Sam Leong's band of brothers - PMD riders

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"PMDs don't kill people."
It is just the riders that injure and maim pedestrians.
Just some minor injuries: fractures, head injuries, bleeding....

Drunken PMD rider jailed after attacking couple while his 10-year-old son tried to stop him

Yeo Kian Heng was jailed for 13 months, two weeks and a day, and fined $500.
ST PHOTO: DAVID SUN
David Sun

MAR 11, 2021

SINGAPORE - After drinking beer, Yeo Kian Heng, 57, rode his illegal personal mobility device (PMD) on a footpath and attacked a couple.

His 10-year-old son tried to stop him and begged one of the victims not to call the police.

On Thursday (March 11), Yeo pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, using criminal force, and riding his banned PMD on a footpath.
He was jailed for 13 months, two weeks and a day, and fined $500.

At about 8.50pm on Feb 1 last year, Yeo rode his PMD on the pavement along Woodlands Avenue 7.

He had drunk two bottles of beer, and picked up his son from his sister's home.

The boy was seated in front on the PMD.

Yeo rode past a 55-year-old man and his 50-year-old wife. He told the man that it was not his father's road.

He then got off the PMD and walked angrily towards the couple.

His son tried to pull him back.

But Yeo punched the man on the jaw, causing him to fall.

As Yeo continued to rain blows on him, even stepping on his ribs and groin area, the woman called the police though the boy pleaded with her not to.

Yeo later fled on his PMD, leaving his son behind.

The boy and the woman chased after Yeo, but stopped after about 200m.

The boy again begged her not to call the police. But she told him that Yeo had to take responsibility for his actions.

While the boy and the woman were speaking, Yeo went up to them and swung his fists and kicked in the woman's direction, but she managed to dodge the blows and ran back to her husband.

Yeo then rode away again, but was later caught.

The male victim, who was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, suffered rib fractures, a bleeding nose and minor head injuries.

He was given seven days of hospitalisation leave.

On Thursday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Emily Koh urged the court to jail Yeo for 16 months and a day for the attack on the couple, while the Land Transport Authority prosecutor Daniel Marini asked the court to issue a fine for riding the banned PMD on a footpath.

Defence lawyer Eugene Neo pleaded for leniency for his client, and said the accused was the sole breadwinner, taking care of his three children, elderly mother and unemployed wife.

He also claimed that Yeo had been trying to snatch the phone of the male victim, who had purportedly taken photos of Yeo and his son.

"He was concerned with what would have been done with those photographs," he said.

"His sole objective was to get the victim to delete the photos."

But DPP Koh said that based on investigations, no photos were taken.

She added that the male victim had taken out his phone only after Yeo had walked angrily towards him.

District Judge Janet Wang said Yeo was the hostile party, and the attack on the male victim was sustained.

She allowed Yeo to defer serving his sentence by two weeks to make arrangements for his children to be taken care of.

Yeo is out on bail of $15,000, and is expected to begin serving his sentence on March 26.

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

He cannot be caned as he is above 50 years old.

 

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E-scooter rider ordered to pay $445k to woman severely hurt in accident

Mr Nicholas Ting Nai Jie is a full-time national serviceman with no assets and is unable to pay, said his lawyer.

Selina Lum
Law Correspondent

JUL 27, 2020


A man who caused severe brain injuries to a female pedestrian when he collided with her while riding an electric scooter in 2016 has been ordered to pay her damages of $445,000.

Madam Ang Liu Kiow, a 57-year-old mother of three, is still unable to speak, read or write nearly four years after the accident and needs help in daily activities such as dressing, using the toilet and eating.

Doctors have assessed her mental disabilities to be permanent, according to court documents seen by The Straits Times.

Last year, Madam Ang's husband, Mr Leong Loon Wah, 57, sued e-scooter rider Nicholas Ting Nai Jie on her behalf, seeking damages for the injuries and losses she suffered as a result of the accident.

Mr Ting, 21, had claimed in a court filing that Madam Ang caused or contributed to the accident.

He contended that she was negligent in "creating a dangerous situation by dashing out" towards the path of his oncoming e-scooter and failing to give him any reasonable opportunity to avoid the collision.

A State Courts judgment recorded by consent last month awarded damages of $445,748.81 to Madam Ang. Mr Ting was also ordered to pay legal costs of $25,000.
Mr Leong and Madam Ang were represented by Drew & Napier lawyer Benedict Teo, who acted on a pro bono basis.

Speaking through Mr Teo, Mr Leong told The Straits Times last Saturday that Mr Ting has, through his lawyer, refused to pay the judgment sum.

According to court procedure, possible steps to enforce the judgment include questioning Mr Ting in court to determine his assets or commencing bankruptcy proceedings.

Mr Ting's lawyer, Mr S. Selvaraj, told ST that his client is a full-time national serviceman with no assets and is unable to pay.

On Sept 17, 2016, Mr Ting, then 18 and a polytechnic student, had his girlfriend with him on the e-scooter as he was riding on the footpath in Pasir Ris Drive 1.
As he approached a bus stop, he collided with Madam Ang, then 53, causing her to fall and hit her head on the ground.

