A BlueSG car was seen driving down Lower Delta Road in Telok Blangah with a visibly burst tyre and glowing hot wheel rim, prompting concern from nearby motorists.
On 21 Sept, Redditor u/slaughtrr12 shared a video of the incident on the r/singapore subreddit, stating it occurred near SAFRA Mount Faber.
The OP, a passenger in a private hire vehicle (PHV), told MS News that both they and their driver noticed the alarming condition of the BlueSG car while driving home on a rainy night.
In the footage, the BlueSG car’s left front tyre was fully deflated, leaving only the metal rim in contact with the road. The rim appeared to glow red hot as the car continued driving, producing loud clanking noises.
Despite repeated attempts by the PHV driver to warn the BlueSG motorist — honking and gesturing for them to roll down the window — the driver appeared unaware of the situation, said the OP who did not wish to be named.
The car was last seen turning onto Telok Blangah Way, driving away from the PHV.
It’s unclear exactly when the incident took place.
The OP also told MS News that they were shocked at how dangerous the situation was, particularly given the wet road conditions, and later reported the matter to the non-emergency police line.
When contacted, a BlueSG spokesperson told MS News that the company is investigating the incident.
It assured that regular maintenance checks are conducted every three months on all its vehicles, and any reported issues are addressed immediately before the vehicle is returned to service.
It also encouraged users to perform their own checks before and after every rental.
“If drivers notice anything unusual, such as a flat tyre, warning lights, unusual noises, or difficulty manoeuvring the vehicle, they should prioritise safety by returning the vehicle to the nearest charging point and reporting the issue via our hotline,” the spokesperson said.
Some netizens in the comments speculated that the glowing red light was likely caused by the car’s brake rotor overheating, possibly due to the brakes being stuck.
Others suggested the heat from the brakes could have caused the tyre to burst.
One commenter observed the blinking lights on the BlueSG car and theorised that the driver may have intended to stop at the left kerb but was inadvertently blocked by the PHV.
One of them theorised that the driver wanted to stop at the left kerb to inspect the tyre but the PHV unintentionally blocked them.
When the video was shared on the Singapore Road Accident Facebook page, several users expressed disbelief that the driver hadn’t noticed anything was wrong.
One suggested a lack of experience behind the wheel, and said they usually try to avoid such rental cars on the road.
Also read: ‘Hot Wheels’: Bus left charred in Bedok after rear tyre catches fire
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Featured image adapted from u/slaughtrr12 on Reddit.
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