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SINGAPORE: All bicycles used on public roads and highways must have brakes installed, the Active Mobility Advisory Panel said on Wednesday (December 30) in its recommendations presented to the Minister of Transport.
If implemented, the proposed rule will primarily affect fixed gear bikes, as well as motocross (BMX) bikes used for cycling sports.
These make up the majority of specialty bikes that have a handbrake or no brakes, the advisory panel noted.
Under the proposed rule, such bicycles must have at least one parking brake installed when used on roads and highways.
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“This requirement should be applied to all bicycles uniformly, for clarity and ease of compliance,” the advisory panel said.
Sports bikes can continue to be used without brakes in controlled environments such as pumping tracks and skate parks, he added.
GIRLFRIENDS CYCLISTS
The overhaul was triggered in part by fixed gear bicycles, the advisory panel said, citing a fatal incident in January when a 13-year-old girl fell six stories in a parking lot after losing control of her bike.
“While cycling down the ramp in a multi-story parking lot, a cyclist fell over the railing and died because he was unable to stop his fixed gear bicycle,” the panel said.
He added that he engaged the Singapore Cycling Federation, representatives of the cycling community, technical experts and retailers to better understand the use of specialized bicycles.
“For fixed gear bicycles, the panel learned that it is difficult, particularly for novice riders, to stop a fixed gear bicycle effectively without handbrakes,” the panel said in its report.
“Although these bikes could have handbrakes installed, the owners tended not to, as they would be perceived as fresher and had lower maintenance costs.”
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As for BMX bikes, the panel found that they were typically used in controlled environments such as skate parks or cycling, and were generally not used for commutes due to their single gear and small wheels.
“Brake regulations would affect BMX user groups differently and the future use of cycling sports,” he said.
The panel added that it would work with the government to monitor whether the current practice of conventional bicycles equipped with two handbrakes would change with the proposed rule.
There is currently no minimum requirement for bicycle brakes, while the weight, width and speed of bicycles used on public roads are already regulated, the panel noted.
NO NEW INSURANCE REGULATIONS
The advisory panel said it had also been considering the issue of compensation for accident victims involving active mobility devices, including liability insurance (TPLI).
The TPLI is already mandatory for commercial passengers using all types of active mobility devices, and the rule will go into effect earlier this month.
On Wednesday, the panel recommended against imposing new regulations to make TPLI mandatory for non-commercial users of active mobility devices, given the current lack of affordable and readily available TPLI products.
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The high cost of such insurance products, especially compared to the cost of active mobility devices, will deter many non-commercial users from adopting these modes of transportation, he said.
The panel also cited recent changes in the active mobility landscape, including a significant improvement in road safety.
He said he will continue to study the issue and work with the insurance industry to develop an affordable TPLI for non-commercial passengers and encourage greater acceptance of such insurance.
Singapore has seen “improvements in road safety, with greater compliance with our active mobility rules and regulations and code of conduct,” panel member and Minister of State for Internal Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal said on Wednesday. Ibrahim.
“I am particularly encouraged by the recent introduction of mandatory liability insurance for users of commercial active mobility devices, which gives route users greater protection and peace of mind,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“This is progress,” he said, adding that the panel will strive to maintain relevant rules and guidelines while being mindful of their impact on the community.
