THE onus is on all parties to act responsibly on the road - that is the message from Mr Benoit Valin, the organiser of Singapore's Ride of Silence, a cycling event held in honour of riders who got killed or injured on the road.
"Both cyclists and drivers need to take proper precautions," said the Canadian bioinformatician, who has been in two road accidents since moving here in 2007.
"It's sad that people value their cars more than a human life." He pointed out that 22 riders were killed here last year and that six have already died in the first five months of this year.
To drive home the importance of road safety, more than 100 cyclists will gather at the Merlion Park next Wednesday at 7pm for the Ride of Silence, a 19km route through areas such as Orchard Road, Bras Basah and Chinatown.
They will wear white and cycle in complete silence.
This event is part of a global movement started in Dallas in 2003 by American endurancesports coach Chris Phelan, after his friend, endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz, died after being struck by a school bus' side mirror.
Speaking to my paper from Dallas last week, the 53-yearold said: "Following Larry's death, I wanted to see cyclists feeling safe and drivers willing to share the roads."
According to Mr Valin, the Ride of Silence was first held here in 2006 and the turnout then was "poor, with only 10 or 15 riders".
This year, however, the event got a boost with bicycle shops and websites getting involved. For instance, the Joyriders, a 500-member group of cycling enthusiasts, will provide 40 riders to act as outriders, first-aid attendants and route marshals. Cyclist and triathlon coach Michelle Verma, 22, hopes the event will cast light on the state of road etiquette here.
"In other countries, drivers sound the horn to give way to cyclists. Here, they sound the horn expecting you to give way to them."
Fellow cyclist and manager Ranjith Wijayaratna, 48, witnessed a rider killed when a bus rammed into a group of cyclists two years ago.
He said: "Motorists here are very impatient. They don't realise a life is at stake."
To participate in the Ride of Silence, turn up at the Merlion Park with your bicycle fitted with warning lights. Remember to wear white and bring a helmet.
