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Hi,
It is great to see someone doing something about cycling conditions in Singapore.
One thing you might want to consider doing is leaving a completely white painted bike (ghost bike) at the scene of accidents where someone has been killed. I have just moved from London where they do this every time someone is killed. The effects are quite chilling and remind passers by to slow down. Very simple and cheap too.
There is a picture of one on the following.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1034562/White-ghost-bikes-pay-tribute-dead-riders-danger-spots-Britain.html
Kind regards,
Jason
Hello
I was wondering if there is a regular event going on that teaches safe cycling to school children. My 7 year old daughter just recently learned how to cycle and I am thinking of starting her on the roads soon but it would be great if I can send her somewhere to learn traffic rules and safe cycling.
Hi CK,
It is good that your daughter learn about safe cycling from the young age and that should eventually become a habit to her.
We are currently conducting Safe Cycling Clinics in Tampines and Pasir Ris Town and some adhoc request from primary schools. At the moment it is not a regular session but clinics will be incorporated into the grassroots events. We touch on some essential traffic rules in the clinics but do not go into details, you may want to pick up a “Highway Code” booklet and start sharing with her from there.
May I suggest you drop me an email (safecyclesg@gmail.com) with your contact number and I will see if I can slot you in one of the session if you do not mind traveling to either of the two towns (I will speak to the person in charge when it comes).
Hope this helps you.
Cheers!
Steven Lim
President
Safe Cycling Taskforce
Hi SCT !
Great work. Keep pushing for more cyclist rights.
I’m a Singaporean currently in Germany.
Cycling is a great solution to many of Singapore’s congestion problems.
Singapore is a small country, reachable mostly with a bicycle.
Too bad the authorities don’t have the sense to see the value of promoting cycling, improving infrastructure to protect cyclist, etc.
Keep it up !
Can you let me know when’s the next Ride of Silence will be held? Regards.
Hi Wahido,
Ride of Silence is a yearly event, the next one is next year and should be some time in May or June, if the organiser do organise again.
Cheers!
Hi SCTF
I’m wondering if we can petition to the relevant authorities to allow the old railway track to be converted into a road cycling track. There just isn’t a road cycling route where we can train on and concentrate on our personal TT without worrying about the truck or bus whizzing by or the traffic light coming up.
The only one we have that is motor vehicle and traffic light free is the one at East Coast but it’s usually crowded with children and it can be dangerous when cycling at competitive speed.
In this aspect, the old railway track is perfect if we can convince the authorities to convert it. I’m sure whatever prime land it sits on and needs to be used, we can find a way around, a bridge over, or a tunnel under it. Economically, judging by the response of cycling events, I’m sure there are alot of competitive, semi-competitive or even weekend warriors who will willingly pay to use it. I know of a lot of serious cyclists who will pay $5, $10 or even $50 to have a scenic track free from carbon monoxide, buses and trucks and traffic lights.
Do drop me a line at 90692869 if you share my view. I’m willing to lend whatever help I can to organise the petition. Thanks.
Kelvin Sim
My company is doing cycling event. I wanna join but don’t know how to cycle. is there any place where I can Learn how to cycle and
learn abt safe cycling at e same time?
thanks
Please read this thread at togoparts with regards to Mindef response on Para 4.
http://goo.gl/bW9gf
I hope someone can help clarify this and educate Mindef and the public accordingly:
“Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276, Section 140), Road Traffic (Bicycle) Rules, it is stated that “wherever part of the road or a path adjacent to a road has been set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, no bicycles shall be used on any part of the roadway.”
Are road cyclists breaking the above rule if they cycle on Changi Coast road instead of the Park Connector beside it?
This is a great site! Thanks for making the effort in promoting cycling awareness in Singapore.
Hi AT, According to Traffic Police that under the Road Traffic Rules (Bicycle), rule 7(3), cyclists are not suppose to ride on the road if part of a road or a path adjacent to a road has been set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. So technically speaking, the Changi Coastal Road will be governed by this rule. But having said that, there is an argument that the PCN next to the road is not “exclusive” to cyclists, joggers, skaters, leisure park goers all use the PCN, and TP also sees the need for faster cyclists to go on the road and it is safer for the cyclists and other PCN users, as such, they are not enforcing Rule7(3) on this part of the roads.
Thanks KT
Thanks to Chu Wa for the email, and Steven for clarifying with our TP.
