Why I support the SG Car free day

Screen grab from Toggle

This was supposed to be mentioned on Telly( around 13.50), and in a sort of way some of it was communicated. 
Many thanks to my lovely wife Kim who listened to my ramblings patiently. Summarised and translated it into this. I want to share it as I feel its very concise and why I do it. 

Taken by my friends as I represented LCSG to explain why we are pulling all stops to make Car Free Day happen

"我们参加、支持这个活动， 是觉得它很有意思，好玩、健康又能展现出城市生活的令一种可能性。 

就象拍照，换个角度就会拍出不同的风景。没有车行驶的马路，我们可以一起散步，一起遛狗，一起骑脚踏车，一起享受沿途美好的风景。 如果愿意换个角度看事情，就会有不同的可能性。 

就像母鸡带小鸡，我们会安排有丰富经验的骑士带领着新手一起骑到政府大厦广场，一路上可以有照应，可以互相帮忙。

我们会有三个车队，从东边、北边和西边出发，一起骑向集合点。想参加的朋友可以到LCSG 的FB 登记"

In English

Why did LCSG participate in CarFree day?

We chose to be get involved as it's a meaningful, fun and healthy event. More importantly it provides an alternative demonstration to city possibilities. 

It just like taking a photograph. With a change in perspective, a photo can feel very very different. So imagine with a road with no cars, we could take a slow stroll, hold hands, jog, walk the dog and of course ride in a really leisurely pace. That would feel so nice and pleasant, wouldnt it? 

If we can change our perception of things and try a different approach, we could have many delightfully different possibilities and experiences. 

Many of the riders have feedback to us that they would love to cycle commute to work. But many are also worried and not sure. We took this event as a good demonstration of showing the cycling possibilities. 

We got the more experienced/regular riders to lead and chaperone the newer riders to trial out a commuting to city route. These way, the good practises and safety know how can be transferred to the newer riders. 

There are 3 routes, from Bishan park Mac, Kembangan MRT and Clementi. The distance are roughly just over 10ish km and flat. What we hope is that we can help move more over that mental block and show that is possible to cycle to work. For folks interested pls go to LCSG FB event page to know more. 

Cars and its relevance in the city

On the SG paper I saw this news of having parts of the Singapore Civic Centre made car free............................................................. for a sunday morning. :) 

Screen grab from the Straits Time

There got your attention now. Well, this is really cause for being very happy about. It shows the SG approach, albeit, cautious but moving forward as a liveable and pro-cycling environment. 

I know some of my car driver friends are probably not happy, after all they have paid so much money for their car and now its one area cars are off limits. Bloody hell. 

Sadly esp in the city, the space for car and car parking are maxed out. It's not logical to keep things as it is and if you look around the major cities, everyone of them are putting in plans to make their cities car free or lite. Need another reason? Look at the space that a a car takes up.

Taken from http://www.fsraum.at/

I saw this very interesting posting some time back that explains in detail the space a car, a bus, train takes up and what it would mean.
http://www.planetizen.com/node/68574
Not to bore the folks who like pics... do read it to understand more why cars are going the way of the dodo. At least in the City that is.

So how could a car be relevant in SG? Yes I think so. Esp for a select group of people. I feel we could do with a softer compassionate approach to the handicapped, physically disabled and young families. One small but significant news  I read sometime back was that the London cab fleet would discontinued. It impacted quite a fair bit of the physically disabled.
I would not know if I didn't have friends who are those situation. It's really tough for them to move around. Poking around on the internet, it seems that London cab is still around. BTW, Do you know how much it cost for a london cab now? 

I hope we can have less "Ra Ra"/ fancy pants ideas, but simple implementable ones. Not cars per say but for example, could we have a Silver/family cab service (specific to elderly- going to see the doctors,  mummies with kids- to school, buying groceries,  families outing etc) that is more affordable(or subsidised). 
Or even a pro-family car COE certification class?? 
Crazy ideas perhaps but if you stop to think about the whole COE and ERP, it was designed to control car usage. Imagine if we can curb frivolous car usage, and focus where it matters. Example, for those who really cannot use the public transport. 
I know the concern of abusing/gaming the system but really please spare a thought for those who are having it tough. 
Ultimate Utopia dream perhaps but I hope for a country where there will be more compassion, heart and lesser of using $$ as the only lever on decisions.