This one no need scared one and listen to rumours. You follow
the rules as best you can, small allowances will always be given to
ensure compliance, no need for strict to the last letter kind of
detail or enforcement.
Why do some LTA officers act like this? Well this is a very
common syndrome, that all policemen (current and former) will
attest. It's called the 'I wanna be like a Cop Syndrome'.
Some ppl, be they security guards, Auxilliary and other govt
department officers who have some form enforcement power (which
also all police officers have), wanna make full use of their
limited powers to enforce the laws, to the the last letter without
any room for leeway or common-sense. They think just because the
law states something, it means literally like that - 100%, no room
for argument. But what they don't realise the Law also got
exceptions for certain cases, and there's such things like the
spirit of the law - if you observed the law but the manner you went
about it, isn't 100%, maybe 80%, then you will not be summoned or
fined etc.
So when LTA officers say, cannot write Alex Tan, when you the
only Tan driving, plus your id is entered in the MDT, the
handwriting is the same, and the hirer also calls you Alex, then
you know the officer is suffering from the syndrome. Even if
summoned, once you appeal and make a fuss, inform you will also
write to Minister, CEO of LTA etc etc, automatically, common-sense
will prevail.
And we are only TDs, not army regulars or policemen, we don't
need to follow 100% military discipline. In the Army if your
supervisory NCO or officer say must fill up before starting, then
you must fill up before starting, that's an order. In civilian
life, as long as you fill up within a reasonable time during your
or just after your tour and before the other guy takes over, it's
ok and very acceptable.
