CYCLING
31 July 2020 | When we first moved here, I was intimidated to cycle. Cars drove on the opposite side of there road. The streets were narrow with no shoulders. And I had heard stories about cyclists and motorists getting into accidents that turned ugly.
But all that changed during COVID when cars left the roads and cyclists and runners took over. It gave us the chance to cycle the island and explore it. We could get the ‘lay of the land’ without tons of motorists. In time, I learned the rhythms of riding in Singapore with motorists and other cyclists.
Mind you, it’s both different and not-so-different than riding in NYC. Like in NYC, the people (guys mostly) are very testosterony on their super-high-end bicycles. When you attempt to pass someone, they do not like it and will pass you back with equal and greater ferocity. Most people who know us will say that we are equally competitive and while that may be true, I could care less about chasing most of these people who are probably the reason that motorists dislike cyclists so much.
And speaking of motorists, the driving behaviour here is definitely something to get used to. Cars think nothing of passing you on the right, and merging right in front of you so they can turn left. I’ve been cut off many many times and every time it happens, I get a little perturbed and then scratch my head as to how this became acceptable culture in Singapore. After a while, you learn the rhythms of the road and begin to read the behaviour long before it happens. It’s still perplexing and irritating but at least I know to expect it now.
The roads here for cycling are mostly very good. However you do have to watch for speed bumps and rumble strips, and keep clear of the busses. Cars typically give a pretty wide berth when passing and generally are pretty polite unless they want to turn a corner and you’re in their way. There’s a bit of love-hate relationship between cyclists and motorists but, for the most part, it all works as long as you understand and respect the rules of the road.