5 disappointments that would break the heart of any Singaporean
Being Singaporean is tough. We’re so beset by first world problems that it’s inevitable that we get disappointed almost every day. In a country that has free wi-fi everywhere (as long as you’re willing to search), hipster cafes on every other street, and more mobile phones than people, it’s so easy to be let down when something doesn’t work exactly the way it should.
So if we were to put all of the things that disappointed Singaporeans into a room, this is what we would find. Be prepared for heartbreak, because you’re going to see some of the saddest things that Singaporeans have to bear with.
1. McDonald’s running out of curry sauce in 2011
Back in November 2011, Singapore faced a food crisis of unprecedented proportions. Millions of citizens were left without an essential, nay, critical component in their diets. It was unbelievable that such a staple could run out in our country, but for a brief few weeks, we were left starving, our economy in shambles. All because we ran out of this.
McDonald’s curry sauce.
As the screenshots above will show, Singaporeans did not cope well with disappointment. Fortunately, curry sauce eventually made its return, and all was well.
2. When you go through an ERP gantry that you didn’t know existed/was switched on
The most painful beep a driver can hear. Credit: Ministry of Transport
As much as we grouse about Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), we all know that it’s important because it keeps traffic in the CBD under control.
Except when the ERP gantry appears in heartland areas like Braddell or Kallang Bahru! You can hear the despondent cry of drivers as they see the unsuspecting ERP gantry appearing in what was previously a bastion of heartlands. The worst part is when they appear around a bend, like the Braddell one. You hardly have time to react and push your Cashcard into the in-vehicle unit before the horrific beep sounds. You can appeal against the fine, but they’ll require you to pay an admin charge of $10, in addition to the ERP charge.
Sian.
3. Running out of tissue paper in a crowded hawker centre
How would we know where to sit without tissue paper? Credit: New Nation
Tissue paper is practically indispensable in sweaty, humid Singapore. And the worst place to run out of tissue paper (besides the public toilet) is in a crowded hawker centre. Without tissue, there’s absolutely no way that you can… chope seats.
It’s true! Especially if you’re eating alone. How are you supposed to buy food and find a seat at the same time when everyone else is doing the same thing? And if you’re holding a tray of hot fish soup, you’re not going to outrace that auntie who will parkour her way to the last free seat.
Dabao la, dabao.
4. Rising carpark prices
Sian max. Carpark charges up again. Credit: Today Online
Just a few days ago (on the 12th), the new parking coupons went on sale, because public parking rates have gone up by a whopping 20%! They say prices have risen “due to general inflation, as well as construction, manpower and other related maintenance costs” but I don’t think parking attendants (also fondly called “summon aunties”) have had a 20% increase in pay. If we hired fewer summon aunties (something that will make the general populace cheer), wouldn’t that help lower costs?
The new prices will only kick in on December 1, but you can already hear the collective sigh of Singaporeans. Even if you only drive in the heartlands, you need to suffer the increased costs of parking and the ERP. We Singaporeans lead a hard life.
5. iPhone 7 Plus out of stock
How to live without iPhone? Credit: US News
When the new iPhones were launched in Singapore, pre-orders were almost immediately sold out. You could hardly get through the phone lines, websites were crashing from all that traffic, and yet Singaporeans soldiered on in their quest to get a smartphone without an earphone jack. When it was discovered that not all pre-orders would be fulfilled, a flood of
entered the Singapore WhatsApp networks.
On the upside, the Pixel (Google’s smartphone) is coming! So your
will become :] (because emotions look different across the various operating systems).
The Disappointments Room. Credit: Golden Village Cinemas
Unfortunately, a real disappointments room is a lot less frivolous than the disappointments described above. In The Disappointments Room, a family discovers one such room in the new mansion they move to. The previous inhabitants in that room aren’t quite happy with what has happened, and so they unleash their disappointment in unspeakable ways.
So in The Disappointments Room, the family is cursed to never have the iPhone 7 on pre-order because the website crashed… mwahahaha!
Credits: Ministry of Transport, New Nation, Today Online, US News, Golden Village Cinemas
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