Forum: Tackle serious breaches in road safety rules by errant cyclists
Oct 19, 2021I was intrigued by Straits Times associate news editor Royston Sim's commentary (A balanced approach towards bridging the cyclist-motorist divide, Oct 10).
Apart from the Active Mobility Advisory Panel's recommendations enumerated in the piece, I think it is imperative to highlight additional serious breaches of road safety rules by errant cyclists.
On numerous occasions, I have witnessed many cyclists, especially those riding electric bikes, riding in the fastest lanes on arterial roads. This refers to lanes beside road dividers.
Furthermore, many cyclists have a propensity to make right turns at cross junctions just as motorists do. This is something that seriously warrants the attention of the Active Mobility Advisory Panel and the Traffic Police.
Cyclists riding electric or manual bicycles should stay as near to the sidewalks as possible when riding in the slowest lane on the road.
They should utilise pedestrian crossings when attempting to negotiate major turns at traffic lights.
I have often observed cyclists on race bikes occupying an entire lane instead of keeping to the side.
Other vehicles, including buses, have to slow down before attempting to overtake these cyclists. Unless cyclists keep near to the sidewalk, buses and other heavy vehicles would invariably have to encroach into the adjacent lanes when overtaking them.
As a result, other motorists in the faster adjacent lanes would have to slow down in order to give way to these buses.
I would appreciate it if the points raised here could complement those articulated in the panel's recommendations.
Considering the gravity of the situation, guidelines should be promptly put in place to address these breaches, especially on busy thoroughfares. Until they are implemented and enforced, I worry that fatal accidents may occur.
I suggest that more auxiliary police officers be stationed at strategic locations next to various roads so as to monitor the errant behaviour of cyclists.
Teo Kok Seah