Drivers have been raising a ruckus about the hazardous driving conditions created by the F1 safety barriers in Marina Centre and Suntec City, especially at Raffles Boulevard.

Preparations for the F1 race next week have resulted in two rows of barriers and fences - 4.2 metres high - sprouting up from both sides of Raffles Boulevard. These barriers, drivers say, inevitably create blind spots and make driving in the area more dangerous.

Raffles Boulevard is part of the F1 street circuit. On the other hand, it is also a key thoroughfare for motorists who work in the Marina-Suntec area.

One driver actually told my paper, "Regardless of whether I am turning into Raffles Boulevard from a sideroad or exiting into a sideroad from Raffles Boulevard, my vision is always obstructed by the 4.2 metre barrier. This makes it impossible to see oncoming cars.

Mr Zhan Zhi Wei, a 29-year-old office worker at Millenia Tower, said that the situation gets more dangerous after the peak hour rush is over. By the time he can knock off at 8 pm or 9 pm, cars go much faster since there are no jams.

"This makes it more dangerous for me. When I come out of the carpark, the safety barriers actually create a blind spot - I cannot see the oncoming cars.

Another driver told my paper, "The traffic situation is pretty hairy during peak hours too - when there are jams everywhere and you can't see a thing."

"It is a miracle that there has been no accident so far."

This article was first published in Chinese in my paper.

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