Creating a culture of complainers

I believe one of the reasons why Singaporeans get bad service and dangerous taxi drivers is because we complain to the wrong people. Singaporeans love to complain to each other in a coffeeshop over a cup of coffee. But you know what? Complaining like this does not change anything.

Complaining is a powerful tool that we are not harnessing in our fight for safety on our roads and for good service. All Singaporeans must start to complain through the proper channels and to complain often. Only then will the service providers have a database of complaints, and with that they can see trends, and hopefully take action to improve. Am I living in a fantasy? Probably, but if we did not try, how would we know?

Here is the thing, when you complain about a dangerous taxi driver in a coffeeshop, or the lately, in an internet forum, you will get many sympathetic and empathetic ears. But these complaints are generic, and they tar all the people of that profession in the same brush. There are no specifics, so it becomes discrimination. Complaining through the proper channels, however, is targeted. If that same taxi driver starts getting complaints thick and fast, I am quite sure that the LTA and the taxi company will take action.

Singapores hate making trouble, but what are we talking about here? Human lives. Do we wait until those taxi drivers actually kill someone before we take them off the roads? If a taxi driver is not fit to drive a taxi, he needs a new job. Simple as that. Too bad that taxi driving is a dignified occupation of last resort for Singaporean who are downsized. People should not pay for their lives for someone else’s dignity. There my Utopian syndrome kicks in again.

When complaints are targeted, the few bad eggs are identified, and the rest of the law abiding and hard working taxi drivers can continue doing their jobs with less discrimination. Good taxi drivers should encourage a culture of complaining properly, otherwise they are marred in the same brush stroke when we complain in general. Only bad drivers should be worried.

Here is an excerpt from LTA’s Taxi Driver Vocational License Point System

“How To Lodge A Complaint Against A Taxi Driver?
A commuter can lodge a complaint against a taxi driver by the following means:
1) By Phone :
Call to LTA Hotline – 1800-Call LTA or 1800-225 5582
2) By Email :
Access to LTA Internet Website – http://www.lta.gov.sg
3) By Letter or Fax :

Bus & Taxi Regulation Dept
Land Transport Authority
10 Sin Ming Drive
Singapore 575701
Fax No.: 6553 5329

Information You Need To Provide When Lodging A Complaint

To lodge a complaint, a commuter has to provide the following information:
1) Vehicle registration number of the taxi (with prefix and suffix) e.g. SHA1234Z
2) Date and time of the incident
3) Venue and/or origin-destination of the incident
4) A brief account of the incident

Additional information that will help in the investigation include:
1) Type and colour of taxi
2) Fare paid
3) Sign displayed
4) Brief description of the driver
Commuters may have to appear in court to support their complaint.“

Also can give feedback about bad service to the companies themselves.

Comfort Transportation Pte Ltd (ComfortDelgro)
Tel: 6555 1188 Fax: 6452 7742
feedback@cdgtaxi.com.sg
http://www.comfort-transportation.com.sg/survey.asp

CityCab Pte Ltd (ComfortDelgro)
Tel: 6552 4525 Fax: 6552 4125
feedback@cdgtaxi.com.sg

SMRT Corporation Ltd
Tel: 1800 3368 900
CorpComms@smrt.com.sg
http://www.smrt.com.sg/contact_us/contact_us.asp

Trans-Cab Services Pte Ltd
Tel: 6555 6666

Premier Taxi Pte Ltd
Tel: 6476 8880 Fax: 6473 9339
http://www.premiertaxi.com/commuters-feedback.htm

Smart Automobile Pte Ltd
Tel: 6485 7700 Fax: 6485 7711
http://www.smartcab.com.sg/html/feedback.html

Prime Car Rental & Taxi Services Pte Ltd
Tel: 6741 9292 Fax: 6746 1555

Vehicle thefts in Singapore

There was a small article in the May 3 2008 Straits Times about an IT consultant who lost her car having parked it four days ago. Ordinary enough an article, but it came with it a few statistics.

“Accord to the police there were 63 cases of car thefts last year and 72 in 2006. This compares with 818 cases of motorcycle thefts last year and 647 in 2006.”

If you had told me that one car was stolen every 10 days in Singapore, I would not have believed it. I think Singaporeans are so sold on the low crime image that we forget sometimes. Yes, I am quite sure its a really commendable statistics compared to other cities, but its still noteworthy.

