Dinner on the move: Motorcyclist eating 'cai fan' at traffic light sparks discussion on his well-being

With Singapore recently named the most overworked country in the Asia Pacific region, one man took it as a sign that this motorcyclist had a hard day at work after spotting him having a meal while on the road. 

A TikTok video shared by Keni Minaj on Thursday (June 9) showed a motorcyclist devouring a packet of cai fan (economy rice) along Serangoon Road while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green –  oblivious to the other motorists around him. 

"It's 9pm and that two meat one vegetable cai fan is looking too irresistible," Keni Minaj said. 

Describing that the man finished the meal "right before his eyes", Keni Minaj took it as a sign that the former had a hard day at work.

"To the bosses who work their staff to death, shame on you," he said, adding that "something is wrong" when "people have to eat at traffic lights".

@keniminaj To the SG bosses who work their staff to death. Shame on you. When ppl have to eat at traffic lights, something is wrong. #singaporelife🇸🇬 #worklife #officelife #sgbikers ♬ Funny Song - Cavendish Music

With the seven-second clip garnering over 76,000 views, a netizen questioned if this motorist was breaking the law. 

While the law does not expressly prohibits eating while driving, Ray Louis, a criminal lawyer from Ray Louis Law Corporation said that the driver's actions constitutes an offence if it causes an accident. 

"Under the Road Traffic Act, if any person drives a motor vehicle on a road or without reasonable consideration for others on the road, shall be guilty of an offence," Louis explained to AsiaOne, adding that drivers who are eating might not give their full attention on the road.

Offenders who are caught driving recklessly will face imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine of up to $5,000, or both, according to the Road Traffic Act. 

Several netizens were sympathetic towards the hungry motorcyclist, while others also shared their experiences of eating while on the move.

But several netizens pointed out that those who put the blame on "toxic work culture" are overreacting.

According to the study that Singapore is the most overworked country in the Asia Pacific region, co-working company The Instant Group found that Singaporeans work an average of 45 hours per week.

The "overworking" culture has caused 73 per cent of respondents here to be unhappy and 62 per cent feeling burnt out, the UK-based company said.

In March last year, a taxi driver was spotted eating his packed lunch in the boot of his vehicle. 

With Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) measures enforced due to the rise of Covid-19 cases, dining at eateries was not allowed at that time.  

AsiaOne has reached out to Keni Minaj for comment.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com