PMDs Now Officially Banned At Void Decks In 15 Towns But There’ll Be Grace Period Until 31 Oct

Imagine you were walking back home from school. Not a care in the world, just wanting to head home and rest.Then this guy on a personal mobility device (PMD) or power-assisted bicycle (PAB) just knocks into you.

Now you’re injured and everything hurts, probably swearing too.

Which is also why the government is taking action with regards to this case.

No PMD Zone

The ban was put in place on Sunday, 1 September 2019, after the 15 Town Councils under the Peoples Action Party (PAP) revised their common property and open spaces by-laws.

Of course, new rules do take time to settle in.

There is a grace period all the way to 31 October, where offenders will be given a warning first. Anything past that date? You should know better by then.

Also don’t worry if you’ve got a wheelchair, or any sort of mobility aid. Those are all cool.

But if you’re one of those affected, it might be a mystery as to why this ban is suddenly in place.

Well let me give you some numbers.

In April, the ministry of transport identified 228 reported accidents involving PMDs on public paths in 2017 and 2018, 196 of them resulting in injuries.

Coordinating chairman of PAP town councils, Teo Ho Pin, mentioned that the 15 town councils received around 190 pieces of feedback of reckless PMD behaviour over the last year.

So complain all we want, this is so we don’t get rammed by speeding cyclists in void decks.

Serious Consequences

This is where the ‘fine’ portion of the article begins.

And by fine, I mean $5,000 worth of fines guys. 

You do not want to be on the receiving end of this one. 

Oh and please don’t think about getting away or hiding from anyone. About 70000 surveillance units will be set up across the 15 towns to make sure of this.

Around $50 million will be dedicated to expanding infrastructure in areas where PMD related accidents tend to occur.

This includes things like: widening footpaths, clearer warning signs or speed limits for PMD users.

FYI, here are some speed limits of PMDs as told by Land Transport Authority, so don’t anyhowly scoot around if you have a PMD:

Harmonious Travels

Just like the force, all things require a balance.

If you’re a PMD user and you see someone like an old lady moving along the pathway, practice a little patience.

Or even a young guy with an injured leg, might need a little help too.

Likewise, if you’re on foot, be a little more aware of your surroundings. You never know if turning down the volume on Just Us could help a PMD guy speed up his journey.