At some point in the last year or so, you may have come across pictures and videos of cyclists riding in large groups on the roads, sometimes obstructing traffic while doing so.
If you were to go through the comments section of such posts, you’d see that netizens aren’t exactly huge fans of cyclists like these.
For years, they’ve been calling for tighter regulations to punish errant cyclists for endangering or inconveniencing other motorists on the road.
Well, now they’ve got their wish.
Everything About the New Cyclist Rules Whereby Groups Will be Limited to 5
Those huge groups of cyclists that we’ve often seen on the roads may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to new rules introduced by the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
From 1 Jan next year, it will be an offence to cycle in groups greater than the length of five bicycles, which is roughly the length of a bus.
So, if there are just five cyclists, they’ll have to ride in a single file. Cyclists will also be allowed to ride two abreast on roads with two or more lanes, in a group of 10.
Any more than that, and you’ll be breaking the law and could face a $150 fine.
Cyclists will have to continue riding in single file on single-lane roads and in bus lanes during bus lane operational hours.
Why the Change?
It wasn’t a barrage of angry comments on Facebook that prompted these new rules, of course.
MOT said it implemented the new rules due to space constraints on Singapore’s urban road network.
Additionally, more people have been pedalling during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that has seen a spike in the number of traffic accidents involving bicycles.
Coincidence?
As MOT explained, the growing popularity of cycling has led to “increased interactions between cyclists and other road users, and concerns about road safety when cyclists ride on roads.”
They added that while most cyclists are law-abiding, there are a small group of errant motorists and on-road cyclists who endanger the safety of others.
No Bicycle Registration, But Fines Will Be Doubled
The particularly volatile folks of Facebook will be disappointed to hear that there are still no plans to enforce bicycle registration or to license cyclists.
When the Active Mobility Advisory Panel studied this possibility, it found that there was little evidence demonstrating that they were effective in deterring errant cycling or enhancing road safety.
However, from 1 Jan, fines for some offences which are currently punishable by law will be doubled. These include:
- failing to stop at a red light
- riding against the flow of traffic
- riding on expressways
Fines for these offences will be double from $75 to $150.
In more serious cases where cyclists cause harm, they could face a $1,000 fine or up to three months in prison for the first offence.
For subsequent offences, the penalty is either a fine of up to $2,000 or imprisonment of up to six months.
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Featured Image: Facebook (Mohammad Nooraidil)