Cycling in Malaysia (TNP article, 30 May 2011)

"Cycling for hours without traffic lights," by Diane Louys and Kwan Hui Xian. The New Paper, 30 May 2011.

"MORE Singaporeans are going the distance for cycling. To Malaysia, to be exact.

Some are even helping organise cycling trips for other Singaporeans.

Cycling enthusiast Mark Cheong, 27, observed: "Two years ago at the annual Pedalholic Cycling Club Interstate ride in Malaysia, there were about five Singaporeans. This year, there were about 55."

Mr Cheong, a bicycle shop manager who is based in Kuala Lumpur and who plans to set up a bike shop there, now organises cycling trips in Malaysia for about 15 of his Singaporean friends.

He said he started cycling upcountry in 2004,when his army friend,who cycles there regularly, took him along.

"It's a place where you can get an endless route and cycle for hours without coming across a traffic light. You don't have to stop and start again," said Mr Cheong.

He organises the trips in his personal capacity and does not charge his friends.

"When friends come by, I help them by sorting out routes, taking them on routes and advising them on accommodation.

"I cycle with the locals here, so from there, I fix an interesting route for my friends. I can alter the route based on their fitness," said Mr Cheong.

And he is not the only Singaporean to organise such trips to Malaysia.

Madam Kathleen Seng, 40, started cycling in Malaysia in 2006.

She said: "We (Team Bandung) started with about five or six girls. Now we have about 120 who go with us, the majority of whom are triathletes."

Madam Seng, a manager, travels with 20 or more people each time she goes up north.

Most go to enjoy the scenery and get away from the city.

Recalling how the team started, Madam Seng said: "We were a group of like-minded triathletes and we wanted a change of environment for training. Malaysia has long stretches of road without any traffic lights, few cars and fresh seafood."

Local cycling groups like Joyriders have also been venturing across the Causeway - from Genting to Cameron Highlands.

The group, which was formed five years ago,makes trips there almost every month.

The coach they hire can accommodate only so many people and their bikes, 20 to 30 Joyriders go at a time. For their next trip to Ipoh in July, the group plans to hire two coaches for 56 people.

When they started out, such trips were made less than five times a year.

Said their founder, Ms Joyce Leong, 55: "At first, people were a bit scared because of the mountains and all.

Support car

"But I arranged for a support car to give people more confidence. People are more gung ho now."

Mr Kartick Thapa, 35, a software engineer, is one of those who have gone cycling in Malaysia.

"Usually,we cycle 150km a day.When we go for weekend trips and we start at 5am, we have two big breaks where we all regroup," he said.

Even teens aren't left out of a Malaysian cycling adventure.

One of the youngest cyclists who rides with Mr Cheong is Jenevieve Woon, a 16-year-old student. She goes with her mother, Ms Anne Chua, 48.

They either fly up north with their bikes or drive, then cycle over 100km in the mornings until about noon.

Said Jenevieve: "I go there mainly because Singapore is only so big and you can do only so much. There are big climbs like the Cameron Highlands, Fraser's Hill and Genting Highlands in Malaysia."

Her mother, Ms Chua, said the trips are a good opportunity for her to bond with her daughter. She said: "We enjoy climbing the routes in Malaysia. We sometimes drive to KL for a few days and go sightseeing.

"My favourite memory was cycling across Penang Bridge on New Year's Day."

Engineer Dennis Goh, 29, was introduced to cycling in Malaysia by a friend.

"The rides in Malaysia take more time and are usually over longer distances. It's only the really hardcore cyclists who will go to Malaysia,"Mr Goh said.

But it's just not the young cycling in Malaysia.

Mr Robert Tan, 70, has been cycling there since he retired some three years ago.

In fact, Mr Tan has plans to re-enact the cycling route Japanese soldiers took during World War II when they invaded Singapore.

"The route is about800km and we plan to do this over 10 days," he said.

Still, Mr Cheong advises newbies to make sure they are up to the rig ours of cycling upcountry before they sign up for such trips.

He said that his first major cycling trip in Kuala Lumpur last year left him battered and badly dehydrated.

"I had cramps everywhere. Myneck, everywhere.

I couldn't even walk up the hill," said Mr Cheong, who cycles an average of three times a week. He underestimated the terrain and did not pace himself enough for the climbs despite training in Singapore.

Mr Goh agrees, and offers some advice to those willing to pedal up north.

"It's definitely better to cycle in groups or with a buddy who can offer help.Obey traffic rules and try to keep to the left of the road."

