Govt Review to Focus on Road Safety After Recent Involvement of Road Cyclists in Accidents

Entire debates once arose over e-scooters.

But with a change in rules and regulations, these “controversial” transportation devices have been somewhat… nerfed.

Much to the satisfaction of many formerly disgruntled Singaporeans, I’m sure.

But peace was never an option. And in the e-scooters’ absence, another transportation device has emerged as a dark horse:

Their second cousins twice removed, the bicycles.

Cyclists vs Motorists: Who Will Dominate the Roads?

Taking to the road in groups with seemingly little care for other vehicles, these cyclists have incurred the wrath of many avid motorists, including local actor Tay Ping Hui.

“Let me be crystal clear,” he wrote. “There’s a majority of safe, responsible and defensive riders out there. But it’s always the small group of bozos that ruin everything for everyone else ain’t it? Many of them simply do not care. Why? Because they know whatever happens, there’s no way to identify them like a car, bike or any registered and insured vehicle.

“So now we have cases of cyclists blatantly breaking rules, damaging other vehicles, crashing into pedestrians, & simply riding away.”

He then suggested that bicycles, too, should be subjected to the license treatment so that they can be identified by authorities.

Well, little did he know that his suggestion may just come into effect, and sooner than anyone would have expected too.

Govt Review to Focus on Road Safety After Recent Involvement of Road Cyclists in Accidents

In light of the recent cyclist-related incidents, as well as an increase in road-paving cyclists, the Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat stated that the government panel will be conducting an extensive review over the next few months.

During the review, the “infrastructure for cycling, the road behaviour and possible legislation and enforcement of cyclists on roads” will be analysed and revised wherever necessary.

He has, however, indicated that the increase in cyclists on the road isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it could aid green transportation and a car-light society in the long run.

But safety cannot be compromised.

“It is a good thing, but we want to do so in a safe manner,” he said.

“Safety is the common interest and common concern that all the stakeholders share, so what we want to do is to be able to initiate a review process focusing on how we can enhance safety for all users.”

Measures

According to Mr Chee, the review panel will start off by analysing the experiences of other countries.

They will also take suggestions, such as Tay Ping Hui’s recommendation that cyclists should register their bicycles, into account.

For the record, such a law had actually existed here until 1982, when it was repealed.

“We’ll also study what the experiences have been in this regard, like in the countries that have many cyclists (such as in) the Netherlands, for example,” Mr Chee said.

“They don’t, at this moment, have registration of bicycles or licensing of cyclists. Instead they use other ways to ensure safety, but it is a proposal that the panel can look at as part of the overall review of our existing rules and see whether such a move, overall, is good for Singapore.”

Meanwhile, the key aim, he stated, is to review everything in a “balanced and fair manner” so as to avoid inadvertently discouraging cyclists.

Enforcement, however, will be mandatory on the road.

“So, one of the things that we want to do through this review process is to raise awareness and public education about what these rules are so that people are clear. And this has to go hand-in-hand with stepped up enforcement by traffic police and by the LTA,” he said.

And Traffic Police commander Gerald Lim concurs.

“All users must comply with traffic rules and regulations and do their part to keep our roads safe.

“The Traffic Police will work with Amap and relevant agencies to look at the overall safety of all users, and I urge all road users to be more tolerant and gracious to one another.”

Cyclists will reportedly be asked for their views during the review process as well.

Efforts to promote road etiquette and compulsory theory tests for cyclists may also prove beneficial.

“At the end of the day, it is really focusing on how we can enhance safety, and there are many ways to achieve that. Whether (theory tests or licensing) is the most appropriate way, I think that’s something that we want to hear from different stakeholders before making the recommendations,” Mr Chee said.

Run-ins

Last month, a 31-year-old cyclist lost his life in a collision with a public bus. And in the same month, another 80-year-old cyclist had to be hospitalised after going through a separate collision incident.

Numerous instances of road-hogging cyclists have also been reported on social media, with the likes of local actor Tay Ping Hui joining in on the tirade.

On 1 April 2021, local actor Tay Ping Hui shared his own altercation with a group of cyclists and that went viral, too.

According to the actor, he was on the left lane and had the right of way, when a group of cyclists rode out like it was “their ah gong’s road”.

Stunned, he had to step on the brake to avoid hitting them, and even then they allegedly looked at him like it was his fault.

And on 4 April 2021, a group of cyclists could be seen manoeuvring freely on the road, taking up all lanes as they went.

The incident led a netizen to vent:

“Is this even acceptable?” she wrote. “The cyclists were all over the road!!! So dangerous!!! How to drive you teach me?!”

Feature Image: joker1991 / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purposes only)