by Dr Raph Azrin

Created on: September 11, 2009

The topic should actually be rephrased to cycles as opposed to motorcycles as it's a worldwide issue on vehicular transport (recreation or not) on two wheels. From a 3 year old toddler on bright 9 inch wheels and training guides to 70 year old Old Aged Pensioner on motorised cycles, they are basically a nuisance from Down Under in New Zealand to Far Eastern corners of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia to terror on legs in London and New York despatch riders. Motorised or not they pose a danger to the public, pedestrians or Motor Vehicles (cars,trucks,buses etc) as they are nimble and small sized.

One aspect of the law dates back to the 1850s 'whereupon a vehicle on wheels must be used on a public highway,driven manually or horse-drawn carriages'.And so we have the common day nuisance, the motorcycles (motorbikes) and the Bicycles and Tricycles (motorised or not). Being only 20% the size of a motor car, they tend to squeeze in between any vehicle with just a meter of gap or about 3 feet 5 inches to get where they need to go. As in the case of bicycles, they even go on the pedestrian pavements. But we look into the aspect as to HOW TO SHARE THE ROAD SAFELY with them. Having to collide with a two wheeler means we are in the wrong, however the law look at it as we are the offending party being the bigger sized for "not having due diligence and taking care during the maneuvering of the vehicle and failure to check for oncoming traffic at the blind spots'.

Every minute, a motorcyclist / cyclist is killed in a road accident, either no fault of them, due to road conditions to act of God as it gives no protection against the elements. I am a medical doctor who, at times, have to deploy my services on my scooter (moped as it's only 150cc, 7BHp) at speeds of excess of 120KM/H or 60MPH! Zipping in and out of the streets of Malaysia and Singapore to get to the patient before the ambulance arrives is critical. Same to the McDonalds delivery boy delivering BigMacs and Fries before it gets soggy. It is understandable as to the frustration as a driver of a car or truck especially when they zip across the road, sometimes, beating the red light or jumping it seconds before turning green and bam, crash into a late turner.

Rules of the game are simple:

1) DO NOT run the red light. Brake even if is still amber. Just green is good, seconds after green is a little dangerous as you don't know if someone is beating it.

2) If you are at a corner junction, check all your spots, ESPECIALLY

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