Cycling in Singapore

Green Wheelers pre-Climate Conference Ride, 29 Nov 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:30:00 +0000

From the GreenWheelers site:

" We hope to encourage more Singaporeans to consider utilizing traveling alternatives that are environmentally-friendly - why should we remain ignorant of OUR Planet’s plea for help and continue polluting the environment with greenhouse gasses with our cars when there are greener alternatives?

Considering the size of Singapore, it should not be a challenge to adopt such alternatives - people in larger nations are now willing to adopt these green traveling habits despite having to travel over long distances.

What is Singapore waiting for?

Perhaps it's the weather, perhaps it's the worry of theft, or perhaps it's just about the hassle of bringing a change of clothes.

In conjunction with the Climate Conference in Copenhagen, G.Wheelers will be organising a public activity on 29 November 2009, a week ahead of the meeting in Denmark.

Come join us the Xtreme SkatePark at East Coast Park at 2 p.m. on Sunday, 29 November 2009, where we will share our cycling and urban skating tips. We want to encourage minimising the usage of motorised vehicles. Be part of this meaningful event!

Link to facebook page.

Go G.Wheelers!

OCBC Cycling in Singapore 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:13:00 +0000

Traffic policing for bicycle safety ON THE ROADS (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:23:00 +0000

This video includes fantastic advice for traffic police on enforcing road rules in ways that promote cyclists' safety.

It targets both driver and cyclist behaviour.

Traffic Enforcement for Bicyclist Safety from Chicago Bicycle Program on Vimeo.

Unfortunately our road rules in Singapore lack many of the bicycle-friendly features that are present in Chicago.

Despite all the obvious differences, this video would be a great model for Singapore's authorities to think about if they wanted to push for safer on-road cycling here in Singapore.

Mass Cycling event for Green Transport Week

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:20:00 +0000

As part of Green Transport Week, a Mass Cycling event will see cyclists ride down from ECP and WCP to SMU on Sat 22 Aug 2009.

Find out more at: www.greentransportweek.sg

Beware of bike theft?

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:58:00 +0000

The figures for "theft and related crimes" in 2009, in comparison to the same period for 2008, reflect a ?mere 2.5% increase [see SPF figures]. However, Today's reporter has chosen to highlight bicycles in his article.

BIcycle theft has long been known to Singapore cyclists with Kembangan receiving special mention in this blog and a a reference to a 2005 initiative to combat bicycle theft. So it's been going on for along time and as a result, cyclists like me never take my eyes off my bicycle, nor will I lock keep it outside my house in a car park.

This report, in deciding to highlight the issue once again, should help to keep us on guard!

"Lock up your bikes - theft is on the rise," by Leong Wee Keat. Today Online, 07 Aug 2009.

ONE cyclist removed his mountain-bike's saddle and seat-post. Another cyclist covered his bicycle with a piece of cloth. Both locked their prize rides outside their homes. And both had them stolen in the first six months of this year.

The number of thefts rose slightly in the first half, a fact the police attribute to the economic downturn. There were 10,280 cases, or 246 more than in the same period last year. The increase in petty thefts notably involved items such as bikes, handphones, accessories and toiletries being stolen for personal use or to be sold off for cash. Bicycles, for instance, were often nicked from common areas such as void decks, corridors and at MRT stations.

In fact, on online forums, it is common to see users posting photos of their missing rides and appealing for information. Some have claimed their stolen bicycles, or at least their parts, surfaced at second-hand bazaars.

How to deter bicycle thieves? The police advise, for instance, locking the bike to a fixed permanent structure such as an anchored rack, and not resting the locking device on the ground thieves could use a hammer to smash it.

One crime-fighting initiative, rolled out by the Bukit Timah Neighbourhood Police Centre, imprints a registration number on the bicycle's body using a tamper-proof tape. This has helped officers to determine ownership, deter theft and return the stolen property to its rightful owner.

But such petty thefts aside - and contrary to fears that the overall crime rate would rise along with desperation levels during a recession - the overall crime rate in the first six months actually fell by 1.3 per cent. Though the number of housebreaking incidences rose, the figure is still the second lowest recorded in 15 years for first-half statistics.

...

Survey on bicycle lanes for Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Via http://abetterride.wordpress.com/ a survey by a Singaporean student at LSE:

If you live or have lived in Singapore, it’d be great if you could do the survey. Whether you cycle or not, I’d like to hear from you. Got 15 mins to spare? Click here.

