bike stories part deux
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
From: Mohamad Zulkifli Bin Yahya
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 10:25 AM
To: xxx
Cc: xxx; xxx
Subject: Damage to motorcycle due to fallen branches
Dear Mr xxx,
I am the owner of motorcycle FX2212U. I am currently a Systems Analyst with ITU, Medicine, and my office is situated at MD11, Clinical Research Centre. I park my motorcyle at Car Park 9, at the motorcycle lots in front of block MD9, where there are a number of big trees in between the lots and MD9.
On 19th Oct 2006, I left my office and proceeded to the carpark, and to my shock, saw that a few large tree branches had fallen onto my bike. Please see attached photos.
Upon inspection, I noticed that
1) The petrol tank was badly dented
2) The seat cover was torn
When I looked up at the tree right above the motorcycle lots, I noticed a few broken branches.
I left my motorcycle at that lot at 2:10pm, and discovered the condition it is in above at 6:05pm. The tree branches must have fallen during this period. There were neither rain nor strong winds during those 4 hours. The branches must have fallen naturally due to reasons you, as person(s) in charge of horticulture and grounds, would be able to know.
The biggest irony is that, less than 24 hours ago, on the night of 18th Oct 2006, I sent my bike to the workshop to have the seat cover replaced. And now it is torn. Imagine the heartache.
I understand that the University has placed a sign outside the carpark that states it will not be responsible for any damage to any vehicles parked in the car park due to any cause whatsoever. However, I am still deeply disappointed and I have to raise the following questions:
1) How often does OED monitor the trees in NUS for decay or termites?
2) How often does OED prune the trees and carry out maintenance works?
3) Does OED follow any standards in the proper maintenance of trees, e.g, standards set by Nparks?
4) Have any other vehicles been damaged before while parked in NUS car parks, due to fallen branches?
I would like a reply asap before deciding on further action. I shudder to think what will happen if the branches fell while I was still sitting on my bike. The impact must have been great to have caused a dent on the hard petrol tank. Imagine also if a student was walking past the lots and got badly injured due to the falling of the branches. Would OED still "not accept responsibilty.. due to any cause whatsoever?"
Best Regards
Zulkifli
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 10:25 AM
To: xxx
Cc: xxx; xxx
Subject: Damage to motorcycle due to fallen branches
Dear Mr xxx,
I am the owner of motorcycle FX2212U. I am currently a Systems Analyst with ITU, Medicine, and my office is situated at MD11, Clinical Research Centre. I park my motorcyle at Car Park 9, at the motorcycle lots in front of block MD9, where there are a number of big trees in between the lots and MD9.
On 19th Oct 2006, I left my office and proceeded to the carpark, and to my shock, saw that a few large tree branches had fallen onto my bike. Please see attached photos.
Upon inspection, I noticed that
1) The petrol tank was badly dented
2) The seat cover was torn
When I looked up at the tree right above the motorcycle lots, I noticed a few broken branches.
I left my motorcycle at that lot at 2:10pm, and discovered the condition it is in above at 6:05pm. The tree branches must have fallen during this period. There were neither rain nor strong winds during those 4 hours. The branches must have fallen naturally due to reasons you, as person(s) in charge of horticulture and grounds, would be able to know.
The biggest irony is that, less than 24 hours ago, on the night of 18th Oct 2006, I sent my bike to the workshop to have the seat cover replaced. And now it is torn. Imagine the heartache.
I understand that the University has placed a sign outside the carpark that states it will not be responsible for any damage to any vehicles parked in the car park due to any cause whatsoever. However, I am still deeply disappointed and I have to raise the following questions:
1) How often does OED monitor the trees in NUS for decay or termites?
2) How often does OED prune the trees and carry out maintenance works?
3) Does OED follow any standards in the proper maintenance of trees, e.g, standards set by Nparks?
4) Have any other vehicles been damaged before while parked in NUS car parks, due to fallen branches?
I would like a reply asap before deciding on further action. I shudder to think what will happen if the branches fell while I was still sitting on my bike. The impact must have been great to have caused a dent on the hard petrol tank. Imagine also if a student was walking past the lots and got badly injured due to the falling of the branches. Would OED still "not accept responsibilty.. due to any cause whatsoever?"
