Good riders in Singapore

[Maki]

Just came back from Singapore and want to share my admiration for the bikers I saw there. Everyone seemed to be rock solid, confident and they filtered through highway traffic like a knife through hot butter.

[dipshit]

I just got back from over there myself. Most impressed with the traffic over there. Considering how crowded the roads are... drivers are patient and courteous with each other.

NZ drivers seem to have a lot more aggression in comparison.

[SMOKEU]

When I was over there it seemed like every 2nd or 3rd bike I saw was an NSR.

[Dargor]

Why have a bike in singapore, no where fun to ride it.

But yea, singapore is a beautiful city.

[YellowDog]

Surprising and also reassuring.

Perhaps they have tougher traffic cops.

[dipshit]

Why have a bike in singapore, no where fun to ride it.

80% of the bikes are scooters, but i did see the occasional 999 or R1.

[dipshit]

Perhaps they have tougher traffic cops.

Very rarely saw any police cars/bikes. Mention this fact to my Singaporean friend and she said, yeah, someone else once visiting noticed this and actually asked if Singapore even had a police force.

[mynameis]

Just came back from Singapore and want to share my admiration for the bikers I saw there. Everyone seemed to be rock solid, confident and they filtered through highway traffic like a knife through hot butter.


I just got back from over there myself. Most impressed with the traffic over there. Considering how crowded the roads are... drivers are patient and courteous with each other.

NZ drivers seem to have a lot more aggression in comparison.

Considering you'd need to at least coff out $40k for a car and yet the gubmint tells ya what to buy and what not to buy.

[bgd]

Spend more time over here and you might change your mind.

Sg has a very high bike accident / death rate. A large proportion of bikers seem to have very little awareness of their own mortality. It's 3rd world attitudes in a first world country. I still marvel at some of the antics I see. Tonight for example I watched a bike undertake 4 cars on the hard shoulder with two clear lanes on the right. He also didn't have a working tail light.

It's pretty painful getting a bike license here involving months of training, very little of it on the road and none of it at any speed. It's a graduated scheme 200cc, 400cc and open. Most don't go past the first (2b) level which in some way explains the large number of smaller bikes on the roads. Insurance and purchase costs for the larger cc bikes also contributes.

Traffic police do seem pretty much non existent. Haven't really worked that one out. The only time I've encountered them is when they are doing some kind of traffic control.

Drivers here are some of the worst I've encountered. The level of incompetence is astounding and universal. However they are consistent so very easy to anticipate. And as mentioned earlier, non aggressive and very tolerant. So despite their inability to stick to the majority of road rules it is a pretty safe place to drive / ride, once you get used to their habits.

And why have a bike? Simply the most efficient way to get around. And with temps 32C during the day to 24C at night all year round who wants to sit in a car? You have to like rain though.

[Taz]

Sg has a very high


What is Sg??

[sidecar bob]

Very rarely saw any police cars/bikes. Mention this fact to my Singaporean friend and she said, yeah, someone else once visiting noticed this and actually asked if Singapore even had a police force.

They have a Police force, they are just very hard to see.
It may be your taxi driver, or the guy next to you on the MRT (commuter train) I had a great chat with the Canadian guy that worked at the Aprilia dealer on Serangoon Rd that had lived there since the early '70s.
Very interesting.

[Wannabiker]

Why have a bike in singapore, no where fun to ride it.

But yea, singapore is a beautiful city.


They all ride their sportsbikes to Malaysia on Saturday and Sunday.... its just up the road dont ya know....

[dipshit]

Spend more time over here and you might change your mind. Sg has a very high bike accident / death rate. A large proportion of bikers seem to have very little awareness of their own mortality.

I did look that way to me too. While i was impressed with the attitude of car drivers and didn't see any dinged up cars or any car accidents... i did see a couple of motorcycle accidents.

Riders were taking their life in their hands and placing an awful lot of trust in other road users. Luckily car drivers have good lane discipline and know how to use their indicators.

And for all the mayhem and dodging on... there was no tooting horns and shaking fists at each other.

[robo555]

What is Sg??

Singapore...:doh:

[rachprice]

Just gonna hijack this thread a little, I have a stopover coming back from Nepal in November.
Im only there for a night and a day, anyone recommend anything?

[sidecar bob]

Just gonna hijack this thread a little, I have a stopover coming back from Nepal in November.
Im only there for a night and a day, anyone recommend anything?

What do you want to do? Shopping?
Orchard Rd is worth a look.
Sentosa island would probably take a bit longer than you have to spare.
Can you take a couple of nights there, it would be worth it.
Mustafa's department store in little India is an educatoin too! very '70s & they have absolutely everything.
Allow most of a day if youre going there.

[SMOKEU]

Just gonna hijack this thread a little, I have a stopover coming back from Nepal in November.
Im only there for a night and a day, anyone recommend anything?

You have to go to little India, Chinatown, Orchard Rd and Sentosa. It will be hard to do all that in 1 day though.

[rachprice]

You have to go to little India, Chinatown, Orchard Rd and Sentosa. It will be hard to do all that in 1 day though.

Ok then....so what can I do in one day then? which ones are the best?

[aahsv]

Very rarely saw any police cars/bikes. Mention this fact to my Singaporean friend and she said, yeah, someone else once visiting noticed this and actually asked if Singapore even had a police force.

Sg is a Police State, guilty until proven innocent, zero liquor tolerance, you will get publicly flogged (rotan) for passing wind - sterile and boring

[dipshit]

Sg is a Police State, guilty until proven innocent, zero liquor tolerance, you will get publicly flogged (rotan) for passing wind - sterile and boring

I know. It was good in a way. Beer was too expensive to have anymore than one or two on a night out on the town. Subsequently you could walk around late at night without having to put up with drunken idiots fighting and throwing up all over the place like in NZ.

Between the absence of the binge drinking culture and the more courteous road manners... Singapore felt a lot more safer and friendlier place with less morons around.

[TuonoTom]

I visited Brunei at the end of last year, and THAT was crazy. No one uses indicators, people run red lights and speed a lot (the cops seem to be too lazy to be bothered doing anything about it). And I saw a guy riding an R1 whos only riding gear was his helmet. Sure its hot but I like my skin thank you.

[SMOKEU]

Ok then....so what can I do in one day then? which ones are the best?

It depends what you're into. Sentosa is a typical tourist resort, it has some nice beaches and an awesome aquarium. Little India and Chinatown are great places to go if you want to experience life with other cultures. Orchard Rd is the most expensive shopping area, the ladies love it.

[rachprice]

It depends what you're into. Sentosa is a typical tourist resort, it has some nice beaches and an awesome aquarium. Little India and Chinatown are great places to go if you want to experience life with other cultures. Orchard Rd is the most expensive shopping area, the ladies love it.

Il be pretty broke and with my dad so I dont think Orchard rd will be the go...
Little India and chinatown sound like fun! And this will be my dad's first big trip overseas bar aussie/pacific islands
Though I think a resort might be nice after all that trekking!

Thanks!