The current Covid-19 crisis has led to more people cycling, either for recreation or as a means of transport. This is generally good news, but we should also make sure the roads remain safe for all users.

Singapore is a small place and the precious space we have has to be carefully planned so that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists can coexist in peace.

Generally, most users are not malicious and are quite careful. But with the increasing volume in traffic, the small proportion of users misbehaving has caused more and more harm.

We still see personal mobility device (PMD) riders hurtling at breakneck speeds, and we have already seen what harm they can do to pedestrians.

We also see cyclists riding two or even three abreast, and they can get aggressive when told to obey traffic rules. This occurs even on small roads where it is impossible to pass them. Others may follow far too closely behind vehicles at high speeds, and if the vehicles brake, there will be no time to stop and we have seen videos posted of badly injured cyclists.

Motorcyclists are also guilty of lane splitting at high speeds, while cars have been taking advantage of the reduced traffic to speed recklessly. All these should stop, and the authorities need to step up enforcement.

One big bugbear is that cyclists and even many PMD users are not registered or have insurance. This makes for poor accountability, and there are people who have taken advantage of this loophole.

Motorists are all required to carry a licence, be registered and pay for insurance in case of damage to persons or property.

For all road users to exist in safety and harmony, we need to reinforce traffic rules, plan spaces for different types of users and make sure every user is registered and has insurance.

Loon Seng Chee