Old Upper Thomson Road

I wanted to blog about this on Sunday last, but didn't have the time til today when i flipped open the copy of Straits Times and saw an article about yet another car crash.

I run a lot through Old Upper Thomson Road and am loving that route... less and less each day. It's actually a really awesome route to run. In and out, takes you about 7km and if you want to do hill training, you can just break a left, if coming from Casuarina Road and enter the reservoir which gives you good training.

Unfortunately, it has become a rather dangerous stretch to run on. Firstly, there are too many monkeys hanging around the area because people REFUSE to read the signs which say "Stop Feeding the Monkeys". These monkeys have been known to bite children and chase runners because they expect to be fed. Everytime i approach 20 of them sitting on the road I have to say a prayer, that they don't chase or bite me.

Secondly, everyone thinks they are Singapore's Formular One driver. Seriously, it's become a danger zone.

Last Sunday, I was running back through that route from Casuarina Road and I got a small shock when a YELLOW HONDA JAZZ driver whisked past me very quickly. A little to quick for a one lane winding road. I shook my head and brought my heart rate down and after i turned the corner, i saw that same YELLOW HONDA JAZZ crashed into the trees. The driver was unhurt and was being helped out of her car. Good thing for HER. But i really wanted to tell her off when I heard her saying to other drivers who stopped to help her: "These roads are very slippery hor?" HOW DARE she blame the roads. I wanted to tell her that she was quite stoopid to be driving at that speed when the roads are wet from the rain. If you don't value your life woman, don't put others in danger. What if there were children or old people taking walks through there?

Today when i opened the papers, i saw news of 2 poly students, backseat passengers who died because the car that their friend was driving, skidded. I can't comment on who's right or wrong of if they were speeding of if it was an honest error of judgement but all i can say is accidents seldom happen unless you allow them to happen.

So these two incidents in less than a week is making me think very hard about changing my training route.

Sigh.

Roads like these are hard to find in Singapore now.