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Newly recommended road cycling rules — Do they actually matter?

Newly recommended road cycling rules — Do they actually matter?

thatJDMahboy

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The Review

On 1 October 2021, a government panel, Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP), has produced a set of recommendations to review regulations to enhance road safety.  

The recommendations consist of the following rules and guidelines: 

  1. To continue allowing cyclists to ride abreast in a maximum of 2 on roads with two or more lanes. 
  2. Introduce a rule for on-road cycling groups, for them to limit their group length to 5 bicycles. Essentially, this means a limit of five cyclists in a single file or ten cyclists when riding abreast.  
  3. Introduce a guideline to ensure a safe distance of 2 lamp posts (30 metres) between riding groups. 
  4. Introduce a guideline in the Highway Code and driving test handbooks that require motorists to have a minimum passing distance of 1.5 metres when passing cyclists.  
  5. Highly encourage cyclists to sign up for third-party liability insurance. When involved in an accident, third-party insurance will compensate for victims and protect cyclists from potentially expensive claims. 

Source: https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltagov/getting_around/active_mobility/rules_public_education/rules_code_of_conduct/pdf/2021-10_amap_report_for_the_review_of_on-road_safety.pdf

My Two Cents

After reading the recommended rules and guidelines, certain thoughts came to my mind: 

For recommendations 1 – 3, is there a point behind it? After all, what is the point if cyclists don’t adhere to these recommendations? Unless they are caught in the act of flouting these rules and guidelines, matters will remain the status quo. Besides, recommendations 1 – 3 will only be effective when proper enforcement is present. And this, unfortunately, is a hard nut to crack.  

Recommendation 4 will be only and most effective when implemented – but why? Well, it is pretty simple. It is easier to take enforcement actions against motorists than cyclists, as motorists must be licensed and officially registered with government bodies. Hence, it makes motorists more accountable for any actions committed by them.  

Lastly, recommendation 5 is the most perplexing recommendation of them all. 

Quote

“A 2017 Life Insurance Association survey1 found that 41.4 percent of Singaporeans and  Permanent Residents (PRs) aged 20 to 34 have no insurance coverage. “ 

Source: https://www.uob.com.sg/personal/wealth/content-hub/insure/are-you-protected-bridging-the-protection-gap-in-singapore.html

Considering a significant number of citizens have no insurance coverage, the tendency to take up third-party liability insurance for cycling is going to be pretty damn low too.

Conclusion  

Nothing spells ineffectiveness more than this proposed set of recommendations, which practically solves none of the issues at hand. Instead, the proposed recommendation aims to tackle every other matter, except that one crucial matter – Holding cyclists accountable for their actions. 

Netizens' Comments

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This basically summarises all the issues at hand.

 

 

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Problem here is. We have many rules and also many people (cyclist) challenging it. Because we have no proper or lack of enforcement to act on the rules.

In addition, it is a monkey see monkey do act and also "catch me if you can" mentality because they know they can get away with it untrace.

Edited by Heartbreakid
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Problem here is. We have many rules and also many people (cyclist) challenging it. Because we have no proper or lack of enforcement to act on the rules.

In addition, it is a monkey see monkey do act and also "catch me if you can" mentality because they know they can get away with it untrace.

Well said, totally my point! The panel have to tackle the root cause of the problem – Enforcement and Accountability, not the other matters surrounding the cycling issue. 

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the authorities fail miserably in lots of these cases.

they always introduce knee jerk regulations and laws and is, like metioned above, miising the root cause.

they should take the LKY style, hit them hard where it hurts.

take drink driving and dangerous driving, like running red lights, jail the buggers and ban them for at least 5 years and see whether they learn or not.

e-bikes, PMDs and cyclists, if they just punish a few of them jialat jialat then the rest will surely fall in line.

 

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IMHO.
There may come a day where many groups of 10 cyclists will just cycle during peak hours on a busy road for awareness. Because they can.

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All talk only...govt don't dare to take concrete actions...otherwise it is like slapping their own face for asking ppl to go green and some last mile thing. 

Guidelines are only guidelines...must show penalty for such offences and den catch a few every month. Den everyone will fall in line. 

Since don't want to register bike... Den get cyclist on the road to display their NRIC visibly on the back of their bike loh... Evidence can be collected by motorist cams. 

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