Tay Ping Hui Instagram – It’s been a while since my last post and the furore that followed was unexpectedly explosive. It’s absolutely heartwarming that so many people, drivers and cyclists alike, supported me on so every levels. Thank y’all for your affirmation!
For the many video forensic experts who did a second-by-second analysis of my video, these facts remain.
I was already in the left lane 70metres before the cross junction.
I was traveling at about 51km/h.
I was about 32m away when I saw the first 2 cyclists filter out. I immediately flashed my headlights to give ample warning, applying the brakes at the same time.
Within 2.4 seconds, I not only had to react, I also needed to make an immediate decision on whether to Ebrake and stop, or swerve to the right (in the middle of a yellow boxed cross junction no less) risking my life and endangering any vehicle that might be diagonally behind me. Thankfully I managed to come to a stop and avoided an accident. Only after ensuring that it was absolutely safe, I later filtered right and overtook them.
Despite the undeniable facts, some were able to miraculously access my brain and somehow conclude that it was due to an ego which was too big to slow down nor give way. Some pontificated that 2.4secs/32m was more than enough time and distance to react and analyze the situation at hyper speed, coolly filter right, change lanes and move on with my life (Now I know why people say hindsight is always 20/20). Some even went as far as to accuse me of sowing hate against cyclists.
One cannot help but feel the irony when so many of those who righteously chastised me for not being gracious enough, have done so with pretty ungracious words. They preached the merits of defensive driving, vehemently declaring how cyclists are the vulnerable group, which I totally agree. Then the question is, knowing that they are the vulnerable group, shouldn’t they of all people, practice defensive riding all the more?
(To be continued…)
#taypinghui #taypinghuisayone #cyclist #drivers #weareallinthistogether | Posted on 15/Apr/2021 08:03:01