More numbers on safety in numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:32:00 +0000

On 6 June I wrote about the safety-in-numbers effect.

There are some more numbers corroborating the effect from London, Copenhagen and the Netherlands. See this post on the "How we drive" blog.

Unsafe ignorance versus dangerous ignorance

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:30:00 +0000

A survey by the AXA insurance company paints a picture of ignorance and recklessness among Singapore motorists.

The finding that struck me most was that only 23% knew the speed limit that applies on most ordinary streets and roads (the ones that don't have speed signs). Do you know the answer? ** Most thought that the answer was 60 km/hr.

This was reported today by the Business Times and the Today newspaper (here and here). AXA surveyed over 500 Singapore motorists, including around 100 taxi drivers.

Large percentages also admitted to various dangerous acts, such as:

Driving more than 10kmh above the speed limit (63 per cent)
Tailgating (47 per cent)
Overtaking, turning or switching lanes without signalling (46 per cent)

So few Singapore motorists have the high moral ground to attack bicycle users for their bad behaviour. Yet we do see many forum letters about bad behaviour by bicycle users in Singapore (like this one yesterday). Many online comments on these letters tend to demonize cyclists.

Of course, many cyclists ARE woefully ignorant of even the basics of safe cycling. But think ... What is the main result of unsafe cycling?

Answer: injured or dead cyclists are the main result. Cyclists are the main victims of their own ignorance or recklessness.

I don't want to deny that inconsiderate or negligent cycling can pose some hazard to others, especially to pedestrians. But we need a sense of proportion about the danger from bicycles. It is tiny compared with the danger from motor vehicles. Yes, bad behaviour by cyclists is a problem. But it is a problem primarily for the cyclists themselves.

Let us admit that BOTH motorists and bicycle users in Singapore have a frightening lack of awareness about road safety and road rules.

But while ignorant cyclists make themselves unsafe, ignorant drivers make the roads dangerous for everyone.

** Answer: 50 km/h is the speed limit on ordinary streets and roads without explicit speed markings. Did you get it right? If motorists stuck to this speed cycling would be much safer here.

Safety in Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:48:00 +0000

Cycling seems rather dangerous in Singapore. So are we crazy or irresponsible to be promoting more bicycle use?

I think not. The more people use bicycles the safer it will become for each individual bicycle user.

New York City cyclists seem to be getting the benefits of safety in numbers after some years of increases in the amount of cycling (and some effort to make it safer). This image comes via Streetsblog.

That there is safety in numbers for cyclists and pedestrians was the (more scientific) finding of a 2003 paper in Injury Prevention journal by Peter Jacobsen, which found:

A motorist is less likely to collide with a personwalking and bicycling if more people walk or bicycle. Policiesthat increase the numbers of people walking and bicycling appearto be an effective route to improving the safety of people walkingand bicycling.

The safety in numbers argument reassures us that we are not being irresponsible to promote more cycling.

Green Transport @ Envirofest 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:18:00 +0000

Chu Wa with his JZ88 foldable bike next to the Singapore Environment Council's booth at Envirofest @ HDB Hub, Toa Payoh, 23-24 May 2009.

Thanks to boonsong for the photo!

Ride of Silence Singapore - impressions from a car window

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:09:00 +0000

The Ride of Silence Singapore was held yesterday, Wed 20th May 2009 with cyclists gathered at Merlion Park at 7pm. I was unable to join them but instead observed the half the ride route from a car window. Several of my friends from Zendogs and Cycling in Singapore were riding do I knew I could exchange impressions with them later.

For me the ride meant commemorating Kroxy, an NTU student who was senselessly killed in 2003. He was the last man of a group riding back to NTU and was tragically run over at Jalan Bahar by a drunk driver just before the group turned into the relative safety of NTU.

I never knew Alvin Boey personally but he was a promoter of cycling in Singapore like many of us. I always think of him when I ride NTU's Round Island Bike Rally and each time I pass Jalan Bahar on the way to Lm Chu Kang or Sungei Buloh. The Ride of Silence is a good way to commemorate his spirit and to me it s a reminder that cyclists and motorists need to work at sharing the road safely.

