Cycling on the roads of Singapore - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

chilcutt · #1 03-11-2012, 08:02 AM

I am a cyclist, which is another way of saying that I enjoy humiliation.
I love smoke in my lungs and the thrill of wondering if I will be pancaked under the SUV of a texting teen.
I hope I will be wearing my nice Lycra shorts when they find me under her car.

I often go out riding just to see how much emotional baggage motorists can unload on me.
Sometimes I feel like a therapist on wheels, a professional who allows drivers to release the pent up pain and aggression of life in an urban jungle in a safe manner.

More and more, I am begginning to see that cycling is all about seeing what life is like from the bottom. It is about becoming invisable and being over-looked for a few hours.

This is how I cope.

I know that what I am doing is not quite cleaning the wounds of a leper or giving bread to the poor, or helping orphans. It will not bring about World Peace.
But it is a thought device I use to help me cope.

Rob Pruijt · #2 03-11-2012, 12:00 PM

In the Netherlands we have 18 million bicycles for 16 million inhabitants.
40% of all transportation is on a bicycle.

Rob

LaRondo · #3 03-11-2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Pruijt

In the Netherlands we have 18 million bicycles for 16 million inhabitants.
40% of all transportation is on a bicycle.

Rob

What's the rate of injuries from bicycle accidents?

I kind of like that.

Cycling is a scary thing here in SoCal, where cyclists are being run over for no other reason than casual inconvenience.

Rob Pruijt · #4 03-11-2012, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaRondo

What's the rate of injuries from bicycle accidents?

I kind of like that.

Cycling is a scary thing here in SoCal, where cyclists are being run over for no other reason than casual inconvenience.

78000 injuries and 130 Death.
Of course nobody wears a helmet (or any form of protection).
One in five of the accident is a collision, most are just falling off.

A bicycle is the form of transportation used when being drunk, this may contribute to the number of accidents.

We do have a lot of bicycle lanes, in the cities and in the country (in fact everywhere).

Rob

The Clk Man · #5 03-11-2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Pruijt

In the Netherlands we have 18 million bicycles for 16 million inhabitants.
40% of all transportation is on a bicycle.

Rob

Do they get good mileage?

raymr · #6 03-11-2012, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Pruijt

In the Netherlands we have 18 million bicycles for 16 million inhabitants.
40% of all transportation is on a bicycle.

Rob

I recall accidentally driving my car onto one of the bike lanes, just as 50 bicycles were coming the other way. They showed me no mercy.

E150GT · #7 03-11-2012, 08:55 PM

I almost got run over by a cyclist in Amsterdam. I ride my bike often. I usually stick it on my roof rack and take it downtown. Theres a large number of cyclists down there. I tried riding by my apartment and made it only about a half mile before I turned around. Much much too dangerous. I always wear my gloves and helmet. I cannot say I have had any negative interactions with people in cars yet.

Skippy · #8 03-11-2012, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E150GT

I cannot say I have had any negative interactions with people in cars yet.

Just give it time.

raymr · #9 03-12-2012, 11:54 AM

Is Singapore worse than China? This from Wikitravel for China:

Quote:

Car-pedestrian interactions are complicated; ubiquitous pedestrians, bikes, and cycles, often acting oblivious or even negligent toward surrounding traffic, are generally considered to have possessed Right of Way in any collision between them and a vehicle. If a larger vehicle strikes a pedestrian or rider, the larger vehicle will generally be assumed liable. Bearing that in mind, vehicles will use their speed and security advantage, and often the horn, to maneuver through even densely occupied crossings. Aware pedestrians will generally expect a vehicle will force through a walk way, and are often confused if the vehicle halts to allow them passage. Painted cross walks (white bars painted on road ways) are hardly typically observed as "pedestrian protected" areas, but woe to a driver who strikes a pedestrian there. Never assume a driver will actually stop for you at a marked crossing. Drivers will actually push anything in front of them off the sidewalk or side of the road, it is assumed you will move out of their way.
The general rule appears to be keep moving no matter what. Cutting people off, swerving into the oncoming lane, driving on the shoulder, or in a fenced-off bicycle lane, or the wrong way down a divided highway are all fine as long as they keep you moving in the right general direction and do not cause an immediate accident. It is perfectly common in rare situations to even see cars and trucks and motorcycles all on the sidewalk along with pedestrians and bikes all going their own separate ways! Taxis are the worst offenders of this very dangerous habit.

Running red lights
Chinese drivers routinely go through red lights if there is no opposing traffic. Pedestrians do not count as traffic; just honk at them to get out of the way or swerve around them. It is also moderately common to run red lights even in the presence of other traffic.
A retired teacher in Lanzhou became a bit of a hero on the Chinese Internet in 2009 with his campaign to make an intersection near his home safer. He took to hurling bricks at cars that ran the lights [9] and hit over 30 before the police turned up.
Many drivers of very large construction trucks prefer to drive late at night (10pm-4am) on many roads such as the Jingmilu (Beijing). These drivers are paid by how many trips they make and because of so they are notorious among Chinese and Expatriates for running red lights, seemingly without slowing down.

