Fall in number of PMD riders injured in road accidents but some still riding recklessly
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Despite power-assisted bicycle's having a speed limit of 25kmh – with riders required to wear helmets and devices to have head and tail lights – some riders still display high-risk behaviour.
Zaihan Mohamed Yusof
Jul 24, 2022
SINGAPORE - It is becoming a common sight at night on the roads in Woodlands - a rider on a power-assisted bicycle (PAB), which is not equipped with lights, zipping past cars. In one case on July 14, one such rider going at about 40kmh overtook a car.
The rider, who was not wearing a helmet, then sped past a red light, even as the car carrying a Sunday Times team stopped.
This, despite PABs having a speed limit of 25kmh, with riders required to wear helmets and to have head and tail lights on their devices.
In Riverside Road near Admiralty, similar high-risk behaviour was seen by ST when another PAB rider dashed across a major junction in about two seconds.
There are
fewer summonses issued to personal mobility device (PMD) and PAB users this year for infringements, but some users continue to ride irresponsibly on the roads.
At night, such risky riding was common in 10 locations, from Marsiling to East Coast Park, based on observations by ST over three weeks in July.
The majority of errant riders were young and they were mostly recreational or food delivery riders.
Even in the safe confines of East Coast Park where there are designated cycling and jogging paths, groups of PAB riders have been seen riding abreast and having mini races, said cyclist Agnes Yang, who is in her 30s.
This minority of people from the PMD fraternity are the black sheep, said Mr Shahful Kamarulzaman Ahamad, founder of The Brotherhood Scooterz, a group with about 1,000 followers with an interest in PMDs.
He said: "I am not surprised by the higher speed a fully modified PMD can attain. But occasionally I get shocked by what I see."
A few years ago, he saw three people precariously riding on one PMD.
Riders on power-assisted bicycles at East Coast Park have been seen riding abreast and having mini races, said cyclist Agnes Yang. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN YUSOF
Mr Shahful, 38, a food delivery rider, said: "I would normally advise them and warn them that I would take their photos and report them to the authorities if I see them breaking the law again."
Some of the riders appear to be using souped-up devices, in defiance of rules put in place in June 2021, including one in which only devices with a maximum motorised device speed of 25kmh could be imported.
Those looking to increase their PMDs' performance do so illegally via an underground network, said one PMD rider who declined to be named.
"Performance parts can be ordered online," he said. "Just pray you don't get caught by the enforcement teams on patrol."
A standard PMD can be bought for a few hundred dollars while a PAB's price starts from around $1,700, said Mr Shahful.
Modifications are usually made to the batteries, motors and controller that enable the devices to travel at speeds higher than 25kmh.
Singapore Road Safety Council chairman Bernard Tay said: "They want excitement. They want to show off.
"Some of them have money. They want to modify (their PMDs) to say 'I'm the only one to have this unique PMD'."
Modifications are usually made to the batteries, motors and controller that enable the devices to travel at speeds higher than 25kmh. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN YUSOF
In 2018, 162 PMD users were injured in road accidents. The following year, the number of injuries jumped to 197.
In 2020 and 2021, there were just 51 and 46 PMD riders injured in road accidents respectively. But this covers the Covid-19 pandemic period, which saw fewer road users.
Mr Tay attributes the drop in injuries to road safety education, rules for PMD users and
mandatory theory tests and enforcement.
There are encouraging signs - Transport Minister S. Iswaran told Parliament in April that fewer notices were issued to errant riders of electric scooters and bicycles.
He said an average of 350 notices were issued each month to errant riders in January and February for speeding and reckless riding. This is about 17 per cent lower than the 420 notices issued each month in 2021 on average.
Still, the race to curb reckless riding will take more time, with Mr Tay describing efforts by the authorities as a marathon.