Thanks for the effort guys!
Dear SCTF, today this amazing letter was presented in the ST forum, with many responses in the online discussion forum.. would it be appropriate your organization responds with a ST letter? Cheers Hannes
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_639801.html
Mar 1, 2011
Curb recreational cycling on roads
THE explosion in the number of adults taking up recreational cycling on public roads, who are also usually well-educated, has swayed public opinion.
Recreational cyclists have managed to paint other road users, particularly motorists, as irresponsible, especially in according cyclists the right to use public roads.
Yet almost every morning, scores of cyclists occupy a full lane along Upper Thomson Road and other roads.
It takes only a single cyclist with his “reasonable” appeal for a 1.5m safe distance from a motorist to disrupt optimum usage of a public stretch for other users.
It does not make sense to encourage recreational cycling on public roads.
I can sympathise with the poor blue-collar worker cycling to work but not a recreational cyclist. To those who still insist on cycling, kindly use your stationary bike in your home or gym.
It is safer and in the best interest of the public.
Dr Terence Teoh
Hi,
What do you think of trying to push for legislation that would make cycling with a helmet, proper lights, etc. compulsory? This would increase awareness among cyclists that a bicycle is a vehicle which must be operated using proper safety equipment, similar to motor vehicles. It would also increase visibility to motorists and encourage motorists to take cyclists seriously as road users.
Also, is the 1.5 metre rule merely a soft rule taught to drivers, or is it a hard law? The other day a passing police vehicle was less than 1.5 metres away from me.
@Benjamin
With respect for your good intentions, please be aware that a compulsory helmet law would be a bad idea!
Suggesting that wearing a helmet can reduce risks slightly is OK. But FORCING cyclists to wear helmets has been found to cause a drop in cycling and a growing belief that cycling is extremely dangerous.
See http://www.cyclehelmets.org/ for lots of information making the case against helmet legislation.
See http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/do-bike-helmets-save-lives-or-do-they-hurt-cycling.html for a very short but useful intro to the debate and the implicit messages we send if we focus too much on helmets for cyclists.
However, proper lights are a different matter! We can and should urge the traffic police to enforce that particular law for anyone cycling on the roads. There already is a law that requires lights at night isn’t there?
Hi all, and Benjamin, I am also interested in this, and I also have been almost hit by a police car, 20 cm from me, at South BV Rd!
Just a few weeks ago, a careless female driver almost killed me doing a turn on SBV Rd into the Kent Ridge NUH car park – I caught her in the car park, talked to her, and the response was “I am right what, you are just a cyclist and I am a car driver, I have the right of way!” This is not the first time I get such response, and I am getting tired of this. However, talking to legal professionals, I learned that there is a real grey area (what Benjamin talks about as well). And this is really odd: cyclists are not really considered “vehicles”, but rather tolerated odd participants. So there really is no clear law ruling right of way etc, as there is in other countries. Yet, when a cyclist is killer by a motorized vehicle (20/year), the vehicle driver is always at fault. Strange situation, I am also driving a car.
So, is this organization able to do something about it?
Aslo, the ST letter I talked about a few days ago, it sparked quite response, and even a really good polling from ST online was conducted. Clear result: most pollers asked for designated cyclcing alnes, the “ban all cyclists” approach got a thumbs down. Does this www find this not newsworthy?
I am really looking forward to more activity in this area.
If there was a cyclist party in the next GE, well…
Hello, another letter at ST asking to ban bicycles:
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_647967.html
Is this task force serious about doing something in public?
Cheers
Hi Hannes,
Rest assure that we at SCTF are serious about doing something pertaining to cyclists safety, as of “public”… yes, in the context of public educations and other aspects together with our partners from relevant government agencies like LTA, TP..etc.
The reason we do not want to reply to such letters is because the writers do not write with sense and have no constructive ideas on how to improve the situations. So the last thing we want is for SCTF to be involved in a nonsensical arguments or debates which lead to nowhere, I hope you understand my views and where I am coming from. What we really need is for the cycling communities to unite by riding safely and observe all traffic rules and road orders, giving SCTF and relevant authorities constructive ideas to improve current ‘dangerous’ situations, may be even come forward to be volunteers and help spread the safety messages, and we also need the support and help from relevant authorities and government agencies.