Compare that with 2 motorcycles stolen a day, car drivers can be quite relaxed about not buying their Third Party, Fire and Theft insurance. Motorcycle owners tend not to buy TPFT because the premiums are quite ridiculous and they come with many clauses that are stacked against the owners.

Motorcycles are a lot easier to steal than cars for a variety of reasons, starting from the fact that a couple of guys can carry a motorcycle up a lorry if they so pleased. Forgetting your keys in the ignition of a motorcycle is also more obvious than for a car. Drivers must have forgotten to lock their cars occasionally and have seldom been punished for their carelessness. It is also much easier to hide a motorcycle than a car.

I also found a Ministry of Home Affairs speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Wong Kan Seng dated 21 April 2008.

“Over the last 5 years, an average of 590 cases of bicycle theft were reported each year, with a peak of 790 cases in 2005 and a low of 580 cases last year. For the first two months this year, there were about 80 cases of bicycle theft reported, which is the lowest number when compared to the corresponding periods from 2005 to 2007. Bicycle thefts have been on a downward trend since 2005.”

The numbers are suprisingly similar (to me, anyway) to that for motorcycles. Considering that there is, in theory, more theft deterrence in a motorcycle. I guess the relative different values play a big part.

This is relevant to me because I am thinking of getting a motorcycle, and if I get a new one, I would prefer to get a TPFT insurance for it, at least for the first few years. Combining that with a higher premium for being a new rider, might make the insurance prohibitive. So I might opt for an older used bike for the first year.

Stuff I have never looked up before

Having started on my motorcycle course and hanging out in the motorcycle forums, I had encountered a few threads about concerns of motorcyclists. Apparently these should be concerns of all road users, but they have never been forefront in my mind before as a driver or a cyclists. Of course, all this information is only relevant to Singapore.

Injury Accidents

I found this link about when and how an accident will be classified as an injury accident. The main reason is this, an accident with an injury has to be reported to the police, while a non-injury accident need only be reported to one’s insurance company.

http://driving-in-singapore.spf.gov….q.htm#accident

Generally speaking, if one party is sent to the hospital in an ambulance from the accident site, and secondly if one of the parties get a 3 days or more medical leave from work.

There are subtle things at work here, because by calling an ambulance to an accident site, there is a very high chance that a traffic policeman will arrive as well. If a party believes that he would be in favour when the responsibilities for an accident is handed out, he might well want the traffic police to assess the site and write a report in his favour. The truth is, there are always two sides to every traffic accident, and often both reports are poles apart. That ends up with a 50:50 split of insurance claims.

So the funny business begins, drivers might complain about a whiplash and request an ambulance. While after visiting your vehicle workshop, some people might advise you to see a doctor to get a 3 day medical certificate. There are positives about this, motorists who know the law and their rights will less likely be bullied by other motorists.

Motor Insurance

One of the motorists in the forum encountered a situation where he had reported his accident to his insurance company, while the other party had not, and the other party’s insurance company has a policy of not processing claims if their insuree has not reported it. In theory that seems to be a good idea, but it opens up a huge can of worms. People would be thinking, no one can claim from me if I never report it to the insurance company.

http://www.getformesingapore.com/Inf…_accidents.htm

“Motorists are advised to report the accident to their insurers as soon as possible. If one of the drivers does not report to his insurer and the latter comes to know of a claim by the other party involved in the accident, the insurer has to contact the insured and request him to lodge a report. If the assured still refuses to lodge a report with the insurance company, the matter will be referred to the police.”

It appears that the insurance company has the responsibility to get the insuree to file a report, but it is not in the interest of the insurance company for that to happen, because they would end up having to settle the claim. There is a conflict of interest in this matter.

When is a traffic offense a crime?

Some guy was worried that he might get a criminal record for being brought to court for a rather serious traffic offense. From a quick reading of the Singapore Penal Code, I believe there are only very few circumstances of that happening.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Penal_Code

Causing death by rash or negligent act. This seems to be the most common circumstance, if someone is killed in a traffic accident, the responsible party might be charged under this.

Contempt of the Authority of a Public Servant. This charge might be placed if the motorists commits contempt of court by refusing to submit to its ruling. Might also involve situations with law enforcers.

