Almost killed one foreign talent

Two evenings ago, I visited the company’s doctor at Ang Mo Kio central after work, holding back a throbbing headache, muscle aches and a tad of fever for the day. Physical examination showed nothing serious, perhaps an onset of flu. I was prescribed paracetamol 500mg, told to rest and drink lots of fluid.

It was getting dark as I lumbered out of AMK central 2 car park. I had to turn left onto AMK Ave 8, keep right and then turn right at traffic junction onto AMK Ave 5. The car on my right, some distance away, signalled left to turn into the car park I was exiting. His main lights were off, only his signal light goes tick-tock.

What I did not see was a cyclist ahead of this car. I inched forward to turn left, momentarily stunned to have this projectile whizzed by. I must have missed this flying object by a whisker. I collected myself and ask what I can tell this guy to keep him safe. I picked up speed, lowered my side window, drew alongside him and shouted: “you need lights”. He was cycling a hybrid road bike with no lights, at a frantic speed.

He shot back. It’s daylight! I dipped my eyes, read the time off my digital clock and shouted back: “It’s past 7pm”. We then disengage, he turning left and I turn right. He appeared to be a man in his mid-30s; white caucasian. In the past 3 years, the average number of cyclist fatalities in Singapore stand at 18, way too high.

It is totally daft not to have both front and rear lights on a bicycle when cycling on main vehicular roads come dusk. May luck continue to be on his side and if he does not change, I wonder what he is going to say on his epitaph.