Singapore’s many things:
Hot, expensive and undeniably stressful.
Yet, at the same time, Singapore’s also many other things:
Civil, safe, and from the looks of it…
Kind towards its senior citizens as well.
Green Man+
It’s no secret that the vast majority of senior citizens tend to be on the… slower side.
As such, they would need more time, whether it’s a trip to the supermarket…
A walk down memory lane…
Or even crossing a traffic light.
Thankfully, however, the last one was made easier for the lovely old folks in Singapore.
Lest you’re unfamiliar with the Green Man+, it’s essentially a nifty initiative by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to address the needs of elderly pedestrians and Persons With Disabilities (PWD), who may require more time to cross the road.
Apparently, elderly pedestrians and PWD can expect up to 13 seconds more of green man time.
Which is definitely a boon, as far as senior citizens are concerned.
Foreigners Touched That S’pore’s Pedestrian Crossings Give More Time To Senior Citizens
And apparently, foreigners were pretty touched by the whole notion, which is pretty much a common sight in Singapore.
On 6 September 2019, Stephen Dziedzic, a Singaporean-based Australian journalist, tweeted about it, expressing how it was “very touching”.
At some Singapore intersections you can swipe your Senior’s Card and the crossing light will stay green for a little longer, giving you extra time to reach the other side of the road. I find this very touching. pic.twitter.com/MJB3LGeqVU
— Stephen Dziedzic (@stephendziedzic) September 6, 2019
And while it was a sweet, simple gesture, the tweet soon drew lots of attention.
Lots.
To date, the tweet has drawn more than 3.9K retweets, as well as 7.8K likes.
If there was a popularity contest going on for heart-warming tweets, Mr Dziedzic will probably clinch it hands down, in all honesty.
And Netizens Agree
After the tweet went viral, foreign netizens aired their own opinions on the tweet.
And suffice it to say; it was a hit.
For example, one wanted the idea in their hometown. Asap.
And others appraised the helpful functionality of it all.
One even commented on how unusual it is for people to give respect to senior citizens.
Dissent, however, was present
Despite the general positivity, however, some commenters felt it prudent to address certain issues.
And some disputed the ‘usefulness’ of the Green Man+.
But hey, you take some, you gotta give some.
There’s no pleasing everyone, really.
Since 2009
The device, as well as the whole system, has been rolled out in more than 400 locations in Singapore since 2009.
To activate the Green Man+ function, all you need is a CEPAS-compliant senior citizen concession card or PWD concession card to be tapped on the reader on the traffic light pole. Hint: It’s located right above the standard push button.
Once the card reader verifies that it’s a valid card, the system will proceed to extend green man time, which stretches between 3 to 13 seconds, depending on the size of the crossing.
On average, the figure seems to be 6 seconds.
Elderly pedestrians aged 60 and above or PWD, who are also Singapore citizens or permanent residents, are free to apply for the senior citizen concession cards / PWD concession cards.
Singapore Boleh!
Singapore might’ve its cons…
But you can’t deny its charm too.
And so, let’s take pride in this latest win on Singapore’s part…
And hopefully, things will continue to look up in the near and far future. 🙂
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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