She lost consciousness in the ambulance on the way to Changi General Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery for bleeding in her brain.
Madam Ang woke up from her coma one month later and was discharged on Dec 23, 2016.

In 2018, Mr Ting was given a two-week short detention order after pleading guilty to causing grievous hurt by a negligent act and ordered to do 100 hours of community service.

Mr Leong's civil suit filed last year claimed that Mr Ting was negligent by failing to keep a proper lookout for pedestrians, riding at an unsafe speed, failing to slow down or sound his horn as he approached the bus stop and ignoring a warning by the e-scooter manufacturer against carrying a passenger.

Mr Ting was under 21 at the time, so his mother, Madam Dolly Quek Mui Choo, was named as his litigation representative.

He asserted that Madam Ang failed to keep a proper lookout for his e-scooter, failed to heed his "loud oral warning" to keep away and was reckless to have dashed out without ensuring it was safe to do so.

Mr Leong told ST that he filed the suit as a last resort because Mr Ting and his family refused to pay any compensation beyond the sum of $2,470.65 ordered in the criminal proceedings.

Mr Leong, who earns $2,000 to $3,000 a month, said the cost of Madam Ang's medical treatment and care remains substantial despite government subsidies. His three children are aged between 20 and 30.

Parliament passed changes to the law in February to enhance punishment for errant users of e-scooters and other active mobility devices. All motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) were also banned from footpaths from April.

Several MPs also called for compulsory third-party liability insurance for all PMD riders to better protect accident victims.

Then Senior Minister of State for Transport Janil Puthucheary told Parliament that certain businesses like food delivery companies will be required to ensure their riders are covered by third-party liability insurance. He added that the ministry is looking into how to extend such requirements to individual riders.

 

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Rider hurt in collision of PMDs

PHOTO: SG ROAD VIGILANTE/FACEBOOK

MAR 19, 2019

A personal mobility device (PMD) rider was injured after colliding with an electric scooter on Saturday evening. Footage of the incident shows the rider (in blue) of the PMD, which looks like an e-bicycle, crossing a road while the traffic light was in his favour before being hit by the e-scooter. The police said they were alerted to the accident along Pasir Ris Drive 1 towards Pasir Ris Drive 8 at around 8.20pm. The PMD rider, a 27-year-old man, was conscious when taken to Sengkang General Hospital. The police are investigating. The Active Mobility Act states that an individual must not ride a PMD on a road at any time. PMDs include kick scooters, electric scooters, unicycles and hoverboards, according to the Land Transport Authority website.

 

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Spike in accidents involving PMDs
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Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min said the Active Mobility Advisory Panel is considering steps such as reducing speed limits on footpaths, and requiring riders to dismount in crowded areas.
ST FILE PHOTO

Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent

MAY 19, 2018


Accidents involving personal mobility devices (PMDs) on public paths have continued to rise, trebling to 128 cases last year.

In replies to MPs yesterday, Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min said there were 19 such accidents in 2015, 42 in 2016 and 128 last year.

"This is quite a significant increase and we are quite concerned about it," Dr Lam said.

He said the Active Mobility Advisory Panel is considering measures such as reducing speed limits on footpaths, mandating the use of helmets, and requiring riders to dismount at traffic crossings, bus stops and other crowded areas.

He revealed that mobile cameras are being trialled "in identifying and reducing errant riding behaviours along public paths" in areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and Ubi.
"If this proves to be effective, I think we'll extend it to more places," he said.

Suggestions to make it compulsory for riders to buy insurance, as well as for a compensation framework for accident victims, are also being studied.
Dr Lam said the first thing an accident victim should do right after an incident is to make a police report.

He said a public education campaign to promote gracious behaviour on shared paths kicked off in February, and asked the public to be "patient" for results to show.

On its part, the Land Transport Authority is stepping up enforcement actions, patrolling "hot spots where there is a high volume of pedestrians and cyclists".

As for errant riders in private spaces such as shopping malls, Dr Lam said "this is really up to the owner of the public places to come up with measures to prevent illegal use of such mobility devices".

According to a 2015 survey conducted by an advisory panel, 55 per cent of respondents were willing to share footpaths with bicycles and non-motorised personal mobility devices, but only 34 per cent were willing to do the same for e-bicycles and other motorised personal mobility devices.

Following a spate of serious accidents, a similar survey was conducted last month, and the findings are expected to be out by year-end.

Christopher Tan

 

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The dead person was a cyclist, not a pedestrian.
So, technically, according to Sam Leong, PMDs still have not directly killed any pedestrian yet.

65-year-old woman injured in Bedok e-scooter accident dies in hospital

Madam Ong Bee Eng had been in a coma since she collided with a e-scooter while riding her bicycle in Bedok on Sept 21. A 20-year-old man was arrested after the accident.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ONG FAMILY, SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
Goh Yan Han and Toh Ting Wei

SEP 26, 2019

SINGAPORE - A 65-year-old woman who was seriously injured in an e-scooter accident last Saturday in Bedok died in hospital on Wednesday (Sept 25).

Police confirmed Madam Ong Bee Eng had died. A 20-year-old man was arrested after the accident, and police said they are investigating the case as one of causing death by a rash act.

