Fight over parking lot causes 20-minute jam at popular supper place near Beauty World Centre

A parking dispute ended with the police being called in when both parties refused to give way.

The standoff caused a 20-minute gridlock at Cheong Chin Nam Road, located near a row of popular late-night eateries, reported Shin Min Daily News.

One eye-witness told the Chinese daily that the incident occurred on Friday (July 29) at about 10pm. The reader, surnamed Han, said she was on the way to have supper with several friends when she witnessed the fracas over the empty lot.

Han described how the driver of the Honda was preparing to reverse into a parallel parking lot when a Jaguar suddenly nosed into the lot from behind. Both drivers then got down from their cars and began arguing.

Videos posted to TikTok by user Cx_cxsg show the male driver of the Jaguar standing nonchalantly beside his vehicle, which is parked at an awkward angle with half of its body out of the lot. The female driver of the Honda could also be seen standing near her stationary car which is right smack in the middle of the one-way lane.

@cx_cxsg Anyone knows what happened? Fighting for parking lot? #bukittimahroad#parkinglot #fighting ♬ original sound - CX_ChunXuan - CX_CX

Said Han: "Actually it's the female driver who found the lot first, but the driver of the Jaguar just refused to budge." She added that the police were called in eventually to deal with the stalemate situation. After a brief conversation, the male driver eventually moved his car, said Han.

"After the man drove off, he found another lot farther ahead and got off the car, along with a female passenger," added Han, who said she found out that the female driver was a young mother who had brought her child out for supper.

Many online commenters took the side of the female Honda driver, indicating the "unwritten rule" that reverse-parking is the right way to claim a parallel parking lot.

In response to AsiaOne’s queries, police only confirmed that a report has been lodged.

candicecai@asiaone.com