SINGAPORE: An 82-year-old man who had crashed a car in Bishan in 2023 was given a two-week jail sentence on Wednesday (Oct 22). He was also slapped with a S$2,000 fine and has been banned from driving for two years.
However, what appeared to leave the biggest impression on commenters on the report regarding the man’s sentence is that the car he crashed belonged to his 57-year-old girlfriend.
According to a CNA report, Loh Chun Meng had woken up on Oct 30, 2023, at the home of his girlfriend at Ang Mo Kio, with his knees hurting. While she was still asleep, he took her car and drove it to a clinic on Towner Road to get an injection for the pain.
However, his driving licence had expired in 1995, and he had never renewed it.
After his doctor’s visit, he drove over to Block 151, Bishan Street 11, intending to buy breakfast. However, while he was at the carpark, because he stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake, he ended up hitting a metal cabinet that contained gas cylinders. When he put the car in reverse, he also bumped into a lamp post.
His mishaps damaged parts of the car as well as the metal cabinet.
In photos accompanying the report, Loh can be seen using a walker to aid his mobility. Moreover, CNA quoted his lawyer, Kalaithasan Karuppaya, as saying that Loh suffers from several chronic medical conditions, including asthma, hypertension, high cholesterol, and osteoarthritis in both knees.
“The accused regrets his behaviour and understands that his actions have brought unnecessary stress and pain to his family,” the lawyer added.
What netizens are saying
Many commenters online zeroed in on one particular aspect of the story, the relationship between Loh and his girlfriend.
“The only thing I read is at 82 still got gf.. power la ah gong,” said one.
“The elephant in the room is that this chap is 82 and he has a gf! Woohoo. Champion!” another chimed in.
“82 years old, still have gf. Very powerful,” added a Facebook user.
“Who cares about crashing girlfriend’s car?” asked a third, writing, “The main attraction here is ‘Man, 82…’”.
“Not sure if it’s more shocking for an 82-year-old to have a license that expired a whopping 3 decades ago, or to have a girlfriend at that age. An absolute champ,” commented one.
Others seemed to see Loh as an inspiration of sorts.
“For all those who are single not by choice, just remember this grandpa has a GF,” one wrote.
“Best thing is…his gf got a car for him to drive…he is 82, still has a gf and a rich one!” another opined.
A netizen, however, took a more serious tone and wrote, “He hadn’t held a valid driving license since 1995 and had no car insurance. Despite his knee pain that required medical attention, he still got behind the wheel. His actions put others at risk, and the 2-week jail sentence seems like a fitting consequence.
“It’s concerning that he drove without insurance or a valid license, especially given his age and health condition. Perhaps this incident will serve as a wake-up call for him to reassess his driving privileges.” /TISG
Read also: Man without driving licence used friend’s name to rent a car; sped at 123km/h on expressway
