LORRY DRIVER CLARIFIES HIS SIDE OF STORY AGAINST TAXI DRIVER

Yesterday, Derek posted an article about a dispute between a lorry driver and a taxi driver which turned violent and ended with police arriving to calm the situation: http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/article/coward-hits-60-yo-taxi-driver-o...

The lorry driver involved has contacted A.S.S. to provide his side of the story. According to the lorry driver, Chris, he had followed closely behind the taxi driven by Derek's father, resulting in the taxi being unable to reverse. After both vehicles were locked in a stalemate, Chris says he alighted from his vehicle and asked the taxi driver non-aggressively if he could give up the lot to him as it was more convenient for him to deliver his goods than the other lots available.

Chris then claims that taxi driver was a bit irritated and drove off, giving him the lot. The taxi driver then went off to a nearby coffee shop, which Chris also turned up at. An argument ensued after the taxi driver said that Chris was being rude. Chris claims that he had tried to deescalate the fight by telling the taxi driver, who was allegedly turning abusive, to cool down and not fight over a small matter. However, the verbal argument escalated into a fight, which Chris says was started by the taxi driver.

After the short altercation ended, Chris says that taxi driver refused to let him go and insisted that he had called the police, preventing Chris from leaving the car park by standing in front of his lorry. When the police arrived, Chris claims that taxi driver continued to provoke him and claimed he would not hesitate to fight him.

Chris also says that no one knows whether Chris was the one who made the complaint against Derek's taxi driver father and that Derek should not accuse others of being a coward.

Read Chris' account here.

"Dear Team,

I would like to seek the person who addressed himself as Derek, A.S.S.
Contributor and posted this article:
http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/article/coward-hits-60-yo-taxi-driver-o...

The story posted is untrue in parts I would be highlighting comments in
brackets on the edited post below. Please do if possible to forward this from
to the said person and my contact number: 96874104. I would like to get in
touch and meet him in person at the site where the incident took place to
reenact what actually happened. Your assistance is much appreciated.

*Last Wednesday, as my Dad turned his taxi (please don’t be biased and
stereotype from the start) into a carpark at West Coast Drive, Block 507 and
switch on his hazard light, ready to reverse into the first lot (as depicted
in photo),[His vehicle was in a horizontal parking position between the 2nd
and 4th lot(very close to the parking bay), not reversing or getting ready to
reverse.] a lorry (GY7201B) driver drove up close to my Dad’s rear bumper,
preventing him from reversing[Not sure what his intentions are thus not
having the intent to prevent him from reversing.]. My Dad waited for the
lorry to pass[Should my vehicle be that close to his vehicle’s rear bumper,
I except my vehicle won’t be able to pass], but the lorry didn’t budge.
To his surprise, this lasted for a good minute and the lorry driver actually
came out of his lorry and knocked on my Dad’s door, telling him in an
aggressive manner “I want to park here![While his window was not wound up,
I signaled to him that I wanted to park in the front lot, he started talking
which is inaudible to me and making expressive hand signs(inoffensive). He
was seemingly irritated. He wound down his window and asked me what do I
want. I explained in these exact words(in mandarin and with no signs of
aggressiveness): “Uncle, could you move your vehicle and let me park in the
1st lot as I have some cargo to get from the opposite side of the road(I
could see from the panel showing 20 lots available from the market/hawker
centre carpark where usually the available ones are far out back, thus the
reason why I turned in to this.), it’ll be more convenient as I would not
have to walk a further distance.” He refused and told me why do I have to
park in the lot where there are others available. I explained to him again in
the same exact word as quoted above but he refused again. I was getting
irritated and lost for a moment for words. He then moved his vehicle and
parked at the 6th lot. Thus I was able to park in the 1st.]”. My Dad, not
understanding why he has to give in to the lorry driver’s unreasonable
demand[I did not use the horn where some others might have done which would
be considered rude, I stepped down from my vehicle to ask. Not unreasonable.]
refused. I mean, why does he HAVE to give up an empty lot when there’re so
many lots around??? But after some exchange of words, my Dad decided to move
off to another lot, because this situation was just too ridiculous.