The rest of this was posted last night on my personal blog and is reproduced here for the record. You can read all the posts on Ride of Silence (Paul Barter, Yap Chi Wei and mine) by clicking the "ride of silence" label. See also other impressions by:

mrbrown,
Azam's life,
wang writes.

Meanwhile congratulations to the organiser for bring this event to reality!
My friends went down after work to Merlion Park today for the Ride of Silence Singapore. They reported a large turnout and cyclists were released in groups of about 10. We dropped in on the cyclists just as they left Merlion Park to thread through the city before heading out west to loop around Holland Village.

The route required them to make a few lane shifts and navigate through small, busy roads (see route). By Holland Road, the groups found the space and momentum to be tighter. The video clips below show two groups riding up the Holland Road slope before they head down through Orchard Road. Note how the first group is more disciplined about keeping to a single file. It was nice to see the groups crunch up the slope in silence with a few nods of heads to us as they cycled past.

From the short time we spent following the groups along the first half of the route, a few things were obvious:
- White is striking at night! An all white t-shirt or jersey as ordered ("dress in white") would have really made the group stand out. The mixed coloured jerseys that some persisted in wearing are not noticeable and quite unsuitable or night cycling.
- Rear helmet lights were prominent and in fact, critical for congested roads where cyclists ride in close proximity to motorists. However, few cyclists had rear helmet lights. The rear seat lights are less useful in these situations as they are more noticeable from afar.
- Many were using pretty decent front white blinking lights. Surprisingly some were actually riding without front lights.
- The few passerby-cyclists without lights were practically invisible to traffic!
- Quite a number of cyclists were clueless about navigating lane changes safely - their timing and hand signals left much to be desired. Wish they sign up for some practical training somewhere, the sort motorcyclists get in preparation for their Class 2B license.
- The ride was supposed to be a slow-paced ride. But I think I'd be hard-pressed to keep up with some groups who were whizzed past!
I'm sure there will be more on my cycling lists later tonight and tomorrow. Hope it will help the organisers next year. Meanwhile, see news from Rides of Silence around the world and tweets from cyclists gearing up or after their ride.

Some of my photos from the ride are on Flickr; see also VR-Zone.
"Cyclists join thousands worldwide in Ride of Silence," by Tan Yew Guan. Channel NewsAsia, 20 May 2009.

SINGAPORE: About 200 cyclists gathered at the Merlion Park on Wednesday evening to embark on a one-hour ride through Singapore's roads. They joined thousands of others in a world wide movement.

Called the Ride of Silence, riders went at a slow pace throughout the 19 kilometre route.

At the same time, they maintained silence amid the roar of traffic in honour of those killed or injured in traffic accidents while cycling.

Last year, at least 20 people died in such accidents.

The first Ride of Silence rolled off in Dallas in the United States six years ago.

Then, it was just a gathering of one thousand cyclists to mark the death of a fellow cyclist who was killed by a school bus mirror.

Throughout world, from Hong Kong to Spain and all across the United States, cyclists in over 200 locations are taking part in similar rides.

Organisers hope that the event will make drivers more aware of the presence of cyclists on the roads. - CNA/vm

Ride of Silence Singapore - Chi Wei's impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Before midnight, Yap Chi Wei wrote to Zendogs (our cycling group) to recount the events of the night. I reproduce it here with his permission:

"I estimate that just over 400 riders turned up for this ride. Everyone gathered pretty much on time and the first group of 12 riders were flagged off at 7.20pm. With so many riders, the organiser(s) ran out of outriders/volunteer ride leaders after about 20 groups. So the rest (groups 21 onwards) had to wait for the lead pack to return to recycle the ride leader! This was accepted with mild groans here and there.

Catherine and I did a Zendog [our cycling group legendary for taking food beaks] and adjourned to the nearby Coffee Bean for some pasta and puffs. With our hunger assuaged, we rejoined the remaining mass of bikers and got flagged off well after 8pm.

Our ride grouping started out well but soon fell apart although the volunteer guide tried to keep things together. Inevitably, some of the group split into smaller groups without ride leaders. Some, who had not studied the route, got separated. But we continued on, sometimes joining groups that we caught up with and at other times, falling back due to traffic lights.

Along Holland Rd near the Botanics, a group of young riders on heavy jump bikes started to stand and sprint up the hill with little regard for traffic on their right. This caused a Volvo XC90 SUV to mount a center divider trying to avoid them! I don't think these kids even knew why they were there. It was more like a fun ride for them, yelling and screaming. So much for silence.

