Rant, Driver ridicle

I guess I have not being ridiculed by a driver before, guess there is always a first time. What happened, to cut all the damn details out: I was cycling on the pavement heading to a T-junction, at the T-junction I go out onto the road making a left and get honked at by a car. Unsatisfied, the car revved up and threatened to hit me from the rear. I decided to take the lane and immediately regretted my decision as I remembered watching the below video: So I kept left, only to be greeted by vulgarities from the passenger, it was a red light so the driver stopped at the filter lane. And continued to ridicule me. I only remembered:

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"
"Are you trying to kill me?", was the only thing i replied. Somehow I remember smiling and wondering what the hell is wrong with this world.
 "You do not know the traffic rules, you are not supposed to overtake on the left." Which didn't help cause the traffic junction was crowded, and so I was wrong and life goes on.

Oh yeah, and there was a fellow cyclist in front of me watching the show. Camaraderie.

On bike video recorder...

Statistics

Studies have shown 20% of drivers miss cyclists.

Sounds about right, when i decided to use my camera for my commute for Prata. So everyday, we have a 20% of being in danger, ride defensively. In the video, it seems a tad close, but I was prepared to e-brake so it's fine. Have reported it to the police.

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.

Further appeals...

I am looking for FOUR specific individuals/groups who were at Changi Coastal Road around 9:30am on the 26th May 2012.

1) A cyclist named Gary who was apparently riding behind Jude Alphonsus Tan
2) A Caucasian lady who was roller blading on the path towards East Coast Beach
3) A Caucasian couple who were cycling towards East Coast Beach
4) A Filipino lady whom the police questioned

Please contact Junchyi Seow directly at 91264691 or leave her a facebook message if you know of anyone who might fit that description. Spread the word please for all of us.

I thank you all for fervently spreading the previous message.

Regards,
Jun Chyi

Sharing is caring... 

Appeal for witnesses: Fatal accident at Changi Coastal 26th May

This is an appeal to cyclists/motorists/passer-by who had possibly witnessed Jude Alphonsus Tan's accident on the 26th May 2012 along Changi Coastal Road around 9:30am.

If you had been at the scene and saw the accident, please do share an account with me as his family members are looking for answers. Contact me, Junchyi Seow, by leaving me a personal Facebook message please.

Please help to spread this message. It is very important to all of us.

Thank you and regards,
Jun Chyi

You can find his Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=708730588

Open Slow Ride of Silence for Jude Alphonsus Tan (2012-05-28)

Open Slow Ride of Silence for Jude Alphonsus Tan. This ride is dedicated to Jude who perished when he was knocked down by a lorry at the Changi Coastal Road on 26 May 2012.

Though most of us do not know Jude, he is one of us, a fellow cyclist. Please join this Open Slow Ride of Silence for Jude on Monday, 28 May 2012 at 8:30pm. The ride will start from Lorong Halus (Popeye) to Changi Village to NRSCC to Marine Terrace Blk 54 where his wake is held. Those who are not able to ride but would like to join us at the wake please come with your bikes and jerseys. The media will be informed about this ride. The ride will be a mix of PCN and Road.

You must:
a. obey all traffic rules
b. wear helmet
c. bike must be equipped with front (white) and rear (red) lights
d. please wear appropriately coloured jerseys
e. observe silence for Jude

Non-Stop Route and Timing:
8:30pm - Lorong Halus (Popeye)
9:00pm - Changi Village
9:20pm - NSRCC
9:45pm - Marine Terrace Block 54
10:30pm - Disperse

Route
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/96752145/

Wake location
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_3541/travel_site_67631/

We will pay respects to Jude and each will give a token of contribution $10 to the wake. 

Please share this.

Just doing my part to share the above information and details...

Just some thoughts that have been going through my head, I have been cycling on the roads since some 10 years ago. I am thankful for that, many I know tell me that they are shaken from what they saw/read about the accident. Just because it is so close to our hearts, a Saturday, at Changi Coastal.

Let me tell you, take a break if you want. But never stop cycling, make the necessary precautions, proper safety equipment (basically your helmet, lights, good brakes and tires) and it might be wise to invest in a simple ID card/tag which your particulars (blood type, Next-of-kin contact, etc).

The roads will only get safer when yet more cyclists get on the roads, that way, cyclists will be just be another part of our daily lives. We get to understand them, get used to them and eventually accept them.

