Letter to the Editor: $300 LTA fine for no bicycle handbrake

Dear Editor,

I came to know about the new bicycle handbrake rule after reading Mr Baey Yam Keng’s Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTPLw6kpL3r

I wrote to LTA (Land Transport Authority) in September to clarify the rule, as mine is not a fixie, but a single speed Dahon foldable bike with coaster brake. LTA replied that a handbrake is compulsory. Immediately I went to order online for the brakes in order to save cost.

Regrettably, before the parts could arrive, my bike was impounded in mid-September when I rode it to buy lunch. I paid the $150 towing fee and collected my bike in October and installed the handbrake on the same day. It was my fault to have used the bike before installing the handbrake. I tried to appeal for the towing fee to be waived but was rejected.

A month later, I was shocked to receive a $300 fine for the same September incident. I wonder whether LTA needs to adopt such a harsh stance on 1st-time offenders like myself, especially since it happened within the first month of implementation.

Could LTA have extended a grace period, or issued a conditional warning, as it did to other e-scooter riders previously? (“LTA is giving an advisory period from Nov 5 to Dec 31 to allow e-scooter users time to adjust to said ban.” — taken from https://mothership.sg/2019/11/e-scooter-loophole)

The $150 towing fee and the $300 fine (total $450) are very hefty to me, as I was working part-time in September, but am currently jobless. Please see attached regarding the fine.

I am writing this to highlight my situation to other cyclists while hoping that our government can become more compassionate during difficult times like now. Such hefty fines would only add to the financial and mental stress of Singaporeans.

Yours sincerely,
Mr Lim

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Independent Singapore. /TISG