Off Peak (Red-Plate) Car @ LTA, Vicom (Change of Number Plate)

I had the misfortune to go through a terrible afternoon three Fridays ago.

My Off Peak car (OPC) failed its mandatory yearly inspection!! And the road tax's deadline is 20 March 2011; a mere two days away! For those uninitiated, vehicle inspection die-die has to be cleared before road tax can be renewed.

So what has failed the inspection?

It's the most visually noticeable item on the OPC; an item that segregates the OPC from the other vehicles on the road. It's obviously, the red number plate!

Knowing how bureaucratic things can be for a government entity, i was desperate for a solution. Hm... make it super duper desperate!!

The guy who failed my inspection said i have to go to the headquarters of Land Transport Authority (LTA) to secure a permit to remove and replace the number plate.

Rushing down to LTA, i was advised to find a car workshop first (roll eyes) to endorse a form before approaching LTA for immediate approval.

*note* a lot of work are involved since the government gives a S$17,000 rebate for OPC and abuse would be rampant without any control.

Thankfully, i know a car workshop in nearby Ang Mo Kio; the Su Brothers Motor Workshop which has always provided excellent service with reasonable pricing.

Mr Su, the owner, commented that the change of a number plate due to fading was the first time he has heard of it, and knowing my road tax situation, immediately solicited help from his friend to make a new license plate for me while i travelled to LTA (again) for the official approval.

This was when i met a person who impressed me so much in the midst of well-known red tape bureaucracy in the government!

Ms Rosimah is the role model every civil servant should try their best to emulate. A cheerful, polite disposition, carefully well thought advice that doesn't come from a manual and a heartfelt compassion to serve the general public!

She definitely warrants a letter of commendation from me!

Of course, every issue was straightened out and i was back at Su Brothers, just in time for his friend to deliver the new number plate!

That's like less than an hour after Mr Su made that phone call! Such productivity will make the gahmen very happy!

When i think back at the end of the day, i thought my day wasn't really that bad. There were other people (Another lady at LTA, the cashiers at both Vicoms, the technicians at Su Brohers and even strangers i encountered at Vicom) that really made my day happy as it should be on a Friday.