We all know by Rules, bicycles are considered vehicles and they belong to the roads, this you can find in Road Traffic Act, Rules 28 (Bicycle rules). This is not going to change so easily by a few letters from the public urging the authority to ban cycling on the roads. If you realise, so far there were no replies from LTA or TP, which I believe they do not find it necessary. Nevertheless, I will voice this issues out to TP and LTA in our next meeting and see if they can highlight the Rule 28 again in their next Road Safety Campaign or something similar as public education to reinforce the legality of cycling on the roads and urging the motorists to share the roads.
Thank you for sharing with us the stories and your views, hope to hear from you soon.
Cheers!
Ride Hard! Ride Safe!
Steven Lim
President
Safe Cycling Task Force
Dear Steven Lim, I am glad to see your informative and candid reply, and I overall do agree that engaging into a discussion with non-nonsensical letters in the ST forum is of no great value from you perspective. However, I felt that at least stating the status quo, ie the fact that cyclists indeed do belong to the road etc would have been of some value, whether such reply comes from LTA or another organization.
I am still not sure that a bicycle is a “normal”, fully accepted vehicle in Singapore, and googeling “Road Traffic Act, Rules 28 (Bicycle rules)” would not direct me to any legislation that helps. Rule 28 of road traffic act, 276 talks about “General Licenses” (http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_retrieve.pl?actno=REVED-276). Can you specify what rule you are referring to?
The only part I can find is section 140 (http://www.ntu.edu.sg/ohs/safetyforeveryone/Documents/Singapore%20Laws%20on%20Cycling.pdf), but this talks only to the cyclist, not to other road users who may or may not respect the cyclist.
I would like to see the relevant Singapore legislation that gives Singapore cyclists any rights, print it out, and hand to the next driver cutting my way (likely tomorrow..).
Cheers Hannes
Hi,
i am a student from Jurong Junior College and we are going through project coursework. we intend to interview Safe Cycling Task Force. Hence, could you kindly offer me with the strategies SCTF have came up with to achieve their objectives. Furthermore, we would be sending you the request for interview soon. Thank You for your cooperation
Hi,
may i know who is the president or vice-president of SCTF
Hi Vijay and Sasikala,
You may send your queries to safecyclesg@gmail.com and I will reply from there.
Thank you.
Steven Lim
President
Safe Cycling Task Force
Dear Steven Lim,
I have been cut off the road twice recently, in both cases by cab drivers, and in both cases the drivers told me in full confidence that bicycles are not proper vehicles, and they can be neglected by car drivers. I filed two complaints with the cab companies, but I doubt this solves the problem. I bought a helmet video camera now to capture the madness around me… at least those videos have a high entertainment value, as I found within a day using the camera…
Also, talking to colleagues who are currently in driving school, I learn that driving students are taught that bicycles are not fully accepted vehicles in Singapore. They ar tolerated, as are pedestrians, but no clear rules regarding priorities apply.
Hence, I still wonder what rules you are referring to in April when saying “We all know by Rules, bicycles are considered vehicles and they belong to the roads, this you can find in Road Traffic Act, Rules 28 (Bicycle rules)”
As I said in April, the “Road Traffic Act, Rules 28 (Bicycle rules)” did not direct me to any legislation that helps. Rule 28 of road traffic act, 276 talks about “General Licenses” (http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_retrieve.pl?actno=REVED-276). Can you specify what rule you are referring to?
I would like to see the relevant Singapore legislation that gives Singapore cyclists any rights, print it out, and hand to anyone taking my priority next time.
So are there legislative texts or relevant court rulings in Singapore or not?
Hope to get some insight, best regards, Hannes
Hannes,
The rules can be found here:
http://www.pedal.sg/pedal/Singapore_Laws.html
they do not explicitly state that a bicycle is a vehicle, it is presumed from the wording in the laws themselves.
eg for signalling:
“The rider of a bicycle shall in order to inform traffic that he intends
(a)to ‘stop’ — etc etc etc” If a bike is in traffic, it must be a vehicle, and therefore must be accorded the same rights as other vehicles.
Your colleagues’ experience in driving school reflects the (pathetic) quality of driver education here, not the laws themselves.
Hi TK, thanks for this info, but I have look into exactly those rules before. But that’s really it, I am not entirely convinced that the inference you make from here that a bicycle is a vehicle is correct. A pedestrian may also signal to the traffic, but clearly we can agree that a pedestrian is not a vehicle. I will ask a lawyer friend next…
I agree with you second claim entirely though!