There were also unicycles in another group, which should not have been there as they had to struggle to keep up, did not have appropriate lighting, and it was harder for them to handle the evening rush hour traffic.

Ride of silence almost became a ride of attrition.

The good thing that the majority were well behaved. Motorists seemed to be quite tolerant of the large groups of riders on the road and there were very few horns directed our way.

We peeled off somewhere near High Street to head back to her office to pack her bike into her car. I rode back on the road. Total distance for me was 43kms.

The ride leaders from Joyriders were volunteers and roped in at the last moment to assist. They did the best they could, with some riding two loops of the route. Kudos to them.

Going to bed now..."

Ride of Silence Singapore report

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:11:00 +0000

The Singapore Ride of Silence last night had a great turnout and was a lot of fun! There was festive atmosphere at the Merlion as everyone waited their turn to set out.

It was wonderful to feel the safety-in-numbers effect of riding in a large group.

My group had about 40 and there was little choice but to claim a whole lane (but only one!). Singapore law does not condone riding two or more abreast but it seemed the safest approach with such a group. It quickly became obvious that tempting motorists to squeeze into the lane with us was a bad idea. Fortunately, the motorists around us seemed to accept this and mostly behaved very patiently. The ride was all on multi-lane roads and the peak traffic seemed to be over so I saw no congestion resulting from the ride. I was at the front and tried friendly waves to as many passing motorists as possible with a mouthed 'thank you' and got a few thumbs up signals back.

Mr Brown has a report too and estimates 400 riders, which was about my guess too. The Joyriders were carefully counting so I guess we will hear the real number sooner or later.

Otterman (Sivasothi on this list) has a report with a couple of video clips of groups on Holland Rd.

Well done Joyriders and Benoit for organising the event and for getting so much positive press coverage.

Don't forget the positive vision: cycling as safe and convenient

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Tonight's Ride of Silence in Singapore and Worldwide is an important event to raise awareness of the need to make cycling in Singapore much safer.

But as we pay our respects to those who have been killed or injured, let's not forget that we have a positive vision for cycling. Riding a bicycle can and should be safe and convenient for ordinary people, not just heroic athletes in lycra and helments.

A post today at Streetsblog asks if pro-cycling organisations are making a mistake to emphasise the danger so much. Dutch and Danish bicycle promotion efforts make bicycles seem fun, easy to use and safe (see the bike promotion poster below from the Netherlands).

Let's work towards the day when we can truthfully promote cycling in Singapore in the same way.

Ride of Silence (Singapore) - 20 May 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:17:00 +0000

"A cyclist with a cause," by Agatha Koh Brazil [agatha@mediacorp.com.sg].
Today, 12 May 2009

A CYCLIST WITH A CAUSE
----------------------

SOON after he arrived in Singapore in 2007, Benoit Valin got a bicycle to ride to his office at Buona Vista. Just as quickly too, on a rainy October day, he was rendered a bloody mess along Portsdown Road by a motorist who turned without looking.

Then the motorist in the car behind honked at him to get out of the way. "She well saw that I had blood on my head and other parts of my body, but she waved her fist to threaten me," says the 31-year-old Canadian.

That wasn’t the only incident for the dedicated "bike commuter". "Commuting is the only time I can ride my bike. Unfortunately, it is also the most dangerous time of the day (to do so)." Other close calls include one in January when a driver shot across three lanes of Commonwealth Avenue and Benoit had to swerve to avoid him. In doing so, he had to "touch" the car to avoid being hit by a bus. That enraged the motorist who "chased down" the road for about a kilometre. "Then he came out of the car, fists in the air,” recalls the Ottawa native.

In February, along Bukit Timah Road, a driver shot across two lanes and narrowly avoided clipping him. "At the light, I knocked on his window to talk. He did the 'I’ve done nothing wrong, you’re on the road and you have no place here' speech," says Benoit. "That about sums it up. This happens about every week, but I don’t make a fuss about them ... only when they really have to be educated."

May 20 is when he hopes this will happen. That is when Ride of Silence Singapore - he is the organiser - will kick off at 7pm from Merlion Park at Clifford Pier. Attending riders will dress in white and ride - in silence - to honour those killed or injured while cycling on public roads. Last year, there were about 22 such deaths here, and this year, the figure already stands at six, says Benoit. It is expected to increase with the escalating popularity of cycling.

