Survey: Cycling in Singapore by Zing Lim

From Zing Lim:
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Hello! This is a survey about cycling in Singapore. Whether you already cycle, don't cycle or cannot cycle, I'd like to hear from you. I’m trying to measure the latent demand for cycling as a form of transport.

Not many people here cycle for transport. Too hot? Roads unsafe? No bike? Just don’t like cycling? And if we could change certain things, would you cycle for transport? Tell me and tell me why.

This survey is online and takes about 20 mins. Whether you like cycling or not, please share your honest opinion. And when you’re done, please pass the survey to your friends! Every response counts.

Here's the link: http://abetterride.wordpress.com/

Many thanks,
Zing Lim

Fatal accident at Changi Coastal Road. RIP Major CAI Xiu Ming

Tragic news. My heart goes out to the family.

Teo Kwang Liak edited this Google Translation of the omy news article (04 Jan 2011) about the fatal accident along Changi Coastal Road.

Our condolences to the family of Major Cai Xiu Ming. Rest in peace. And we hope for the recovery of Wang Weiqiang.

"Changi Coastal Road traffic accident: lorry slams bicycle from behind, Major dies," by Wu XiaoJun. Shin Min Daily News, 04 Jan 2011."

"An Air Force Major with his friend were cycling along Changi Coast Road early in the morning, when they were rammed from behind by a lorry. The Major died while the friend suffers serious injury.

This occurs around 7am yesterday along a road which is known for speeding vehicles.

The deceased Caixiu Ming (47), was an Air Force Major. He had two kids and lived in a private house at Mountbatten with his family members.

Cai's father (73 years old, retiree) said that his son was taking an off-in-lieu and went riding with his friends, early in the morning around 5.

"He has put on his cycling clothes and headgear and left for the ride. I never expected to received the news of his accident at 7am."

It is believed that the deceased and his friend was somehow hit from behind by a lorry.

The deceased suffered internal bleeding and was pronounced dead five hours later at 12:50 yesterday after efforts to rescue him by the hospital failed. The deceased's friend Wang Weiqiang (40), has his lungs punctured by ribs, along with shoulder, spine and right elbow injuries, and abrasions on his right cheek. He is now under observation after surgery.

Police confirmed that they were notified of the accident at 7:45am yesterday. A 50-year-old lorry driver is now assisting police investigation into the accident. The police also called on witnesses to call the hotline 1800-5471818 to provide details."

Thanks also to Airani S. and Alvin Wong for help with the translation of the title.

"Safe cycling campaign participant meets tragic end on the roads," by Ong Dai Lin. Today, 05 Jan 2010. Avid cyclist dies following collision with lorry.

SINGAPORE - The year 2010 ended with a campaign to promote safe cycling. But on Monday, a Singapore Armed Forces regular who took part in the campaign became the first cyclist casualty of this year.

Mr Chua Shiu Beng, 45, was cycling along Changi Coast Road with his colleague Kenneth Wong, 40, when they were involved in a collision with a lorry at 7.45am.

Both men, who are military experts with the Republic of Singapore Air Force, were sent to Changi General Hospital, where Mr Chua died from his injuries at about 12.50pm.

The lorry driver, a man in his late 50s, is now assisting the police with investigations.

The lorry was changing lanes when the collision occurred, reported Lianhe Wanbao, which quoted Mr Chua's 73-year-old father as saying that his son left home at 5am to cycle.

Mr Chua would usually return home at 9am. At 10am, the family called his mobile phone. At 11am, they received a call from the hospital. Mr Chua's wife told MediaCorp the whole family was greatly saddened over his death.

His colleague, who suffered multiple abrasions, could not remember what happened and did not know that Mr Chua had died when the Wanbao reporter visited him in hospital.

The Chinese evening daily reported that Mr Chua, an avid cyclist of 10 years, had never met with any accident before this.

The father of a 12-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl had participated in the 40km OCBC Cycle Singapore event in 2009 and last year.

The bank launched its month-long safe cycling campaign on Nov 29 last year to encourage cyclists and drivers to observe the 1.5m safety distance between bicycles and vehicles.

Offering its condolences to Mr Chua's family, OCBC head of group corporate communications Koh Ching Ching said: "The OCBC Cycle Singapore Safe Cycling Campaign that we launched in November last year aims to raise awareness of the importance of both cyclists and motorists observing traffic rules while using the roads and keeping a safe distance from each other.

"We hope this message will continue to spread among all road users."

Nineteen cyclists were killed on the roads in 2009 and 22 the year before. Statistics for cycling fatalities last year are not yet available.

NTU Bike Rally 2011

NTU Sports Club's round island Bike Rally is upon us once again. They have been identified in this blog in previous years as the only annual round island ride. Organised principally for undergraduates, the even is open to the public and I have ridden with them since 2003.

The NTU Bike Rally is an excellent way to attempt your first round island ride of at least 128km; there are many rest stops and since all participants wear an event t-shirt, you can spot fellow-event cyclists both in front of and behind. Circling all the cyclists are the NTU Sports Club members and volunteers who work to keep the participants safe.

This is not a competitive race for cyclists to speed from check point to check point but rather a safe ride of discovery. This is typified by the NTU undergraduates, most of whom will be renting a bicycle for the occasion and many of whom are holiday cyclists. I rode a rental from Kranji to Serangoon one year before rain cancelled the ride and I can attest to the higher level of difficulty a rental bicycle is! Add to that the much longer hours under a hot sun that the newbies are exposed to and you will be inspired by their tenacity. Well of course, they do have youth on their side, so I am not abandoning my cmnfortable ride for a rental!

The registration fees are $15 for NTU Student/ Staff/ Alumni, and $26 for members of the public. Registration closes on 13th February 2011. For more details, see http://bikerally.ntusportsclub.sg/

Bike Maryland Symposium 2010 videos

Bike Maryland Symposium 2010 videos and presenter slides are available here

Just take a look at the diversity of titles and issues addressed! Perhaps LTA sould send someone to attend the 2011 symposium in February!

• "Maryland Department of Transportation: A Greener Way To Go." Presented by Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley.
• "Public Health and Transportation: Exploring the Inextricable Link
  Presented by Keshia M. Pollack, PhD, MPH; Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
• "Commuter Choice Maryland and Commuter Connections." Presented by Buddy Alves, Senior Marketing Specialist, Commuter Choice Maryland, Maryland Transit Administration and Nick Ramfos, Director, Commuter Connections, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
• "One Less Car’s Legislative Bike Agenda." Presented by Greg Hinchliffe, Chairman, Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Committee and Chair of the Maryland Committee of East Coast Greenway; Adiva Sotzsky, Dedicated Advocate.
• "Bicycling!." Presented by Alex Obriecht, owner of 5 Race Pace/Bella Bikes bicycle shops in MD; 32 years in business; honored as a ‘Trek Legend’ and much more.
• "Transportation for Maryland." Presented by Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, 1000 Friends of Maryland Deputy Director.
• "Bicycling Advocates of Howard County (BAHC)." Presented by Jack Guarneri, BAHC President.
• "Maryland’s Interactive Trail Map." Presented by Sylvia Ramsey, Manager, Community Enhancement Programs.
• "Maryland’s Safe Routes to School Program: Building transportation alternatives today for our children’s tomorrow.." Presented by Joe Pelaia, Maryland’s Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator, Maryland State Highway Administration, Maryland Highway Safety Office.
• "Campaign for Active Transportation." Presented by Kartik Sribarra, Manager of Policy Outreach, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

For videos and slides, visit Bike Maryland.