<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
Coffeeshop Chit Chat - MP Irene Ng is farked big time... HAHA!</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>10:26 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 2) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>31092.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>For those who don't know, Irene Ng is the bitch who suggested allowing cyclist to cycle along the same pedestrian path with pedestrian. How stupid can she be??? To allow cyclist to cycle legally on the pedestrian path in Tampines (Irene's Ng GRC), they change the by laws to allow for it...
It's a disaster waiting to happen...
---------------------------------------------------------------
Apr 4, 2010
Get cyclists off the footpaths: Pedestrians
Many want recourse against riders who ignore rules and throw caution to the wind
<!-- by line -->By Irene Tham
Mr Kelvin Khoo, 38, has stopped taking evening walks with his wife around his estate near Bedok North.
He is wary of cyclists who pedal illegally on footpaths. 'They come at such high speeds,' said the personal wealth manager.
On several occasions, they nearly hit the couple.
Mr Khoo also stopped taking his three children, aged four, six and nine, to the East Coast Park. They have had so many near misses, he said.
His fears may be justified. The number of accidents involving pedestrians was 1,075 last year, or about three a day.
The police did not break down the causes of these accidents - whether by car, motorcycle or bicycle.
'Why do I have to walk fearing that a bike may hit me or my children?' asked Mr Khoo. His frustrations are shared by many.
After Tampines became Singapore's first cycling town on March1, dozens of readers vented their anger on The Straits Times' online discussion board, complaining about cyclists ignoring traffic rules.
Several writers to The Straits Times and The New Paper forum pages voiced unhappiness over sharing pavements with cyclists.
Many wanted the authorities to clarify the recourse for a pedestrian should he be hit by a cyclist on a walkway.
Wrote Mr Allan Zheng, whose forum letter to The New Paper was published on March 19: 'Say I manage to catch a cyclist who knocks me down on the footpath. When I hand the cyclist over to the police, can any action be taken?
'Won't I just be told to get a magistrate's order, as I believe being knocked down by a cyclist is a non-seizable offence?'
In Singapore, cycling on the footways of roads is an offence, except in Tampines town. If convicted in court, first-time offenders may be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to three months. Repeat offenders may get a fine of $2,000 or a jail sentence of up to six months.
Cyclists may also be punished under the Penal Code for riding in public places in a rash or negligent manner.
If convicted, the offender faces a jail term of up to one year, or a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
However, the injured pedestrian has to first make a police report. 'The police will investigate. Depending on the outcome, we will take the appropriate action,' said a police spokesman.
The police may take up the case for the victim, but they do not automatically prosecute errant cyclists, lawyers told The Sunday Times.
The victim can make a civil claim or a magistrate's complaint for a private summons to prosecute the cyclist.
'But the burden of proof of a cyclist's negligence lies with the victim,' said Mr Patrick Yeo, litigation partner of the Insurance Practice Group at law firm KhattarWong.
'The victim usually needs a lawyer as he may not have enough legal knowledge or expertise to properly conduct and succeed in his civil claim in court.'
Depending on the amount of damages the victim is seeking, he may not be able to justify the legal fees, he added.
'For instance, if you sue a poor, uninsured cyclist, you may get only a paper judgment as the cyclist would not be able to satisfy or pay the judgment.'
Cyclists are not required by law to be compulsorily insured for third-party liability.
Last year, more than 1,500 summonses were issued by the police to cyclists for violating traffic rules.
Of these, about 700 were for illegal riding along the footways of roads - a six-fold increase from 115 in 2008.
Even Tampines is not immune to such reckless habits.
A resident, who wanted to be known only as Madam Lim, said she was almost knocked down on several occasions by cyclists rushing to work at the bus stop in front of her block in Tampines Street 45.
'The cyclists weave through people waiting at the bus stop,' said Madam Lim, who is eight months pregnant.
Another resident said the authorities should widen all the footpaths in Tampines before allowing cyclists to use them.
'It is quite a squeeze in many places as not all pavements have been widened,' said Mr Francis How, 53, an insurance agent.
Asked how pedestrians' safety is ensured, a spokesman for Tampines Town Council said its amended by-laws allow it to take enforcement action against reckless cyclists.
Since March 1, it has issued more than 40 warnings to cyclists for speeding, not giving way to pedestrians and not installing lights on their bicycles.
