E-bike rider fined $2,000 for colliding with cyclist

SINGAPORE - An electric scooter rider who inadvertently swerved into a cyclist when his mobile phone rang was fined $2,000 on Friday (Jan 12).

Koo Boon Kuan, 26, then a university student, pleaded guilty to causing hurt to Mr Shi Heng Soon, 43, by doing an act so negligently as to endanger the personal safety of others.

Mr Shi suffered a broken right index finger in the accident in Changi Coast Road on Sept 22, 2016.

The court heard that Mr Shi and a group of cyclists were travelling in a straight line at around 9pm when Koo and two others came from the opposite direction on electric scooters. The trio were also in a single line and Koo was the third rider.

When Koo's mobile phone rang, he became distracted and swerved into Mr Shi's path, causing him to fall off his bicycle.

A 59-year-old woman cyclist then collided with the bicycle and electric scooter, and was also injured.

Koo could have been jailed for up to six months and/or fined up to $2,500.

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