Pop. White Paper 2030: some foot/ bicycle path suggestions gahmen might want to adopt

Pop. White Paper 2030: some foot/ bicycle path suggestions gahmen might want to adopt/consider (in line with achieving 6.9 million population by 2030)

Pedestrians/Cyclist on foot+ bicycle paths (widened to PCN network size):
- Slow movers must keep to extreme left of path and walk single file or be ready to do so moment u hear cyclist bell: reason: in order to achieve the GDP dreams of the PAP, foot/ bicycle paths must be used more efficiently and only with direction of travel consensus (keep to the left rule) can people on foot or wheels pass safely either by overtaking or pass on opposite sides. Pedestrians who do not follow rules, especially whilst having ear phones on will be warned and recalcitrants FINED. Dogs (except those assisting blind) must travel on the left side of owner so as to avoid being startled> attacking faster traffic on the right.
- No ear phones allowed to be worn by cyclist. Must always carry photo identification documents to show incase of accident (likewise motor vehicle drivers). Cyclist must notify pedestrians to keep left before overtaking with adequate berth (especially for those pushing babies in prams etc).
- Motor vehicles rule of stopping to assist injured pedestrians and exchange particulars also applies here as well. Police will have to be informed about incident and police will decide what investigations need to be done when injuries are reported/ ambulance called.
- All commuters need to be cooperative given the increase in variety of transport modes anticipated: from segways to wheelchairs, joggers to pedestrians, all sharing the same foot/ bicycle path.

Road travel (e.g. bus lanes rule):
- Cyclist can travel 2 abreast only if it is 2 lane road with spare lane available for overtaking, for one lane road, only single file is allowed but cars still have to maintain usual 1.5m berth from cyclist before overtaking. Some roads (e.g. one lane bridge, expressways remain out of bounds to cyclist).
- bus lanes to be widened where parallel cycle path is not available. Cyclist ALLOWED to cycle on bus lanes which should be 1.5x normal width so that bus can more safely overtake at safe spots. Only single file towards left cycling on bus lanes is allowed.
- All cyclist on road MUST wear helmet.

Cycling should be promoted as public transport because public transport can be slow (buses) and according to one experience, are actually a cause of traffic jams on the road:
Author writes: "A couple of clips videos during the March school holidays when traffic should be lighter then at other times. It is amazing how many cars, buses, vans are fighting for space at certain 'hot spots', like MRT stations. One possibel solution to this growing problem would be to encourage people to cycle, provide more infrastructure for cyclists, and create a culture where cyclists are not seen as the 'enemy' of motorists. "

And exercise is actually good for the health (less dependence on Medishield-life etc): by cycling to work/ on errands, many Singaporeans can actually kill 2 birds with one stone.
source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704350304574638331243027174

E.g. the wide girth of Park Connector foot/ bicycle paths, note that all commuters keep to the left in reference to their respective directions of travel:
source: https://waterlearner.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/818/

The Straits Times, Published on Jun 04, 2015
My Point
Cyclists need more education
THE current state of affairs, where many cyclists believe they can ride wherever a person can walk, is due to a lack of education and enforcement ("Bollards one way to deter cyclists" by Mr Chee Chi Weng; May 11).
Unless every cyclist knows it is against the rules to ride wherever and however they like, nothing will be effective.
There should be more education and enforcement. First-time offenders can be warned, but action should be taken if they re-offend.
As more people take to cycling, the state of affairs will definitely get worse.
Chiang Bak Hoi
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/my-point-20150604

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The Straits Times, Published on Jun 15, 2015
Rules for cyclists should be clear and enforced
A FEW months ago, a cyclist from Lycee Francais de Singapour brushed past me at high speed when I was taking a walk at Tavistock Avenue Park. His bicycle handlebar struck me, leaving me with swollen fingers. I was in pain for a couple of days.
The student from the French school merely waved a gesture of apology but did not stop.
Cyclists expect pedestrians to give way to them, and pedestrians prefer to do so, provided they are able to see or hear them coming. Very often, cyclists approach from the rear and many bicycles do not have warning bells.
Motorised vehicles are supposed to stay 1.5m away from cyclists. Lornie Road is narrow enough and I have seen buses sluggishly following behind some cyclists (sometimes two abreast). We have bus lanes so that 50 or more bus passengers have priority over one to five passengers in a car. But when a bus has to wait behind one or two cyclists, does it make any sense?
In land-scarce Singapore, the safe sharing of public roads, pavements and pathways in parks needs to be addressed. Rules should be clearly spelt out, displayed and enforced.
"No bicycling" signs should be clearly displayed where cycling is not permitted. Cyclists need education ("Cyclists need more education" by Mr Chiang Bak Hoi; June 4) and discipline. Those who flout the rules must be disciplined.
Rules for motorists are enforced effectively because their vehicles are registered and insured. Bicycles, battery-powered bicycles and powered "scooters" are not registered and therefore, their owners escape enforcement.
The registration of bicycles would be a step in the right direction. It would also deter bicycle theft.
Powered scooters should not be allowed at all. Their import should be banned.
More and more people are taking to cycling for health reasons. It should not be discouraged but users must exercise responsibility.
Ong Yoke Fei
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium...yclists-should-be-clear-and-enforced-20150615