Mr Goh also says to look out for hazards and to dress for safety and comfort.

"The roads in Malaysia are not as well maintained as the roads in Singapore, so look out for potholes," he said.

"Wear bright coloured clothing, have lights and do pre-ride checks each time."

And like Mr Goh, Mr Cheong says it's mostly the seasoned rider that would enjoy Malaysia for all that it has to offer.

Said Mr Cheong: "You really need to train for it. You can't go out wanting to hammer the ride and think that you can get away with it."

Check out mrbrown's Quick Guide to Bicycle Commuting in Singapore

The inimitable blogger and podcaster, Mr Brown, took a break from his usual satire to bring you his "Quick Guide to Bicycle Commuting in Singapore".

It is from 2008 but I only just noticed it. And I don't think we ever linked to it from here.  

It is excellent. Go check it out.

SEC calls for a more holistic transport strategy encouraging behavioural change

"11 recommendations to tackle climate change," by Esther Ng. Today, 14 Oct 2011.

Singapore - Free public transport during certain hours, quarterly food, electricity and water rationing, and farmers' markets in housing estates are some recommendations the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has made to NCCS 2012, the National Climate Change Secretariat's public consultation exercise.

Top on the list of its 11 recommendations is a call for a more holistic transport strategy which encourages "behavioural change as a longer-term solution".

For instance, schools could increase "bicycle parking areas" and get students living nearby to ride to school instead of having their parents drop them off.

Bicycle racks can be installed on public buses, so that people who wish to cycle to work, but live too far from their workplace, can split their commute between bicycle and bus routes.

The Greater Richmond Transit in the United States and bike-sharing schemes in London and Dublin are some successful examples, the council noted.

Free public rides on public transport during peak hours on weekdays or one weekend a month could encourage more people to take public transport.

Said the SEC's executive director Jose Raymond: "Singapore needs a strategy to balance the needs of a growing population with cost effectiveness and environmental sustainability. This balance cannot be achieved simply by growing public transport infrastructure or by continuing to tax vehicle owners heavily."

The SEC said air-conditioning bus interchanges and hawker centres was "unnecessary" and "contributes to avoidable energy wastage" and called on the Government to consider "alternative measures" to cool down public spaces.

With climate change affecting food, energy and water security, the council recommended quarterly food, electricity and water rationing for schools, offices and households. The intent is to "encourage a greater understanding of the energy-intensive and expensive processes that bring food, water and energy ... and that these scarce resources should not be taken for granted".

Additionally, farmers' markets and produce from rooftop gardens in public housing estates will enhance Singapore's food security and reduce the Republic's carbon footprint from food imports.

You can submit feedback to the National Climate Change Secretariat at their webpage.

Negative versus positive bicycle advocacy

Our previous post stumbled into a raging debate between two contrasting ways of promoting bicycle safety.

One approach to bicycle safety urges us to protect ourselves. This often means promoting helmets and high visibility clothing. Although it often calls for infrastructure, it tends to be pessimistic about the chances of persuading governments to build much. It therefore tends to focus on safety education for cyclists themselves. The info-graphic in the last post was an example from that tradition.

Around the world, a radically different approach to bicycle advocacy and planning has recently become prominent. Followers of this approach emphasise creating a safe environment for cycling. They see calls for cyclists to protect themselves as counterproductive because they discourage cycling by making it seem even more risky than it really is.

This approach builds on the successes in several European countries where cycling has been made extremely safe in many European cities despite very little use of helmets or high-viz clothing. It also argues that there is safety in numbers - the more people cycle, the lower the risk for each individual cyclist. It argues that cycling should be treated as an everyday, no-fuss activity done by ordinary people of all ages and abilities. ThomasK's comment on Siva's post reflects this alternative approach.

I can understand the urge to warn about danger. I myself usually do wear a helmet when I cycle. But I am convinced that the positive approach is the better way to advocate for bicycles as transport over the long term.

Excellent sources of information on this approach include, the Copenhagenize blog, the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain, and David Hembrow's blog A view from the cycle path. Here is a wonderful example of extremely positive bicycle advocacy from the new Dutch Cycling Embassy,





We should work to make cycling so safe that we have no need for helmets or reflective vests. This requires serious infrastructure, which requires serious investment (but still a tiny drop in the ocean compared with roads and mass transit investments). This approach is the only one that has successfully resulted in dramatic increases in both bicycle use and bicycle safety.