Its volunteer cycling wardens conduct regular patrols, the spokesman said, declining to disclose the frequency of these checks 'to preserve the element of surprise'.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
It's a disaster waiting to happen...
---------------------------------------------------------------
Apr 4, 2010
Get cyclists off the footpaths: Pedestrians
Many want recourse against riders who ignore rules and throw caution to the wind
<!-- by line -->By Irene Tham
Mr Kelvin Khoo, 38, has stopped taking evening walks with his wife around his estate near Bedok North.
He is wary of cyclists who pedal illegally on footpaths. 'They come at such high speeds,' said the personal wealth manager.
On several occasions, they nearly hit the couple.
Mr Khoo also stopped taking his three children, aged four, six and nine, to the East Coast Park. They have had so many near misses, he said.
His fears may be justified. The number of accidents involving pedestrians was 1,075 last year, or about three a day.
The police did not break down the causes of these accidents - whether by car, motorcycle or bicycle.
'Why do I have to walk fearing that a bike may hit me or my children?' asked Mr Khoo. His frustrations are shared by many.
After Tampines became Singapore's first cycling town on March1, dozens of readers vented their anger on The Straits Times' online discussion board, complaining about cyclists ignoring traffic rules.
Several writers to The Straits Times and The New Paper forum pages voiced unhappiness over sharing pavements with cyclists.
Many wanted the authorities to clarify the recourse for a pedestrian should he be hit by a cyclist on a walkway.
Wrote Mr Allan Zheng, whose forum letter to The New Paper was published on March 19: 'Say I manage to catch a cyclist who knocks me down on the footpath. When I hand the cyclist over to the police, can any action be taken?
'Won't I just be told to get a magistrate's order, as I believe being knocked down by a cyclist is a non-seizable offence?'
In Singapore, cycling on the footways of roads is an offence, except in Tampines town. If convicted in court, first-time offenders may be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to three months. Repeat offenders may get a fine of $2,000 or a jail sentence of up to six months.
Cyclists may also be punished under the Penal Code for riding in public places in a rash or negligent manner.
If convicted, the offender faces a jail term of up to one year, or a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
However, the injured pedestrian has to first make a police report. 'The police will investigate. Depending on the outcome, we will take the appropriate action,' said a police spokesman.
The police may take up the case for the victim, but they do not automatically prosecute errant cyclists, lawyers told The Sunday Times.
The victim can make a civil claim or a magistrate's complaint for a private summons to prosecute the cyclist.
'But the burden of proof of a cyclist's negligence lies with the victim,' said Mr Patrick Yeo, litigation partner of the Insurance Practice Group at law firm KhattarWong.
'The victim usually needs a lawyer as he may not have enough legal knowledge or expertise to properly conduct and succeed in his civil claim in court.'
Depending on the amount of damages the victim is seeking, he may not be able to justify the legal fees, he added.
'For instance, if you sue a poor, uninsured cyclist, you may get only a paper judgment as the cyclist would not be able to satisfy or pay the judgment.'
Cyclists are not required by law to be compulsorily insured for third-party liability.
Last year, more than 1,500 summonses were issued by the police to cyclists for violating traffic rules.
Of these, about 700 were for illegal riding along the footways of roads - a six-fold increase from 115 in 2008.
Even Tampines is not immune to such reckless habits.
A resident, who wanted to be known only as Madam Lim, said she was almost knocked down on several occasions by cyclists rushing to work at the bus stop in front of her block in Tampines Street 45.
'The cyclists weave through people waiting at the bus stop,' said Madam Lim, who is eight months pregnant.
Another resident said the authorities should widen all the footpaths in Tampines before allowing cyclists to use them.
'It is quite a squeeze in many places as not all pavements have been widened,' said Mr Francis How, 53, an insurance agent.
Asked how pedestrians' safety is ensured, a spokesman for Tampines Town Council said its amended by-laws allow it to take enforcement action against reckless cyclists.
Since March 1, it has issued more than 40 warnings to cyclists for speeding, not giving way to pedestrians and not installing lights on their bicycles.
Its volunteer cycling wardens conduct regular patrols, the spokesman said, declining to disclose the frequency of these checks 'to preserve the element of surprise'.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