The riders here will join others worldwide in a silent slow ride on May 20 to raise the awareness of motorists and other road users as well as that of the authorities. The first ride originated in the United States city of Dallas, after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed when hit by the mirror of a passing bus. Officials from the Safe Cycling Task Force will also join in. The route (yet to be approved) will cover 19km or so.

Cycling for Benoit has been a 14-year “love story”. At 17 and at college, he needed money, so he started cycling extensively as a messenger in Ottawa. At university in Boston, he volunteered for Bikes Not Bombs, a not-for-profit organisation that recycles old bikes for third-world countries. Graduate school between 2001 and 2006 meant never staying long enough in a place to sustain a devotion to a cause. Until Singapore, where he saw "how road, and cycling safety could improve the quality of life for everyone".

That encounter in February made the bachelor decide to dedicate his spare time to cycling safety. He then had a cause, but no means to reach out. "Changing the world by yourself, when all you see is the same five people every day is very difficult," says the bioinformatics scientist for a pharmaceutical company. In April, he received an email from Canada’s National Capital Commission, advertising the Ride of Silence. "It was an epiphany. I found the means to unite people in support for a cause that affects everyone," he says.

There have been 100 responses from his Facebook group so far. Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Vivian Balakrishnan is scheduled to be present, as is Senior Parliamentary Secretary for MCYS and Ministry of Transport, Mr Teo Ser Luck.

Benoit clocks about 1,000km a month riding from his Bukit Batok home to Buona Vista. When the 200km of park connectors are completed by 2015, "Singapore will become a world-class haven for cyclists." "Unfortunately, park connectors don’t go everywhere. They cover only 60 per cent of my commute. The challenge is coping with traffic and the dangers of traffic." That means drivers of every ilk, as well as pedestrians, especially "those who zig-zag between cars at lights and pop up without warning". Cyclists who ride at night without lights and reflectors, wearing dark clothes, and those who ride against traffic and through lights are at fault, too.

Benoit is keen that helmets be worn, and made mandatory for riders under 12. "Deaths can never be reduced to zero. Drivers need to learn how to communicate their intentions clearly to cyclists (and vice versa). The rules of the road need to be clearer so they can be respected. Only then can roads be safer." Cycling safety should be incorporated into driving classes and tested during the theory test. Physical education teachers too, should teach cycling safety, he says.
"On a bicycle, safety means staying alive."

Singapore’s first such ride was in 2006, started by Jimi Loh. But the rides were never registered with the US and not publicised. Benoit and Mr Loh will work together next year. For details visit www.rideofsilence.org

Email your views to voices@mediacorp.com.sg

Registration for bicycles? Debate in the USA

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:39:00 +0000

A bicycle registration debate has just just erupted in the USA too. San Francisco Streetsblog tackles the issue.

Of course, bicycles used to be registered in Singapore and the idea has been suggested again recently. The main trigger here seems to be concern about bad behaviour by bicycle users on pedestrian pavements.

The American debate involves some different issues from Singapore's but there also some parallels which might be of interest.

Rent and return bicycles between Changi and ECP

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Six new bicycle kiosks have opened along the Eastern Coastal Park Connector Network. These allow the rental and return of bicycles at any of the six kiosks, so a weak cyclist who has made his first enjoyable ride to East Coast Park does not have to dread the 8km ride back to Changi to return the bicycle - he just needs to return it to the relevant kiosk in ECP.

Of the entire PCN, it is the Changi Beach Park to East Coast Park stretch which I recommend to friends out to get a taste of cycling in Singapore. The scenery is nice and the route is very safe with only three junction crossings. The inland parts of the PCN are less hospitable so is best explored later when their cycling skills have improved and they want to explore. Rental rates are $5/hour.

Pity there is no Pasir Ris Park station though. The stations are at:

Sun Plaza Park (Tampines)

Changi Beach Park Area Car Park 1,

Changi Beach Park Car Park 7

East Coast Park Area G

East Coast Park Area C,

Telok Kurau Park

"No need to backtrack to return rental bike," by Maria Almenoar. The Straits Times, 10 March 2009.

A NEW spin on recreational cycling has hit the four connected parks on the East Coast.
Six new bicycle rental kiosks strung out along the bike paths now allow cyclists to pick up and drop off their rented wheels at any of these pit stops.

