The New Paper's Biker Boy goes on patrol with Traffic Police
In an unprecedented move, the Traffic Police let us go on patrol with an officer, ASP Firdous Haniff. Biker Boy reports on the 55km-long patrol route
Five infractions in the first 19km:
1 ROAD HOGGING
We leave Traffic Police headquarters in Ubi Avenue 3. Traffic is moving slowly on the Pan Island Expressway towards the city. About 2km into our patrol, ASP Firdous, 29, spots a heavy vehicle hogging the second lane of the expressway. He gestures to the lorry driver to move to the slower lanes.
Our patrol takes us to Orchard Road.
2 UNBELTED
Near Orchard Parade Hotel on Tanglin Road, at a traffic stop, ASP Firdous sees the driver and passenger of a goods vehicle not wearing seat belts. He points at the culprits to get their attention. They immediately buckle up.
We pick up the pace and leave Orchard Road.
3 FAST-MOVING CAR
We head north on the Central Expressway. Near Moulmein Flyover, a white BMW car sticks out like a sore thumb. The BMW's speed, while merging with traffic on the expressway, appears higher than the vehicles travelling on Lane 1. ASP Firdous' attention is locked onto the BMW.
Near the Jalan Bahagia exit, he pulls alongside the BMW and gestures to the driver to slow down. The driver complies.
There was another case, barely 50m ahead.
4 USING MOBILE PHONE
A white car moving from Lane 1 to the leftmost lane gets flagged - the driver was on his mobile phone.
We spot the driver's right elbow resting on the door panel and his hand holding on to the mobile phone. ASP Firdous points at the offending driver and gets his attention.
The stunned driver drops the phone and filters out of the expressway. It's his lucky day. We exit Seletar Expressway into Punggol.
5 NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO SURROUNDINGS
Along Punggol Way, we are riding at about 40kmh when a small lorry slowly exits a construction site to our left.
Strangely, the driver keeps his speed of about 20kmh in the centre lane for more than 30m. We realise he is busy talking to his passenger, unaware we are near him.
ASP Firdous goes forward and signals to the driver to pay attention on the road.
We need to police ourselves
Despite the presence of Traffic Police (TP) officer ASP Firdous Haniff, some motorists use the roads dangerously unaware of their surroundings and blind to the consequences.
In the first 19km of my patrol with TP, we spotted five motorists who needed to be reminded of the rules and safe practices.
All of them were warned on-the-move by ASP Firdous, 29, a patrol unit team leader. It is not always an option to stop motorists because it can endanger other road-users.
ASP Firdous says TP's approach to road safety is a holistic one.
"Patrol officers conduct general checks and stops, not necessarily to summon motorists but to engage and give them road safety advice," he says.
ASP Firdous' obvious presence on the road meant most motorists were on their best behaviour that morning..
But what happens when nobody is watching?
Speeds pick up, motorists are less willing to give way to others and are also lax in signalling.
Accident statistics are always sobering.
Although motorcycle-related fatalities declined from 50 in the first six months of 2014 to 37 in the same period this year, the number of motorcycle-related injuries in the same six-month period rose from 1,953 in 2014 to 2,107 in 2015.
DIALOGUE
Aware of the motorcyclists' vulnerability, the biking community made a call to rein in dangerous motoring habits and bad motorists.
This was done during a dialogue organised by TP at the Harley Davidson showroom in October.
The biking community called for stiffer penalties and more TP presence on the roads.
Road safety education, enforcement and rewarding good road habits are important, but we, as motorists, need to police ourselves.
We need to foster a culture of motorists looking out for each other, even by waving thanks when someone gives way.
It must be our collective responsibility to guide fellow road users on safer motoring habits and strongly discourage behaviour that can end up tragically.
Not even TP riders are safe from bad practices.
ASP Firdous once witnessed a fellow TP officer being resuscitated at the scene of an accident.
The officer, who had been waiting in a turning box, was mowed down by a drunk driver who beat a red light.
ASP Firdous says: "It should be about reaching your destination safely, not (about reaching your destination) in your fastest time."
BY THE NUMBERS
TRAFFIC FATALITIES
78
January to June, 2015
89
January to June, 2014
MOTORCYCLISTS INJURED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
2,078
January to June, 2015
1,964
January to June, 2014
DRINK DRIVING-RELATED FATALITIES
4
January to June, 2015
11
January to June, 2014
DRINK DRIVING ARRESTS
1,258
January to June, 2015
1,495
January to June, 2014
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