Madam Ong, a logistics assistant packer, had been in a coma at Changi General Hospital's (CGH) Surgical Intensive Care Unit since she collided with the e-scooter while riding her bicycle.

She suffered a serious brain injury as well as fractures in her ribs and collar bone. Her family was told to prepare for the worst on Monday, after her blood pressure dropped.

On Wednesday night, a steady stream of condolences were offered on her son Ng Chin Khai’s Facebook page, as news of her death spread.

Friends and family described Madam Ong, a widow with two children and two grandchildren, as a helpful and well-respected woman.

Last Saturday, she visited her 88-year-old mother at the Singapore General Hospital, attended a wake, and had dinner at a coffee shop in Kaki Bukit before stopping at a supermarket to buy a few things.

She was on her way home, taking her usual route, when the accident occurred, her younger brother, Andy Ong, 53, had earlier told The Straits Times.

"She has been cycling in the area for almost 30 years, and has never had an accident before," he had said, referring to Madam Ong as dajie, or big sister. "I'm going to lose a sister, such a wonderful sister."

He said she was a generous and caring person. If she was buying groceries home, she would frequently text him to check if he needed anything, as the two live only a block apart in Chai Chee Street.

Her colleagues cried after seeing her in the ward, said Mr Ong.

"She is very well-respected by them, and treats some of them like her children," he added. "Wherever she goes, she makes friends with everyone."

 

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Woman suffered fractured skull, needed 30 stitches after near collision with PMD rider53-year-old suffered fractured skull after falling backwards in near collision
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The operation left Madam Yeo Eng Koong with 30 stitches, which were removed after about 11 days.
PHOTO: YEO ENG KOONG
Kristelynn Lim

SEP 13, 2019


A wound that needed 30 stitches to close, and a dent in her head are the permanent reminders of a painful encounter Madam Yeo Eng Koong had with an e-scooter last year.

The 53-year-old compliance executive suffered a fractured skull and needed surgery after falling backwards when the e-scooter rider came close to colliding with her.

"After opening my skull, the doctor had to use the stapling method to seal the wound. I had a total of 30 stitches on my head and it was all the way down to my ears. I was shocked when I saw it."

The e-scooter rider, Tham Chee Boon, 36, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to causing grievous hurt to Madam Yeo by riding an e-scooter in a negligent manner.
He was fined $3,500.

Tham, a paramedic for a private firm, was riding his e-scooter home on March 29 last year at about 9.30pm.

He was approaching a traffic light junction near Block 362 in Woodlands Avenue 5 when he almost ran into Madam Yeo.

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, Madam Yeo said that after she had crossed the traffic junction, she heard loud music approaching.

It is believed that Tham was listening to music as he was riding the e-scooter. Tham, who was travelling at about 10kmh, applied the brakes on his e-scooter and avoided hitting Madam Yeo.

But she was so startled that she stumbled backwards and fell, hitting her head on the ground.

She was unconscious for about one minute.

Her fall left her with head injuries, bruises on her chin and neck, as well as a cracked tooth.

She was later taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where doctors said she had a skull fracture and a blood clot in her brain.

The operation left her with 30 stitches, which were removed after about 11 days.

Madam Yeo said she was in intensive care for two days, and was then in and out of hospital for another 13 days.

She was given medical leave for three months after she was discharged.

Madam Yeo said her medical expenses added up to about $18,000 and her dental surgery required another $4,900.

She also said that Tham had sent a text message to apologise to her, but she was unable to reply immediately as she was still in hospital.

She responded later to his message, hoping to be able to talk to him privately.

She said: "I was hoping to solve the matter privately as I heard that he was young and I did not want him to go to jail and have his future ruined."

Madam Yeo said even though the accident was more than a year ago, she still has frequent headaches and tires easily.

Since then, she said, she has started paying more attention to her surroundings and is especially careful when she sees an oncoming scooter.

She said: "I will look left and right, and from time to time I will turn around and see if there is a scooter behind me."

 

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One e-scooter rider fined, another jailed after victims suffered fractures in separate incidents

Tham Chee Boon was fined $3,500 on Sept 11, 2019, following a near-collision with a pedestrian who became startled, stumbled backwards and fell, fracturing her skull.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

SEP 11, 2019

SINGAPORE - An e-scooter rider was jailed while another was fined after two pedestrians suffered fractures in separate incidents.

Prime mover driver Tan Gim Moh, 61, was sentenced on Wednesday (Sept 11) to 18 days' jail for causing grievous hurt to part-time sales executive Tan Peck Lay, 58, by riding his device in a rash manner on a pathway in front of Block 760 Yishun Ring Road.

Shortly before the accident occurred at around 7.30pm on Feb 25 last year, Tan had been riding the e-scooter at a speed of about 20kmh to 25kmh on a bicycle lane with a cigarette in one hand while controlling the device with the other.

Ms Tan was then taking a stroll on the pathway adjacent to the bicycle lane. Deputy Public Prosecutor Colin Ng said that the pathway is shared by both e-scooter users and pedestrians.

As he was riding, Tan spotted two other pedestrians walking on the bicycle lane towards him. As he was obstructed, he decided to cut into the pathway but did not slow down.

The DPP said: "As the accused cut into the pathway, he realised that the victim was walking on (it).

