Driving at night in Singapore is a relatively safe experience.
The roads are well-lit and generally speaking, pretty smooth.
However, driving at night still has its challenges.
If you’re a newbie driver, here are three things you should look out for.
1) DRIVERS AND MOTORCYCLISTS WHO DON’T TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS.
This may sound absurd, but the next time you go out driving at night, look carefully.
You’re bound to see a car or two without their headlights on.
Perhaps Singapore’s street lighting is too good.
In any case, these idiots are putting themselves and other road users at great risk.
Obviously, it may be hard to spot a car in the distance without headlights when you’re driving at night.
However, there are tell-tale signs. These include lights reflecting from their windows or reflectors.
You need to be on the lookout for these drivers because they are dangerous.
Anecdotally, they tend to randomly switch lanes or even swerve at the last-minute to make their exit.
If someone is clueless enough to not realise their headlights are off, he or she is a clueless driver.
While we’re on this topic, you should also try to avoid drivers who only switch on their fog lights.
Ditto for those who insist on driving around with just their LED daytime running lights.
2) DRIVERS WHO BLIND OTHERS WITH THEIR HIGH BEAMS.
Equally clueless as the driver going round without their headlights on is the one who has their high beams on all the time.
These are obviously easier to spot. But you wouldn’t want them blinding you.
If you don’t have an auto-dimming rear view mirror, flip up that little toggle below it.
It puts the mirror in a “night” setting and helps with the glare when driving at night.
But if the idiot is in an oncoming lane, the trick is to immediately shift your focus away from his car.
This takes time to practice, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t be momentarily blinded.
3) JAYWALKERS.
Looking out for jaywalkers during the day is bad enough.
You’ll have to be three times more alert for them at night.
Watch out especially for jaywalkers who wear dark-coloured clothes, which make them even harder to spot.
If you’re driving at night in an area with elderly residents, you should keep to an even more moderate (yes, slower) speed.
It may be easy to think that old folks always go to bed early.
Experts urge S’porean motorists to prepare before going on driving holidays
However, this is not always the case. Some of them may be night owls or early risers.
Jaywalkers don’t just come in two-legged varieties.
You also have to look out for animals when driving at night.
Watch for little round shiny dots moving across the road.
