[SG Talk] Should cycling be allowed on pavements?

[tangwk1990]

Well, this has been a popular topic debated by Singaporeans since long time ago. I have read from the newspapers in the past and I read about some people getting irritated by cyclists cycling on pavements. They say that this is very dangerous for the pedestrians as well as cyclists. However, the cyclists found it safer to cycle on pavements than on main roads. And to my anger, those who are caught cycling on pavements will be fined!!! :crazy:

I came up with this topic after I read this article from The Straits Times today:

March 4, 2005
Cyclists may get to ride on pavements

PEDESTRIANS, watch out. Cyclists could soon be sharing pavements with you. The Traffic Police are looking into allowing them on sidewalks.

Right now, they are banned from these spaces. But many disregard the law, pedestrians have claimed in letters to The Straits Times Forum pages.

If caught, such cyclists can be fined up to $1,000 or jailed for up to three months.

But insisting that they share the roads with vehicles also poses great risks to them, said MP Irene Ng (Tampines GRC), who has championed the cause of cyclists in Parliament for the past three years.

During the debate on the budget of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) yesterday, she got into gear again - and made some headway.

Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee told the House about the possibility of relaxing the pavement ban on cyclists.

Miss Ng, who is the patron of the Singapore Amateur Cycling Association, said: 'This is a positive sign from the MHA that cyclists have a share of the common space and are legitimate road users.'

MP Charles Chong (Pasir Ris-Punggol) and NMP Geh Min too spoke on the safety of cyclists yesterday.

The number of cyclists involved in traffic accidents has been rising - from 341 in 1998 to 363 in 2002. The latest figure, between January and September last year, was 292.

Ms Ng told The Straits Times that even if the law is relaxed, pedestrians' safety should not be compromised. She is for clearly demarcated cyclist lanes and good sign-posting. Also, some pavements may have to be widened.

A Traffic Police spokesman said that if cyclists are allowed to ride on the pavement, 'relevant laws and enforcement procedures would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's safety'.

Ms Ng revealed to The Straits Times that she is in talks with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to widen roads in Tampines to accommodate cyclists.

'We'd like to pilot this in Tampines, and if it works out well, we hope it would convince LTA to implement it nationwide.'

LI XUEYING

-----------------------

My comments: It will be definately the best if we are allowed to cycle on pavements. Some people cycle everyday to MRT stations to go to work. So this will definately be a go-ahead for all regular cyclists. I think we should allow cyclists to use the pavements. If not, they will have to use the side of the main road which can be very dangerous. So we have to give the cyclists some consideration.

What are your comments?

[kasic_fantasy]

definitely not! :-x

some bloody cyclist they dont cycle with their eyes open! now to think bout this i feel so angry...

last sunday i brought my elder niece to the nearby market to help my mom to buy some stuffs. she insist on coming with me so i had no choice. as i was walking along the pavememnt and bloody indian man was cycling so damn hell fast in font of us! i was kindda shock and quickly told my niece to look out. but that indian guy was just too fast and his bike just rode past my niece's right foot!!! :-x :-x :-x

the most blood boiling is that he didnt even say sorry or what!!! and this cost my niece in great pain...and immediately dropped down and cried on the spot and my heart broke into 2 pieces when i saw this :cry:

i hate that man...my niece went limping for more than a week and have to bandage her foot!!! what the f*ck is this? :-x

so i'm definitely super against this cycle on pavement thingy :dry:

[Logic]

Ofcourse not!! If they hit a predestrian then whose more likely to be injured?

They're dangerous on the roads too, sometimes don't obey the traffic lights. Last time i almost got hit by one cos it was green crossing light and the stupid cyclist ran the red lights!! I was like half way across the street already, that shows u that he just went for it. :oops:

[friends_pt]

I personally thinks that it's alright for cycling on pavements. so long as cyclists abides their safety rules, i believe it's not a big problem. it can add on to the transportation available for us.

[lattae]

The poor image of cyclist is all thanks to the hormone-charged reckless teenage boys, and some of the idiotic/socially unconscious bozos found among us.


