Just a quick note to say that the first of my articles in The Star should appear next week. If all goes well, it should be in Tuesday's papers. Do keep a look out for it. I will!
Meanwhile, I got on my bike last Saturday - for the first time since coming back. I decided to do about 20 or 30 km from my home in Bedok to Pasir Ris Park. I'd never done this, but you're supposed to be able to and they even paint distance markers on the wide sidewalks.
Well, I gave up. Cycling in Singapore is both boring and dangerous. The roads are extremely unfriendly towards cyclists. The left lanes are invariably too narrow, and drivers hate to give way so if a driver on the left lane tries to edge out a bit to go around a cyclist, he's likely to get a blast from the horn of the car on his right whose driver will try his best not to give way.
As if that's not enough, there are few dedicated cycling lanes. No, make that none on the roads. You're not allowed to cycle on sidewalks, and yet, you are confusingly encouraged to do just that, for example with the distance markers to various parks painted on them.
So, most casual cyclists are left to cycle in parks where pedestrians, often walking a few abreast, can't be bothered to give way and your speed is supposedly limited to some 15 km/h. The longest park around, East Coast Park where Mei and I used to cycle on Saturday mornings is particularly hazardous. People walk on the cycling paths, absolutely refuse to give way and even abuse you if you so much as ring your bell at them. I even once had an expressive chap swing his arm as he talked to his friends and hit me square in the face as I tried to get past them.
In Bedok Reservoir Park, cyclists are even asked to give way to pedestrians, despite the fact the path is clearly marked for cyclists and roller bladers. Absurd.
I gave up for another reason. Heck if I survived the ride in to Pulau Indah in Kelang, I reckon I could survive the roads here.
No, the reason I gave up is it's dead boring around Bedok/Tampines. Short distances punctuated by traffic lights. And again. And again. After the 6th or 7th junction, I got so thoroughly fed up I took a long loop back. Fewer lights, but very narrow lanes.
Mei is open to the idea of me packing the bike in the car and going off for short 2 or 3 day rides somewhere, so if anyone wants to do that, tell me and let's plan something. There are some nice roads around the west coast I know of...
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3 comments:
Not at all, actually. Some towns I ride around - Pantai Remis and Teluk Intan for example. Other I just walked. You get to see a lot more as long as things are within walking distance. You also get to stop more often.
Melaka is a good place to cycle I think - traffic speed is not excessive and there's ample road shoulder in many places. There are also a number of touring cyclists who go through Melaka so cyclists are not uncommon and traffic is more aware of how to deal with them.
I'm checking out folding bicycles, tandems and even third wheels (a little trailer device which carries your luggage and keeps your bike light and manoeuverable. There are some really good folding bikes out there now. They even come with their own luggage case so you can take them when traveling by plane!
i just read ur article in The Star this morning..=) then curious to know who is this budak kampung..
how i wish i can also make such a decision-left everything and searching something new, fresh and fun like u did..
currently i'm at USM, Penang..i wonder how u'll cycle here..=) good luck yaa..
Hi Chopstick,
Thanks for checking out the blog and leaving your message.
I went through Penang early in November and stayed a few days partly to attend a friend's wedding at Lone Pine.
Sometimes you just gotta do something different. Break out of your comfort zone a little. We have a saying at work:
If you're doing the same thing today as you were yesterday, chances are you'll be doing the same thing tomorrow."
It can be a little thing and the effects may not seem like much, but it all adds up to something much bigger in the end.
:-) Keep in touch.
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