A recent incident involving a driver’s attempt to reserve a parking spot has sparked controversy and raised concerns among social media users.
The incident, which took place in Bendemeer, Singapore, was shared on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, attracting criticism and highlighting the inconsiderate and illegal nature of the driver’s actions.
Facebook user Goh Jacky posted a photo of a potted plant being used to chope a parking lot at Jalan Semerbak.
He captioned the Facebook post, “This one win liao lor grandfather road.” The post included an image revealing a parking lot occupied by a potted plant on a three-legged stand, effectively blocking access to the space.
It remains unclear whether this incident was an isolated occurrence or a recurring problem. However, it is presumed that the driver resorted to using a potted plant to reserve the parking spot due to a lack of available parking spaces provided by private property owners. This situation forces latecomers to park farther away, causing inconvenience for residents in the area.
Aside from being inconsiderate, obstructing public roads with objects is against the law in Singapore. The Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act of 1906 states that individuals who place articles on public roads to cause obstructions or hinder road use can be fined up to S$5,000.
Social media users who came across the OP’s post that was reshared on ROADS.sg shared their opinions on the matter.
One user highlighted that reserving parking spots in private estates is not a new phenomenon, with people commonly using dustbins and traffic cones for this purpose. They called on the authorities to address such offenders, as these practices are becoming increasingly normalized.
Another Facebook user mentioned that they have frequently driven through the area but have not witnessed similar behavior. They suggested that the owner of the potted plant may have placed it temporarily for sunlight rather than attempting to reserve the parking spot.
However, another user promptly dismissed this theory, citing the unlikely placement of the plant as evidence against it.
Injecting humor into the discussion, a Facebook user jokingly referred to the potted plant as a new type of “green car.”
