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Sociological perspective on cycling in Singapore

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Sociological perspective on cycling in Singapore

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As mentioned in the article, cycling have relatively increased since Covid-19. Due to health issues, people are getting more aware of their health state and participating in any exercises which have developed as a norm here. According to the LTA, plans to expand the cycling path network around Singapore would be increased to connect commuters to their homes to public transport or malls etc. However, Singapore generally being a small but striving economy. Statistics in 2022 had recorded the increased number in the volume of cars in Singapore. Thus, now we would see road congestions happening daily.

2             In urban ecology which analyses concentration of populations in cities and relation between how people create and interact with each other in an urban environment. Cycling is one of the methods of transportation or exercises. But the questions remained as to how both cyclist and other road users or pedestrians develop mutual respect to one another. There have reports of cyclist crashing onto pedestrians or blocking vehicles on the road while riding irresponsibly or recklessly. Although bicycles do not require any registration with the Government Registry of Vehicles. However, there is no formal education in schools on the use and safety methods of cycling. More cyclists are already on the congested Singapore roads and with lack of knowledge on the use of these spaces may cause fatalities and injuries.

3             Thus, in the perspective of urban sociology, are cycling considered safe, neutral or dangerous. This depends on the behaviour and conduct of the cyclist while on the road. Cycling can be dangerous if the cyclist ignores the safety procedures like donning helmets or the use of reflectors and lights and single lane cycling instead of hogging the road lanes. These are things where organisations or agencies like LTA or Singapore Traffic Police should review and analyse to create a safe environment for cyclist in Singapore.

Muhammad Abdul Ghani

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With reference to the article, specifically in the domain of urban sociology, we should be concerned about (1) Conflicts with other road users, (2) Compliance with regulations, (3) Accessibility and Inclusivity, and (4) Infrastructure.

(1) This refers to the conflicts between cyclists and other road users (pedestrians and motorists), and the need for proper regulations/legislation to address these conflicts

(2) This refers to the cyclists' compliance with existing regulations and the need for enforcement to ensure that cyclists follow them.

(3) This refers to the need to ensure accessibility and inclusiveness of cycling for different segments of the population (e.g. elderly, disabled and lower income groups).

(4) This refers to the need for proper infrastucture (e.g. bicycle lanes and parking facilities), to encourage cycling culture in Singapore.

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Jenny Lee --  From the urban sociology perspective, an agency like LTA, looks at the experiences of the commuters and tries to construct connected paths to link homes to MRT stations, malls, and schools. This is a good initiative to achieve a connected cycling-friendly environment. However, Singapore is a humid city in which the weather can be hot and wet which does not encourage cycling habits. Thus, most people would rather use other forms of transportation to get to their destination and cycling paths may not be fully utilised after all.

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Jenny Lee --  From the urban sociology perspective, an agency like LTA, looks at the experiences of the commuters and tries to construct connected paths to link homes to MRT stations, malls, and schools. This is a good initiative to achieve a connected cycling-friendly environment. However, Singapore is a humid city in which the weather can be hot and wet which does not encourage cycling habits. Thus, most people would rather use other forms of transportation to get to their destination and cycling paths may not be fully utilised after all.

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Cycling is a good form of exercise and it is another cheap alternative for travelling short distances. However, it becomes a nuisance where pedestrians having to give way to cyclists.
Though there are initiatives planned for more cycling paths in Singapore. Not many cycle to work or school. Apart from delivery riders we do see a few who cycle for leisure. Safety is an issue where there are many accidents involving cyclists or pedestrians. As some cyclists do not follow traffic rules and cycle in the roads. Even along expressways.
A clear stance should be taken into consideration.

Vijaya kumari

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Social psychology - This approach views that the social climate of the city influences how individuals react and perceive cycling. This perspective gives rise to the word "urbanism which refers to social-psychological aspects of life, personality types, and behavioral adaptations caused by urban environments where reactions and perspectives on the city are both social and personal. According to the author, Samuel Chng, motorists and pedestrians are not willing to share the space with cyclists as they are described as errant. Additionally, it is a considerably less appealing transportation choice when compared to effective and reasonably priced public buses, trains, taxis, and private rental services.