"The accused tried to stop his e-scooter at that point but to no avail. The accused lost his balance and knocked into the victim from behind, causing the victim to fall forward onto the ground."

Tan and the two pedestrians helped Ms Tan to her feet and she asked for his contact details so that she could seek medical compensation from him.

He refused to provide his details to her at first, claiming that she had stepped into his lane.

But he relented when she insisted, the court heard.

Ms Tan went to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH)at around 10.20pm that day and was found with injuries including a fracture to her right wrist.

She was given 48 days of hospitalisation leave and suffered a loss of earnings totalling $1,680. Tan compensated her the full amount on Aug 19 this year.

In a separate case, another e-scooter rider, Tham Chee Boon, 36, was fined $3,500 on Wednesday following a near-collision with a pedestrian who became startled, stumbled backwards and fell, fracturing her skull as a result.

Tham pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt to compliance executive Yeo Eng Koong, 53, by riding an e-scooter in a negligent manner. He did not hit her.

The paramedic for a private firm was riding home on a pathway at a speed of around 10kmh when he approached a traffic light junction near Block 362 Woodlands Avenue 5 at around 9.30pm on March 29 last year.

The court heard that the pathway is one that is shared by pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter riders.

DPP Muhamad Imaduddien said: "As parties were approaching the intersection, their respective views were obstructed by large electrical boxes and construction barricades... The accused applied the brakes to his e-scooter and managed to avoid colliding into the victim.

"However, the victim was startled by the accused and stumbled backwards, causing her to fall and hit her head on the ground."

Ms Yeo lost consciousness for about a minute and Tham immediately assisted her.

An ambulance later took her to KTPH where she was found with skull fractures and a blood clot in her brain. She was discharged on April 12 last year.

Before sentencing Tham, District Judge Christopher Tan said that this was an "atypical case", noting that the rider did not collide into Ms Yeo.

For causing grievous hurt by riding an e-scooter in a rash manner, Tan could have been jailed for up to four years and fined up to $10,000.

And for his negligence, Tham could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000.

 

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E-scooter rider who hit Taiwanese tourist outside MRT station found guilty

During the trial, Toh Zhiwei (above), who is represented by lawyer Peter Ong, testified that he had slowed down before the collision.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JUL 24, 2019

SINGAPORE - A Taiwanese tourist had just walked out of Chinatown MRT station when an e-scooter knocked into her right heel, causing her to fall and hit her head against the ground.

Madam Liang Yuan-Chia, 45, was taken to Singapore General Hospital and was found to have a minor head injury and strained buttocks.

She was later given two days of outpatient medical leave.

District Judge Mathew Joseph on Wednesday (July 24) found the Singaporean e-scooter rider, Toh Zhiwei, 35, guilty of riding a device in a rash manner, causing hurt to the tourist when it hit her.

Madam Liang had been looking at her mobile phone when she walked out of the MRT station with her husband and daughter around 3.50pm on Jan 26 last year.
The court heard that the ground was wet as it was raining.

She was walking slowly while still looking at the phone when Toh's e-scooter approached her from behind.

She fell after it hit her right heel, the court heard. According to Toh, he was then travelling at between 13kmh and 15kmh.

He stopped to help Madam Liang and also called for an ambulance.

Police received information about the incident from the Singapore Civil Defence Force soon after and officers arrested Toh later that day.

In her submissions, Assistant Public Prosecutor Lim Yu Hui stated that due to the wet floor and the number of people in the area that day, Toh should have dismounted and pushed his e-scooter.

The APP added: "Instead, he decided to ride the e-scooter even though he was fully aware of the risk of collision. He even increased his speed just before the collision even though there was a blind spot.

"This resulted in him being unable to stop the e-scooter when he saw the victim. He jumped off and tried to swerve the e-scooter in his bid to avoid the victim but he was unable to do so in time."

During the trial, Toh, who is represented by lawyer Peter Ong, testified that he had slowed down before the collision.

However, closed-circuit television footage of the incident did not capture him doing so, the court heard.

When queried, he claimed that it was difficult to see him slowing down due to the angle from which the clip was recorded.

The APP said this explanation was "illogical", adding: "If he had indeed slowed down... there is no reason why this was not captured by the footage. The only reason is that he simply did not do so."

Toh's case has been adjourned to Aug 6.

For causing hurt by performing a rash act, he can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000.

 

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Man jailed for hitting elderly man and injuring woman with e-scooter on pedestrian bridge

Victor Chin, who works as a driver, was sentenced to two weeks' jail after pleading guilty to two counts of causing hurt by behaving in a rash manner.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JUL 18, 2019


SINGAPORE - Ignoring a sign telling e-scooter riders to "dismount and push", a man rode his device onto a pedestrian bridge and it hit an elderly man who fell.
Instead of waiting for the police to arrive, Victor Chin, 37, decided to flee on his e-scooter.

Another pedestrian, Ms Soh Zhi Wen, 29, tried to stop him by holding onto its handle, which hit her right wrist when Chin continued riding.
She then fell and hit her face against some railings.

