Wet-night pickup: the waving passenger, the zig-zags and the red-light demand
6:40pm, heavy rain on Bukit Timah Road - two lanes each direction, 50 km/h limit. You are in the left lane at about 40 km/h, headlights on, wipers on fast, with a van roughly one car-length ahead and two cars close behind; one flashes its headlights. A woman with a toddler and two large suitcases waves from the kerb about 15 m ahead. Immediately beyond her is a zebra crossing protected by zig-zag markings, and about 20 m behind her is a bus stop shelter. There is no side road, lay-by or taxi stand within 80 m, and the kerbside past the crossing is unmarked.
1. Where should you stop, and what should you do over the next 100 metres? Give your reasoning.
Read the worked answer
Where not to stop
- The zig-zag markings protecting the zebra crossing are a no-stopping zone - stopping there obstructs sight lines for pedestrians and approaching cars, and it is an offence.
- The bus stop is for buses; picking up there is neither legal nor safe.
- Stopping in lane 1 with wheels still in the traffic lane is the biggest risk here: heavy rain, poor visibility, a tailgater and a car flashing its lights. Hazard lights do not convert an illegal or unsafe stop into a safe one.
What to do
- Ease off the accelerator early, check the mirror, signal left and let the tailgater go past rather than braking sharply in front of him.
- Look for a legal, fully-off-the-lane kerbside gap. If there is not enough clear kerb before the zig-zags begin, drive on, stop past the crossing where the kerb is unmarked, switch on hazard lights, and wave her forward - she is on the pavement and can walk a short distance safely.
- Never reverse back to her position, and never stop half in the lane.
- Once stopped, get out and help with the suitcases, then confirm the child is secure before moving off.
Trade-off to state: service convenience does not outrank a legal, visible stopping point - a pick-up that causes a rear-end collision serves nobody.
2. Ten minutes later the toddler is burning hot. The mother shouts: 'Run the next red light - speed, I'll pay the fine!' and asks you to turn into the hospital's ambulance-only driveway. How do you handle it?
Read the worked answer
Refuse the driving part, solve the actual problem.
- Red-light running and speeding are the driver's offences, not the passenger's: the fine, the demerit points and the risk to the vocational licence fall on you, and her promise to pay does not transfer liability.
- A collision at speed with an unrestrained, feverish child in the car is far worse than a two-minute delay. Say this plainly but kindly.
- Offer the genuinely faster option: call 995 or have her call while you drive; an ambulance can pre-alert the emergency department and is not stuck in traffic.
The driveway
- An ambulance-only entrance must stay clear. Entering it can block a real emergency and the hospital will move you on anyway.
- Use the public taxi/drop-off point, stop legally, and offer to carry the child or bags to the counter and alert staff.
Practicalities
- Keep the meter running as normal; do not add anything for the emergency.
- Note the time and destination change in case of a fare or route query later.