An unfortunate consequence of pedestrians and cyclists sharing footpaths is a significant number of altercations between the two. In recent months, the number of confrontations between both parties has increased, with yet another incident added to the list on Sunday (10 Apr).
In a Facebook video, a Grab delivery rider argues with a pedestrian after he was alleged to have rammed into her from behind.
The video reveals that the rider had rung his bell before ramming down the pedestrian.
The video has become viral on Facebook, with many calling out the rider for reckless cycling. Ringing the bell, netizens argue, does not give the cyclist an excuse for colliding with the pedestrian.
On 10 Apr, a video was posted to Singapore Incidents of a Grab delivery rider arguing with a pedestrian.
The confrontation between the two starts with the pedestrian accusing the rider of ramming into her from behind. The rider then repeatedly tells the pedestrian she should have moved out of the way as he rang the bell.
Did I ring the bell? If I ring the bell, you need to move.
The pedestrian replies that even if the cyclist rang the bell, he should still take steps to avoid colliding with pedestrians.
The video ends with the rider leaving the scene, visibly frustrated with the entire incident.
MS News has reached out to Grab Singapore for comment.
Despite the rider stating that the pedestrian should have given him the right of way, netizens are not on his side.
Many have said that the cyclist should have been slowing his approach, even if he gave sufficient warning with the bell.
Furthermore, some pedestrians may not be able to hear the warning due to unforeseen circumstances.
This was seen with the Sengkang cyclist who assaulted a hearing-impaired pedestrian for not giving way. One user asks, “What if the person was deaf and could not hear the bell?”
A fellow cyclist has also explained the fallacy in the cyclist’s logic. On the road, he elaborates, drivers who warn other motorists usually slow down as well.
Another user also adds that the rules of the footpath can be confusing, leading to the occurrence of such confrontations. However, he too stresses that pedestrians have right of way on the footpath.
“Cyclists should at all times give way to pedestrians,” he explains.
The consensus seems to be that the rider should have been doing his best to avoid a collision.
Guidelines from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) further state that pedestrians always have the right of way on the footpath no matter the circumstances.
This incident comes on the heels of yet another collision between a pedestrian and cyclist on a public footpath. The frequency of incidents between cyclists and pedestrians provides cause for concern, as many on Facebook have pointed out.
Cyclists must remember that pedestrians do have the right of way on the footpath. Warning them by ringing the bell isn’t enough — in addition, we must ride safely.
Hopefully, this cyclist learns from his mistake and avoids such incidents in the future.
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Featured image adapted from Singapore Incidents on Facebook.
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