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Forum: Excerpts from readers’ letters

I was shocked when I received my first road tax bill for my electric vehicle (EV). I had not known earlier about the Additional Flat Component being levied for now to cover the fuel excise duties paid by equivalent ICE, or internal combustion engine, vehicles.

I was shocked when I received my first road tax bill for my electric vehicle (EV). I had not known earlier about the Additional Flat Component being levied for now to cover the fuel excise duties paid by equivalent ICE, or internal combustion engine, vehicles. What is the purpose of encouraging the purchase of EVs and then penalising the owner for reducing the carbon footprint and pollution while using the car? If I had known that I would end up paying the same road tax as an ICE car, then I might as well have purchased a normal ICE or hybrid vehicle that not only would have been cheaper, but would also have removed all the range anxiety. I am 75 and find it harder to stand for a long time in a moving train.   Recently, when I boarded a crowded train at Ang Mo Kio station, I was pleasantly surprised to see two empty seats. These had the words “Reserved Seat” on the seats themselves. I took one and was thrilled that no one else took the other seat until City Hall station, nine stations away, when an elderly woman took it. This little observation shows that the reserved sign can work. I’ve noticed, though, that only a few trains use this reserved system. All trains should have this system, which would work better than the “Priority Seat” and “Show You Care” signs displayed above the seats, which many choose to ignore. I was at the Yishun Sports Stadium on May 27 for a run. Four of the inner lanes were cordoned off with cones by a running group, which asked me to switch to the outer lanes, which I did. After a few rounds, while I was on lane 5, two runners from another group asked me to switch to an even outer lane, as the group intended to race. I did not accede as I found it preposterous that all the casual runners in the stadium had to be confined to the outermost lanes 7 and 8. Can the running tracks be used exclusively in this way by groups for training? If they can, where can I check that the tracks are booked for this purpose so that I won’t go on that day?