Chin, who works as a driver, was sentenced on Thursday (July 18) to two weeks' jail after pleading guilty to two counts of causing hurt by behaving in a rash manner.
On June 9 last year around 7.30am, Chin on his e-scooter reached a bridge connecting Clementi Avenue 4 to Sunset Way and which spans a canal.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Ong said there were many pedestrians on it at the time.
While riding on the bridge, Chin tried to squeeze through a gap between two pedestrians, the court heard.
The right handle of his e-scooter hit Mr Cheong Yik Choong's right elbow and the 72-year-old man fell.

Some passers-by immediately detained Chin and one of them alerted the police.

Ms Soh, who was keeping an eye on Chin, momentarily turned away to check if the police had arrived.

The DPP said: "At the same time, the accused decided to flee from the scene and started his e-scooter... Soh then tried to stop the accused by holding onto the handle of his e- scooter."

Chin ignored Ms Soh and had ridden away by the time police arrived at the scene around 7.45am.

Mr Cheong's daughter later created a Facebook post about the incident to find more information about Chin from netizens.

DPP Ong said that, based on Chin's distinctive attire - he was then wearing a helmet and a ski mask - he was identified, and his particulars given to Mr Cheong's daughter. She then passed them on to the police.

Chin surrendered himself to the police around 10.30pm that day.

The court heard Mr Cheong was treated at the National University Hospital and was found with superficial wounds on his right elbow. Ms Soh did not seek any medical help.

Chin is now out on bail of $10,000 and was ordered to surrender himself at the State Courts on July 26 to begin his jail term.

For each count of causing hurt by behaving in a rash manner, Chin could have been jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000.

 

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GrabFood rider injures elderly man in e-scooter crash, given short detention order

Jegatheswaran Kalaiselvan was also ordered to perform 140 hours of community service within a year.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JUL 16, 2019


SINGAPORE - A GrabFood delivery rider left an elderly man with a brain injury after piling into him on his e-scooter.

Jegatheswaran Kalaiselvan was zipping along a walkway near Block 152 Serangoon North Avenue 1 at around noon on Oct 21 last year when he failed to spot Mr Liaw Bok Chai, 75, coming down a flight of stairs.

Mr Liaw was later found to have suffered bleeding on the brain and a fractured cheekbone, although he has since made a full recovery.

Jegatheswaran, 22, was sentenced to a seven-day short detention order on Tuesday (July 16) for causing grievous hurt by riding the device in a negligent manner.
Under the order, offenders are put behind bars for a short time but will not have a criminal record after their release.

Jegatheswaran was also ordered to perform 140 hours of community service within a year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Yonghui said that Jegatheswaran was unable to stop the e-scooter safely and it collided with the elderly man.

For causing grievous hurt due to negligence, Jegatheswaran could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000.

 

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E-scooter rider fined $4.5k for punching elderly man he almost ran into

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JUL 23, 2019

SINGAPORE - An e-scooter rider almost rode into an elderly man who was walking towards him but instead of apologising, he followed him to his block, hurled vulgarities and punched him in the face.

Lim Kim Joo, 55, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (July 23) to an assault charge and was fined $4,500.

Mr Edwin Yap Hock Seng, 70, was walking home along Yishun Ring Road at around 10.30pm on Nov 13 last year when he spotted Lim riding his e-scooter towards him on the pavement.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ben Mathias Tan said that Lim "narrowly missed" the older man and scolded Mr Yap, who walked away after ignoring the tirade.

Still unhappy, Lim tailed Mr Yap to the lift lobby of his block and shoved him in the chest.

Mr Yap stumbled backwards and hit his right elbow against a letterbox.

Lim then punched Mr Yap in the nose and challenged the older man to call the police.

Mr Yap alerted the authorities soon after.

He went to a clinic on Dec 5 and a medical report about a month later stated that there was a minor swelling over the bridge of his nose.

The DPP told District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim that Lim had punched an elderly man and urged her to sentence the offender to a fine of at least $5,000.

He added: "The accused acted with a degree of premeditation and deliberateness in that the victim had disengaged by walking away but the accused caught up with the victim and confronted him.

"Even after assaulting the elderly man, the accused continued hurling vulgarities at him."

For assault, Lim could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000.

 

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Student pleads guilty to riding e-scooter in a rash manner and hitting 3-year-old girl

Muhammad Lutfi Dzakir Abdul Rahman, 18, pleaded guilty to causing hurt to a toddler while riding his e-scooter in a rash manner.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JUL 22, 2019

SINGAPORE - A student riding his e-scooter hit a three-year-old girl, who fell and hit her head when he failed to slow down near a bus stop where there were many people.

Muhammad Lutfi Dzakir Abdul Rahman, 18, pleaded guilty on Monday (July 22) to causing hurt to the toddler while riding his e-scooter in a rash manner.

The girl cannot be named because of her age.

On Aug 10, 2017, she was at Eastpoint Mall in Simei Street 6 with her older brother and their domestic helper.

They left the shopping centre at around 1pm and the two children ran towards the bus stop.

Lutfi was riding his e-scooter towards the bus stop at around the same time, the court heard.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Colin Ng told District Judge May Mesenas: "The accused failed to slow down despite noticing that there was a crowd of pedestrians and commuters present waiting for the bus.

