Should Cyclist be removed from Roads?

[Wemmicks]

 

I agree that the main issue is not that cyclists don't pay road tax - it's the way they cycle on the road that is the issue. There are some who cycle side by side with their friends on the road, some who even cycle on the right lane, some change lane as if they are driving a car. They show little regards to the fact that they are endangering their lives and other road users. There are also those who wear dark colour clothings and cycle dangerously at night.

 

[Comnao]

they deserve to be in wheelchairs

i will gladly offer to "enable" their "disability"

 

as if like the roads are not crowded enough yet

[Westender]

Wow!!!! So does your "enable" work using a button or switch?

[Skinky]

I think cyclists should share pavement with pedestrians. Because:

 

1. Worst thing if cyclist bump into pedestrian is a bump, worst thing if cyclist bump into car is an accident.

2. If it's your own child, will you ask him to cycle on the road or pavement ?

 

I'm a cyclist and driver, I seriously dun care abt the rule and I just cycle on the pavement. It's really not worth it to cycle on the road. There was once I nearly slipped at tanglin road, if i fell, dats it, i would have died.

 

As a pedestrian, I won't mind a cyclist on the pavement, I think its safer for them.

[Throttle2]

unless there is a seperate bike pavement, my view is wheels remain on the road.

 

of course prams not included, haha

[Remus]

i been knock at 3 times

 

once by a sweet prc

another by not that sweet prc

another time by a local chap idling on his hp

 

have u ever hear of pedestrian knocking each other....

[Redplanet]

YES. Ban them.

[Thefear]

Lets say u are driving & exiting on a small road to a main road. Of cos u have to give way to the cars before u turn out. Den the traffic is clear & when u are about to turn out, along comes a cyclist. Question, do we have to give way to them let them cross or we should treat them as normal pedestrians where THEY should stop & let us turn out first?

 

I kena this case many a time & LAAST time, cyclists WILL give way to u first. Now, they think they have the right of way & will just fark care u. I horned one dude once causing him to ebrake & that fellow stare at me like i kill his father mother....

 

I also witnessed recently along Holland Road towards Tanglin there is a filter lane toward Lornie. A pack of cyclists(decked out in full cycling gear) were taking up the WHOLE left lane & going straight towards tanglin causing a mini tailback. One dude driving a CRV wanted to filter out to Lornie so he cut the queue & cut in front of the pack causing them to swerve. The CRV driver even wound down the window & F the front rider The front rider oso point back middle finger to the CRV driver

[Crv007]

Well... for one. Drivers and riders pay road taxes... cyclists do not.

 

But there are more serious differences between a cyclist and a driver/rider (rider as in motorcycle rider) that do present a problem.

 

1.Drivers and riders need to pass driving/riding tests before being issued licenses to be on the road. A cyclist do not. As such, not all cyclists are 'certified' to know proper road etiquette/rules. Drivers and riders have no such excuse.

 

2.Drivers' and riders' vehicles have license numbers that makes it possible to identify any individual for any reporting purpose. Cyclists do not. A such, any errant cyclist cannot be reported to the ...err... traffic police? .. for traffic offence.

 

3.Drivers and riders have vehicle insurance coverage to cover for accident cases. Cyclists do not. If a cyclist were to cause an accident, it's likely that the drivers/riders cannot claim against the cyclist.(I know this point may come across as cruel. But the again, is it fair to the innocent rider/driver in such a case?)

 

4.Cars and motorcycles are required to go for inspection to ensure that that the vehicle is safe for use on the road. A bicycle does not have such regulations. A cyclist failing to brake in time can possibly lead to quite a disasterous outcome.

 

While I have all this misgivings, I'm already accepting that for commuting purposes, cyslists on the road can be accepted. Do you really think it's in the interest of cyclists and other road users to encourage recreational riding on Singapore roads?

 

If paying roadtaxs is so important, than those below 2000cc cannot drive on lane 1. why?? cost 1st roadtax pay too little, 2nd engine too small!! thus what kinda moron logic is this?? pay more can talk louder?? this shows alot of your character.

 

your comment just show you can integrate in a society, no civic mind.

[Gabriel]

..i even encountered one...on changi coastal road...

but not cyclists..but roller bladers..this group of locals..led by a chao ang moh...

juz cut across the lane..not caring if cars were there...

had to jam brake to avoid hitting them...

..so wad if u are an ang moh on blades...

 

if u kena hit..u will be juz another figure in the statistics..of those who died due to road accidents in a year

[inlinesix]

For roadies, how to share pavement wif pedestrian? The cruising speed for roadies is > 30km/h.

 

My usual weekly ride on my foldie is 30km wif average speed of 25km/h. How to ride on pedestrian?

 

The current situation is mainly caused by lack of education on riding etiqutte especially blue collar foreign workers, senior citizen & children.

[Requiemdk]

 

I've had a cyclist overtake me on the road before. I was going at 50km/h. Imagine if he had to ride at (estimated) 55km/h on the pavement.

 

Btw, cyclists on the road are also part of traffic, so cars turning out from small lane by right have to give way to the cyclist (yes it's in the highway code, at least when I took it about a decade ago). If people wish to complain about cyclists in formation taking up 1 lane, then I have lots to say about cars convoying up north too. Share the road people.

 

Edit: I think we need to make it clear that we're not talking about those crazy cyclists you see near Mustafa... those belong to a separate culture altogether. We're talking about cyclists who know the highway code and ride properly... right?

