Dance like no one's watching

I had an argument with my mom this morning.  Every morning, I take the PIE and exit via slip road 3A to get to Simei Road.  Last Sunday, a new traffic light became operational at the slip road.  This traffic light helps pedestrians walking from Tampines St 31 to Simei Road to cross the slip road.

While I detest having an extra red light to stop at on my way to Simei MRT, I guess it’s right to install a traffic light there to prevent pedestrians from dashing across the slip road as cars usually move at a pretty fast speed as the slip road is down slope.

My mom complained that she doesn’t see the point of having a traffic light there as it serves no purpose.  My dad tried to explain this to her before but she keeps saying it “serves no purpose”.  So I tried to reason with her this morning. 

My mom said that pedestrians should cross to the opposite side of Tampines St 31 before walking down to Simei Road.  I was like huh?  If a person wanted to get to the bus-stop on exit 3A side of Simei Road, why would that person cut across to the opposite side, and then cross back again?  Moreover, even if a person was walking down from the opposite side of Tampines St 31, that person would still have to deal with the slip road at exit 3B right?

Then my mom said, but there’s no way you can walk down from Tampines St 31.  I was like, why not?  There’s a pavement all the way so why can’t you walk?  My mom then said, “How can there be a pavement all the way?  Cars can drive horizontally across Tampines St 31 what”.

This got me totally lost.  Since when was there a perpendicular road cutting across Tampines St 31?  This was the route we take when we go home from Tampines.  Duh?! 

My mom then said, “Of course there is what!  The road that you’re driving on before you exit at the slip road.  That road cuts horizontally across what!”.

*Faints*.  I nearly died on the spot.  I was like, “Mom… that’s the PIE.  It’s an elevated expressway that goes ABOVE Tampines St 31.  Don’t you realise that’s why we have to TURN OFF the PIE down a slip road that’s on a DOWNWARD SLOPE?  The PIE and the roads below aren’t even on the same level!”.

My mom wasn’t fully convinced.  She said to “see again tomorrow”.  I told her I’d gladly bet $100 with her but she didn’t take up my bet of course.  Good grief.  This must be the epitome of “no sense of direction”.  Gosh… it’s not just a lack of sense of direction… it’s a total lack of awareness with regard to the surroundings!