False Evidence and Offences Against Public Justice. Pejury, essentially. Lying to the police and the court about an accident situation.

Passing on

For all my years of driving and cycling, I have never thought about dying on the roads, but apparently it is a situation familiar to motorcyclists. They see their friends passing on, and they worry about their loved ones. I found a few links about how one’s assets would be distributed upon one’s death. Since I have not got too much assets nor any dependants at the moment, I have not put much thought into this. I must in the future however.

http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_versi…st&method=part

The Intestate Succession states how my assets will be distributed to my remaining dependants and family if I do not have a will. There are plenty of lawyers happy to show me how to write my will. This Act does not apply to Muslims.

http://www.lawsociety.org.sg/awareness/faraid.htm

Muslims are covered by the Faraid or Muslim Inheritance Law.

http://www.lawsociety.org.sg/awarene…ing_a_will.htm

Here is some guidelines to drafting a will. Also has specifics pertaining to Muslims.

http://www.iras.gov.sg/irasHome/page03.aspx?id=1186

How Estate Duty is calculated to one’s assets, might be scrapped soon though.

It hurts reading The Hurt Report

Below is a summarised findings of “The Hurt Report”, a report done in 1981 on the factors that contribute to motorcycle accidents. While it is 27 years old now, a lot of factors are still very familiar and relevant. I believe the biggest change over the nearly three decades is probably formal riding training and the mandatory use of helmets and insurance. Maybe less alcohol related accidents, but I would not bet on it. Drivers seem no better educated about motorcycles now than they were back then.

I wonder why this is not standard reading for motorcycle riding learners, and for that matter, motorcar driving learners. There are no comprehensive reports presented in the same manner for bicycles, but there are plenty of websites with accident statistics for bicycles for various regions. Here is one such site.

“The Hurt Report”

(AKA “Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures”) A brief summary of the findings is listed below. To order the full report, contact:

National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161
(703)-487-4600

and order:

Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, Volume 1: Technical Report, Hurt, H.H., Ouellet, J.V. and Thom, D.R., Traffic Safety Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90007, Contract No. DOT HS-5-01160, January 1981 (Final Report)

Vol.I (The Main Report and Summary) is PB81206443 (~400 pages)
Vol.II (Appendix: Supplementary Data) is PB81206450 (~400 pages)
Either document is $42.95 plus $3.00 shipping. (circa 1990)

Summary of Findings

Throughout the accident and exposure data there are special observations which relate to accident and injury causation and characteristics of the motorcycle accidents studied. These findings are summarized as follows:

1. Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved collision with another vehicle, which was most often a passenger automobile.

2. Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway or some fixed object in the environment.

3. Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle accidents, and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control was lost due to a puncture flat.

4. In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.

5. Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident cause in 2% of the accidents; animal involvement was 1% of the accidents.

6. In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.

7. The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.

8. Deliberate hostile action by a motorist against a motorcycle rider is a rare accident cause. The most frequent accident configuration is the motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left turn in front of the oncoming motorcycle.

10. Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident, with the other vehicle violating the motorcycle right-of-way, and often violating traffic controls.

11. Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.

12. Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin.

13. The view of the motorcycle or the other vehicle involved in the accident is limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles in almost half of the multiple vehicle accidents.

14. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.

15. Fuel system leaks and spills were present in 62% of the motorcycle accidents in the post-crash phase. This represents an undue hazard for fire.

16. The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.

17. The typical motorcycle pre-crash lines-of-sight to the traffic hazard portray no contribution of the limits of peripheral vision; more than three-fourths of all accident hazards are within 45deg of either side of straight ahead.

18. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is most critical for the frontal surfaces of the motorcycle and rider.

19. Vehicle defects related to accident causation are rare and likely to be due to deficient or defective maintenance.

20. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly overrepresented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30 and 50 are significantly underrepresented. Although the majority of the accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident data.

22. Craftsmen, laborers, and students comprise most of the accident-involved motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and craftsmen are underrepresented and laborers, students and unemployed are overrepresented in the accidents.

23. Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and accidents are overrepresented in the accident data.

24. The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends. Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents.

25. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.

26. Lack of attention to the driving task is a common factor for the motorcyclist in an accident.

27. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.

28. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel, and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.

29. The typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist just less than 2 seconds to complete all collision avoidance action.

30. Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not overrepresented in the accident area.

31. The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with the motorcycle are not distinguished from other accident populations except that the ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are overrepresented. Also, these drivers are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.

32. Large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents but they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in accidents.

33. Any effect of motorcycle color on accident involvement is not determinable from these data, but is expected to be insignificant because the frontal surfaces are most often presented to the other vehicle involved in the collision.

34. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are underrepresented in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to conspicuity and the association with more experienced and trained riders.

35. Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.

36. Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the semi-chopper or cafe racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.

37. The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle accidents-98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.

38. Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot, lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.

39. Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction of injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the thigh-upper leg, knee, and lower leg.

40. The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in preventing or reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but rarely severe injuries.

41. Groin injuries were sustained by the motorcyclist in at least 13% of the accidents, which typified by multiple vehicle collision in frontal impact at higher than average speed.

42. Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size.

43. Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved motorcycle riders used no eye protection, and it is likely that the wind on the unprotected eyes contributed in impairment of vision which delayed hazard detection.

44. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

45. Voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle riders was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders on hot days and short trips.

46. The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to the chest and head.

47. The use of the safety helmet is the single critical factor in the prevention of reduction of head injury; the safety helmet which complies with FMVSS 218 is a significantly effective injury countermeasure.

48. Safety helmet use caused no attenuation of critical traffic sounds, no limitation of precrash visual field, and no fatigue or loss of attention; no element of accident causation was related to helmet use.

49. FMVSS 218 provides a high level of protection in traffic accidents, and needs modification only to increase coverage at the back of the head and demonstrate impact protection of the front of full facial coverage helmets, and insure all adult sizes for traffic use are covered by the standard.

50. Helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and neck injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.

51. The increased coverage of the full facial coverage helmet increases protection, and significantly reduces face injuries.

52. There is no liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet; helmeted riders had less neck injuries than unhelmeted riders. Only four minor injuries were attributable to helmet use, and in each case the helmet prevented possible critical or fatal head injury.

53. Sixty percent of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear helmets because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply had no expectation of accident involvement.

54. Valid motorcycle exposure data can be obtained only from collection at the traffic site. Motor vehicle or driver license data presents information which is completely unrelated to actual use.

55. Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents had insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.

So, it is taught in the Driving School!

Anyone who have read my previous post “Neither Man nor Machine” will know that I have been taking motorcycle lessons. It is good to know that the Riding Theory books actually acknowledges the existence of bicycles on the road, and teaches motorcycle riders how far to conduct themselves when riding near cyclists. This is because motorcyclists are meant to use the left lane, and are quite likely to encounter bicycle riders.

However, I had a rude shock the other day while attending one of the compulsory Riding Theory Lessons, the teacher was explaining one of the test questions about how to anticipate a cyclist’s actions when riding pass him, when he made a comment that cyclists are on the roads illegally, and should only cycle on cycling paths. I had a right mind to correct him, but I had not brought my proof with me, and wanted to get the lesson over with so I can get a stamp of attendance on my booklet.

So, there you go. They are passing on this misinformation in the driving schools, it is no wonder that we do encounter unreasonable motorists on the road.

I guess it is back to status quo for Singaporean cyclists after the trial of pavement sharing in Tampines. The roads are still to scary for many cyclists, drivers and pedestrians still complain, and there is not enough land in Singapore to build cycle paths. What else is new?

Taxi rule not tackling the root of the problem.

Just wrote this to the ST Forum. While the haphazard lane changing of taxis is a danger to cyclists, I believe that improving the quality of taxi drivers is better than implementing predictable taxi stands. As a user of multiple modes of transport, I find that the new taxi ruling is poorly thought out and the reasoning weak.

Many Singapore taxi drivers are under qualified. Some are retrenched middle aged and elder workers, or hotblooded young drivers. These people used to be managers and businessmen, and their familiarity with the roads are suspect. The taxi driver’s license is a means to keep them self employed but that does not do the commuters any justice. Yes, the vast majority of them are good a their jobs, but I feel that 10% to 20% of them need, to be reconsidered because of their attitudes towards the safety of other road users, or to be familiarised with Singapore roads better.

