GrabFood cyclist suffers multiple injuries from being shoved off bicycle path by pedestrians
PUBLISHED ONNovember 08, 2019 5:50 AMByRainer Cheung
Ever since the ban of e-scooters on footpaths kicked in on Tuesday (Nov 5), there has been some confusion on the new regulations.
A GrabFood cyclist was unceremoniously shoved off his ride by an angry pedestrian despite travelling on the bicycle path on Wednesday night (Nov 6).
The 41-year-old man suffered injuries to his neck, right shoulder, left hand and both legs as a result of the fall.
In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, his wife revealed that doctors had warned them of a possible neck fracture.
Although they abided by the rules and kept to bicycle paths, she was frustrated that they were still met with such hostility.
The pair had set off from Northpoint City to make a delivery — him on a bicycle and his wife on a power-assisted bicycle, he recounted. As his wife was not familiar with the destination, he decided to accompany her.
When they turned onto a cycling path along Yishun Ave 11, they saw a couple walking towards them. The riders rang their bells for a few minutes to alert the pedestrians, but the couple still refused to give way to them.
Whilst trying to cycle past the pedestrians, the man violently shoved at the rider's food delivery bag, causing him to lose balance and fall onto the grass. He also stopped him from getting up and pushed him again.
"He even yelled: 'You how can cycle here?! Earn what rice bowl?! (sic),'" the rider recounted.
His wife immediately called the police, who arrived on the scene shortly after.
The rider and his wife used to be a waiter and hotel receptionist respectively. In order to support their two children, aged four and six, the pair switched jobs to become food delivery riders.
In the face of his injury, on top of their family circumstances, the rider's wife said she felt anxious about their plans for the future.
The hospital might have given him three days of medical leave, but his neck continues to cause him pain and requires further examination.
rainercheung@asiaone.com