Another Call For Bike Lanes In Singapore

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After my previous article written earlier this month, it is heartening to see transport minister Ong Ye Kung suggest that certain under-used road lanes be converted to cycling and bus lanes in today's Straits Times (page A4 under Top of the news).

Well, definitely preferably cycling lanes please.

Remember Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's 2017 National Day Rally speech on the number of Singapore citizens with diabetes?  I suggested weight training as evidence suggests it helps with improved insulin sensitivity among people with diabetes and pre diabetes. If more Singaporeans start to cycle to run errands or work instead of taking the car, that definitely adds up too.

By riding to work, you get a workforce that gets fitter as they lose weight, save money and help the environment. Our mental health improves and we feel less stress and feel happier. In addition to having a cleaner and greener Singapore, we reduce our carbon footprint as well.

I have a particular favorite, when you ride bikes, you get the sheer joy of feeling the wind in your face - a better and greener version than driving a convertible.

Over to you Minister Ong Ye Kung and the Ministry of Transport.

Let's Go Green This New Year

Cycling is among the most environmentally friendly activity out there. If you ride your bike to work, you contribute to the green movement that is steadily growing.

By riding your bike to work, you will get more benefits than your employer will offer. You lose weight, save money, help the environment, feel less stress and happier and also get fitter in the process. The fitter and faster you get, the more fun you have. Better still, after a while what feels easy to you feels hard to people who don't ride that often.

Besides the numerous physical benefits, you get to feel the sheer joy of feeling the wind in your face - well this is what I call the poor man's version of driving a convertible.

Choose the safest route not necessarily the shortest. Get a bike that fits and suits you. You don't need the latest, most colorful or expensive bike.

We may have a long while to wait (or never) before we get bike lanes in Singapore, or even just having parking stations on the side walk would be a good start.

Until we do, ride safe and see you on the roads.

*Picture above - My colleague does this sometimes (if he doesn't ride from home to the clinic on his road bike), he rides his foldable bike from his home to the MRT, wheels it on the MRT, gets off and rides to the clinic. Surely almost everyone can start like this.