When on footpaths, cyclists should not be ringing bells at pedestrians

Personally, I don't give way to cyclists who ring at me on footpaths. Cyclists should travel at the speed of pedestrians and not be ringing their bell at anyone on foot. If you want to travel faster, get on the road.

"Victim of bike rage," letter to Todayonline from Harshal Patil, 02 Jun 2011.

"I became a victim of bicycle rage on Monday. A friend and I were walking on a footpath from my workplace at the Changi Business Park (CBP) when I heard a bicycle bell ringing behind me.

As I moved to give way, I felt a bump as the cyclist hit me. He rode on but not without first telling me that it was my fault as he had rung his bell.

I ran and caught up with this person at the traffic light. He argued that he was justified in assuming the footpath belonged to him and in bumping into anyone who did not move fast enough.

I was able to identify him as a foreign national. As a foreigner myself, I feel ashamed that such people are perpetuating the negative stereotypes of foreigners with his rudeness

Perhaps the relevant authority could post circulars clarifying the rules of using bikes on footpaths. Such circulars should especially be posted in all CBP offices where many foreign nationals work. Specifying a hefty deterrent fine and clarifying which authority can impose such a fine is also important.

That way, next time, this person will think twice before hitting someone else."

---

More letters appeared in the days that followed.Right of way?

"Two-wheeled speedsters," letter from Clair Elaine Jerusha Devan. Todayonline, 03 Jun 2011.

"I REFER to the letter "Victim of bike rage" (June 2). We were walking back home from the coffee shop. As my mother is 77 years old, she walks rather slowly and I was holding her arm. We heard the loud ringing of a bicycle bell and could tell a cyclist was fast coming up behind us.

I was unhappy that he was speeding on a pathway close to a playground and a park with an exercise area for the elderly. As we did not move aside quickly enough, the cyclist swerved around us and shouted "S-T-U-P-I-D".

Disappointingly, it was a boy aged about 10 to 12.

In the same area, a child was once knocked down and hurt by a young cyclist also speeding along the pathway.

We also encounter cyclists who ring their bell at us within the void deck, and take for granted that they have right of way wherever they ride. One can't take a peaceful stroll in the company of an elderly person or a young child, without being rung at.

There are no easy solutions - perhaps a neighbourhood watch group looking out for errant cyclists?"

"Who should give way?" Letter from Joanne Tan. Todayonline, 03 Jun 2011.

"I LIVE in Jurong West, where there are many cyclists. Often, when I am walking with my two children on the footpaths, we have to dodge cyclists travelling at high speed. It is difficult to make way for them when I am holding onto my children's hands.

As the bikes have no registration plates, we cannot even make a report if we were to be knocked down by one.

Some of the paths are marked "PCN" (for park connector network). If these are to be shared by cyclists and pedestrians, how do we do so? Who should give way to whom?"

---

"Dad in coma after bicycle hit him," letter from Kwee Chong Yeo. Today Online, 06 Jun 2011.

"I REFER to the letter "Victim of bike rage" (June 2) by Harshal Patil.

My 63-year-old father was a victim of a bicycle accident on the morning of May 30. As a former stroke patient with renal failure, he was making his way home when he was hit by an 11-year-old boy cycling along the void deck of Block 526, Bedok North St 3.

My father suffered a serious head injury, which warranted an emergency brain operation.

He is currently under observation in the Intensive Care Unit at Changi General Hospital. He remains unconscious and his condition is unstable to this day.

It is extremely worrying to note the lack of effective measures to protect residents from errant cyclists. On the day of the incident, no cycling prohibition signs were observed at the void deck.

I myself have been hit by teenagers cycling at high speed on two occasions at the same block.

I believe further measures, perhaps of a punitive nature, need to be put in place.

We have not heard from the family of the culprit since the incident. We are wondering if they are sending a signal to their child "to keep quiet when you hit someone and hopefully time would heal everything".

---

"And then there is jogger rage ...," letter from Edwin James Fawcett. Todayonline, 06 Jun 2011.

"IN RESPONSE to the letter on cyclist "road rage" (June 2). I would like to share my experience as a cyclist.

Last month, while I was cycling home from work along the Bedok canal on the designated cycle path, a jogger came straight at me.

Rather than cross onto the pedestrian section to avoid him, I stayed as far right as I could. I waved at the jogger to move across and there was no response. Eventually I had to stop, and as I was about to politely mention that he was in the cycle lane, he punched me in the face.

Now as you can imagine I was a little upset about this, so I dismounted and politely chastised him. He then ran off shouting racial abuse at me.

Having lived in Holland for many years, cycling is second nature to me. It is a little annoying seeing the very bad attitudes of pedestrians towards cyclists. Riding at the East Coast Park for example is a nightmare, with people blatantly walking on the cycle paths without a care in the world."

"Clear rules needed for cyclists," letter from Lynn Tan. TodayOnline, 08 Jun 2011.

"I refer to the letter "Victim of bike rage" (June 2). I myself have had a few near-misses as a pedestrian; my husband pulled me out of a cyclists' way in the nick of time.

I have witnessed a number of bike rage incidents recently. In one, a cyclist brandished his bicycle mid-air, threatening to hurl it at a driver and his car. Another time, I saw a cyclist brazenly sticking his arm through the open window of a car at a traffic light junction, gesticulating violently and antagonistically.

Regardless of the circumstances leading to these displays of outrage, such actions are a cause for concern.

On the roads, cyclists argue that they are the more vulnerable group. As such, motorists should give way and exercise caution.

Similarly, on the pavements, pedestrians are the more vulnerable group, so shouldn't cyclists do likewise?

The reason the situation is getting out of hand is because the authorities have persistently shied away from establishing, and more importantly enforcing, some clear ground rules.

With cycling catching on as a sport, both at a competitive and recreational level, it is time the authorities stepped in.

There also needs to be a way of identifying cyclists in the event of such hit-and-run cases, as it is not always possible to physically pursue and nab them, whether you are on foot or on four wheels. "