“I REFER to the letter “LTA replies to feedback about new taxi rule” by Jeremy Yap, Acting Group Director, Vehicle and Transit Licensing, Land Transport Authority. He stated with regards to the new taxi stopping rules in the Central Business District (CBD) that “the Land Transport Authority (LTA) wishes to explain that the principal reason for the new rule is safety”.

I would like to ask if the LTA can furnish data about the levels of traffic accidents within the CBD, related to “haphazard lane changes by taxis along heavily used roads to pick up or alight passengers” and how this compares to the levels of traffic accidents outside the CBD because of the same reasons, measured against traffic accidents in general in both areas. If the reason to implement the rule is for safety, why is the safety on “heavily used roads” outside of the CBD not considered as well? Why is this new rule not implemented island-wide? The root of the problem is already be stated in the letter: “haphazard lane changing by taxis”. Perhaps the answer lies in taxi driver training instead. London black cab drivers go through years of training to qualify, surely we can aspire to that quality.

In Singapore’s tropical climate, we are frequently either drenched in rain or perspiration. The recent increased cost of hiring a taxi, together with this new inconvenience of using the taxi is, ruling it out as a means of transport for many, myself included. But we have few alternatives. Bus and MRT frequency, as well as station and stop distances, are sub-standard to New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo. We are left to resort to privately owned cars, causing the congestions that which the recent land transport policies are stated to reduce.”

Welcome to South East Asia, Singapore

Growing up in the 1980s, there were many things to be proud of Singapore. The place was orderly, with efficient clean public transport, well paved roads, manageable crime rate and racial harmony. 20 years later, a lot of the things we used to feel proud when compared with our neighbouring countries are starting to make life uncomfortable in Singapore.

We grew up chagrined by images of gridlock in Bangkok, and while Bangkok continues to be gridlocked, I definitely see an improvement in the traffic situation since they built their city rail transport, perhaps inspired by Singapore’s MRT system. And as our economy grows and the government allows more to fulfil their dreams of owning a car, the rush hour traffic gets worse. We used to be able to say “its just the CTE at the Braddell road exit”, but nowadays, a lot of the other expressways are slowing to a crawl, ERP or no ERP. I dread to go to town on the weekends, I have not done so in ages. Driving or taking the bus means getting stuck in traffic for at least half an hour between Suntec City and Orchard Road. While the trains are on time, they are overcrowded. Hopefully, a motorcycle will help in this situation.

The efficiency of buses is one problem that has always been there, but when the bus system goes private, and the private companies post yearly record earnings, one starts to wonder why. The bus companies continually ask for price increase, while pulling unprofitable routes, all these while stealthily reducing the bus frequencies.

The MRT system was built in its heydays as a prestige project as opposed to a transport necessity. It featured expensive modern stations while what we really need now is more frequent and basic stations. Look at the London Underground and Paris Metro, most of the suburban stations are simple concrete platforms with minimal or no staff, but their station frequency is close and the network is wide, the walk to the nearest station is always manageable. Try walking from one MRT station to another on a daily basis. Of course, Singapore will never be able to build any basic structure, everything needs to be an architectural icon. The transport operators need to get their act together before anyone can be convinced to give up their cars.

We used to complain about potholes on the roads in Malaysia, and privately feeling quite lucky that our government only needs to maintain a shorter stretch of roads. With increased road usage, the roads have deteriorated. I remember that in the past, when roads were repaired, long stretches of it was repaved at the same time. With growth of the economy, the roads have been repeatedly ripped up to install new cables and pipes, however, these are done in such uncoordinated manner that you can see the same stretch of roads ripped up repeatedly over a short period of time. And when they are patched up, only a small area is repaved, usually uneven to the road surface, so instead of potholes, we have speed bumps that sprout out everywhere, endangering motorcyclists and cyclists.

Low crime does not mean no crime, the police reminds us. But I cannot help but feel that crime has increased since the 1990s, especially against the elderly. Born and bred Singaporeans have a lot to lose, we have a comfortable life and a steady income and for the most part, crime does not pay. With the influx of low wage foreigners, we suddenly have a large group of individuals who may have less to lose, where crime might actually pay. They also have half a mind on their escape route, back to their large home countries where the arm of the law is not as long.

