hello!!!

One paper down. Two to go!

the past week was spent on, wat else, studying. but this also allowed me the opportunity to read some papers and really, Sunday's article on motorcyclists on the roads interested me. the replies to the papers on that article interested me more. (22th April, Life, Mailbag)

I was pretty pissed at the wrong priorities sent out to the public and so having too much time on my hands, i sent a letter to the journalist.

I thank you for your timely reminder on the state of road safety in Singapore, especially regarding those riding motorcycles.

I have also read with interest, the various responses of people who have been affected by motorcycle accidents and the decisions that they have made.

Your article rightly reflects on the role all motorists should play in preserving road safety in Singapore. However, this lack of proper respect for motorcyclists is deeply entreched in the minds of most motorists.

The attitudes of drivers cannot be taken lightly. It is really sad to hear Seah Nili recount her fears whenever a driver tails or wantonly cuts into their lane. It is, however, the reality that an average Singaporean rider faces whenever riding in Singapore roads. I'm able to recount to you a recent accident when a taxi actually overtook a couple on a bike just to jam his brakes to stop for his customers. His customer actually flagged the taxi way before reaching them allowing time for the taxi to stop safely.

So, I thought that it was inappropriate that a small section of the reader's mail focuses on the driver's attitudes while a chunk of it delves on the rider's attire. In case I'm mistaken, I'm for having proper riding attire and believe that this would be a good way to actually survive a crash, having seen it first hand. But this hides from the fact that drivers' attitudes play a more important role in road safety than riding gear.

I do not discount the fact that many riders also have themselves to blame whenever accidents happen. The statistics suggests many of the fatalities come from young riders who are, admittedly, rash. The attitude of riders must also change for safer commuting in general.

The issue of road safety needs a holistic change in every motorist's attitudes and mindset. Campaigns which allows drivers to see the roads from a motorcyclist's point of views would, undoubtably, open the eyes of the ignorant drivers, especially the newer ones.

Campaigns for road safety have mostly focused on the daredevil ways of riders, zigzagging in and out of the roads. The recent campaign on "Speeding: overturning Lives" have been focused on motorcycles. This breeds the rationalisation that motorcyclists are to blame for their accidents.

Safety culture on the roads in Singapore is non-existent and for that reason motorcyclists are seen as convenient scapegoats while turning a blind eye to drivers' attitudes. Let me cite you an example: Chain collisons are becoming very commonplace along the expressways. Since they are nicely cushioned in their cars, the legal priority of ascertaining whose fault it is and insurance glosses over the tail-gating ways of the same few drivers. Now, just imagine what happens if a motorcyclist dies in such an incident. Only then, would tail-gating be highlighted and sadly at the expense of the life of a rider.

I sincerely hope that this issue is also tackled concurrently with other ways of preserving lives such as riding attire or even commerative flags. The road safety culture in singapore badly needs a wake up call.

really, i was pissed that he asked for riders to shape up and gear up. frankly, many motorcyclists have been gearing up over the years and i have actually visually noted the use of gloves, full face helmets, etc.

i guess the author, being a driver himself, does not really see it entirely from a rider's point of view. he still has the notion that riders are pests on the roads, although he did address the attitudes of drivers.

but i admit that people in Singapore are really having a bigoted view on riders. people give me a disgusted look when they know i ride. im like: wat the fark?! anyway, it's getting very irritating cos they sometimes dun think before they talk. i dun think i can actually describe why i love to ride so much. i guess it's all subjective and all have their views. but nonetheless, your views dun have to end lives.

i admit i really thot of benny sometimes and wonder wat the hell i shd do. to carry on or stop? but den it's something i love doing and i believe benny would continue to do in his next life. it's just indescripable........

anyway, felt like a second class citizen again at world trade centre. none of the parking lots are for bikes! even if they have, it's for season parking and i even seen bikes clamped at carparks there. after searching around, there wasn't any around the area at all. Only opposite the road at the bus station!! bloody farkers. it's as though the people working there dun ride?? duh...hello!!!!!!

i give world trade centre 5 middle fingers for being biker-unfriendly. and i think it's descrimination to the fullest. i think i know how indians feel right now...