Update: On the next day after this blog entry was published, on the same highway, similar location, similar timing, another motorcyclist was down, apparently hit by a car. Two lanes were closed. Tow truck, ambulance, police car were present. I saw bloodstained on a piece of white cloth.
I am much saddened today, or at least for a larger part of the day. As though I am lost in my own world, unable to articulate what borders me in exactitude. Nor do I have the means to pull myself out of this strange emotional distress. Like every other morning, here in Singapore, on a highway that is often jammed, one would wonder: what causes the jam? At times we see accident vehicles on the road shoulder. Or the yellow tow trucks in blinking yellow light; sometimes the police cars in blinking blue light; more often these days, ambulances in blinking red light. Or more likely so, we see no sign of incident by the time we get through the jam. It is just another day, on a busy highway, here in Singapore.
This morning, there was another jam on the highway. As I drove slowly on the fast lane, I saw a stationary vehicle on the middle lane. In front of that vehicle was a motorcyclist, lying on the ground beside his bike twitching in pain, under a bright hot sun. His helmet had landed on the far side of the fast lane. If my window was down, I would have heard him bellowing in pain. Such pain and my heart ached for him. Cynthia turned to me and asked, “Shall we call an ambulance?” The driver of the vehicle got out of his car, walking slowly towards the fallen motorcyclist. It must be a lot for him to take in. It must be a lot for all those who witnessed the aftermath to take in.
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Many friends ask why I do not cycle in Singapore, especially those who know that I was once an avid cyclist in UK. The heat and humidity in Singapore is one. But that can be overcome. What deters me from cycling here is the fact that the roads in Singapore are not built with the cyclists in mind, the motorists in Singapore are not trained to take care of the cyclists on the road, and most cyclists in Singapore do not follow the basic safety code. I think some of my friends don’t buy my answer. And I wonder why. Being a living example does not mean that the circumstance is safe. It means that one is lucky.
But it is true. In UK, inside the main towns, it is not uncommon to see a narrow cyclist lane drawn between the pavement and the road for the motorists. Motorists often give a good margin when overtaking the cyclists. And the cyclists in UK signal by hands when changing lane, follow the traffic rule, do not cycle on the pavement meant for the pedestrians, do not cycle on the wrong side of the road, and they use a head light and a rear light when cycling at night.
Some ask, will I pick up cycling again when the construction of the round-the-country cycling lane is completed? If the cyclists are to cycle like how the motorists here drive (they are often the same people, are they not?), no thanks. I’d rather have other forms of exercise.
I am sad today perhaps because I cannot make this country a better place to drive, and to cycle.
8 replies on “A Twitching Motorcyclist”
i witnessed osmething similar few weeks back and it is really not a good sight.
I agree with your assessment. That’s what I have noticed for a long time as well. There are not enough public awareness on this issue. As a matter of fact, it is mandatory for cyclist to wear protective gears on the road in almost all the countries I’ve been to but not in Singapore.
But at the same time I don’t understand why cyclists want to cycle on the road when they can do so on pathments which is just beside the road.
Anyway in places like Malaysia they are buiilding special small lanes for motorbike at the side of the road so it is clearer what type of vehicle should be on which lane.
I guess it’s time we look at how Singapore’s road can be made safer.
Alfred – Building smaller lanes for the motorcyclists would be one idea worth exploring. At present, especially when the traffic is congested, motorcyclists tend to ride at a much higher speed relative to the cars on the road undertaking cars dangerously. Having a dedicated lane would have minimized the chance of accidents. In Indonesia’s highway, from what I learned, motorcyclists are not allowed to enter. I can see why.
Anyway, the reason why cyclists should not cycle on the pavement – by right – is because they can be a hazard to the pedestrians due to its relatively higher speed. Therefore, it is up to the government to build infrastructures to support this group of road users supported by proper awareness for the motorists.
Yes you are right. Motorbikes tend to zig zag across cars via those little spaces between cars during heavy traffics which I thought is extremely dangerous because they are riding through blind spots every few metres at relatively high speed, hardly enough time for any kind of emergency reaction.
Motorbikes are banned in highways in many countries, Taiwan is one of them. I think it could be that many of their highways are pretty long and they do not impose speed limit restriction on certain stretch which could be extremely dangerous for bikes.
I agree that bicycles pose hazards to pedestrians on the pavement. However if you look at those tracks at the beaches/coasts, they are divided into foot and cycle. That may be something worth exploring for pavements for our neighbourhood or maybe we can have something like mandatory bells on every bicycle so they can ring it when passing pedestrians.
Alfred – Can you believe this? Today, there was another accident that involves a motorcyclist and a car, on the same highway. And it looks serious.
Back the the cyclist lanes, if we do cater different lanes for pedestrians and cyclists, that would be ideal. Just a side note. From what I observe, some cyclists still cycle on pedestrian pavement even though there are lanes for cyclists. And some don’t seem to observe the direction painted on the lane! Maybe we need more awareness programs eh?
Cause of the jam? People!!!! What else? It will get worse unless people’s mentality change. Other than the need to drive – the truth is, here in S’pore – owning a car is a reflection of status. This is what makes me sad about this country.
And I think the heat and humidity deters people from cycling to work. Imagine the sweat as soon as you step into the office. Make sure the company has shower facilities. Hee hee…
Who am I to comment on cycling…esp if I don’t even cycle well? Oops!
Tigerfish – I can certainly understand that some car owners own cars for the status. However, I can’t say all are. I for one always treat my car as a 4-wheel to get from A to B and nothing more.
I have this dream. One day, on top of our highway, we have a sealed air-conditioned cycling lane. Wouldn’t that be nice?!
Actually most accidents I’ve witnessed don’t come up in the papers, even some that looked really serious. Maybe only 2 out of 10 came up. I don’t know why though. Maybe there are so many that they can only select a few to put on papers.
Is it on the same part of the expressway? If it is or even near, maybe that is a potentially accidents spot.
I think bicycle on the pavement is better because it would really take a lot for any accident on the pavement to be fatal but most of the time, accidents involving bicycles on the road are almost fatal because vehicles are travelling at high speed.
I guess you are right, it’s time the gahment look into programs that can bring awareness to make the road safer for all to use.
Alfred – Exactly. I also wonder why our papers don’t report some of these major accidents. To the least, it raises an awareness.