I will not park my bicycle out on the pavement, too many cases of bicycle thefts have occurred, with the police so helpless about that they give replies like, “why are you reporting this to the Police?” The standard answer on the local motorcycle forum to lost bikes is also similar, “good luck finding your bike, but I doubt it will be found.” You cannot blame them completely, but that reply is just indicative that such petty crimes against the underclasses are no longer on their list of worthwhile jobs to do.

We can be proud to wave our racial harmony flag to the world outside. The 1960s racial riots were still fresh in the minds of our parents, and while derogative names, stereotyping and suspicions remain, at least there is harmony. As more foreigners, even of the same racial roots as us, start to appear on our shores, I believe that the spectre of racial problems might resurface. Some of it are global issues, such as the so-called War on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian which have ripples throughout the world. Others are quite clearly cultural, Singaporean Chinese versus Mainland Chinese, Singaporean Tamils versus Indian Indians. The government have kept a lid on the large groups of foreign workers that throng certain parts of Singapore on weekends, and lets hope it stays that way.

Not too long ago, we pointed our fingers when terrorists captives have managed to escape from Filipino and Indonesian custody. Their lowly paid guards are so easily bribed. Their Police force is infiltrated by terrorists and sympathisers. Look where we are now. I think Singapore will have to go to the next regional security conference a little more humble and a lot more understanding. Were our guards bribed and our forces infiltrated or was it plain old incompetence? Only time will tell. Mas Selamat was caught once, and hopefully he will be caught again.

Yes, I am complaining about the state of Singapore, but I have a right to be complaining. I served my National Service, and I pay my taxes, the government and civil servants work for me, not exclusively but still. I have had to defend Singapore verbally on occasion while overseas, and one of the last line of defence is this. The only government a person has a right to complain about is his own, no one else has a right to complain about the Singapore government. Likewise, Singaporean should keep that in mind before they complain about neighbouring countries and their governments. For all of Dr. Mahathir’s faults, he was good for one thing: keeping PAS out of power. And all the internal bickering in Indonesia has kept its growth in check, and given Singapore the breathing room to surge ahead.

Singapore is not some tropical island west of Los Angeles, north of Perth and southeast of London, its in the middle of South East Asia, and its beginning to look the part again, after 40 years. Welcome back, Singapore.

Neither man nor machine

As the one year trial period for bicycles sharing pedestrian pavements is coming to an end in May, the internet and newspaper forums are again peppered with articles about cyclists.

The usually letters of drivers complaining about cyclists on the road, and pedestrians complaining about cyclists on the pavements. While I will agree with most of these letters about the specific irresponsible individuals they encountered, it also shows how Singaporeans are intolerant and discriminating towards others. There is a clear lack of understanding between various socio-economic groups in Singapore.

I got a more poignant view of this situation because I have just began motorcycle lessons, and forays into motorcycle forums in Singapore. One of the recent news articles that was picked up by the motorcycle forum is an article about a higher risk of death to passengers riding pillion behind P-plated riders.

For those not familiar with Singapore, newly licensed drivers and riders here need to put a probational plate on their vehicle for the first year. This plate begs for understanding from fellow riders, and is a magnet for ridicule and insults should the driver makes a mistake.

Basically, the transport authorities in Singapore released some statistics about motorcycle accidents, and the big news is how passengers riding pillion are disproportionately more likely to die in an accident, particularly if the rider was newly licensed.

Of course, the usual Singapore reaction is for a call to ban newly licensed riders from carrying pillon passengers, which is probably not a wholly bad idea. There is also a suggestion to ban the use of cargo boxes behind the motorcycles for the same type of riders. I assume that there must be some statistics about how the balance of the motorcycle becomes an issue with a cargo box, but nothing as such was mentioned in the article.

This has got the some motorcycle riders angered, for a few reasons. About a month ago, there were two high profile traffic accidents involving cars driven by new drivers, which ended up with quite a few deaths. This gives motorcycle riders the ammunition to claim that if they cannot carry passengers, surely new car drivers should not either, perhaps rightly so.

This is compounded by the fact that motorcycles are by and large an economic choice in Singapore, as opposed to a lifestyle choice. The vast majority of motorcycle riders ride because it is the only affordable means of personal transport; cars in Singapore are notoriously high priced. As certain minority race groups tend to be on a lower income bracket, and thus have a higher proportionate representation in motorcycle riding, any rule that appears to discriminate against motorcycles will touch a raw nerve with certain minority races and lower income citizens.