Bye bye to the need to backtrack to the kiosk from which the bicycle was rented, as is the required practice with bike rental stations now.

The National Parks Board (NParks) awarded the tender to run the new service to Lifestyle Recreation, a company which has been renting out bicycles and in-line skates at the East Coast Park since 2001.

Its kiosks can be found at East Coast Park Area C, East Coast Park Area G, Changi Beach Park Area Car Park 1, Sun Plaza Park, Changi Beach Park Car Park 7 and Telok Kurau Park. Two more may be set up in the Bedok and Pasir Ris town parks.

Rental rates are comparable to other rental outlets in the area - $5 an hour for a bike and $10 an hour for a tandem bicycle. A cyclist needs to produce his or her identity card to rent a bike.

Lifestyle Recreation is also looking into providing an all-day service in which a cyclist picks up a bike and can return it even after the rental stations have closed for the day.

A cyclist who plans on returning the bike late first books and pays for the rental online. A bicycle number and code to the bicycle lock is then sent to him in a text message.

Ms Susanna Tay, Lifestyle Recreation's managing director, said: 'When NParks opened the new park connectors, we knew that cyclists did not want to be restricted on where they could ride, so this is a value-added service we can provide.'

She added that the company may allow the same rental arrangement for in-line skates if there is a demand.

Photographer Alex Wee, 35, who heads to East Coast Park every two months for cycling, is now game to explore the East Coast's four parks.

He said: 'Usually you don't get to cycle far and see much because you have to backtrack to return the bicycle. They should consider having a public transport link at either end as well.'

Bicycles on pavements: Does it work in Japan?

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Barter) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:30:00 +0000

Sidewalk cycling in Tokyo

Singapore is getting closer to a decision about legalising bicycle use on footways, at least in Tampines.

So I was pleased to stumble on a relevant paper. It focuses on Japan's experience. Since 1978 Japan has been the only major country to allow bicycle riding on most footway pavements. Scroll down for the author's conclusion.

Evaluation of shared use of bicycles and pedestrians in Japan
Author(s): P. Zhe, H. Yamanaka & K. Kakihara
Abstract:
Shared use of bicycles and pedestrians on sidewalks can be commonly seen all over Japan.

Cycling on sidewalks in Japan was permitted from 1978 following deregulation of the Road Traffic Law, which was urgent treatment to secure cyclists’ safety due to a lack of road space.

This was permitted on sidewalks with appropriate width and traffic conditions.

Although bicycles are still regarded as a vehicle and cyclists have to use the carriageway along with motor vehicles according to the Road Traffic Law, many bicycle users prefer to use sidewalks.

Cycle/pedestrian shared use would surely be disadvantageous related to the safety and amenity of pedestrians, and to the reduction of cycling speed.

Shared use with pedestrians, however, has advantages of safety and freedom for utility cyclists, which seems to be related to the fact that Japan has a high level of the modal share of bicycles used for going shopping or to school.

In addition, the number of women or aged users tends to be high compared with major motorized countries.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the level-of-service of shared use by pedestrians and bicycles, from the viewpoints of users’ safety and comfort considering traffic volume in shared use space.

By using a video survey of shared use streets, the authors analyzed the relationship between cycling speed, frequency of hindrance and traffic density or traffic volume of street users.

In conclusion, the author proposes the conditions necessary to apply shared use of bicycles and pedestrians on the sidewalks, considering the traffic flow of pedestrians and bicycles per width of sidewalks Keywords:
bicycle, shared use, level-of-service, Japan.

... Pages: 10
Size: 1,017 kb

And here is their conclusion:

"The authors analysed hindrance behaviour by considering traffic volume per sidewalk width of pedestrians and bicycles, and proposed the minimum level of traffic conditions needed to apply shared use of bicycles and pedestrians on the sidewalks. As a result the necessary condition to coexistence of bicycles and pedestrians was found to be less than 0.5 pedestrians/minute/m and less than 3.0cyclists/minute･m. The standard for pedestrian/bicycle share use in terms of hourly traffic volume is less than 26 pedestrians / hour and 108 cyclists / hour for 2m wide sidewalks.

In future studies we aim to look at development of education or information methods (signs, road marking, colouring, etc.) on the street for bicycles and pedestrians to ensure the safety and comfort shared use for utility cyclists."