"The accused... proceeded to ride his e-scooter at a speed of about 17 (to) 19kmh... a speed which was unsafe in the circumstances."

Lutfi was approaching the end of the bus stop when the toddler stepped in front of him.

He tried to stop his e-scooter but it hit the little girl, who fell to the ground.

He went forward to help her and gave his particulars to the children's domestic helper.

The girl was taken to Changi General Hospital (CGH) where she was found to have a mild abrasion on her right knee and a minor head injury.

Lutfi also went to CGH to meet the children's mother and offered to pay for the little girl's medical expenses.

The court heard that the girl was discharged later that day and the mother made a police report at around 6pm.

Judge Mesenas called for a report to assess Lutfi's suitability for a probation and he was offered bail of $5,000.

The accused is expected to be sentenced on Aug 19.

For hurting the toddler by riding his e-scooter in a rash manner, he can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000.

 

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E-scooter rider fined for negligent riding and hurting pedestrian, who suffered head injuries

Lim Kim Swee, 52, was fined $2,000 on Feb 27, 2019, after pleading guilty to causing hurt to a woman by riding his e-scooter in a negligent manner.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

FEB 27, 2019

SINGAPORE - A cabby could not brake in time while riding his electric scooter in Bishan Park 1 and slammed into a pedestrian, who suffered head injuries.

The victim, Madam Hoa Choo Eng, 50, was later diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.

Lim Kim Swee, 52, was fined $2,000 on Wednesday (Feb 27) after pleading guilty to causing hurt to Madam Hoa by riding his e-scooter in a negligent manner.

The court heard that she was walking along a footpath in the park at around 2pm on June 5 last year while Lim was riding the device behind her.

When Madam Hoa suddenly leaned to her left, he collided into her, as he was unable to brake in time.

She fell to the ground and suffered injuries to her head and face. But she did not seek immediate medical attention.

Her husband alerted the police the next day and an ambulance took her to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Madam Hoa, who was eventually discharged on June 11 last year, incurred more than $4,400 in medical fees as a result of the accident.

She was able to claim about $3,600 from her insurance policies.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jotham Tay told the court that Lim paid Madam Hoa the remaining $822.15 as restitution.

For causing hurt by performing a negligent act, he could have been jailed for up to six months and fined up to $2,500.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

E-scooter rider admits knocking into toddler on fourth storey of shopping mall

The toddler was walking out of a shop towards his mother when the e-scooter rider spotted him but could not stop in time.
HOTO: ST FILE

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JUN 27, 2019

SINGAPORE - A toddler suffered minor head injuries after he was knocked over by a food delivery worker riding an e-scooter along a crowded corridor on the fourth storey of Nex shopping mall.

The three-year-old child was hit on the forehead by the e-scooter and fell backwards, striking his head on the floor on March 18.

He was taken to National University Hospital where he was diagnosed with a bruised forehead and mild tenderness to the back of his head. He was discharged later that day.

Neo Jia Ming, 20, pleaded guilty on Thursday (June 27) to causing hurt to the child by riding the e-scooter in a rash manner at the Serangoon Central mall.

The toddler, who cannot be named due to his age, was walking out of a shop towards his mother at around 7pm on March 18 when Neo spotted him but could not stop in time.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Lai told District Judge May Mesenas: "The e-scooter hit the victim on his forehead, causing him to fall backwards (and) led to (him) hitting his head against the floor."

The DPP added that the area near the shop was crowded at the time of the incident with "many people walking to and fro".

Neo got off his e-scooter and gave the boy's mother his particulars before leaving to carry out a delivery.

The 29-year-old mother alerted a security officer, who advised her to lodge a police report.

Judge Mesenas called for a report to assess Neo's suitability for probation and adjourned the case to July 25.

Offenders convicted of causing hurt to others by performing a rash act can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000.

 

[sweetiepie]

While the boy and the woman were speaking, Yeo went up to them and swung his fists and kicked in the woman's direction, but she managed to dodge the blows and ran back to her husband.

KNN my uncle think this is leelee funny incident that a 50 yo auntie can dodge a blow and a kick and run back to husband KNN

 

[laksaboy]

A PMD-riding gang wielding parangs should be quite deadly. Imagine the carnage they can inflict on those alfresco cafes and pubs along the Singapore River.

 

[Loofydralb]

Charge them with manslaughter + confiscation of assets and minimum 15 years and you see the PMD accidents drop.

 

[LordElrond]

Clearly, there are enough empirical evidence PMD riders generally have some form of brain damage

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Fires involving PABs (power-assisted bicycles) and PMDs:
2019: 115
2020: 68

Victims share their close shaves with PMD and PAB battery explosions; most fires from non-compliant devices

Adam's (not his real name) bedroom was damaged after the battery of his power-assisted bicycle exploded on July 22, 2020.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

Dominic Low

MAR 22, 2021

SINGAPORE - When the battery of his power-assisted bicycle (PAB) exploded in his bedroom on July 22 last year, Adam (not his real name) had fortunately gone to the toilet.

"I was very lucky that day... If God did not help me, I would have died inside (the room)," he told the media on Sunday (March 21).

The ensuing damage, including to the floor tiles, cost him over $3,000 to repair.

