Install meters on pathways to regulate speed of PMDs
The letter writer suggests installing fixed markers that help PMD riders gauge how fast they are going by counting the seconds they take to pass the markers. TODAY file photo
I welcome the new laws to regulate the use of electric bicycles and personal mobility devices (PMDs) to safeguard the safety of everyone (Jail, fines to combat reckless use of personal mobility devices”, Jan 11).
In most of the accidents, the speed and weight of the PMDs are the main contributing factors to the severity, as well as the degree, of injuries sustained. But unlike cars, which have speedometers, a PMD user may not actually know how fast he is going.
In order to have more effective enforcement and self-regulation, the Land Transport Authority could install speed-check meters at major pathways. A cheaper option could be to install fixed markers that help riders gauge how fast they are going by counting the seconds they take to pass the markers.
One may say that it is the rider’s responsibility to install portable speedometers or use mobile applications that let them do that, but it might not be advisable to look down at small devices while on the move.
That said, even if we deploy the best technology, it ultimately comes down to people putting in the effort to be gracious. Riders should dismount at congested points, and pedestrians should raise their hands to indicate they are crossing. Giving way is the way forward to creating an inclusive community.