Best Regards
Zulkifli
bike stories
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The past 2 nights were spent dolling up the Varadero. It was way overdue anyway, when I got the bike back, there were holes on the seat, most of the lights were faulty, the engine didnt run smoothly and it was covered in dust, oil and grime.On Monday, after breaking fast with Beng at Subway NUS and sending him home, I went to the Hyper Bike Werkz LLP shop along Jalan Besar. Had the engine oil changed there, it took 2 bottles to refill it, at $22 each. The ride felt smoother after that, the problem of the engine dying especially while slowing down reduced considerably, it didnt happen as often as before. I wonder what else need to be done to totally
eliminate it. Perhaps the engine oil need some time to erm.. "gel" with the engine. I dunno.. any bikers out there? Biker mice from Mars maybe? I also got a new $100 matt black helmet from the Ah-boy shop across the street.Yesterday, right after work, I rode down to Lavendar Street and had the faulty bike lights changed at a bike shop there (cant remember the name). $10 to change the headlights, tail lights, brake lights and the front and rear right signal lights. Feels much safer to be riding at night now :) I was riding out of the shop when I noticed a big banner outside another shop across the street that says "Seat cover and Helmet Repair". So I went there and asked how much to get mine changed. The guy said "$50-60, we change it now as u wait", so I said OK and before I knew it he took the seat out and ripped away the cover. I was then shown a display of covers to choose from - it was like buying cloth to make curtains at Geylang. The prices actually range from $45 to $85, depending on the quality of the leather. I chose the $75 grade, bargained it down to $70, and it took them about 1.5 hours to get it changed. I had to break fast by drinking a can of coke I bought from the vending machine outside the shop.
So the total damage for vava-vooming the Varadero came to -> $44 + $100 + $10 + $70 = $224. Ouch. Here it is, the Varadiva-vero, after a not-so-extreme makeover ->
Ramadhan is ending soon. I had the wonderful opportunity of breaking fast at home most of the time with mom and dad. The house is very quiet now, with all my brothers gone, and I feel the obligation to be the one to buka with them. Besides, nothing beats home-cooked food :) And I have the bike to thank for, I end work at 6pm and only a bike can bring me home by 645pm, regardless if there are any traffic jams on the expressways. Sometimes Sarah and family would come over and liven things up a bit, sometimes we go over their place, and once in a while the whole family will break fast outside.
And here's the other Diva in my life right now :)
i tried
Monday, October 16, 2006
i tried.
from the very first day i made the decision.
i asked, would u still go out with me once in a while? no reply.
i asked again a few days later, "see how" was your answer.
i thought about it every single morning, to sms or not to sms. it weighed heavily on my mind, but from your replies, and from counsel, i decided to give it some time.
i thought about the previous times, about how it was still me who made the plans for birthday dinners, movies etc. about how i made the intiatives.
and then suddenly, i am publicly regarded as someone who dont try to establish contact.
i am a hypocrite.
i use people.
i abandon people.
i take everything else you said about me, cos its true. and yes, i will take the consequence, and i made the promise not to burden my friends with my problems anymore, when the time comes. i will just smile. but those statements above, are pure attacks.
if u push something away, dont announce to the world that it didnt come in the first place. it takes two.
at first i thought i will let it pass, but words are powerful and hurtful, especially from friends.
from the very first day i made the decision.
i asked, would u still go out with me once in a while? no reply.
i asked again a few days later, "see how" was your answer.
i thought about it every single morning, to sms or not to sms. it weighed heavily on my mind, but from your replies, and from counsel, i decided to give it some time.
i thought about the previous times, about how it was still me who made the plans for birthday dinners, movies etc. about how i made the intiatives.
and then suddenly, i am publicly regarded as someone who dont try to establish contact.
i am a hypocrite.
i use people.
i abandon people.
i take everything else you said about me, cos its true. and yes, i will take the consequence, and i made the promise not to burden my friends with my problems anymore, when the time comes. i will just smile. but those statements above, are pure attacks.
if u push something away, dont announce to the world that it didnt come in the first place. it takes two.
at first i thought i will let it pass, but words are powerful and hurtful, especially from friends.
and so it goes...
Sunday, October 08, 2006
in every heart there is a room
a sanctuary safe and strong
to heal the wounds from lovers past
until a new one comes along
i spoke to you in cautious tones
you answered me with no pretense
and still i feel i said too much
my silence is my self defense
and every time i've held a rose
it seems i only felt the thorns
and so it goes, and so it goes
and so will you soon i suppose
but if my silence made you leave
then that would be my worst mistake
so i will share this room with you
and you can have this heart to break
and this is why my eyes are closed
it's just as well for all i've seen
and so it goes, and so it goes
and you're the only one who knows
and so i would choose to be with you
as if the choice were mine to make
but you can make decisions too
and you can have this heart to break
and so it goes, and so it goes
and you're the only one who knows
a sanctuary safe and strong
to heal the wounds from lovers past
until a new one comes along
i spoke to you in cautious tones
you answered me with no pretense
and still i feel i said too much
my silence is my self defense
and every time i've held a rose
it seems i only felt the thorns
and so it goes, and so it goes
and so will you soon i suppose
but if my silence made you leave
then that would be my worst mistake
so i will share this room with you
and you can have this heart to break
and this is why my eyes are closed
it's just as well for all i've seen
and so it goes, and so it goes
and you're the only one who knows
and so i would choose to be with you
as if the choice were mine to make
but you can make decisions too
and you can have this heart to break
and so it goes, and so it goes
and you're the only one who knows