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Re: Pop. White Paper 2030: some foot/ bicycle path suggestions gahmen might want to a

Education, not registration: the solution to bicycle-pedestrian path conflict.

davteo5 said:

Thread source (A1): 'Pop. White Paper 2030: some foot/ bicycle path suggestions gahmen might want to adopt'

In the beginning, all bicycle or devise that are use for transport on our road, pavement must have a license number plate.
This is to ensure owner follow the stipulated rule with accountability. Without number plate, all rules stated are useless as cyclist just heck care it.
With today IT age, it is just a mere data entry in internet from bicycle dealer with do the job. Why don't authority implement it?
Our system with regards to bicycle as another transport mode is still in the stone age generation...

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Big bicycle number plate (1950s Singapore???)
http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?165702-Licence-for-bicycle/page2

I think that bicycle number plate is Neither effective, necessary nor feasible for the following reasons:
1) Many bikes today DO NOT have metal m&d guards as does the gentleman bike in pic has because they are either racing bikes/ off road mountain bikes of various makes: there is thus NO PLACE to affix the number plate in the first place unlike on old time gentleman bikes that were all nearly same model if not same make (with metal mudguards etc).

2) Once upon a time in Singapore, every traffic accident was reported to the police, subsequently, the police says that only accidents involving body injury, involve cyclist/pedestrian, cause injury to persons or public property/ foreign registered vehicles then NEED to report, otherwise, parties involved to settle by themselves/ let the insurers handle, police DO NOT want to be involved in this kind of civil thing because they already have too many cases to investigate based upon their highlighted areas of concern.

3) It is a joke/ inconvenient these days to register a bicycle since that will be bureaucratic nightmare for LTA/ police: during sales @ hypermarkets, bicycles are sold dime a dozen @$69 each (discount price): much more affordable than gentleman bike of olden days that maybe costs many month average worker's salary: even those whose cheapo bikes are spoilt/ stolen do not report: there is no point in lost property retrieval for cheap bikes. There are many times more motorised vehicles (cars, trucks) on the roads today than there are bicycles and police need to focus on faster moving traffic so that hit+run cases with serious injuries can be investigated. LTA is already inundated with complaints about MRT breakdowns, MRT contractors going bust, illegal modification of cars, illegal modification of electric bicycles: U don't expect LTA folks to open a special counter/ pay Singpost to help them register/ deregister bicycle number plates do you? What next: a Vicom inspection for bicycles and rider proficiency so that only individuals who have passed a bicycle riding test are allowed to ride bicycle on road: what then of the 5-year old cycling on pavement with training wheels???!!! Foreign tourist intending to participate in OCBC cycling competition/ rent a bicycle from kiosk will be barred from participation if their bicycles are unregistered/ if the rider not licensed: Singapore will become a joke of the world and cycling tourist would rather not come.

4) Singapore is a modern city state and civilization here should be more progressive/ developed such that anyone spotting an injured cyclist/ pedestrian would automatically halt to render assistance to the injured and this includes assistance in obtaining the particulars of the offending party/ detaining the offender until police arrive to investigate etc. Bicycle number plate, being simple to fake/ the use of stolen/ 2nd hand bicycles: only serve as false security for the victim who will probably not be able to identify a true culprit if the bicycle was registered in the wrong name.

5) Much of today's conflict is also due to pedestrians being inconsiderate/ in a world of their own: their eyes fixated on their smart phone screens and their ears stuffed with blaring music that make them like zombies even when they cross the road: these electronic gadgets seem to induce in them a sense of fearlessness as they cross roads as if with their eyes closed: cyclist today have a hard time too overtaking these zombies on the road.

Perhaps what is needed is education for the public: more patience (concern for the world at large) social cooperation and less claims to real estate. There is more to life than sclerotic adherence to the term 'foot path' or the fact that COE/ road-tax has been paid: pollution (carbon emissions/ global warming) is also a concern, likewise, exercise should be made more accessible and common place.