Taxi driver in viral video removed carpark gantry barrier in Jurong East because it was faulty

SINGAPORE - A taxi driver in a now-viral video removed the gantry barrier at a Housing Board (HDB) carpark in Jurong East last Friday (June 7) because it had malfunctioned.

The Straits Times understands that the Comfort taxi driver was advised to do so by the HDB's service provider via the intercom.

He was unable to exit the carpark at Jurong East 32 last Friday afternoon, as the barrier arm was faulty and could not be lifted.

It is understood that the barrier arm is designed to be detachable as a fail-safe measure for such scenarios.

A video posted on Facebook by user Alforonso Sontoroyo was shared widely in several road traffic Facebook groups over the weekend, with some people speculating that the driver was trying to avoid paying the parking fee.

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The taxi driver can be seen tugging at the barrier arm before detaching it and throwing it on the side of the road. He then drives off.

ComfortDelGro's group chief corporate communications officer Tammy Tan said last Saturday that the company was investigating the incident.

This was not the first time that such an encounter was filmed and shared on social media.

In October last year, a video of a driver removing the carpark gantry barrier in Jurong West Street 81 also made its rounds online.

The HDB later clarified that the barrier arm had malfunctioned and added that no action was taken against the driver.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.