Two-way traffic everywhere
Bicycles and motorcycles and sometimes cars ignore one-way signs. On divided highways, seeing pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles going the wrong way down the shoulder is entirely normal, and a few go the wrong way beside the center fence. At traffic circles (roundabouts), drivers hate going around the island in the middle if they can avoid it; they will often just swing left instead. Lane markings are also routinely ignored; for example, taxis often go straight through an intersection via a lane marked as left turn only, because that gets them past other cars.
On newer roads there may be, for example, a roughly triangular traffic island southwest of an actual intersection. Two sides are roads; the third is a curving lane intended for drivers making a right turn form eastbound to southbound. In China, drivers turning left from northbound to westbound routinely use that lane.
Many Chinese cities have bicycle lanes fenced off on either side of the road. These lanes will carry two-way traffic regardless of the direction of the traffic flow: including bicycles and motorcycles plus the occasional car, truck and pedestrians. Cars routinely take to these lanes if traffic in the main lanes is jammed; they then honk at bicyclists to force them out of the way using their horn as a form of "sonic plow" clearing the way in front of them. The driver is operating under the assumption you will move and if you don't move in a timely fashion you are risking being struck down if walking or on a bicycle and will most likely be blamed.
Even the sidewalks often carry two-way bicycle and motorcycle traffic, plus the odd car going to or from a parking spot. Cars again operate under the assumption they own the sidewalk and its up to you to get out of their way. Again, even on the sidewalks, vehicles honk at pedestrians to get them out of their way.

sfloriII · #10 03-12-2012, 05:48 PM

Still pedaling....

I was struck by a hit-and-run driver two weeks before my senior year of high school. Ruined my beloved Raleigh Grand Sports 10-speed and broke both my leg and ankle. Shortly after that, my dad walked into College Park Bicycles in MD with a friend of mine who advised him to buy me the brand new Basso Gap racing bike we had been drooling over for months. This was August '82 and the bike cost my dad $1300. Campagnolo Super Record throughout and 19.5 pounds, which was incredible considering the year and the fact that it was/is a steel frame. I still ride it sometimes....

tbomachines · #11 03-12-2012, 06:37 PM

I hate riding on roads, I hate driving around here even. Lots of college kids who do not pay any attention to anything vs. soccer moms with extra-wide SUVs telling at their 2.1 kids or talking on the phone. I try to take my bike to trails but thats tough after work (I work from home) as they're not too close. Now that the days are a bit longer I can probably squeeze some in.

E150GT · #12 03-12-2012, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfloriII

Still pedaling....

I was struck by a hit-and-run driver two weeks before my senior year of high school. Ruined my beloved Raleigh Grand Sports 10-speed and broke both my leg and ankle. Shortly after that, my dad walked into College Park Bicycles in MD with a friend of mine who advised him to buy me the brand new Basso Gap racing bike we had been drooling over for months. This was August '82 and the bike cost my dad $1300. Campagnolo Super Record throughout and 19.5 pounds, which was incredible considering the year and the fact that it was/is a steel frame. I still ride it sometimes....

That bike sounds pretty amazing. I wanted to buy a 1984 raleigh from a co worker but when he brought it, it was so huge I could barely ride it. My brother has a Kuota and man that thing is light! I think it weighs around 15.5 lbs or so.

MBeige · #13 03-12-2012, 11:04 PM

Last night there was a bike on my side of traffic, only the bike was heading the opposite way, had NO lights or reflectors, and the rider was wearing all BLACK.

Some of our cities have dedicated bike lanes, but my local neighborhood does not. We'd take the bike up on the Subaru or 190E and head out to a good spot.

I never thought of Singapore as a dangerous place to bike. Then again I've been there only a few days at a time, and last time was just this January.

E150GT · #14 03-12-2012, 11:14 PM

got a similar set up. Just not on the benz...

DSC00195[1] by E150GT, on Flickr

chilcutt · #15 03-13-2012, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymr

Is Singapore worse than China? This from Wikitravel for China:

China is totally off the hook. I see the PRC's riding their bicycles IN traffic here, as if they are back in Swatow. This because no-one has informed them that Singapore is more orderly and civilised, and that there are rules and regulations.

We had a caucasion cyclist killed here last weekend. His fault. He was travelling the wrong way on a winding one-way street..bus coming from down the hill...cyclist crest's the hill, travelling at a fast pace...the 2 collide with no chance to re-act...end of story.

For the record. My wife is local born and bred Singaporean-and strongly dis-approoves of my being a cyclist.