Bike-sharing, in theory, is a good idea. It improves health, cut down on carbon emissions and all that jazz.

Except, in Singapore, it has caused Singaporeans no end of trouble.

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From obstructing passageways to creating more work for the Singapore Police Force, bicycle-sharing isn’t exactly a welcomed thing in Singapore.

‘Coz, you know, we don’t deserve good things. Just ask Nas Weekly.

Bike-sharing is once again in the limelight. And this time, it could potentially mean the end of errant bicycle parking. Maybe.

Govt to Deploy and Enforce QR Code For Bicycle-Sharing Parking

On 25 Sep, it was reported that the government is deploying a new Quick Response (QR) code at designated parking areas.

From Jan 2019 onwards, users will have to scan the deployed QR code with their phones when parking the bicycles.

Those who didn’t do so can be fined S$5 by the respective bike-sharing companies.

Well, $5 is nothing since you’re rich AF, right?

But if you anyhowly park your bicycle three times in a calendar year? You’ll be banned from using any bike-sharing services in Singapore for up to one year.

You’ll start to see these QR codes deployed throughout Singapore from the end of the month onwards.

Next month, LTA will start educating the public about the new QR code system.

Designated Bike-Sharing Parking Spaces Very Accessible

Now, then, most users would complain that having to park at designated places contradicts the entire point of dockless bicycles.

After all, the entire point of a bicycle-sharing scheme is to connect users seamlessly at the first and last mile of their journey.

You’ll love to park it right at your doorstep #Iknowwhatyouthinking

And it doesn’t make sense if a designated parking space is far from where they want to go.

If you’re worried about this, don’t worry.

The Land Transport Authority assured the public that they’re going to add even more parking spaces to the 207,000 parking spaces already available in Singapore.

Each designated parking space, they said, will be within 400m for more than 99% of public housing residents.

Also, 95% of private residential homes and 97% of key locations are within a 5-minute walk of a designated bicycle parking space.

By 2020, LTA plans to provide 267,000 spaces to park bicycles in Singapore.

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It’s Like Reverting Back to 2014

If you’ve forgotten, the Singapore government had initially wanted to provide bike-sharing services in the country.

They’ve even come up with proposed docking stations, expansion of the cycling path network and had called for tenders.

In fact, 13 firms had indicated their interest in the scheme.

Then, Mobike, oBike (RIP, oBike. On second thoughts, no, please don’t rest in peace) and ofo entered into the scene and the Government decided to scrap their plans.

After all, why provide the same service using taxpayers’ money when there are companies that can do it better, right?

After all, while the Government is proposing a docked-bicycle-sharing scheme, these companies are pushing out dockless bicycles, which is way more convenient.

Unfortunately, the companies were more interested in gaining market share than regulating their fleets of bicycles.

Which led to indiscriminate parking…

…thefts, and generally inconveniencing others.

So LTA buay tahan liao, implementing a new bicycle-sharing licensing regime which saw bike-sharing firms bowing out from Singapore.

And now, similar to what they’ve planned back in 2014, they’ve created “docks” for parking bicycles.

All because Singaporeans cannot have nice things.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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