A total of eight questions were posed to the Minister of Transport by the Members of Parliament regarding the issue of the using of Personal Mobile Devices (PMD) and bicycles on 10 October.
The large number of questions is a result of the hike in numbers of accident involving PMDs and bicycles and complaints from members of the public who found users of these devices, being reckless and ignorant about safety.
Senior Minister of State for Transport, Josephine Teo speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said that there had been 12 reported cases of on-road accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists.
According to Ms Josephine, Police records currently do not distinguish between accidents caused by PMD or bicycles, and other offences causing hurt for off-road cases. Going forward, the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which is now the lead agency for active mobility, that will be tracking these cases.
Many videos were also posted by the members of the public, one of which was posted on Road.sg on its Facebook page on 17 October that showed an e-scooter user was speeding and trying to drag a race with a bus.
Another video also posted by Road.sg showed a man who was riding his e-scooter in a middle of Serangoon road.
Many netizens are outraged on the behaviour of reckless PMD users. Many call for the government to take strict action against such road users.
- Ken Kim Peng Lim wrote, “I hope all the e-scooter can follow the safety rules by Singapore. This video shows the unsafe activity and making other road users to beware of it. If Singapore government are going to take control! I hope not only TP/LTA officers are doing the work. the LTA enforcement officers can do the work with it. Be safe to home.”
- TauNee Ang wrote, “Can government do something about the black sheeps? If they knock onto a vehicle, how the the damages going to be claimed? We currently unable to claim from them man! We are still at a lost here! The vehicle should be in a winning situation here, and not both parties in a lose, lose.
Already government state that e-bikes or scoots are not allowed. So how? Government better make them pay for the vehicle damages please!”
- CK Ng wrote, “Only have to wait got some people die! Especially if got kids die, then government will do something! No people die no people KBKP so government or TP BO CHAP!”
- Siew Jia Jin wrote, “I’m not for banning shit, but this is worth banning. It’s a safety hazard. If you retards can’t even follow ONE simple rule, you deserve to fuck off from the streets. It’s always when someone dies then something is done.”
- Lim Kim Hock Joseph wrote, “Till date, LTA and TP had not taken any action with them. The previous e-scooter rider still ride on road with high speed regardless video being posted. Therefore others will follow as no action by authority.”
- Robin Chong wrote, “Sigh…. ban the electric scooter and any form of parts that can modify the manual scooter from selling…. sellers & shop owners won’t want to get into trouble for doing modifications. Riders would be held responsible if they do modifications to theirs.
let’s see how “fast” can these irresponsible riders can go or overtake a motor cars or buses in their manually operate scooter.
Is always have to have things happen, only then realize the pain & price that one have to pay, why leh?”
- Neko Kitto wrote, ” I believe restricting them to the pavement may endanger the lives of pedestrian, especially aged and children.”
- Gordon Lee wrote, “This must be a young punk & don’t have any riding experience or Licence riding a motorcycle or driving a car. A person qualified with a motorcycle or car Licence won’t be doing this type of foolish thing endangering his life. This type of offender should pay a heavy fine & his scooter confiscated right away by the LTA or Traffic Police to make him feel the pain!”
- Nazran Pathir wrote, “Relevant authorities should put a stop on these e-scooters and riders that cause danger to other road users”
- SelvaKumar Mohanan wrote, “Why december?? Why not immediate?? Waiting people to be killed in accident still December??”
Currently, these are the key measures by Land Transport Authority (LTA) to regulate PMDs and bicycles :
- Any device heavier than 20kg or wider than 70cm, or have a maximum speed that can exceed 25km/h are not allowed to be used on any public paths, because these devices have high propensity for serious accidents. Power-assisted bicycles, even if they meet these criteria, will not be allowed on footpaths.
- The behaviour of cyclists and personal mobility device users on public paths will be regulated. All must observe a speed limit of 15km/h on footpaths and 25km/h on cycling paths. They must also abide by a code of conduct. For example, cyclists and personal mobility device users must always give way to pedestrians, slow down and be prepared to dismount when approaching crowded areas, such as bus stops.
- Stepped up the enforcement efforts. LTA had set up a dedicated team of Active Mobility Enforcement Officers, and since May this year, the team has been patrolling hotspots where many cyclists and personal mobility device users share paths with pedestrians. These enforcement officers have issued advisories to over 700 cyclists and personal mobility device users for unsafe behaviour. This is about 5% of those they engaged. What that means is that the vast majority of cyclists and personal mobility device users have been observed to be riding safely and responsibly. In addition, LTA has conducted close to 20 joint operations with the Traffic Police to clamp down on reckless riding behaviour, and will continue with such enforcement operations.
- Stepped up the education efforts. LTA launched the Safe Riders Campaign in April this year. The Safe Cycling Programme, which will start by February next year, will strengthen previous campaigns by also educating cyclists and personal mobility device users about the new rules and code of conduct. MOT is also partnering the community to roll out the Active Mobility Patrol scheme at more than 20 constituencies, where volunteers will be mobilised to join in the education outreach.
MOT also said that LTA will require the registration of power-assisted bicycles, or e-bikes, for more effective enforcement, in particular, against illegal modification on them.
This is part of a set of recommendations submitted to the Government by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP) to promote the safe and gracious sharing of paths. The registration will enhance LTA’s enforcement against the use of non-compliant and illegally modified e-bikes. LTA will announce more details by the end of this year.
The LTA will be implementing regulations as soon as possible before the reckless behaviour cause any fatal accidents.
MOT states that there should be rules and a code of conduct to be followed by all cyclists and PMDs users which is fair, practical, and to have safeguards for all road users.