I have written that car drivers in Singapore do not treat bicycle riders as equals on the roads here. And having gotten a closer look at motorcycle riders, I believe that they feel similarly treated.

For the above-mentioned economic and perhaps racial reasons, motorcycle riders seem to be discriminated against by more than just car drivers. There are complaints that no petrol station pump attendant ever helps a motorcycle rider pump petrol, despite the fact that they pay the same rate and usually use a higher octane petrol (apparently they get full service in Thailand’s petrol stations). Establishments such as shopping malls also are attacked for not supply motorcycle parking lots. Some go as far as to reject motorcycle riders even if they are willing to pay a full car parking rate.

They too suffer from attacks in the newspaper for parking their motorcycles on pavements illegally, which they refute as the results of establishments not having enough or any lots of motorcycles.

Singapores are intolerant to their fellow countrymen. They are just interested in others who lead the same lifestyle as them and take every opportunity to snipe at other groups. At the end of the day, everyone is just trying to get on with life and make ends meet, a little basic courtesy and understand helps.

Road hazards for cyclists

I have mentioned plenty of potential hazards for cyclists at junctions, but the majority of a cyclists travel time is spent on the normal stretches of road. While the list of things to look out for is endless, I have found certain situations where I need to be extra alert.

Roadside shops When cycling pass roads with shops lining the sides, always be alert for vehicles suddenly stopping to drop off or pick up passenges or goods. These areas also tend to have more pedestrian jaywalking. Another danger is that a bicycle can become less visible with all the distractions on the roadside.

Roadside parking There are several hazards when cycling past roadside parking. The most obvious are opening doors, and car passengers stepping out. Pedestrians may also cross the road between cars and remain blocked from view until too late.

Always watch out for cars that may exit the parking lot without due care. Keep an eye on the driver, their signal lights, as well as the angle of the front wheel. They should give you clues to whether the driver intends to drive out.

Another dangerous situation is when a car intends to park in one of the lots. Cyclists should avoid trying to squeeze through in the blindspot of the parking car. Be sure about the driver’s intention before passing.

Merging lanes A similar hazard to lane width changing, as I had mentioned before. Always look to ensure that cars behind are aware of you when approaching a merging lane.

Huge junctions Occasionally, you will encounter huge junctions, especially when they lead to the expressway. Be extra careful at these junctions for errant drivers. These junctions are more prone to accidents.

Traffic turning right Smaller roads might have right turns without junctions. In this case, cars will slow down and stop in order to turn right. They pose no hazard to the cyclist, but drivers coming in behind those right turning cars might be impatient and careless when trying to overtake the turning car on the left.

Taxis and Buses These vehicles, as well as slower goods vehicles tend to always use the left lane. The hazards of taxis is that they may suddenly stop in order to pick up or drop off a passenger. Taxi drivers spend their whole day on the road, so fatigue and carelessness makes them a danger to cyclists. Always cycle and drive carefully behind a taxi.

Buses pose a different hazard. They stop at predictable parts of the road, but their danger comes from their width and length. When buses are forced to overtake your bicycle, they may cut back into the left lane too quickly, with their rear end giving your bicycle too little space.

I am convinced that some bus drivers do this on purpose. Especially if they have been forced to drive slowly behind your bicycle for an extended stretch because of the traffic condition. I have had to apply hard braking in this situation several times.

The difference in speed between bicycles and cars usually mean that we encounter the same car just once during a trip, except if there is slow traffic. As buses make frequent stops, cyclists might find themselves playing leapfrog with the same bus. If a bus driver is impatient with a cyclist, they may make their presence felt repeatedly.

Another hazard that I have encountered with buses is that they may have unsecured panels on the side. These panels are covers for accessing parts of the bus engine, but due to poor maintenance, the panels may not be secured, and pose the same risk as an opening door to a cyclist, except that it happens on the move.

Goods vehicles Goods vehicles pose multiple hazards. They tend to have a wider blindspot than most other vehicles, so try not to stay within that zone. Their width and length pose similar hazards as buses, and they have an added danger of falling cargo. They may be poorly maintained and have dangling bits like harnesses and hooks.