Adam, who is his 50s, said he had charged the battery earlier that day, after not doing so for about four months.

His incident was among 68 fires involving PABs and personal mobility devices (PMDs) last year, according to statistics released by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in February.

More than two-thirds of the fires occurred at residential premises.

While this is an overall decrease from 115 fires in 2019, such incidents still remain an area of concern for the SCDF.

"The majority of PMD and PAB fires that SCDF had responded to were found to have resulted from the use of non-compliant devices such as non-UL2272 certified PMDs, modified devices or incompatible power adaptors," the SCDF said.

Modifications included the replacement of batteries with ones not from original equipment manufacturers, the addition of extra batteries, and the changes to the electrical circuitry.

"It was also observed that the condition of disused batteries may deteriorate and become unstable over time, leading to fire outbreaks," the SCDF said.

In Adam's case, he had a non-original battery that he had purchased second-hand for $200 via online marketplace Carousell. He had used it to replace the previous battery, which was also not original, of the PAB that he had also bought second-hand for about $180 on Carousell.

Adam, who works in the construction sector, said he bought them second-hand as it was "cheap". New LTA-approved PABs can cost more than $1,000.

He had used the PAB to travel from his workplace to nearby eateries for lunch, and only brought the battery home every three days to charge it.

He stopped using the PAB in April last year, when construction work around the island halted during the circuit breaker period.

He decided to charge the battery again in July last year, in anticipation for the gradual resumption of work in August. It was then when it exploded.

The battery of Adam's power assisted bicycle exploded after he charged it earlier that day. He had bought it second-hand from online marketplace Carousell.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

Another man who works in the construction sector, Gua (not his real name) had a similar experience with his PMD.

He had stopped using his device - which was over the permitted 20kg weight limit - in 2018 and only charged its battery every four or five months to maintain the battery's capacity.

This stopped, however, when the charger was discarded during a spring clean sometime between December last year and January this year.

On Feb 14, he noticed that the flat's living room "suddenly smelled like alcohol" and traced it to fluid leaking from his PMD's battery compartment, which was very hot.
He quickly moved the device to the corridor outside his flat. Its battery exploded in a shower of sparks shortly after.

Gua's personal mobility device after its battery exploded on Feb 14, 2021.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

The corridor outside Gua's residence after the battery of his personal mobility device exploded on Feb 14, 2021.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

"It was lucky that I was there when (the battery) started to leak... and I brought it out before the thermal runaway happened," said Gua, who is in his 40s.

The SCDF urged the public to not modify their devices and, if required, to only replace components with ones from original equipment manufacturers.

"Devices and batteries, especially the non-UL2272 certified ones, which are faulty or have not been used for an extended period of time should be disposed of properly at any of the e-waste recyclers listed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA)," it said.

This can be done at any of the 80 plus collection points islandwide provided by e-waste recycler KGS. The collection programme with KGS does not charge a disposal feeand ends on June 30.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said earlier this month that a new import controls regime for PMDs and PABs, aimed at preventing the import of non-compliant devices, will be introduced in the first half of this year.

The authorities will continue to inspect devices regularly to deter illegal modifications, she said.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

PMDs will b back...


Commentary: The PMD problem in Singapore is not just about jostling for space
It's not about space. To deal with Personal Mobility Devices effectively, we first need to look hard at why we lack basic consideration for others, says Cherie Tseng.

Many Singaporeans approve of the effort to rein in the scooters, which now number about 100,000 in
An e-scooter on a footpath in Singapore. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
Bookmark
SINGAPORE: She was late for work, and uncharacteristically so.

Perhaps there was a traffic delay but she would have called to give the office a heads up. We gave it another half hour and the manager rang her on her handphone but no reply.

By half past nine, we called her home to check in on her. No answer.

It was past lunchtime before her husband called the manager back. Our colleague had been hit by an errant, slightly supped up e-scooter while crossing the road to work.

She was five months pregnant. She survived. The baby did not.

PMD ISSUES IN THE LION CITY

The conversation, discussion and debate over Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) have always been fairly heated with proponents and opponents of equal measure.

I wonder if things were similar when automobiles first begun sharing the roads with horses and rickshaws; a new way of mobility jostling for space.

READ: Jail for PMD rider who said 'it's not your father's road' before assaulting strolling couple
Statistics put reported PMD accidents on public paths in 2017 and 2018 at 228. Of that, over 85 per cent of the reported accidents involved injuries, with 32 of those major injuries with concussions and fractures sustained. One person died.

In February last year, then Senior Minister of State for Transport Janil Puthucheary said in 2019 active mobility devices related offences were at an "unacceptable" 4,900 incidences.

Man riding a personal mobility device (PMD) on a pedestrian footpath in Singapore
Man riding a personal mobility device (PMD) on a pedestrian footpath in Singapore. (File photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
The Active Mobility Act came into play in early 2018 with speed and size limits prescribed for PMDs, as well as limits on where they could be used. The following year, after a spate of exploding battery units, Singapore would require PMDs to be UL2272 safety certified.

Town councils also moved to ban PMDs in void decks. PMD users must also keep left, give way to pedestrians, wear a bicycle helmet and cannot carry a pillion.