My Dad went to the coffee shop to take his break and amazingly, the lorry
driver has the balls to approach him again to provoke him again![The actual
coffeeshop would be a rough estimate of 200-300m from the carpark. He was
standing along the pathway where we would have to cross the road to get to
the hawker centre. As I walked over along the pathway, he told me that I was
rude. I said not to be angry due to a small misunderstanding and further
explained myself yet again that I was going to the opposite side to get some
stuff(was actually 26 portions of food for workers where I didn’t tell him)
and it would be less inconvenient if I had parked in the 1st lot.] My Dad has
already given up the lot to him, what else does he want!?[I was not the one
who started this specific conversation.] He provoked my Dad, they exchanged
more words, and the lorry driver actually dare hit my Dad in the face!! My
Dad, not being the weaker party, of cause hit him back. But mind you, my Dad
is in his 60s![I did not provoke him, he refused to accept my explanation and
further commented that my IQ was low. That was rude to judge even for a
person in his 60s. I was angry and raised my voice saying this is just a
small matter and why do you have to be so rude. After the raised tone, he
started spewing profanities at me and of course I returned the attitude. He
stated that I was trying to bully him and asked if I wanted to fight him. The
heated exchange of words was up till a point where his hand(right) brushed
against my face(left cheek) while making expressive hand signs. I decided
that I’ve had enough and thus retaliated by pushing him(right hand) in his
face(left cheek). Next he accused me of starting a fight and threw a
punch(right hand) against face(left cheek). He attempted to thrust another
punch(right hand) which didn’t connect. I told him that he was the one who
made contact and if he would like to call the police. He then asked me to
call if I want to. Next I call over to the side of his vehicle and called his
taxi company relating the commotion and asked if they would prefer to settle
this matter privately or have us call the authorities. The operator replied
that they would be investigating the incident and get back within 3 working
days(they didn’t).]

The lorry driver mentioned he wanted to call the police but didn’t have the
guts to do so. He tried to leave but my Dad stopped him before calling the
police himself. [If I wanted to call the police, I wouldn’t have called his
company in the first place. I decided enough time was wasted and I was going
to be late. The time was around 16:30 at this point. I went back to my
vehicle and started the engine wanting to move to the carpark at the hawker
centre to avoid further commotions. He came and stood in front of my vehicle
to stop me from moving off and accused me of starting a fight then running
away. He picked up his phone and called the police. I stepped down from my
vehicle and asked if he made a report to the police and he said yes, he’s
not letting me go. Therefore I waited for the police to arrive and contacted
my colleague to cover my duties.] The police came and took statements. The
police asked both parties if they wanted to pursue the matter, and both
parties said no, and so my Dad thought this was over.[The police arrived
around 16:40. Statements were taken and ended around 17:10 with neither
parties pursuing the matter. The officer who took my statement asked him if
he was ok(calmed), he replied that we better not be seeing each other again.
I asked him and if we did? He stood up to my face immediately saying:
“What? You want to fight? Come!”. The officer tried to calm his anger by
explaining that I was not going to purse the matter in legal proceedings and
that we should both let it rest, not start a fight again. He replied that he
was not afraid to fight, and if I dared, he would comply. The incident ended
at this point.] He even stopped me from posting this when he told me about
the incident last Wednesday.

But today, my Dad’s taxi company called him and told him there was a
complaint against him. Like WTF?? When the police asked if he wanted to
pursue, he said no; probably feeling guilty he hit my Dad first. But now he
complains behind the safety of his telephone?? Such cowardness! And of
course, he conveniently left out the part of him demanding the lot, him
provoking my Dad, and ultimately hitting my Dad in the face.

Shame on you, lorry driver, for being a bully. Shame on you for hitting a man
in his 60s when you’re half his age. And shame on you for falsifying
"facts" of your complaint. If I was your girlfriend or wife, I would be
ashame of you. If I was your Mum, I would be shameful to raise a son that is
so disrespectful.

You, lorry driver, are a coward. I dare you now. If you think I’ve wronged
you, comment back, state your side of the story if you think mine is unjust.
I used my real account, so I dare you too, to use your real account so that
everybody can know your identity.

Lastly, my Dad has a dashcam. Though not recording the whole incident, it has
at the very least recorded you demanding the parking lot and chasing my Dad
off, thus starting the whole incident.[Was the complaint against him made
from my feedback or others? You did not state that specifically. You and he
both accused me of being a coward where your dad was being verbally abusive
for quite some time before the police came. You state my disrespect while you
drag my family into the matter. And yes, your post is unjust. I would stand
in court and swear by my statement if you would like to purse this matter. I
would commend you for your actions to stand up for your father, but it seems
that you have not understood what happened exactly throughout. I would gladly
meet you at the site of the incident to reenact the whole scene. You can
contact me through my mobile at: 96874104.]

Many Thanks,
Chris"