SINGAPORE — With the opening of 10km-long cycling lane on the new stretch of Tanah Merah Coast Road, and three bike-sharing operators set to add thousands of bicycles to their fleets in coming months, Singapore looks poised to become a nation that gets around on two wheels.

And why not? It ticks all the right boxes: It’s eco-friendly and helps up the personal health and fitness ante.

However, with the number of riders set to grow sharply soon, a quick brush-up on the rules that govern cycling seems timely.

Yes, there are rules; and yes, when on the road, cyclists have to obey the same rules other road users — drivers and motorcyclists — do. These include such basic traffic rules as stopping for red lights, or not moving against the flow of traffic, or looking out for pedestrians.

However, believe it or not, there are some rules in our Road Traffic Act — specifically Chapter 276, Section 140, aka Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules — that apply solely to cyclists.

Here’s a quick look at some regulations that bicycle riders ought to know and memorise:

YOU HAVE TO RIDE IN AN “ORDERLY” FASHION. The Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules says: “No bicycle shall be ridden or propelled otherwise than in an orderly manner and with due regard for the safety of others.” The rules clearly state that cyclists have to generally behave on the roads and do their best not to endanger other road users. While you might be capable of pulling off a sick wheelie, do so only when you’re not on a public road as doing so is against the law.

ALWAYS KEEP LEFT, AND GIVE WAY TO FASTER TRAFFIC. Back out on the roads, the law says that “every bicycle shall be ridden close to the left hand edge of the roadway and in such a manner as not to obstruct vehicles moving at a faster speed”.

Drivers who get frustrated with cyclists who ride in the middle of a lane and get in their way might seem impatient, but they have the law on their side. Bicycle riders have to stick to the left hand edge of a road and stay there. And any cyclist is breaking the law if he or she deliberately obstructs a faster vehicle. That means cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles... you get the picture.

WHERE THERE IS A CYCLING LANE, YOU HAVE TO USE IT. According to the law, “wherever part of a road or a path adjacent to a road has been set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, no bicycle shall be used on any other part of the roadway”.

If a stretch of tarmac has been set aside just for cyclists, such as the one at Tanah Merah Coast Road, then riders are not allowed to stray from them, according to the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules. After all, what is the point of having cycling lanes if no one uses them?

MORE THAN TWO RIDERS SIDE-BY-SIDE IS A NO-NO. “No bicycle shall be ridden on the right of any two other bicycles proceeding abreast in the same direction except when overtaking such other bicycles or on parts of roads or paths set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles,” says the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules. The Highway Code — which, is strictly speaking, more of a code of conduct than an actual set of laws — recommends that cyclists ride in single-file, but riders are allowed to ride two abreast, except when riding in bus lanes.

LIGHTS TO BE CARRIED BY BICYCLES DURING DARKNESS. Here, darkness means the time from sunset to sunrise. Although we’ve seen many bikes without lights, the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules clearly state that “every pedal bicycle or power-assisted bicycle shall, during the hours of darkness, carry a lamp showing to the front, a white light visible from a reasonable distance”. Bicycles must also have “a lamp or a red reflector showing to the rear a red light or a red reflector visible from a reasonable distance”.

So yes, your bike must have lights and not just any light: An follow-up to the above rules says that rear lamp must be a red light, and the front lamp must not be a red light.

YOU HAVE TO SIGNAL YOUR INTENTIONS. Cyclists are a common sight, but cyclists using their hands to make these signals? Not so much. 

Like all users of the road, the law states that the cyclist has to, “in order to inform traffic”, signal his or her intentions. For instance, if you want to stop, you have to “hold out his right arm horizontally with the forearm vertical and with the palm of the hand to the front”.

To slow down, hold out your right arm “horizontally with the palm of the hand downwards, and move the arm up and down several times”; while to “proceed to the right”, you have to hold out your right arm “horizontally with the palm of the hand to the front”; and to “proceed to the left”, hold out your left arm “horizontally with the palm of the hand to the front”.

The law actually says not only that riders have to make all the above signals, but that they have to do so in good time to alert other road users to their intentions. To ensure a safe and harmonious environment for all, you might want to be sure to make those hand signals with all five fingers.

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CYCLING TIPS

BEFORE YOU GO OUT, GO ONLINE. Specifically, to the Land Transport Authority’s website, which has a section for rules and code of conduct for cyclists and users of personal mobility devices, or PMDs. This includes stating what can or cannot travel on footpaths, public roads and cycling/shared paths. LTA-approved power-assisted bicycles, for example, cannot go on footpaths; while PMDs cannot go on roads.

WEAR THE RIGHT GEAR. Light-coloured clothing is always good, especially if you’re going to be cycling at night. It is also advisable to wear a cycling helmet. You may be a seasoned cyclist, but the other person may not be one. Should accidents happen, taking steps to ensure your personal safety could spell the difference between just slapping on a band-aid or or a long spell in a hospital ward.

RING THAT BELL. Make sure you have a bell on your bike and ring it when you are approaching or about to overtake pedestrians, other cyclists, PMD users, or vehicles. Always be aware of your surroundings. Footpaths are also narrower than roads, so do look out for pedestrians, other cyclists or PMD users.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN. Otherwise, why bother, right?