Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Reality... Aftermath of...

I went to the very spot where a minute of silence was given. It was extremely close to heart... Because I was cycling that very morning, on that very piece of road. To the family, my deepest condonlences.

Delivery driver, Kong Shyh Pyng, was jailed for three weeks and banned from driving for four years after dozing off at the wheel of his Class 3 lorry and eventually striking and running over a cyclist - killing him on the spot. Though the 39-year old driver had covered over eight pairs of speed regulating strips over the speed limit of 70km/h, he only awoke minutes after hitting 25-year old, Mr Jude Alphonsus Tan Wei Xiong, in an accident that occurred on May 26th 2012.

Another delivery driver who was commuting in the opposite direction of Changi Coast Road, a famous spot for cyclists, witnessed Kong's lorry deviate to the left, mount a kerb and return onto the road before striking into the rear of Mr Tan - who got flung onto the centre right portion of the left lane before getting run over by the Class 3 lorry of Kong. Mr Tan died instantly.

Kong stopped around 400m from the accident scene and according to The Straits Times; Mr Kong only woke up after hearing a loud noise while travelling over the speed regulating strips. Kong could have faced a harsher sentence of jail for up to two years and/or fined for causing death by negligence.
 Source

At least I'm seeing more cyclists actually on the road, popularity is in no doubt soaring. Which means motorist see more cyclist, expect them on the road and thus roads become safer. Ride safe.