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RECENTLY, I was taught the realities of official graciousness by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). On April 23, in response to a request by Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for blood platelets, I went to the hospital about 11am. To my chagrin, my usual EPS (ERP Payment System) Carpark H was undergoing some work, and the other carparks were full.
After circling for a while, I was lucky to get a lot in Carpark B, a coupon carpark farthest from my destination.
The donation was not routine either, through no fault of SGH staff. For the first time in my donation record, there was a hitch and I was stuck with tubes in my arm. I was in no position to return to my car to display fresh coupons.
I was hesitant to ask SGH staff to help with my parking situation, for I knew I should not take them away from� more important matters. At the end of my donation, two machines later, I asked for an SGH excuse chit, and went on my way.
I did get a parking ticket, and wrote in to appeal. My friends and I were confident the URA would let me off.
A $10 fine is not a large sum, but I hoped for some graciousness. Last Thursday, the URA wrote to tell me I had exceeded the 'grace period' and had to pay up within the next seven days.
What is a 'grace period', I ask, for a person tied up in tubes, or for a dialysis patient hooked to a malfunctioning machine?
Is the 'grace period' different in different circumstances? What is the grace period for someone who parked his car, dove into traffic to save a child, and slipped into a coma for a week? Are the grace periods all the same?
I have paid my fine, to avoid this being seen as just of self-interest, but would like to hear the URA's point of view, or what graciousness it can show.
Tan Tatt Si
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