Personally, I've been in quite a few "near misses" of bicycle accidents. I've only witness one last sunday when a boy just rode through the bus stop without stopping, ramming into an old lady who had just alighted from the bus. These speedsters are the most irritating. Even when you do notice them and give way, they'd take as if you owe it to them, and just ride past you so close you can feel them brush by. I don't know if it's their need to show off their technique or what :worry:

Then there's always some cyclist who'd think they OWN that freaking pedestrian crossing. They cycle in the middle of the walkway, ring incessantly at people who are in their way, make that "tsk" sound at anyone who doesn't give way in time etc. These people are just pure rude. They will NEVER open tier mouths to say "excuse me" or "sorry" or "thank you" even when the inconvience other pavement users. I hate it when they just keep ringing that damn BELL :-x. Around my estates, the majority these culprits are PRCs, others are those young white collar folks.


That said, I still don't think it's fair the confine cyclist to the road.

I have only one reason, it is hazardous. While them being on the pavement just makes us bothered, put them on the road, they are in risk of losing their lives. I don't think it's fair way to handle the issue. Besides, cyclists are so slow on the road, they are a hazard to other road users as they'll have to take extra care not to hit them. Our roads are not built for cyclists, there's not even a small puny lane for them!

Actually, this rule (or the knowledge of it) has made me stop cycling for a long time. I used to cycle to get around... and being a poor cyclist, I can't really use the road with confidence. The cars buzzing pass me just freaks the hell outta me and I can't focus. The whole rule is pretty unfair to me, cos I've don't speed, I don't ring the bell to chase off pedestrians. I do give way to them, I go on the grass if I really have to rush (and that's like really rare)... etc etc. I believe there are many like me. I am grounded... because of some inconsiderate folks? It's injustice.... :cry: Lets be fair, I'd imagine many of us having to convert to cycling since the busfare hikes are so regular. It's not like we don't want to arrive in comfort in a feeder bus, it costs like ~70cents for just a few stops to the MRT. That's daylight robbery.


I think with proper demarcation, and public education, cyclists can share the pavement with pedestrians. The current laws doesn't quite solve the problems properly. It's like just shoving it under the carpet and pretending that it doesn't exists :rasp:

[Mushimushi]

The current laws doesn't quite solve the problems properly. It's like just shoving it under the carpet and pretending that it doesn't exists :rasp:

Well, I strongly agree with you on that! This issue has been around for quite a long time until now, and the possible new law might not really solve the whole issue.


This topic reminds me of once when my principal made a speech about the cyclists on pavements. My principal's mentioned that cyclists were supposed to ride their bikes on the road and not the pavement ( which is true), and that some cyclists are not aware about such a law while others are just afraid of the dangers of riding the bike on the road. He elaborated that the pavements were for the pedestrains, so cyclists should give way to them and not the other way round!

Personally, I feel that there is bound to be some disadvantage to one party whether the new law will allow cyclists to ride on pavements or the roads only, hence, I do not really have a strong stand about what should be the new law. On the other hand, I feel that cyclists would be safer riding on the pavements rather than the roads. Perhaps the main disturbance is that some cyclists can be rude and ignorant. I just hope a fair decision on the law will be made soon so as to ease this disturbing situation with some of us.

[ger_jacko]

oh.. i never know that cycling on the pavements will get fined... but anyway.. my point of view is that i dont think cycling should be allowed on man-walkway... the obvious reason behind this is that it is really dangerous..because.. as you know.. our pavements are so squeezy.. they will definielty be some accidents to occur.. esp for those careless bikers..
but from the bikers point of view.. it would also be dangerous for them to cycle on the roads together with the car.. cause clyclist does not have any protection as compared to motorist and drivers... so if ever an accident is met.. it would most probably be a fatal one..(might have exaggerate)..
so i guess.. the best solution is to build a pavement specially used for bikers only..

[hui90]

I personally thinks that it's alright for cycling on pavements. so long as cyclists abides their safety rules, i believe it's not a big problem. it can add on to the transportation available for us.

i agree with friends_pt. and recently. i was walking on the pavement with 3 of my friends and this man was cycling behind us. he was ringing his bell to inform us that he was behind. we didn't notice that bell and didn;t give way for him. then later we realised that he was behind us. then only we gave way for him. then he said angrily at us that we were deafs. i meant we're in wrong for not giving way for him and didn't notice the sound of the bell. but it wasn't right to say us that we were deafs. :-x

[Kazunori]

Whoa, I've been cycling quite a lot of late but I actually never realised that cycling on pavements could get you fined!