Edited October 19, 2008 by Requiemdk

[inlinesix]

Juz like u, i m talking about cyclists who know highway code & ride properly.

 

Actually, i find it dangerous that to ride on pavement as pavements are not designed for speed higher than running speed.

[Poper]

I drive around Kaki Bukit industrial area alot.. and OMG.. you can see a lot of "or lu lu" ah nairs cycling and sitting on the kerb well camouflaged in the darkness. Thus, I rather be extra careful than to insist my "right of way"... Kill/injure any ah nair is no good.

 

If there's a pavement, cyclist should go there.. If not, stick to the far far left (double yellow-line) when on the road. If not, get out of the road and don't cluster fark on left lane.. Until these unspoken rules and made laws, let's drive with care..

[Scoots]

If you were able to read beyond the first line, you will that my points are NOT centered around road tax

 

Read and digest first before responding. Your response just shows how shallow your arguments are on this matter. Just plain personal attacks with no grounds whatsoever

Edited October 19, 2008 by Scoots

[Husky]

A big NO (i am not a cyclist btw)

 

Becos:

1. People should have the freedom to choose their mode of transport - cycle, walk, bus, mrt, taxi and car.

2. Bicycles are one of the least polluting mode of transport.

3. Triathletes need to practice their cycling skills especially nowadays garmen is promoting a healthy lifestyle and there are so many triathlon in a year.

 

I am a car driver and i have to pay road tax but big f__k, roads ARE NOT OWNED BY CAR DRIVERS. They are public properties and belong to EVERYONE.

 

Btw, really immature to be talking abt lycra short being obscene when they helps in the sport (cycling that is). Its like asking why dont olympics divers wear board shorts instead of speedos!?!? Less splashes la!!

 

No wonder there was a thread on MCF getting from good to bad. No brainer.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Husky

[Napoot]

From all the posts it's clear to see that the majority feels that guys (in tight shorts) on Bicycle is a hazzard to road users. Posing as a hindrance to honest tax paying real drivers going to and back from work earning decent money.

 

It's a plea to the future generations that cyclists should do it in East coast..e.g Lycra party etc... but not on the tarmac...

Some feels that they are Lance Armstrong but they don't realize that they are not. There are many who took to the roads believing they are doing the Tour de Sengkarpor but then again... no

 

Here's a nice quote from dolemite.com abit extreme but a good laugh

 

I hate cyclists

I see you every day, riding around in your gay little uniforms with sponsorships all over them. Wise up jackass! You sit in a cubicle all day and wipe boogers in the carpet. No one is sponsoring you while you ride around my ****ing neighborhood.

 

What you fail to notice is that when you put your dumb ass on a bike of any kind, you're considered a driver and that bike is a vehicle. That means you have to stop at all stop signs, obey the speed limit, and stay the **** out of the middle of the road. The next ******* that runs a stop sign while I'm in the crosswalk is going to get a broom handle in the spokes. Maybe a mouthful of asphalt will make you change your habits.

 

Just where does the sense of entitlement come from? Is it some kind of magical force that overcomes you when you sit on your finely contoured seat and peddle your titanium wonder over hill and dale? Whatever causes it, if you expect us to "share the road" (as your bumper sticker on your mini van proclaims) you better start acting like you know the rules. Take the ******* that wanted to see how tightly he could hug a turn at full speed. What he didn't know is that I was coming around that turn and he couldn't see me, nor could I see him. So, he barrels through the stop sign and there he is, just a few millimeters of rubber separating him from being a pretzel under the wheels of my truck.

 

I can thank the great and mighty George Hincapie (apparent heir to the Lance Armstrong legacy) who lives in the area. **** him and **** his no riding ass in the Tour de France. He and all the other hardcore wannabes should go train in the French Alps and get the hell out of my neighborhood.

 

Edited October 19, 2008 by Napoot

[Neoxenon]

I vote that cyclist should be removed from roads.

 

It's NOT about the freedom to choose mode of transport. Because if your choice impacts other people's choices, then the choice is not free because it carries a cost. In this case when road users pay to use the roads, the cyclist is welcome to share the same real estate provided they give way to cars and demonstrate safe riding behaviour. If they can't do that, can they blame the drivers for feeling pissed and agitated? Anyway, it's is not even about freedom of choice of transport. They can choose to cycle... just NOT on the roads! Your argument about freedom of choice suggests that they are not allowed to cycle at all, but that's not the case; just keep to the pavements like pedestrians. If everyone has "freedom of choice", you'd see SUVs driving up the pedestrian's pavements. How about that!

 

The fact that bicycles are non-polluting and triathletes need some place to practice are poor reasons for them to cycle on the roads as well. Walking is non-polluting, but pedestrians are not allowed to walk the road. Segways are non-polluting too, but they're not allowed on the roads (or even pavements as well!). Why? For the same reason why cycling on the road is not encouraged - they cause inconvenience and danger to the main group of users using that real estate.

 

I'm a driver, and I can say it's not about road tax. It's about safety of the cyclist period. A lot of them ride carelessly and dangerously, and that causes danger to both their lives and the drivers. I'd welcome them the day they can cycle safely and do not cause inconvenience to the drivers. Otherwise, it's the same thing as seeing a Segway or motorcycle on pavements - they cause danger to other users.

 

By the way, being public property doesn't mean you can do anything on it. If anything, it means being conscious that it is a public space and being thoughtful to the main users of that space. A playground is a public place, but you can't go smoking there can you? Think of all the children there!