Large group of 50 cyclists occupy two lanes on Woodlands Road, prompting calls for stricter enforcement

SINGAPORE: A recent sighting revealed another group of cyclists disregarding the prevailing LTA road-sharing guidelines by occupying up to two lanes on the road.

This time, the incident involved a sizable group of approximately 50 cyclists. Shared on the Facebook group SG Road Vigilante, a video captured the group’s activities last Thursday (26 Oct) just before 5:30 a.m.

The footage, recorded by a camera mounted on a motorcycle depicted the cyclists travelling along Woodlands Road towards Bukit Panjang.

The clip displayed the motorcycle waiting for the light to turn green in order to proceed straight. However, before it could move, a large group of cyclists turned left onto Woodlands Road.

Subsequently, the motorcycle caught up with the group of cyclists, revealing that they were using the left-most third lane, with some encroaching onto the second lane.

The video’s caption suggested that the motorcyclist had flashed their headlights at the cyclists as a warning to stick to the left side.

As the motorcycle passed the cyclists, they appeared to be clustered in a disorderly manner.

The caption within the video read, “Early in the morning, no authorities to disturb them. Cycling freely.”

Regulations mandate road cyclists to restrict group sizes to 5 bicycles

As per the Active Mobility Act, all cyclists and power-assisted bicycle (PAB) riders have been advised to comply with specific rules while riding on roads.

This includes riding as close as practicable to the far left edge of roads and allowing traffic to overtake safely, as specifically outlined in the Road Traffic Act.

Cyclists are also requested to ride in a single file on single-lane roads and during bus lane operational hours.

On January 1, 2022, a rule was implemented requiring road cyclists to limit their groups to a maximum of 5 bicycles when riding in groups. This means a maximum of 5 cyclists when riding in a single file, or 10 cyclists when riding two abreast.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) also advises maintaining a minimum distance of 30 meters or 2 lamp posts between cycling groups when riding in groups.

Overtaking other groups should only be attempted when it is safe to do so.

Road cyclists who violate the rule on group size, which restricts cyclists to a maximum of 10 in two rows, or five if riding in a single file, may face a fine of S$150.

Call for action on reckless cycling practices

Commenting on the video, some members of the Facebook group have urged the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to address the issue of rogue cyclist groups that pose a potential danger to both themselves and other drivers.

A comment also highlighted the apparent lack of enforcement regarding cycling regulations and further questioned the absence of the requirement for cyclists to ride in a single file or adhere to a limit on the number of cyclists in a group.

Another netizen suggested that the most effective deterrent for irresponsible cycling behaviour on the road would be the confiscation of tose errant cyclist’s costly bicycles. He argued that a mere fine of a few hundred dollars would not effectively discourage such behaviour.

A group member, who is also a cyclist, pointed out the irony in how those who do not pay road tax and are not licensed seem to display a sense of entitlement compared to law-abiding, tax-paying drivers.

He highlighted the apparent lack of consequences for these cyclists, raising concerns about the effectiveness of vehicle licensing and road tax payments. The group member urged the authorities to take more decisive action.

Recent altercation between cyclists and taxi driver near Middle Road

Two weeks ago, SG Road Vigilantes shared an incident near Middle Road involving a confrontation between a group of cyclists and a ComfortDelGro taxi driver. The cyclists accused the driver of sudden braking, while the taxi driver claimed his side mirror was hit.

Before the altercation with the taxi driver, snippets from other in-car camera recordings depicted the cyclists occupying the middle lane of a three-lane road.

In the video, the group of approximately five cyclists can be seen biking in the leftmost and middle lane of the three-lane road, trailing a taxi.

The taxi came to a stop, leaving about a car’s length of space between itself and the car in front, which had also halted for a red light.