Looking at the stories on the different town council gaffes when it comes to trying to stop people from doing things (here, here and here for example), these nails stuck on the walls of HDB flat void decks to prevent kids from playing football shouldn’t be a surprise.
The nails were installed on the upper portions of the walls about 12 years ago at over 100 flats in Tampines.
The aim was to burst the kids’ balls should they have a kick around.
Since then, wear and tear has taken place and the nails are starting to come loose.
Residents have complained that they are a becoming a hazard.
Said a Mr Chan, a nail victim:
“I usually don’t pay attention to the nails but one day I was walking and stepped on one. It pierced through my shoes and it was very painful. I looked up and saw several ‘hole’ in the wall area where nails have dropped off. This is very dangerous, especially for children because sometimes they like to play games without wearing shoes. The nails look dirty and there could be a bigger health risk. “
Said another resident, Mdm Goh:
“I don’t see many children playing football at the void deck so maybe the nails served their purpose. But I think there must be a better way to stop ball games than put up such eyesores. I never liked the idea because it made the estate look like a prison.”
Anonymous
May 18, 2016 at 12:04 am
Damn.. they complaint.. action taken show result. Now complaint again.. still not appreciated.. damn spoilt…
Michael
May 20, 2016 at 11:44 am
Who on earth complains about children playing? Are HDB estates a place for families and shared community, or not? If you see kids laughing, having fun and kicking a ball around in a void deck, and you complain to your town council, you’re a disgusting human being. If you’re a member of a town council, and you decide to put up nails in walls burst children’s balls, you’re an even more disgusting human being.