This has brought me to some thoughts on discrimination, just like Singapore being a Multiracial society (Thanks to National Education), the roads on Singapore should be friendly to all forms of transport!

And the recent Ferrari crash at the Bugis area? It really seems that Singapore roads are designed like a F1 racetrack (F1 night race), too powerful cars, on roads that simply can't accommodate them.

I have so many thoughts but little time to pen them down, back to my usual words... Ride safe.

Fatal accident at coastal 26th May 2012

It's very unfortunate to say that we have lost another cyclist, at probably the stretch of road most frequented by cyclists all over Singapore.

Rest in peace.

Not much details, but from Facebook comments...
*decided not to post details, they are pretty bad...

Just remember to ride defensively, always ride with lights (make it a point to change/charge batteries monthly)

Near miss with Taxi

I got myself a camera for my bike, just so I could record drivers like this. This incident was however my first time encountering... While I guessing in the driver's view, he just wanted a quick way out (u-turn) and this was it. But he did it without due care, without signaling and he also did it illegally. This is just for awareness, so ride safe all. Will be putting a review of the camera and hopefully setting up a blogshop too.

Rumour or Truth?

REMI ONG! Singapore Best bowler, National athlete, International Bowler. You totally don't deserve my respect. After what happened today, i think the whole world should know what you just did. A disgrace to Singapore.

At around 1pm at Safra NSRCC outside the sailing club, you were speeding and you hit a female pregnant dog and you ran away, thank god you left your car plate at the scene. The Female dog was lying unconsciously in the middle of the road, i was there and a couple of cycling quickly blocked the road and carried the dog away. The female dog was pregnant and you fled the scene. 10mins later, the dog went in to a fit and 10mins after that, the dog was dead, with two broken legs, external bleeding and miscarriage. Did you finally realized what's wrong?

more cyclist came and helped out, we called the SPCA and the Police. We took the number plate with the dog and this will be spread around Singapore. And guys, the story still haven't end yet.

He came back to scene with his Girlfriend, and the story he told us and the story the Girlfriend told us are wonderful.
First, he said, he ran over the dog and the dog is already lying on the road- Fucking hell, you were driving a Porsche, and everybody knows that the height of you car, there's no way you can ran over. Instead, you actually hit the dog, therefore your car plate dropped off.
Secondly, you said that you fled because you didn't know what happened, and you went to fetch your girlfriend - Fuck you, you girlfriend said that she SAW that you didn't hit the dog, wait, so your girlfriend saw that you didn't hit the dog, and you said that you went to fetch your girlfriend after the scene. So what is what?

and the only thing that we suspected you came back, is because while you went to fetch your girlfriend, she saw the missing car plate, so went back to the scene and retrieve it because your afraid that we might track you down.
Remy Ong, it's a small world huh? None of the cyclist acutally knew you were Remy until i gave up your identity.

Going viral on Facebook... I believe I have seen dogs around NSRCC/Changi Coastal area... It's like seeing another cyclist being knocked down... What's wrong with driving a little slower?

If the driver here had hit a cyclist/pedestrain, would the same have happened... Strangely, in a separate incident... I believe where a cyclist was hit, the car's plates also dropped and the driver drove away... I guess justice has it's way of making sure the guilty is not let free. Or so I like to think.

Crashes and near misses.

An NY cyclist proving a point about bike lanes...

And talking about accidents, while I was cycling last night. I had one of the scariest near misses...

Looking at the junction where the incident happened (the wrong way round), so looking at it from this angle is that I am coming from the traffic light to this carpark junction, I was heading straight up ahead.

From this angle, which is my point of view. Below will be the description of what happened...

I just passed a cyclist who was crossing the traffic light/pedestrian crossing illegally (aka j-walking or j-cycling, if you may), the cyclist saw me and hesitated to cross slowing down in the middle of the road and me passing him on the left. Note to all: Passing someone on the left is strongly discouraged.

I then heard a series of car horns a distance away. I glimpsed right a little (less than I usually would, maybe 5 degrees? As I expected traffic to slow down due to the cyclist I just passed and that up ahead was a turn). Next thing I know. A car was directly infront of me, turning left into the carpark tires screeching. I Braked hard, rear tires locking. Not enough time. I turned into the carpark with the car, narrowly missing contact.

