Those Idiotic Cyclists

One of the most common grouse of cyclists is that motorists "bully" them on the road. As a result, most of them, that is, the cyclists prefer to cycle on the pavement rather than the road. And while I don't like it, I grudgingly accept that this is necessary because it is really true that it is very dangerous for them on the road.

Conversely, one of the most common grouse of pedestrians is that cyclists "bully" them on the roads. And this I agree wholeheartedly and I boiled whenever I hear the loud jangling of a bicycle bell coming up behind me as it forces everybody in its way to give way. Hands up, those who have been forced by cyclists to move on to the grass verge to allow a cyclist to pass.

Many people including the gahmen urges everybody to share the walkway notwithstanding that it is illegal for cyclists to cycle on the pavement. And as mentioned earlier, for their own safety, I do accept that there is not much choice. But what makes me bladdy angry is that while the pedestrians have to accept the arrangement, the cyclists have now become the bane of us pedestrians. They have become the "motorist" that they want to avoid on the road! Just look at the way most of them cycle. Fast and weaving in and out without any regards for the pedestrians. And woe behold any persons who blocks their way. The fucking bicycle bell can be heard a mile away as they ring away forcing unsuspecting pedestrians to jump out of the way. And they are not apologetic about it at all.

Take what happened to me last Friday evening. 

I was running around the park connector part of which led me on to the pavement crossing over the Sungei Tampines. As I ran, a cyclist suddenly came right into my path. There was a small rise on the road leading up to the bridge over the river and we both didn't see each other until we were almost upon each other. Both of us came to a  stop otherwise we will hit each other. Naturally, I had no choice but to move aside but in the process I glared at the cyclist. The cyclist stared back and demanded "Why you run in the middle?". I was dumbstrucked. If I was running in the middle and he almost knocked me down, that means he was also cycling in the middle. So I told him off telling him he shouldn't be cycling on the pavement. His retort was that everybody was doing it so why can't he. I told him it is illegal and guessed what, he challenged me to call the police! Now if I had my phone with me, I would surely have done that but I did not. What I would have love to do was to push him off his fucking bicycle and throw it into the river. But if I did not, I would be guilty of aggravated assault and he would have the satisfaction of having the law on his side despite him being in the wrong in the first place. So after a few more heated exchanges, we went our ways.

Like I said, I am all for sharing the pavement if it means fewer accidents but until the cyclists learn not to take this as a right and treat pedestrians with respect and courtesy, I think they should go back on to the road. But I know this is not going to happen since the authorities are not doing anything and the cyclists will continue with their blatant behaviour. But I really hope the gahmen will do something or are they going to wait until some children or senior citizen is killed by one of these cyclists before they take actions!