Making cycling a safer hobby

IF you are a user of the Daman­sara-Shah Alam Elevated Express­way (DASH), you would not have failed to notice the giant digital billboards on certain stretches which have a reminder that says cycling is prohibited on the highway.

Now, I am not sure how long the billboards have been flashing this message, but the recent viral video of an altercation between a group of cyclists and a bus driver could have a bearing.

Social media posts that were shared widely shows an argument between the bus driver and cyclists obstructing a bus lane at KM23 of the Kuala Selangor-Kuala Lumpur Road. The incident which occurred on July 6 sparked an online debate.

The footage shows the group of cyclists accusing the bus driver of allegedly “squeezing them dangerously” during their ride. But rather than get the support and sympathy they were hoping for, public sentiment was strongly in favour of the bus driver.

It’s not surprising really, as the popularity of road cycling has increased over the last few years, there have also been more skirmishes involving motorists.

The reality is that Malaysian roads just aren’t built to be shared between cyclists and motorists.

Police have taken statements from four individuals over the incident but have not issued any summons yet as investigations are still ongoing.

The case is being investigated under Regulation 42(3) of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 for competitive cycling on the road.

What exactly does “competitive cycling” mean? It’s high time the authorities reviewed such archaic laws.

There are six gazetted highways where cycling is prohibited but beyond that there are no clearly defined regulations that cover road cycling.

Unlike other countries where the two-wheel form of transport is supported and even encouraged, in Malaysia, we have a distinct lack of dedicated bicycle lanes.

This has led to a lack of tolerance between cycling enthusiasts and other road users.

It’s estimated that there are more than a billion bikes in the world and cycling represents one of the most energy-efficient forms of transport ever invented – four times more efficient than walking.

I am not a cyclist (if you don’t include cycling to school as a student), but several of my friends are. These cycling enthusiasts have strong views about sharing the roads with motorists.

I have seen groups of cyclists even on the North-South Expressway riding in single file using the emergency lane. Highways should be avoided as fast-moving traffic may pose a serious and potentially deadly threat to their safety.

While it is understandable for cyclists to seek equal rights for the use of roads as other commuters, being on roads where speeds exceed 110kph poses a major safety risk.

It’s easy enough for the authorities to tell enthusiasts to restrict their activities to parks or residential areas. However, my cycling friends who clock 100km-plus over the weekends tell me that these highways have less traffic and are far easier to ride on compared to local roads.

“The residential roads are poorly maintained and riddled with potholes and if you’re cycling at night, you have to be extra careful as there are stretches without streetlights,” a friend told me, adding that injuries were common in his group of cyclists who have endured bruised bodies, some broken bones and damaged bicycles.

An incident from more than four years ago comes to mind. The then science, technology and innovation minister Khairy Jamaluddin suffered injuries to his face after falling while cycling in Banting, Selangor.

A cycling enthusiast, he landed in a ditch after his bicycle hit a pothole. “My intention for uploading the incident on Twitter was to warn other road users, but it seems to have caught the attention of the Public Works Department (JKR),” he said at the time.

Not surprisingly, the pothole in question was quickly filled up, prompting Khairy to warn JKR against practising double standards just because he was a minister.

“The main issue here is that the problem of potholes needs immediate attention,” he said then.

Unfortunately, nothing much has changed since that incident. There are as many potholes now as there were back then.

On Monday, The Star interviewed road safety experts who called for closer collaboration between transport authorities and cycling enthusiasts to ensure cyclists don’t get involved in traffic mishaps.

A suggestion is to educate cyclists on the selection of safe routes and group riding etiquette. A short-term move would be to enforce regulations that determine where cyclists may cycle. This includes putting limitations on highways without bike lanes or shoulders wide enough for cyclists to pass safely.

Cycling as a hobby isn’t cheap – a good bicycle and riding equipment could easily set you back a few thousand ringgit – but it continues to gain popularity.

The authorities should find ways to enable this healthy activity to be carried out in a safe and controlled environment.