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Comment by erdle | Hacker News Reader

You're heterosexual — so there will be no issues.

People seem to not want to touch on the subject that the Singapore gov't has invested major bucks into companies like Square... while also having some rights issues. Even Salesforce maintains offices in Singapore, despite all their issues with Indiana hinting about an unwelcoming climate earlier this year.

But seriously — Singapore is extremely safe. But it's also safe because it's tightly controlled. There are undercover policemen everywhere, tons of CCTC, and some strict rules. And I think they also block Wall Street Journal online.

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Do you have any references about how much CCTV there is compares to other, statistically less safe cities, such as London? Same question about the 'undercover policemen everywhere'.

Also, AFAIC WSJ is not blocked in Singapore. I asked a Singaporean colleague of mine, and he said he can reach it just fine... so again, any references?

I doubt CCTV anywhere in the world would come anywhere close to the level of coverage that London has.

But the plainclothes policemen are everywhere, and they'll fine you on the spot if you're found breaking the rules. There are booths all around the city where you can pay your fine. In New York you can buy a souvenir t-shirt that says "I <3 NY". The equivalent sold on the streets of Singapore reads "Singapore is a 'fine' city".

Us HN privacy/freedom types would hate that, but I loved the fact that my wife felt safe walking alone at night through a city she'd only spent 2 days in.

> But the plainclothes policemen are everywhere, and they'll fine you on the spot if you're found breaking the rules.

I've never been fined in Singapore, nor have I felt like I'm constantly being observed. If you walk around and observe the surroundings in the residential zones, there are people breaking minor laws like jaywalking and littering all the time and getting away with them.

> There are booths all around the city where you can pay your fine.

I've never seen one.

> In New York you can buy a souvenir t-shirt that says "I <3 NY". The equivalent sold on the streets of Singapore reads "Singapore is a 'fine' city".

You can purchase I <3 SG T-shorts as well. But yes, it's a running joke among both locals and tourists alike that Singapore is a 'fine' city.

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