Forum: Make cycling paths out of bounds for people who are not running

During a recent morning ride on the Sengkang Park Connector Network, I came across numerous pedestrians – slow joggers, dog walkers, caregivers with prams and walkers with open umbrellas – who were using the cycling portion of the path, even when the pedestrian path was clear.

I was cycling at about 21kmh, well within the 25kmh speed limit. But I had to slow down drastically and swerve several times to avoid collisions.

Ringing my bell and calling out “excuse me” often did not work as the pedestrians were either wearing headphones or talking to their companions.

From July, cyclists and users of non-motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) will be subject to enforcement action if they ride on footpaths adjacent to cycling lanes.

Cycling is also not allowed on expressways where the speed limit is about four times what a moderate cycling speed may be. The ban ensures the safety of cyclists and prevents road hogging.

Yet pedestrians walking at a sixth to an eighth of the cycling speed are allowed to hog the cycling paths.

To ensure a smooth flow of human traffic on cycling paths, may I suggest that the authorities make these paths out of bounds for people who are not running.

After all, if pedestrians are granted dedicated footpaths for their safety, cyclists should be accorded the same.

Adam Reutens-Tan