S’poreans’ attitudes towards cycling need to change

I refer to the letter “Cyclist engagement better than imposing speed limits” (Feb 1).

Many countries have built up a culture of cycling for many years, mainly because cycling is considered another mode of transportation and commuting to work, school, and even for housewives to go to the market.

Singapore is a young nation waking up to an idea of using bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation.

There are many benefits to using a bicycle as a mode of transportation, including the fact that it is environmentally friendly and it promotes a healthy lifestyle.

To encourage cycling, there needs to be a change in attitude. Whenever there is a conflict among motorists and cyclists, or pedestrians and cyclists, it seems the cyclists are always pinpointed as being at fault.

One reason could be that Singapore’s cycling infrastructure is not yet ready for a proper cycling culture. But even as the Government builds miles and miles of cycling paths, road-users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, must be educated on proper road-usage etiquette, or there can never be a compromise.

As a start, schools have to start teaching the younger generation about road etiquette.

This may take one generation, but we have to begin somewhere.

Similar to motorists, cyclists may have to be made to undergo some form of safe-cycling courses before they are allowed on the road.

Pedestrians need to know how to use a footpath properly, such as always keeping to the left, not using mobile devices or listening to music with headphones on while on the move.

Motorists also need to learn some of the hand signals that cyclists use on the road.

This should be included in the written test on the highway code.

In the recent accident on a park connector involving a child pedestrian and a cyclist, the accident could have been avoided if the parent had exercised more caution and held on to the child’s hand while they were on a shared path.

Let us build Singapore into a more caring society and learn to compromise on the use of our pathways in this land-scarce country.