LAUGHTER is the best medicine, so the saying goes.

But can a tongue-in-cheek banner solve the toxic problem at a provision shop at Block 157, Meiling Street?
Provision shop owner Jackie Ng, 44, hopes so.

He and his staff are sick and tired of inhaling exhaust fumes emitted by vehicles 'waiting' in front of their shop.

The reason: Drivers leave their engines running while they pop in to the Singapore Pools outlet inside his shop to place their bets.

Of the four carpark lots there, two are meant for loading and unloading goods and two are lots for handicapped drivers.

Two weeks ago, Mr Ng hit on the idea of 'writing' the slogan.

He spent half an hour painting the two banners in English and Mandarin, asking them to switch off their engines.

Mr Ng explained why he was driven to come up with the banner: "If there is a passenger in the car, the driver usually leaves the engine running so the other person can enjoy the air-con.

"But we end up suffering because of it."

He said there are usually two employees stationed at the cash counter on the footpath outside the shop.

One of them, Madam Kang Swee Keng, 47, said: "The car exhaust makes it very hard to breathe. It's like taking in second-hand smoke.

"Even if there are empty parking lots here or in the multi-storey carpark next to our shop, drivers will want to save on parking coupons."

She said traffic usually peaks after work on Wednesdays, and on Saturdays and Sundays before the lottery results are drawn.

Long-time employee Teo Boon Chong, 45, said: "Most of the time, I work inside the shop, but I can smell the exhaust fumes too. Sometimes the smell is so strong, it makes me gag."

Mr Ng said the problem arose after upgrading works in 2000, when the parking lots were moved closer to his shop.
The neighbouring shop has also been affected.

OLD PROBLEM

Shop owner Chan Yew Wah, 48, said: "It's been a problem for as long as I've been here, which is seven years. The exhaust fumes diffuse along the row of shops."

What about approaching drivers to turn off their engines"

Mr Teo said: "We have asked them to do so nicely before. Sometimes, people will listen to us. Otherwise, we have to just walk away."

The shop staff say taxi-drivers stay the longest as they also often head to the nearby hawker centre for a quick meal.

These cabbies leave their engines on because it saves them from having to display parking coupons.
Cab companies disapprove of this practice.

Mr Ng said he had gone to the extent of covering exhaust pipes with cardboard boxes a few times when drivers did not return after more than 15 minutes.

He said: "I was hoping it would re-direct the exhaust away from the shop towards the carpark."

Employee Kang Swee Hua, 43, said they had even entertained the idea of donning face masks.

She said: "In the end, we decided not to because it might remind people of Sars and scare them away.

BLACK SMOKE

"The vehicles which run on diesel emit black smoke, leaving a layer of soot on our goods. We can clean the items, but we have to breathe in the smoke.

The good news is after the sign has been put up, some drivers are beginning to heed the message.

One of them, who wanted to be known as Mr Sim, 60, said he delivers medical supplies that have to be kept cool.
He said: "I don't turn off the engine as I need the air-con for the supplies.

"But now that I've seen the banner, I'll turn the engine off the next time since it's just for a short while."

But the staff say most drivers just park with their exhaust pipes pointing away from the shop.

Madam Kang said: "They find the sign amusing, but not everyone takes notice of it."