Picture driving down the road when a police car pulls up next to you. Anxiety seizes you and you panic as millions of thoughts rush into your mind: Did you hit someone or something accidentally? Did you make an illegal turn? Did you run through a red light?
Miraculously, you manage to do a double take at the terrifying vehicle, and you realise that it was not a police car, but a… polite one?
What are we, in the Pixar universe?
On 15 June 2024, the Facebook page SG Road Vigilante uploaded a series of rather amusing photos of a multipurpose vehicle that is decorated with decals that look extremely similar to the standard police car in Singapore.
The only difference? The words spell “Polite” instead of “Police”.
Describing it as a Toyota Alphard, SG Road Vigilante’s post reads, “Supposed to be the most polite car on the road.”
“Polite” Car Apparently Belongs to an Ice-Cream Business?
If you scan the QR code (disguised as the crest of the Singapore Police Force) plastered on the vehicle, it would link you to the website of an ice-cream shop in Ang Mo Kio by the name of Heartbreak Melts.
Upon some digging, the owner of this multipurpose vehicle is revealed to be 32-year-old businessman Goh Yong Wei.
When speaking to the press, Goh explained that his primary goal was safety on the road. As a driver and motorbike rider himself, Goh found that the driving culture in Singapore is not gracious, especially during peak hours.
By making his vehicle noticeable (and maybe panic-inducing to some), he hopes other motorists will slow down and be more cautious around him, thus reducing the risk of collisions.
He revealed that other drivers have, in fact, been reducing their speed to give way to him on the roads, with some drivers giggling at his humour and giving him a thumb’s up as they passed, making for a “a very positive driving experience” for him.
This is not Goh’s first venture into creative vehicle decor. He previously owned a motorbike with white fairings which was adorned with blue and red stripes, presumably in an attempt to disguise it as a police vehicle.
His motivation for such measures is personal, as he revealed that he has been involved in more than 10 car and motorbike accidents over the past four years.
Goh has even made a TikTok that criticizes the driving culture of Singapore, documented his thought process and reasons why he decided to pursue actions like this.
In the video, he described his measure as “fully legal” but “not very ethical”.
In addition to the safety aspect, Mr Goh added a QR code that links to the website of his ice-cream shop. This clever marketing tactic has garnered around 20 scans daily, he claimed.
Bringing up a similar story from the past, a motorcyclist dressed like a traffic police officer had sparked online discussions when his pictures circulated.
However, as he was not breaking any laws, he was not charged.
He belonged to a group called Diversion Escort by Team Diversion Singapore (TDS), formed in 2011, comprising enthusiasts of the Yamaha XJ900 Diversion, the same model used by the Traffic Police.
In response to SG Road Vigilante’s Facebook posts, netizens are sceptical about whether decorating your vehicle to look like that of the police, maliciously intended or not, is even allowed.
“Is it an offence in SG to decorate or modify a vehicle so that it resembles vehicles from government agencies so much so that it misleads the general public?” a commenter writes.
Another writes, “I reckon many road users would have made police reports against this vehicle driver or owner. Waiting for the traffic police to take action.”
You would be surprised to know that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Singapore does not oppose sticker advertisements or decals on vehicles, provided they adhere to certain guidelines.
These include ensuring that the graphics and words are not pornographic, obscene, vulgar, seditious, or offensive to any religion.
It seems as though Mr Goh’s “Polite Car” seems to fall within these regulations, given its light-hearted and non-offensive theme, but the police revealed that investigations are ongoing.