Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Is PCN really for cyclists?

1. Pillar right in the center of the cycling path as found in Woodlands.

2. Pillars blocking the path like a gate left barely space enough to cycle through.

3. Have you tried cycling on PCN after heavy rain?

4. PCN submerged in mud water at Punggol.

5. PCN becomes a stream with water flowing along it in Woodlands.

6. Super blind corners created by Rail pillars.

7. Super slippery PCN as found in Mandai PCN.

8. Cycling path widens and narrows on PCN between MRT rail pillars.

9. Have you ever see a PCN that is only a person's shoulder width as near Bukit Gombak MRT.

10. Have you tried to cycle down from Bishan to GBB via PCN? There are at least 5 places where you need to carry the bike over bridges and steps.

11. Have you tried to cross from Ulu Sembawang PC to Mandai PC. You will have to wait an extended time for the traffic light to change even though there is nobody crossing for the past hour before that.

12. Do you want to know how many road crossings From Khatib to Woodlands MRT? There is a sign asking you to dismount and push your bike across on major junctions.

13. Have you tried to cycle up the S turn near Woodlands Ave 7?

14. Have you tried to cross the Sembawang Rd via PCN? You will bite your tongue if you do.

15. Have you cycled on cycling path at Pasir Ris Dr 3 near Elias Rd? How does the snake path feels?

16. How safe is it to cross a road without pedestrian crossing mark or traffic light yet remains a PCN path?

17. Would you be surprised that some PCN are actually off road dirt trails?

18. How do you cycle without getting frustrated with groups of people walking on cycling path and ignores the walking path just besides it?

19. How does it feels cycling across drainage covers a few meters apart especially those that make noise when you go over it?

20. Have you ever missed the cycling track and end up on Pedestrian walk as there is no sign showing where is the cycling path.

21. Have you tried to cross Admiralty and Sembawang MRT via PCN? The pcn suddenly disappears without you knowing how to go across the MRT.

22. Have you tried to use the PCN between Republic Poly and Woodlands MRT around 6pm? Don't, else you have to get down and push your bike all the way. There are hundreds of students covering both Cycling and Foot path.

23. If you have gone cycling at East Coast Park. You would have experienced sharing the road with pedestrians, roller bladers, children, novice cyclist etc.

24. Perhaps you may not notice. The max cycling speed on PCN is 15Kph - just slightly faster than running.

25. Before you embark for a PCN trip. Check with NParks web site. It may be under repair. Chances is that you may not find a notice available on your specific route but it is there nevertheless.

26. NParks web page is a good place to find information. Just that you can't find a link that shows all the maintenance work in progress. Many times I tried to go on a particular PCN just to find it closed under repair.

27. It is great to find information on the PCN especially directional indicators. Just don't think that it is consistent. Many places will lead you nowhere. I used to go off the track on those.

28. Some parks are not significantly marked. For example Admiralty Park entrance near Woodlands Ave 9. No signs whatsoever. PCN is Park Connector Network right?

29. Some PCN routes are just across the road. However, there is no way to cross it. Typical example is Kallang PC and Kallang RiverSide PK.

30. Some PCN actually goes into a Carpark with no signs saying that it does. You are actually going on roads shared with vehicles.

31. One particular PCN is actually using part of a road as PCN. It won't tell you. The road pcn is Moonstone Ln.

32. Some rerouted NParks does not block the discarded route. You may end up in a dead end if you enters it. Typical one is found in Yishun.

33. Fancy going on a PCN then find that it is used for "pasar malam"? Usually the stores occupy the cycling path. How would you coup with cyclists, pedestrians, and shoppers on the remaining walking path?

34. If you are a vehicle driver, at a major plus (cross) junction with side turning roads, you only have to cross one road and be worried about the car opposite you turning. But as a cyclist crossing such junction, You have to cross three roads and two road islands plus having to scan 360 degrees for people, vehicles, bicycles and the ground condition. Luckily, you don't have to look up for flying objects.

35. If you are a pedestrian, turning 90 degrees is never a problem. But if you cycle, and try to turn 90 degrees at 15Kph into a one meter wide path. You must be an acrobat. If you fail to make it, you are certain to fall down the curb into a road.

36. Walking around corners with structures blocking the view is called turning at a blind corner. Cycling through a two way blind corner with a width of 1 meter is a sure invitation for shock. Assuming both sides going at 15Kph, You will meet each other at 30Kph or 8 meters per second.

37. How tight can you make a U turn on a bicycle? Some PCN has routes that is almost a U turn and a width less than one meter. Even an experienced cyclist find it tough to make the turn. Again it is a two way path.

38. Was told by a cyclist friend that his bike wheel go into drainage cover grills. Surely a wheel width that is no bigger than the thumb can be dangerous if the drainage cover grills are not places in the right way.

39. Before you embark for a PCN trip. Check with NParks web site. It may be under repair. Chances is that you may not find a notice available on your specific route but it is there nevertheless.

40. NParks web page is a good place to find information. Just that you can't find a link that shows all the maintenance work in progress. Many times I tried to go on a particular PCN just to find it closed under repair.

41. It is great to find information on the PCN especially directional indicators. Just don't think that it is consistent. Many places will lead you nowhere. I used to go off the track on those.

42. Extremely bumpy rumble strip at Khatib Bongsu PCN

43. Cyclist have to cycle down a small bumpy at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6

44. Perhaps you may not notice. The max cycling speed on PCN is 15Kph - just slightly faster than running.

45. Ceramic tiles for blind near junctions are slippery when wet. It is dangerous for narrow slick tires especially when turning.

The above list is not all the issues that confronts cyclists. There are probably more. Some of the item are contributions by others.



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