PUBLISHED ONOctober 13, 2024 5:16 AMByCandice CaiHoping to avoid paying 65 cents a day in parking, more than 20 motorcyclists were alleged to have had their wheels clamped in one day, resulting in them having to pay a $409 fee each to have their vehicle released.
The incident occurred on Thursday (Oct 10) at a carpark located at Block 3025 Ubi Road 3, reported Shin Min Daily News.
A Facebook post by a user stated that her boyfriend had returned to the carpark after lunch that day to find the wheels of his motorcycle clamped.
Looking around, he'd observed that the wheels of several other motorcycles around his were also locked.
According to the Facebook user, when her boyfriend contacted a number left on his vehicle, he was told that he'd left the carpark on Oct 5 without paying the parking fee, which is why his wheels were clamped. He was also told to pay $409 to have the clamp released.
The woman added that her boyfriend's request to review the CCTV footage from Oct 5 was rejected and he was told to take his complaint up with the management. He eventually paid the fine to have the wheel clamp released as he didn't want to be late in picking her up, said the Facebook user.
A photo of the receipt of the fine published by Shin Min Daily News showed that the carpark is managed by Wilson Parking.
Several people interviewed by Shin Min Daily News on Friday affirmed many motorcycles had their wheels clamped the day before.
One carpark user named Adi (transliteration) told Shin Min that he and a friend also had their wheels clamped that same day and were similarly made to pay the $409 fine to have their vehicles released.
"Most of these motorcyclists try to exploit a loophole by squeezing through the space between the road barrier and carpark gantry. Then they get fined for not paying the carpark fee," said the 52-year-old mechanic.
One worker who did not wish to be named told Shin Min that there was a sweep of the four carparks in the area, and all affected vehicles were fined the same amount.
Another employee of a car workshop nearby, surnamed Hou, admitted that he was also fined that day. He shared that he was one of those who used to squeeze through the gap at the carpark to avoid paying the 65-cents-per-day parking fee.
"I know I'm at fault, so I paid the fine. But it'll be more humane if the carpark management could first issue a warning or lower the fine amount," said Hou, 65. He added that he felt the pinch from paying the fine and would not park illegally in the future.
According to others who were interviewed by Shin Min, more than 20 motorcycles had their wheels clamped that same day.
A shopkeeper stated that overcrowding at the carpark due to these illegal carpark users may have sparked the latest crackdown.
"If all the parking lots are taken, those who pay for season parking would definitely be unhappy," said the shopkeeper.
He added that some of them would park their vehicles haphazardly and occasionally blocked pathways, frustrating others.
One factory worker whose motorcycle wheels were also clamped told Shin Min that when he called the carpark management, he was told that he'd failed to pay the parking fee four times over the course of two months in August and September.
But the 25-year-old man, surnamed Ren, claimed to have remembered that the last time he did so was because the arm of the gantry was damaged.
"I made a complaint but they haven't responded. I just have to take this as a lesson," said Ren.
AsiaOne has reached out to Wilson Parking for more information.
ALSO READ: 2 men caught on video allegedly tampering with carpark gantry barrier to let car through
candicecai@asiaone.com
