RE: THE GRIM ROADSTER (ST Lifestyle, 17 April 2005)I saw the abovementioned article yesterday. It tried to highlight, the number of fatalities due to road accidents in Singapore. With particular mention was to one guy - a 20 year old national serviceman who died on his way back to his home in Teck Whye - according to the paper, he fell off his bike and was run over by another vehicle. What astonished me was the fact that he "had been a student at River Valley High School and National Junior College. He had his whole life ahead of him." I was downright shocked. He was someone close - at least we shared the fact that we studied in the same JC for 2 years. Heck, i'd have probably seen him around during JC years. Maybe even said hi. And now, he was gone.It seems like whenever i see this kind of thing - people passing away before their time - i feel quite sad. For the dead person, who would never got to see the next part of his life; for his parents and relatives, who would have to cope with their sudden unexpected loss, a loss which they would have to bear sorrow to the rest of their lives. And for his friends, who could only mentally re-live the memories they shared. For them, it feels like a part of themselves has been suddenly erased, gone forever. I may or may not be a friend or even acquaintance of this guy. But fate has it that we have been close, and yet i chose to believe, by that similar fate his life has prematurely ended. Here I offer my silent prayers, and utmost sympathy for his family and friends. May God bless them.
Also i wish to ask all motorists and future motorists to exercise caution on the road. As the author of the ST article puts it, "Make every rider and everyone beind a wheel slow down. Make us stop, stare and, hopefully, save lives."
