Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s wife, Ho Ching took to Facebook on Friday (2 Apr) to call for all bicycles and Personal Mobility Device (PMDs) in Singapore to be registered.
She added that these registered vehicles should come with third party insurance and licensed riders.
“Register all bicycles and PMDs like we register cars and buses. All registered bicycles and PMDs should come with 3rd party insurance,” she said.
She added, “License riders as well separately, like the way we license drivers of trucks and vans.”
Madam Ho also suggested that different classes of bicycles and PMDs should be established.
Some examples of classes she mentioned in her post include off-road and on-road, pathway and highway, as well as battery-powered and non-battery powered.
PM Lee’s wife said this after local actor Tay Ping Hui shared a video of how cyclists cut his lane while he was driving.
In his own Facebook post, Mr Tay, who is also a cyclist, said that the incident occurred on 31 Mar at around 9.35 pm, where several cyclists appeared from the left side of the road and made a turn into his lane.
Despite the actor’s attempt to flash his headlights when he was approaching closely behind them, the cyclists did not budge forcing Mr Tay to “jam on the brakes to avoid killing them”.
As such, Mr Tay suggested registering all bicycles in Singapore with small visible license plate mounted to the vehicle, which Madam Ho concurred with.
Madam Ho also went on to note that bicycles used to be registered in the city-state, up until the year 1982.
She added that it cost S$5 for a one-time registration and license plate.
“We used to license bicycles. Up to 1982, it cost S$5 for a one-time registration and licence plate. We would mount the plate on the rear mudguard, just above the reflector.
“Sure, we celebrated when the authorities decided to stop registering bicycles. About time we do that again, as we transit to various transport modes,” she expressed.
Netizens agree that bicycles, PMDs should be registered
Upon reading her post, netizens were quick to agree with Madam Ho’s suggestion to make it compulsory for all bicycles and PMDS in Singapore to be registered.
Penning their thoughts in the comments section of her post, online users urged the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to act quickly on this in order to avoid future accidents.
“It can help with identifying and should be a deterrent,” one commenter said.
However, some commenters highlighted that what is more important than registering these vehicles is to have a dedicated lane for cyclists on the road, particularly given the increase in bicycles on the road due to various factors, including the government’s push for a “car-lite” society.
They explained that it is important to have sufficient infrastructure as the bicycle population is increasing in the country.
One user noted that education is the most important and that “discouraging irresponsible cycling by means of licensing, identification, and prosecution is an option”.
