Recently, I injured my leg and needed to use crutches to get around. As a result, I have experienced first-hand the difficulties people with mobility issues encounter daily while moving about in public spaces.

One encounter involved a six-lane road next to Sengkang General Hospital, where pedestrians have about 30 seconds to cross the road before the traffic light turns red.

Tapping a senior or disability card on the card reader on the traffic light pole gives pedestrians an additional 4sec.

On crutches, no matter how fast I tried to walk, I had to stop at the road divider to wait for the light to turn green again to get to the other side.

This experience made me wonder how the pedestrian crossing duration is determined.

Additionally, I wonder if temporary cards should be issued to people with temporary mobility difficulties.

Another challenging experience I had was navigating the narrow pathways in shopping malls and supermarkets.

With crutches, I found myself blocking a passageway most times owing to my slower pace.

I noticed wheelchair users feeling just as apologetic as I was for causing inconvenience to people who were in a hurry.

I did meet many kind-hearted people who offered help, and I also met people who were annoyed with me.

One other obstacle I faced was the inadequate signage in shopping malls and hospitals.

With crutches, I often had to take the lift to move from floor to floor. The lift and exit signs were hard to find or, in some cases, non-existent.

By sharing my experiences, I hope to foster a better understanding of the difficulties people with mobility issues face in their daily lives.

In our design of public spaces, we should be more inclusive and considerate, to encourage and enable people with mobility difficulties to move around independently and safely in our community.

Chen Xiaorong