E-scooter Involved in ‘Hit & Run’ Accident Arrested & He’s Only 18

Did anyone read this article?

Yes, its news and all, this E-scooter, Personal Mobility Device (PMD) issue.

But more importantly, the writing was factually accurate and it was most importantly, hysterically not funny.

Pardon my digression and now back to the point.

E-Scooter Beating Red Light Crashed Into PMD Rider, Allegedly Resulting in Threats & Broken Ribs

Taking a cue from my colleague, Zhi Hao’s, article, an e-scooter rider can be seen speeding on the road, beating a red light and crashing into an electric bike rider.

Mr Xie Zhi Hao (not my colleague: they just happened to have the same name), the victim, suffered a “cracked shoulder blade, two broken toes and other injuries” according to STOMP.

He was taken to Sengkang Hospital immediately after the incident and was discharged on Sunday afternoon.

Though not before racking up a bill of close to $3,000 on his treatment and being given 8 weeks’ medical leave for his trouble. That’s like 56 days of MC, and usually companies in Singapore just give 5 to 14 days of paid MC.

To make matters worse, a caption was uploaded alongside a video on the SG Road Vigilante – SGRV FAcebook page which showed the entire incident.

It alleged that:

“the escooter rider and his friends refused to stay and wait for the authorties and threaten the drivers if they tried to stop them…they escaped before the police arrived.”

… which is as cowardly as all red-light beating E-scooter riders come.

Here’s the video incidentally:

Update and Arrest

Thankfully for Mr Zhi Hao and for the rest of Singapore’s unsuspecting pedestrians, the said culprit has reportedly been caught by the efficient force that is our SPF (Singapore Police Force).

According to Stomp: “Police have arrested an 18-year-old e-scooterist for causing grievous hurt by a rash act after he collided with another man riding an e-scooter in Pasir Ris on Saturday.”

Wait… scooterist is a word…?

This might have been due to the fact that the Eden-Ang-lookalike culprit had reportedly ridden past a police camera soon after escaping from the crime scene.

Or that the video itself has been viewed a 100,000 times over (and counting) with more than 4,000 shares.

Personal Mobility Devices/E-scooters in Singapore

PMDs and the likes it seems, aren’t quite able to stay out of the news for long.

Just in February this year, an electric scooter rider collided into a 45-year-old pedestrian, resulting in permanent injuries. He was eventually sentenced to eight months and seven weeks’ of jail time, with the inclusion of sentencing for the consumption of drugs.

In Dec 2018, a 49-year-old housewife hit an older pedestrian, sending her to the hospital for nine days.

While this new technology seems promising in addressing first-mile, last-mile transportation issues, it is still a rather new technology that wields a significant amount of speed, power, and ability to blindside people.

This is no doubt the reason for the creation and enforcement of the Active Mobility Act (AMA) which fully came into effect on 1 May 2018.

To active and irresponsible AMA PMD users, please be warned that there are speed limits to keep under, fire safety standards to comply with and restrictions on size of PMDs as well.

A list of all to-dos and nots can be found conveniently here.

To riders: We be Watching.

To pedestrians: Stay Safe and always keep a look out before moving off.

To drivers: Install car camera, please.