"AB!!!!!!!!!!!!", I shouted at the top of my voice (I am sorry I shouted that, fighting hostility with the same is never a good outcome.). My mind in a bit of doubt, maybe he didn't see me. Me shouting would definitely alert him.

He had to slow down for a hump, I pulled to the right of the white Honda Jazz where is stopped and the windows rolled down. A young chinese man in his mid twenties, of what appeared to be a typcial ah beng. I kept my distance.

"Hey, what the hell? You nearly ran me off the road!", my voice shaking from the adrenaline. (Actually he DID run me off the road.)

"You never hear my horn meh? Huh!", he hastily answered clearly agitated from me shouting at him.

"What the hell? How do I know? I thought you were horning at him!" I gestured to the cyclist that I just passed.

I was in utter shock, I was supposed to have a rear view of him coming at me? Trying to kill me? As long as he horned I was supposed to yield to him? He had no regard of my life at all. Was it because I shouted at him? Was he drunk?

The best part was, the cyclist I passed, a passerby and the passenger inside his car did nothing to help me. Singapore is truly a fine country.

 

As a lesson to me, install a mirror on my bike. always look right when approaching a junction where vehicles can turn left. It has saved me many times before, ride safe guys!

TP follow-up on collision with Taxi

This post is a follow up to Collision with Taxi

Was busy with my sister's wedding, post wedding, unpacking, fulfilling foods in Singapore that I haven't eaten in some 5.5 months and of course catching up with family and friends. Above is the letter sent by TP after I made the police report.



I do feel a little guilty, making life difficult for the cabbie who earns a living by driving. We all make mistakes in life, but driving a car can cause serious/fatal accidents if one is not careful enough. Everyone please ride safe!

Tags:

Reporting traffic incidents for cyclists: Collision with Taxi

This is more of a re-post from my personal blog... Since my dad recently told me that the police has sent me a letter regarding the incident. Not sure about the letter's content though.

Basically I was cycling home from school, on Bukit Timah Road. heading towards Adam Road from just before National Junior College. Bukit Timah road is a rather nice place to cycle, especially the direction of which I was heading. It always felt like a really minor descent, nice straight road with few traffic lights and decent sized road width. I was spinning on full outer, going faster than usual. But being careful, as most cars think cyclists move at the speed of pedestrians. Cautious about cars about to enter the road from the left and buses that were overtaking me.

Right, so I was spinning saw some dude flagging for a taxi. Just before the bus stop for NJC under the bridge. Next thing I know, from the corner of my eye, coming from the right. A yellow city cab. A new Hyundai Sonata. Red brake lights come on. I'm on the brakes hard. The Taxi swerves in. My rear tires start to skid. I endoed into his rear bumper.

I looked at the guy who flagged the Taxi, he was obviously in a rush to go somewhere. Staring at me. I gave him a "you still want to take this taxi I'm gonna start yelling at you look." And he started running away, to try get another taxi. The driver still oblivious to what has happened was wondering where his customer went. And slammed on the boot of the taxi and he got out.

The picture shows the first thing he did when he came out. I'm fine thank you. After his inspection he asked me in Mandarin, "You hit my car ah?".

I replied" Ya, you didn't see me ah?"

"Never, really never"

"IC please."

"Why you want my IC", takes out his IC.

"I want to make a police report." Actually, I just wanted to "take" down his details and basically scare him so he doesn't drive that way again.

"Boy, No need make police report la. Why you want to make?"

"So that if you do it again, the police has records that you are a repeat offender. And justice will be served."

The taxi driver was pissed, he took another look at his precious bumper and drove off. What really made me angry was that he wasn't the least bit apologetic, didn't care whether i was hurt, and even tried persuading me to do away with the police report.

So, I didn't to make the police report anyway. Who knows? Maybe he has a dozen drivers honking him from behind thanks to his dangerous techniques used to get customers. If he keeps it up, people are going to get hurt.

When I made the police report, I asked the officer, "It's true I was unhurt, but can I make a police report for the record?"

"Actually, as long as a accident involves a pedestrian. You must make a police report. Cyclists are considered pedestrians." The officer said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Ride safe all!

Tags: What do I do when cyclist has accident with vehicle car, bicycle accident with motorist, bicycle and car accident