Comparative Urbanism - Through the lens of comparative urbanism, the author, Samuel Chng compares case studies from the US and Netherlands. Chng also compared the time before cars and after cars in the 3 different countries including Singapore. The studies show that when car and motorcycle ownership rose rapidly, there were different outcomes in these 3 countries. While a few people in the US would recall how bicycle-crazy the nation once was because most of the country is now automobile-centric, in Netherlands, the bolstering of their infrastructure for bicycling and reducing the dominance of cars left a long-lasting impact, and it is now regarded as one of the nations that is most welcoming to cyclists. As for Singapore, in order to widen roadways and make room for the increasing number of private vehicles, the bicycle tracks that were on major roads were eliminated. Then in1981, a further sign that the bicycle age was gone was the fact that bicycles were no longer required to be registered with the Government Registry of Vehicles.

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Sociological perspective on cycling in Singapore - Eric

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Sociological perspective on cycling in Singapore - Eric

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(i) Urban sociology
Cycling in itself is a recreational activity that has been encouraged for sometime. This can be seen in the Governments efforts in building Park Connectors (PCNs) and cycling paths. To a certain degree, this was also to make way for the rise in elderly who chose to cycle or transport their grandchildren to schools. There has certainly been a rise in cycling paths being constructed in different parts of Singapore such as Ang Mo Kio. Hence, I personally feel that cycling is safer than before.

From a social structure point of view, cycling is definitely a more affordable mode of transportation. In some areas, it is visible that some office workers do choose to rent bicycles to cycle to their workplaces. Cycling has lesser congestion, better for the environment and healthier.

From an agency point of view, cyclist can be seen as "unsafe". This is because there has been a rise of errant cyclist. This could likely be due to the rise in demand for food deliveries such as GrabFood. Since cyclist are attempting to complete as many orders as possible to profit more, they tend to be more reckless. Therefore, not every cyclist is dangerous perse.

In my personal opinion, I do feel that at times, cyclist who take to the roads have a certain sense of entitlement and they do sometimes put themselves in active danger by choosing to cycle on dangerous roads such as roads with high traffic. It is also visible that some cyclist do not follow traffic laws since they are not "motor vehicles". This creates the view that cyclist are irresponsible or dangerous.

One solution would be for the Government to continue to see how they can continue to pave ways for cyclists to cycle on, preventing them from engaging the more busier routes such as roads or pavements. Another solution would be working with Corporations to enforce safety! Perhaps there is a way to incentivise safe riding or provide demerits for unsafe cycling.

(ii) Social psychology
From a social psychology stance, in some areas of the Central Business District (CBD), bicycle paths are built. These encourage office employees to have a combination of public transport and cycling. I believe that this is also to better manage the traffic congestions in the CBD. Hence, these cycling paths do encourage cycling. However, this does not change the fact that the general public are not watchful or precarious when they are walking around. It is visible that though there is ample space, some individuals still have the tendency to walk on these paths. This then makes it more difficult for cyclists and may potentially lead to accidents or close calls. One solution would be to discourage walking on these paths or have those signs that say "Beware - look up when walking" for the office employees who are mostly on their phones.

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Sociological perspectives on bicycles in Singapore

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Sociological perspectives on bicycles in Singapore

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Bicycles have always been one of the modes for transport in Singapore, since the 1960s. Ever since cars and motorcycles became more affordable and there was an increase of an affluent population, usage of bicycles shrunken, and transport infrastructure was modified to cater to the increase of motor vehicles. The economic landscape of Singapore changed its population and evolved their buying power of motor vehicles with increased wealth through progressive jobs and wages. In terms of the urban sociology perspective with regards to cycling in urban Singapore, social power of the population sees cars and motorcycles as symbols of having the means to an increase quality of life, compared to having the affordability of the cheaper bicycle. Albeit some bicycles can fetch a 6-figure price, these bicycles are reserved for the wealthier classes in which they recreationally use. There are also those who own the basic bicycles; however, these bicycles are used by people as a mode of transport to work and those who are doing food and parcel deliveries.

In the social psychology perspective towards bicycles, Singapore has been urbanising in terms of “green” initiatives and facilities all around the island. The increase of connectivity of the PCN (Park Connector Network), together with the Round Island Route which stretches across 75km and scheduled to be completed by 2035, the population is encouraged to use these facilities, one way by obtaining bicycles to discover the parts of Singapore that they do not regularly venture into. However, the problem of the “careless cyclists” has been a long withstanding issue that enunciates tensions between cyclists and motorists. As roads are still being shared with both cyclists and motorists, conflicts on the roads still exists as both parties are unable to exist in harmony, often at times occurrences of conflicts appearing on social media feeds.

Mohammad Haris Bin Marjuki