My take on what this means for Singapore? If we do legalise pavement cycling, we should also make an effort to provide attractive detours for bicycle users to avoid busy sections of walkway OR dramatically widen the effective width of the pavement at busy sections.

The paper pdf is free to download but you need to register first.

LTA: $43 million programme for dedicated cycling tracks

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:16:00 +0000

NewsRadio 93.8FM reports (12 Feb 2009):

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Teo Ser Luck told members of parliament that the Land Transport Authority will roll out a $43 million programme to design and construct dedicated cycling tracks next to pedestrian footpaths in HDB estates.

" Where there is enough space, these tracks will be physically separate from the footpaths, allowing cyclists to have a truly dedicated path. In more restricted areas, the tracks will be joined to the existing pedestrian footpath but they will have painted markings clearly defining and identifying them for cyclists, like what you see in our park connectors. "

Mr Teo said the first phase of the programme will cover five towns -- namely Tampines, Yishun, Sembawang, Pasir Ris and Taman Jurong.

In Tampines, the LTA will start building 6.9 kms of cycling tracks from the second half of this year onwards, at the estimated cost of $4.7 million.

Mr Teo said the next town will be Yishun, where the LTA will work with the HDB to extend existing tracks.

He said 7.5 kms of cycling tracks will be constructed from 2010 onwards, at a cost of $6.3 million.

Sembawang, Pasir Ris and Taman Jurong are also working with the LTA to design similar cycling tracks.

Mr Teo expressed hope that more towns could be added in the future.

See also Sandra Leong's lifestyle article in The Sunday Times from 16 Dec 2007 for a taste of park conenctors linking heartlands: "Great escape."

Foldable bicycle scheme approved

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:07:00 +0000

LTA News release (12 Feb 2009):

"As announced by Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Transport), foldable bicycles will be allowed on the Rapid Transit System (RTS) and public buses during off-peak hours within stated guidelines with effect from 15 March 2009. The scheme will proceed after taking into account stakeholder feedback from an earlier six-month trial.

Mr Jeremy Yap, LTA's Group Director for Vehicle and Transit Licensing said, "Implementation of this scheme is possible owing to the social graciousness and mutual accommodation of commuters. As a way forward, we hope that cyclists and other commuters will continue to be considerate to one another so that more people can use our public transport system to meet their diverse travel needs. We would like to thank everyone for their participation, support and feedback."

Read the rest here.

Guidelines that will take effect on 15th March 2009:

Cyclists are responsible for the safe carriage of their foldable bicycles and must stay in the vicinity of their foldable bicycles at all times.
Foldable bicycles should be folded at all times in the MRT/ LRT stations, bus interchanges/ terminals and on trains and buses.
Foldable bicycles should not exceed 114 cm by 64 cm by 36 cm when folded.
The wheels of a foldable bicycle should be wrapped up if they are dirty or wet.
Protruding parts likely to cause injury or dirty / damage property are to be covered up.
Foldable bicycles should not block the aisles and doors or impede commuter movement at any time.
Foldable bicycles should be carried in an upright position.
Only one foldable bicycle is allowed on each bus at any one time.
When travelling by train, cyclists should use the first or last car, which is less crowded.
Cyclists should use the lifts and wide fare gates at MRT/ LRT stations where these are available.
Foldable bicycles are not allowed on the upper deck of a bus or placed on the staircase leading to the upper deck.
Foldable bicycles are allowed during the following operating hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 4.00pm, 8.00 pm to end of operating hours
- All day on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays
SMRT / SBS Transit station staff and bus drivers may disallow foldable bicycles if the actual situation within an MRT/ LRT station, bus interchange/ terminal or on board a train / bus does not permit foldable bicycles to be admitted safely and without inconveniencing other commuters.