Can someone else give any clue about this topic? I thought one way to clarify is to check out cases where cyclists have been harmed by motorists, but then I think in all these cases a different law is employed, which is reckless driving etc, and the driver gets away with a relatively small punishment. And, again this is the point, this is no different from reckless car driver harming anyone else (no another vehicle).
Maybe I should make a police report when the next car cuts me and find out at a police station what law applies? I am assuming here that policemen are well-educated in cycling law…
Cheers H
Dear Mr Lim,
I am representing a group of students from Victoria Junior College, doing a project titled ‘Reducing Conflict between Cyclists and Pedestrians’. The main aim of our project is analyse, and provide solutions to reduce the possible conflict that may occur between pedestrians and cyclists in the event that pavement cycling is legalized.
One of our solutions to reduce conflict between cyclists and pedestrians is to conduct safe cycling clinics to educate cyclists on how to cycle safely, and also be considerate on the pavements (eg. cycling at the side, not speeding). This way, pedestrians will be more at ease knowing that their safety is not compromised due to errant cyclists. As the Safe Cycling Task Force frequently conducts safe cycling clinics for cyclists on roads, we would like to seek your opinion if the Task Force would be willing to conduct safe cycling clinics for pavement cycling in the event that it is legalized.
The purpose of these clinics, in addition to teaching cyclists to cycle safely, would also be to encourage them to be considerate to pedestrians. Hence. we are also seeking help from the Singapore Sports Council in publishing Safe Cycling Guides for pavement cycling and also to encourage pedestrians to be considerate to these cyclists on pavements. These guides can be used by the Safe Cycling Task Force in conducting the clinics, and also given out to participants.
We really appreciate your help in commenting on the feasibility of our proposed idea, and indicating if the Task Force is willing to undertake this project of conducting safe cycling clinics for pavement cycling in the event of pavement cycling being legalized. Please feel free to contact us for further clarifications on our project.
Thank you very much, once again, for your help.
Hi joan,
I would like to comment on the safe cycling clinics for pavement cycling plan you brought up. I think that it’s a great idea! As a cyclist myself, i frequently face the dilemma of not wanting to risk my safety by cycling on the road, yet pavement cycling is not legalized (i live in Sengkang Town). In the event that pavement cyclist is legalized, i would definitely be willing to attend such clinics to not only learn how to cycle safely, but also ensure the pedestrians’ safety as well as i understand their concerns about cyclists posing a threat to them on the pavements. There is a need to increase such cyclist education to assure the fears of pedestrians, and encourage both parties (cyclists and pedestrians) to give way to one another to minimize the conflict that you mentioned.
Furthermore, i would like to point out that after hearing about the ‘safe cycling guide’ you mentioned in your post above, i went on SSC website to view it as i’ve never known about its existence. Although it was a great help, being pretty long and somewhat inaccessible and not well known, i don’t think that it would be widely read by cyclists. perhaps in your project you could implement a shorter, more concise brochure or pamphlet that could be easily distributed and available to all.
All the best for your project!
Hi Joan,
It is good that you are thinking of conducting safe cycling clinics to educate cyclists on how to cycle safely, I feel, based on past experiences, that it is an effective way to impart the knowledge of safe cycling on.
We are currently conducting Safe Cycling Clinics in Tampines and Pasir Ris Town and some adhoc request from primary schools. At the moment it is not a regular session but clinics will be incorporated into the grassroots events. We touch on some essential traffic rules in the clinics but not go into details. Your project sounds like an incorporation of our current clinics, so if you were to provide me with more details on the project like the date, time and place etc, we can see what we can do about it.
May I suggest you drop me an email (safecyclingsg@pacific.net.sg) with your contact number and I will see if I get back to you soon enough
Hope this helps you.
Cheers!
Steven
Hi Joan, sounds like an interesting idea, reminds me of the shell traffic games event that is conducted by Shell. If there were ever such an event, I may consider taking part, I have experienced a fair share of inconsiderate cycling myself.
so according to another SG blog, the interaction between cyclists and cars is documented “in the 6th Edition of the Advanced Theory Manual by the Traffic Police, it is on pages 92-93, points 203 – 206.” which obliges drivers to give cyclists plenty of room and be conscientious of cyclists.
so there you go hannes.
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