Rule Enforcer or Problem Solver?

Recently, the town council in our area deposited a notice without letter head and signature on every bicycle that was parked/chained to the pipes at the void deck of the HDB flats. It is clearly a case of enforcing the rule (for aesthetic reason; because such parking does not cause health or safety problem at all!!!), but not finding out the problem and helping to solve the problem.

Look at the first picture below, for the entire block of flats, there are only FOUR parking slots for bicycles, but there are more than 10 bicycles that need to park. For many blocks in this viccinity, the lifts do not stop at every floor, unlike the newer blocks of flats. Those who have to park their bicycles downstairs are usually those whose home unit does not have a lift landing and hence it is hard for them to carry the bicycle up and down a few times a day. Some of these cyclists are senior citizens.

It would be more sensible and acceptable if the town council officer were to invite feedback from the cyclists, find out the problem first and then decide on the appropriate course of action, rather than to deposit a notice on the bicycle and give a grace period of seven days before the bicycle is being removed. This is clearly a rule-enforcing mentality. I remember the government has been encouraging problem-solving mindset.



The rule enforcement was on the bicycle parking. There seems to be inconsistency as well. What about the motorcycle that has been parked there?

What about the enforcement of the No-Smoking Law? A sign such as the one below is displayed in every lift in Singapore. But, has there been any enforcement? I have seen residents bringing lighted cigarettes into the lifts. Where are the enforcement officers? When do they carry out inspection? Would a CCTV be more effective in catching the culprits or offenders?

I remember years ago, when Urine Detectors were first installed in some lifts to catch those who urinated in the lift, those culprits caught were handed to the police, they were fined and their pictures were published in the newspapers. What about those who violate the No-Smoking Law? Has anyone been caught so far? I don't remember reading any news about it!

To put things in a fair and balanced perspective, the town council and the NEA Officers have been diligently following up on all these issues.