personal opinion of what my elderly lady passenger said and did. Of course, my views are based on conjuncture but my encounter is based on a true story.<br /><br />1. Why she renounced her Singapore citizenship if it’s so “good” here?<br /><br />Since she had lived in the UAS for more than 30 years and probably has a husband, children and grandchildren there, it’s only natural that she preferred to live close to her family there.<br /><br />2. Why withdrew CPF?<br /><br />Who wouldn’t do that? In fact, that’s the only way to get your CPF monies! I think she did the smart thing now that she had decided to renounce her Singapore citizenship.<br /><br />3. Singapore is democratic country. Everyone is free to express their opinion within OB and we should respect opposing views.<br /><br />While she is entitled to her beliefs, the tone of her compliments of PAP seems like she had been brainwashed from years of news feed from only the mainstream media like the “Shit-Times”. She is unaware of the present unhappy undercurrent flowing in this country, which is very real. Like the PAP elites, she is out of touch with the people on the ground.<br /><br />4. Like a patriarch, she seems like scolding her family for been ungrateful and unappreciative of what she had done for the family.<br /><br />Though I don’t like her views and attitude, she has the same entitlement of free speech like every one of us. In the course of my driving career, I’ve driven many passengers like her with such superficial views. She is not someone out of the ordinary. Believe me.<br />Diary of a Singaorean Cabbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10742877944090751006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-78826043369922328392014-07-11T18:53:24.634+08:002014-07-11T18:53:24.634+08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Diary of a Singaorean Cabbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10742877944090751006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-36773900251633219662014-07-11T14:28:41.541+08:002014-07-11T14:28:41.541+08:00Uhh... doesn't she know that dual citizenship ...Uhh... doesn't she know that dual citizenship is not allowed by Singapore?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-23817268038688540482014-07-11T08:50:14.903+08:002014-07-11T08:50:14.903+08:00Sometimes we do meet such passenger, they are alwa...Sometimes we do meet such passenger, they are always right. And they know all.<br /><br />How can those people live in their ivory towers understand?bloggerhttp://taxisurprises.blogspot.com/2014/07/singapore-taxi-driver-average-income.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-80244254300492626942014-07-11T00:28:37.032+08:002014-07-11T00:28:37.032+08:00Who can tell what Singapore would be like without ...Who can tell what Singapore would be like without the PAP? Perhaps more locally grown companies who might prefer local employees because they appreciate the domestic culture? Perhaps students who are more creative and entrepreneurial because they are not programmed and incentivize into exam taking machines or risk being sent down to the Normal stream? Perhaps we may have still have historical districts such as Bugis street, Chinatown and not the sanitized versions we have today? Perhaps we may have a population that is more adaptive to a rapidly changing world because they are not used to self censoring themselves?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-5631195803044540232014-07-10T17:41:22.534+08:002014-07-10T17:41:22.534+08:00You are brilliant at story telling James. Thanks f...You are brilliant at story telling James. Thanks for sharing.Boh Tonghttp://www.bohtong.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-30582563814238657912014-07-10T17:03:37.974+08:002014-07-10T17:03:37.974+08:00For The Crazy Ones (among us) - Stay hungry. Stay ...For The Crazy Ones (among us) - Stay hungry. Stay foolish.Hands-On Green Mattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06964371592646293928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-80428290389368811212014-07-10T13:27:03.155+08:002014-07-10T13:27:03.155+08:00Interesting. Yes, she belongs to the old school we...Interesting. Yes, she belongs to the old school well to do Sinkies who had never suffered.<br /><br />I won't blame her because she had left Singapore for so long. I think we would think the same in the late 70s and 80s too where we do have a wonderful government. PAP was the envy of every government of the world at that time.<br /><br />I believe every government would want that kind of respect that people give to their government in the 80s despite the term 'Pay and Pay' had appear during that time. Her memory had stuck in the 70s & 80s and mind you, PAP is very good in selling the 'Perfect Singapore' image outside Singapore.<br /><br />Every dude outside Singapore who have never worked here thinks Singapore is heaven on earth. However, when many started to work in Singapore they will realised that hell and heaven is just next to each other.<br /><br />Dudes like Anton Casey will definitely find Singapore to be heaven, while the Indian worker who can only afford to shop in Serangoon in the weekends will find it as hell!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-67800499607266619792014-07-10T12:19:41.731+08:002014-07-10T12:19:41.731+08:00I agree with Anonymous. If all is that good, why g... I agree with Anonymous. If all is that good, why give up your citizenship? Leave the CPF where it is, after all she should have enough to flaunt without having to touch her CPF. This is what we term in hokkien, 'chui kong lampar song." Forgive my vulgarity.<br /><br />BTW, good reading.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-46523245856963287842014-07-10T12:11:50.908+08:002014-07-10T12:11:50.908+08:00With all that analysis and rhetoric she was sprout...With all that analysis and rhetoric she was sprouting, if I was given the opportunity to be in your shoes and am able to allow her to finish her piece, upon reaching her destination, I would politely ask her, "Madam, if you so strongly believe in the system, why do you seek to abandon your Singaporean identity when you are in your twilight years?" and see how she would reply to that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8232737933997263920.post-27977161330577715082014-07-10T07:17:34.195+08:002014-07-10T07:17:34.195+08:00Interesting read. I really enjoy reading it. Thks ...Interesting read. I really enjoy reading it. Thks buddy. Gintai_昇泰https://www.blogger.com/profile/08766957906463883192noreply@blogger.com