I'm actually quite a safe rider, though I usually cycle late at night anyway, when there are hardly any pedestrains. But I will always slow down whenever there are people walking on the pavements anyway, and I will sound the bell do let them if I'm coming from behind.
Sometimes if they don't hear I'll just slow down entirely until they're within hearing distance then I ask them to excuse me, cause I think it's kinda rude to keep ringing the bell in any case.

But if we're not supposed to ride on pavements, where else can we do it? I don't think cycling on the roads is that a great idea, and there are hardly any cycle tracks around my neighbourhood also. Surely we're not expected to keep cycling around the neighbourhood parks only?

[Cardboard_Jay]

I have been cycling around for a while also, and I realli dun know, where is the best place for us to cycle? I feel rather threatened when I cycle on the road, esp when big vehicles like buses and truck zoom past me. Also, when it comes to filter lanes for turning, the motorist (esp those f***ing taxi drivers) just love to cut right in front of me to turn into the filter lanes.

So where to cycle? The pavement is not allowed, but the road is just way too dangerous, so now what? get off the bike and carry it on my back?

[DragonPrince]

Cycling on pavements will give cyclist more convenience. But all strike fear to those who are walking nearby! Eeks!

[pengypeace]

No,because it makes the roads pavements all dirty and the tax payers have to pay and thats not fair for people who dive cars..I dont ycle so i dont have to worry :-)

[rafflifantome]

Perhaps there should be a compromise between both cyclists and pedestrians on pavements. As in maybe if cyclists are courteous enough to at least ring their bicycle bells to alert the pedestrians who may be along his path, then pedestrians would be more willing to accommodate cyclists on pavements.
But there is another solution. I was in Hawaii last December and I noticed the most peculiar of things when my friend who's studying there pointed out to me that there are actually designated bicycle paths on roads! :excited: That was a sight to see!
http://nor.zorpia.com/0/1409/9022568.f6f333.jpg
This bicycle track that I saw along this canal near Waikiki Beach was right smack in the centre of the road so that was pretty cool. Cyclists were clad in their cycling gear and stuff and the traffic made sure that the cyclists were out of any harm's way. That's another way for compromise, but this time between cyclists and motorists. Hopefully Singapore can be more accommodating towards cyclists - it would definitely encourage more people to take up cycling as a leisure activity. :wink2:

[maddywolf]

Cycling Should be allow on pavement.... i cycling on pavement because sometime my mother ask me go buy some food from the market... i too lazy so ride a bicycle there and i cycle on carpark more than on pavement...

[BlueChaos]

I don't agree with cycling on the pavements because sometimes they can hit the pedestrians. And you wouldn't want to imagine what would happen if a bicycle hit a pedestrian off the pavement to the road, and there was a car passing by. That has been one of my fears when I see cycles coming towards me. If I'm hit and I got knocked off to the road, dead I am.

But if we can accomodate a space for cyclists like in the picture above, then I would agree with that.

[rainbowballoon]

Even though there are always 'no cycling' signs on pavements, eg in parks, everybody stills cycle anyway. I think it should be okay if the cyclist and people are aware of each other's presence. They should designate a space for cyclists on pavements.. like those in ECP? but sometimes.. these lines still get crossed.

[HaNaBi]

I believe that not ALL cyclists who cycle on the pavements are tyrants, who zoom their way through, don't ring their bells when coming through and whenever they hit someone or something, they don't give a darn about it...

No matter what type of transport we're using OR taking, there'll bound to be a few black sheep who will be reckless and spoil the image.

In Singapore, the bicycle has tried to be shaped as a mode of transport made for the tarred road, but unfortunately it seems like a failure.

perhaps yes if it's for short distances like within the town... But on the expressway or from town to town??? It's quite hard to imagine cycling from bedok to changi every single day to work, where it's much faster driving a car or taking a Bus... Though I know few does that every single day...

But In Singapore, cycling has been publicly "groom" more as a leisure activity, more than a main mode of transport in Singapore...

Still, I feel that cycling on the pavement is alright, even though there are some black sheep out there...