This document summarizes a cyclist's experience with dangerous road drainage covers and calls for improvements to road infrastructure to make cycling safer. The cyclist describes flying off their bike after hitting a drainage cover and landing near a bus. Others share similar experiences. Photos show drainage covers with uneven surfaces, loose hinges and large gaps that pose risks. The cyclist asks when problematic covers will be fixed, how covers can be improved, workers trained, and cyclists engaged to identify other problem areas.

1. Road side drainage cover
issues and improvement
by Francis Chu
member of SafeCyclingTaskForce
Email: chu.francis@gmail.com
Date: 2011-02-26

2. February 26, 2011
Lucky I was not killed!
Flew off my bicycle and landed on the road ahead, just next to a bus.
make cycling an easier choice

3. .. post the picture on Facebook,
many share similar experience ..
Wilson Chua : happened to me :( too many cars speeding
Sandip Mahapatra Sheesh.... It happened to my fren and myself too.
Hassanudin Hashim it happen my last last month , his face badly smash and broken nose brigde
Sglim Sg O.O This happen very near my house. The extreme left of the road is always dangerous if you
are not experience/confidence enough hitting the curb can cause death.
Danny Pek Teck Wee Happened to me, i flew off my bike and fractured my wrist :(
Matt Chia i suggest you sent a email to LTA. it happens to me but saved by my BA tyres
Sometimes it’s just unavoidable!
Diane Flaviano i try and cycle a little to the right of the 2nd yellow line but
sometimes you really can’t avoid the drain grills especially when other cars try
and cram you to the curb. :(
make cycling an easier choice

4. Same grill, somtimes good, sometimes bad
everytime when the
drainage cover open and
closed by the cleaner.
the gap change, some-
times good, other times
bad.
big gap
loose hinge
make cycling an easier choice

5. Geylang East Central
many drainge covers have
the same problem
loose hinge
big gap
make cycling an easier choice

6. Sims Avenue
same problem in some
area
Fast moving bus
Cyclist squeezed be-
tween life-threatening
uneven surface options, making cycling
on some Singapore
roads very stressful and
dangerous!
big gap
make cycling an easier choice

7. Geylang East Central & Sims Avenue
problematic drainage covers
make cycling an easier choice

8. How should it be?
Sims Avenue
good example in some
area
Even surface level with
the rest of the road.
even surface Drainage grill is tightly
fitted to the drainage
hole.
It can be done!
small gap
make cycling an easier choice

9. Questions:
When can the problematic drainage covers along Geyland East Central and
Sims Avenue be fixed?
How can the drainage cover design be improved to prevent same problem
in the future?
How can the construction workers be trained to do a quality job?
(e.g. even road surface)
How to engage cyclists to spot problem of other area?
make cycling an easier choice