Bicycle, pedestrian, speeding and road safety

noreply@blogger.com (Chu Wa) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:49:00 +0000

A couple of news related to bicycle and road safety over the weekend:

1) Chip, or Mr Charles W Goodyear, the new CEO of Temasek holdings was known to cycle to work in Melbourne while being the boss of the world' largest mining company. I hope he will continue to do so in Singapore and give his staffs and the media a much needed "bicycle culture shock". (Weekend Today, February 7-8, front page)

2) Make road safer for the elderly (SundayTimes, February 8, page H10) reflected that most elderly people felt that pedestrian crossing light should stay longer and there should be more traffic light crossing instead of overhead bridges. While Singapore's pedestrian infrastructure is world-class, a lot more can be done for the elderly. There are many area in Singapore, like Toa Payoh, has been transformed from an industrial area to a residential area. However, many of the road design still remind the same, which was good for large trucks, but very dangerous for people, especially elderly and young children. For example, the large radius banding junction from Toa Payoh Lorong 1 into Lorong 1A is good for the cars and trucks to make a quick turn, but very dangerous for people crossing the Lorong 1A. In fact, there is no proper crossing at that spot until 50 meters down the road. The problem is, almost nobody will walk another 50 meter down the road when the food stalls they want to go is just across the road. This is human nature, ask yourself, including the one who design the crossing and foot bridges, can you assure that you never cross a road where there is no pedestrian crossing? In this respect, we are all jaywalker at one point or another.
I would like to see more consideration given to make the road junctions safer for pedestrians and other non-motorists.

3) Putting the brakes on pile-ups (SundayTimes, February 8, page H10) talk about the danger of speeding on the expressway. According to the Traffic Police there were 1748 speed related road accidents and 83 were killed. I read it as: 83 families were ruined due to someone speeding on the road, may be the driver was not careful, or on the phone, or drunk, or angry or whatever, but non of these reasons justify someone got killed, not even for the driver himself. I feel some of Singapore roads are designed for higher speed than the speed limits. I simply don't "feel" driving at 60km/h is 10 km/h above the speed limit in many well paved, wide roads in Singapore. In Europe, many of the road design deliberately make "psychological obstacles" to slow down the car speed for safer roads. Narrower road, more bending, humps, center islands are all easily adoptable. One good example is the pedestrian crossing behind Geylang Polyclinic across Aljunied Ave. 2. There is a large hump, a narrow road and clear zebra crossing. I never saw any car failed to slow down at that crossing.

4)President Arroyo issues order encouraging people to walk, bike, and ride the train
In an effort to reduce the country’s carbon footprint and improve air quality, President Arroyo has ordered transport authorities to craft a national Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) strategy for the country.
"The new paradigm in the movement of men and things must follow a simple principle: Those who have less in wheels must have more in road," the presidential order stated.
Now even the less developed countries are more bold on non-motorized transport. It's time for Singapore to catch up, not only to more developed countries like UK, France and Holland, which already have more solid policy to promote the use of bicycle on road, but also to less developed countries like China, India, Philippines and Indonesia, they too, discovered non-motorized transport is the best way to move on.

Valentine Day's ride on East Coast Park PCN

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:43:00 +0000

"Green is the new Pink Bike-a-Thon" - a scenic 28km through the East Coast Park Connector.

An final year project event by the Flying Cows, four final year NTU students! You gotta love the URL: makegreenthenewpink.wordpress.com

Registration ends tomorrow so hop over quick.

Start point: Sun Plaza Park
End point/picnic ground: East Coast Park Area C4
Date/day: 14 Feb 2009/Saturday
Reporting time: 0645hours
Flag-off: 0800 hours
Registration fee: $15 (+ bike rental + helmet rental fee + attractive goodie bag)

The exhibition is over, but there is also a blogging contest open until 7th March 2009 with a 7-speed Dahon bike as 1st prize!

Obama out and about on his bicycle

noreply@blogger.com (Chu Wa) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:26:00 +0000

When will we see more of our leaders do the same :-)

Picture source: http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1266

Multi-level automated bicycle parking in Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (Sivasothi) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Asia is Green recently highlighted this Youtube clip which shows an automated system grabbing a parked 'gentleman bicycle,' sending it underground to be racked up in a space saving, multi-level bicycle garage, and quickly too!

The clip is on Japanese but from other blogs I gleaned that the garage is apparently located at Tokyo Metro's Kasai Station and can hold 9,400 bicycles. The reporter test recorded the system taking a mere 23 seconds to store a bicycle and this single session use cost 100 yen (S$1.65 / US$1.11) and about US$18 for a season pass.

Danny Cho took a closer look.

The garage apparently costs US$67 million. It is nearly full everyday and ther ehas been a 20% in neighbourhood biking according to the Washington Post report (see below).

See this informative report by Blaine Harden, The Washington Post:

See comments and this link about secure, free bicycle cages in Australia.