Still, even with these measures in place, accidents continued to occur and the effectiveness of PMD rules were called into question even in parliament, articulating what many Singaporeans were already lamenting.

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The Land Transport Authority (LTA) themselves would state that despite “significant efforts” to regulate the use of such personal mobility devices (PMDs) using laws and to educate the public in using such devices responsibly, “offences relating to errant behaviour and incidents involving e-scooters remained on an upward trend”.

READ: IN FOCUS: The PMD footpath ban a year on - what has changed?
By the end of 2019, PMDs were banned from all footpaths and all PMDs needed to be registered with LTA by persons over 16 years of age with an online theory test to follow.

PMD ISSUES GLOBALLY

Where PMD issues are concerned, Singapore can commiserate with countries like Japan, Germany and France. Japan has classified PMDs as motorised, thus requiring license plates and side mirrors for all PMDs; Peru and Germany have already banned e-scooters from pedestrian paths.

Barcelona, in Spain, banned PMDs from pedestrian paths after one killed a woman. France has banned PMDs from pavements saying PMDs had brought "the law of the jungle" with them.

And if projected numbers are to be believed, the PMD industry is in its nascent stages. The global market for PMDs, even amid the COVID-19 crisis, is estimated at US$ 11.2 billion in 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$ 16.1 billion by 2027.

This means, PMD issues are not only going to persist, they are going to grow in scale, and frequency. And one can understand why. PMDs are a cheaper, more efficient alternative to cars and they require less effort than a bicycle. It enables everyone – from the executive in Shenton way to the food delivery worker to get to his destination quickly at very little cost.

PMD 2
File photo of e-scooters impounded by enforcement officers. (Photo: Elizabeth Neo)
So, we can’t wish this problem away. A report by The National Transport Commission of Australia frames it aptly: “All modes of transport carry some degree of accident risk,” the report says, noting it is “very difficult to quantify” how risky PMDs are because it depends on how they are used.

So, then, what’s there to be done?

REGISTER THE USERS, LICENSE THE RETAILERS

News coverage of PMD accidents and incidents always clarify that the PMD in question is often non-compliant. A low-hanging fruit would be for retailers selling PMDs to be licensed; and if anyone needs to take a theory and practical test, it should be the retailers.

READ: Safety a priority for PMD rental businesses, but insurance is a challenge for some
Last August, the courts fined, for the first time, a retailer for selling a non-compliant PMD with the retailer claiming they forgot to take down an outdated website offering, despite LTA officers seeing the units displayed prominently at the premises.

But given that there has been only one prosecution amidst a bevy of incidents begs the question as to how effective legislature even is, or if enforcement, given a rife C2C kind of marketplace, is even possible.

LIMITS TO ENFORCEMENT

The regulation of PMDs is, without a doubt, well intentioned and, perhaps, somewhat effective insofar as accident numbers have come down since PMDs were banned. Even the number of non-complaint e-scooters have lowered by about 32 per cent but that number still stands at a whopping 54,000.

In the parliament session Dr Puthucheary said there is a need “to send a stronger deterrent message” to (errant users), with increment of maximum penalties for certain offences.

Given the ubiquity of PMDs all over the island, do we realistically expect law enforcement to police to the island fringes?

Even the plan for an online theory test taking would need to circumvent the inevitable shadow marketplace of “enterprising” people offering to help others ace the test.

WHY WE CANNOT HAVE NICE THINGS

The current legislative trajectory on PMDs is typical, and perhaps even necessary, expected and perversely welcomed in this island nation used to overregulation.

However, research into collective punishment — where the group is punished for the actions of the errant few — suggests that this way of achieving behavioural compliance is ineffective, and damaging in the long term.

READ: Commentary: Banning bicycles from footpaths won’t make poor cycling habits disappear
Legally and morally, each person has ownership for their own actions and ought to bear the consequences of those actions individually.

But we only need to look at how shared bikes were treated, or how we need to tie the return of shopping carts to money to realise that Singapore — a country that tops out on many world lists — falls miserably short when it comes to something as simple as sharing well with others.

This seems to suggest a lack of humanity in our culture, as well as some form of social dysfunction when we consider how we perceive the entitlement of our rights to things as the driving force of all our actions.

EDUCATION AS A WAY TO GO

Philosophy asks us to consider if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

In the same vein, if a driver runs a red light in the heart of a quiet suburb in the middle of the night, and no one witnesses it, is it still an infraction?

It is myopic to think that legislation can solve, what is, at the core, a behavioral and character issue for Singapore. Every suggestion to manage the “PMD menace” seems to fall somewhere along the “ban a little” to “ban a lot” spectrum; a heartbreaking reality that must make Singa the courtesy lion weep.

geylang pmd fire
Aftermath of a PMD-related fire in a Geylang e-scooter shop, Oct 28, 2019. (Photo: Facebook/SCDF)
The scene doesn’t need more rules, or deterrence; it needs more education. And I don’t mean the current plan to educate users on the rules and code of conduct of how to better use the roads.

Shanghai’s successful bike sharing landscape received a boost: On top of positive and negative reinforcements, there was also a concerted city wide moral education programme in schools and community centers, games, community policing and even alignment with corporations.