Did this driver exit a carpark using walkway to avoid paying fees?

It was a daring manoeuvre done in 40 seconds.

A white Prius was about to leave a carpark, before it slowly backed away from the electronic gantry, made a turn to the walkway on the right and made a hasty exit.

The driver got away… or did he?

His bold escape (from parking fees, perhaps) was filmed by someone who had a clear view of the area.

A video clip of the incident was subsequently shared on SG Road Vigilante this morning (June 3), with no indication where it had taken place.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/SGRVigilante/posts/3014273918667305[/embed]

The driver may have left the carpark, but he may still have paid the parking charges.

Several eagle-eyed Facebook users pointed out that the gantry barrier arm was raised in the clip, which may mean that the fee might already be deducted from the driver's cash card.

However, others said people were too quick to judge. Some of them suggested that the gantry could be faulty, forcing the driver to find another way out of the carpark before realising that the service provider had remotely lifted the barrier arm.

Perhaps the driver's not aware he's allowed to detach the gantry barrier arm in such scenarios?

Faulty gantry or not, the clip amused many netizens, who shared it over 700 times.

And if it turns out to be a case of parking fee evasion, the driver would have to pay a fine.

Last July, the Housing Development Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority announced stiffer fines to deter such parking offences.

The fines for not paying carpark fees were raised for motorcycles, cars and heavy vehicles from $25, $50 and $80 to $35, $70 and $100 respectively.

lamminlee@asiaone.com