Once, when I was driving, a drawer from a cupboard on the lorry directly in front of me fell out. I could not take evasive action and had to drive right over the drawer. If I was a motorcyclists, that would have been very dangerous.

Fast cars If you hear loud revving, be extra alert. Often, impatient drivers are careless. Arrogant drivers of fancy sports cars may also be reckless. Cyclists cannot beat them at their game. Do not try

Motorcycles The most similar road user to the cyclists is the motorcyclists. We use the same space on the road, but the motorcycle is faster and usually wider. There may be times that you are trying to squeeze into the same space as a motorcycle. Another danger is that while you might be sure a road situation is safe from cars, it might not be safe from another bicycle or motorcycle.

Cycling and Mobile Phones

Under no circumstances should you be using your mobile phone while you are cycling, beyond listening to the radio or music with it. I do not advocate the use of the mobile phone to make calls using a hands-free kit either.

However, having a mobile phone with you while cycling can be useful if you come into disputes with errant drivers who do not feel that you have a right to be on the roads.

Know your rights Cyclists have the same right to be using Singapore roads as drivers. Even if their cars are a hundred or even a thousand times more expensive than our bicycle. Do not let anyone tell you that just because they pay a Road Tax, that they have more right to the road than you.

With our environment in the state that it is in, cyclists perhaps have more right to the roads because we pollute the earth with not much more than our drops of sweat.

The Singapore Amateur Cycling Association has a communique clearly outlining cyclists rights to use the roads. You might want to print a copy of this and carry it with you to show errant drivers.

Traffic Police phone number If that does not convince them, perhaps a word with the Traffic Police would change their minds. You might want to save the Traffic Police phone number in your mobile phone, so that you can clarify matters with the police if you find yourself in a dispute.

Traffic Police Department
Address : 10 Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore 408865
Tel : 6 547 0000
Fax : 6 547 4900

Maybe troubling the Traffic Police with such trivial matters is not quite your style. You can have a mobile phone entry called “Traffic Police” that dials up to one of your friends in the know. So your friend can play the part of a police representative and chew out the driver. Serves the same function.

Phone camera Sometimes we cyclists might encounter drivers on the road whom we know are purposefully driving dangerously or honk menacingly to show us that they own the road. There are not much we can do to these drivers in the past besides to give them an icy glare, or gesticulating with our fingers, when we pass them at the next traffic junction.

The marvels of technology have given us a new weapon, the mobile phone camera. If faced with errant drivers such as those described above, take out your mobile phone and point it at his license place and his face as if you are taking pictures of him. That should usually cow him into behaving himself.

Some drivers go too far and truly threaten our lives with their behaviour. At times like this, a confrontation is probably required so that this driver will not end up taking our lives, or lives of other road users.

I have met cyclists who have stopped their bicycles in front of buses and cars and demanded that the drivers come down to talk to them. It is a very high risk act, but the previous actions of the driver must have been equally dangerous. Road rage, and even worse, a driver who decides to run the cyclist over, are possible scenarios.

If you find yourself in such a situation, a mobile phone might deter the driver from any rash acts. That Traffic Police number you saved would just come in handy.

When there are traffic accidents Mobile phones will definitely come in handy when a traffic accident occurs, whether it involves the cyclists or not. Cyclists can stop quickly and safely to call an ambulance, much easier than a driver can.

Do be aware that in the event of a traffic accident that someone is injured, the Road Traffic Rules require that all vehicles involved in the accident cannot be moved. This includes any small traffic accident that a bicycle might be involved in.

If a dangerous driver caused an accident with you on a bicycle, call the ambulance and traffic police. This means that the driver cannot attempt to settle the case with a payoff, and that the driver would be breaking the law if he moves his vehicle or drives off.

My cyclist friend was in an accident with a car. He was forced to veer off the road to avoid collision with the car, as a result injuring himself and damaging his bicycle beyond repair. Although it took many months, he successfully claimed compensation from the driver’s insurance company, buying himself a brand new spanking bicycle.

Of course, in many bicycle and car accidents, the cyclist comes off quite badly and would not be in any state to handle the situation.

Have a mobile phone handy when cycling and only use it when you are stationary. Be safe.