A RETIREE was apparently attacked for driving too slowly, despite signalling to a driver honking him from behind to overtake him.

Mr Fong Kee San, 77, alleged that as soon the driver overtook him, he stopped in front of his car. And when Mr Fong got out, he bashed him with what looked like brass knuckles.

The assault last July left him with facial injuries, Mr Fong said.

Recalling the incident, which happened at 5.45pm, he said in Mandarin: 'I had driven out of Farrer Court when the car behind began honking repeatedly.

'After he overtook me, he got out of his car to confront me, asking in English: 'Why you drive so slow?' Before I could say anything, he punched me in the face.'

Mr Fong, who drives a Nissan Sunny, claims he fell to the ground and when he got up, the driver, who was in his 50s, bashed him again.

He said: 'My face was bleeding. I told the driver I'd call the police and dialled 999 on my handphone. He had the cheek to say: 'So what?'

'The cops arrived and took our statements. They also called for an ambulance to take me to National University Hospital.

'I was so dazed I didn't realise I was bleeding until one officer handed me a tissue. I thought the driver was wearing brass knuckles but I couldn't confirm it as my vision was blurred.'

He was discharged at 1am the next day and taken back by one of his sons to his four-room Queen's Road flat.

His wife, Madam Tan Eng Lian, 75, who walks with a walking stick, said: 'I was shocked when he told me what happened. But I didn't go to the hospital as I have difficulty walking.'

Police spokesman Stanley Norbert confirmed that the police issued a stern warning to the other driver after consulting the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Veteran criminal lawyer Subhas Anandan said: 'Warnings are recorded in the police book, so the next time the culprit re-offends, he'll be prosecuted.

'But for a road rage culprit to be let off with a warning, there could be strong mitigating factors because it has been public policy to prosecute such criminals.'

Lawyer Amolat Singh said: 'Since nobody saw what happened, it's a case of one man's word against the other.'

This article was first published in The New Paper on Apr 19, 2008.