This happened last Sunday at the Petaling Shell (‘see hum’) station near KL. While on my way back to Singapore, I decided to stop at this big petrol kiosk to top up since I only have less than half tank to last me the entire 300+km journey.
It’s peak hour and cars were lining up for their turn at the pump. Fortunately, things were moving along briskly. As I inched forward, I caught sight of this car rocking from side to side at one of the pumps towards the back end of the kiosk. In fact, it looked as if there’s a earthquake and the ground shook violently beneath that car. The only problem? That’s the only car that’s rocking to some off beat rhythm – shake-shake-shake-stoppppp-shake shake-stop-sh-sha-shake-stop.
I commented to my friend who’s in the car with me, ‘That’s gotta be a Singapore car.” True enough, its licence plate starts with S and on the side of the tank a guy around my age is rocking his car from side to side hoping to get more ‘V Power Racing’ fuel inside his 40-litre tank. To the amusement of the pump attendants and fellow motorists, his female companion joined in and helped him rock his car from the other side. Perfect harmony and synchronization I must add. They were the focal point of all the people who were fortunate enough to be there to witness this phenomenon. In fact, someone could have carjacked a Ferrari right there and then and no one would have noticed. No one believed their eyes that such phenomenons, which are commonly found in JB, actually made it to KL!
Now, I have heard about Singaporeans doing stretching by pushing against their car body in Malaysia. Even if rocking the car body can magically enable you to pump an additional 10L of premium fuel into your 40L tank, why do it 300+km away from home near KL when surely you will have the priceless opportunity to do that again in JB, 10km away from the checkpoint?
Honestly, while my friend and I had a good laugh after that, we have never felt more paiseh to be Singaporeans.
