Lane-splitting motorcyclist smacks side mirror off car that filtered into small space

Power play.

Nigel Chua | January 16, 2021, 04:32 PM

Motorcyclists may be vulnerable road users, but rear view mirrors are also a vulnerable component, as a video of a road altercation showed.

The video, uploaded to Facebook page Beh Chia Lor, begins with a motorcyclist riding between the first and second lanes of the Central Expressway (CTE).

The vehicles were in slow-moving heavy traffic under the rain.

via Beh Chia Lor on Facebook

A grey MPV on the second lane is signalling right to enter the first lane, and it appears that the motorcycle rider is flashing its high-beam headlight to alert the driver.

As a small gap opens up on the first lane, between a white car and the car immediately behind it, the grey car proceeds to make its move to the right.

By this point, the motorcycle was already coming alongside the grey car, and steers to the right along with the grey MPV in order to avoid a collision.

The rider can be seen lifting their feet off the foot rests, likely to brace themselves if the motorcycle were to slip from the sudden turn, while the MPV steers abruptly back to its left.

The rider is clearly none too happy about what has just happened, and rides up to the front window of the grey car to confront the driver.

via Beh Chia Lor on Facebook

However, the interaction is short-lived as the grey MPV accelerates ahead of the motorcyclist.

The motorcycle is then seen accelerating on the grey car's left side, and the rider smacks the rear view mirror of the grey car, detaching the mirror from its holder.

via Beh Chia Lor on Facebook

The rider then speeds off.

The practice of riding a motorcycle between vehicles in two lanes, or lane splitting, is frowned upon but widely practiced on Singapore's roads.

At the same time, drivers are advised to leave bigger spaces between cars when driving on highways, especially when the roads are wet, or when visibility is lower due to rain.

The incident was reminiscent of a similar altercation from 2018, which also involved the rider of a two-wheeled vehicle smacking the side mirror off a larger vehicle.

In this case, however, the driver does not appear to have retaliated. Not on camera, anyway.

You can watch the full video here:

 

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Top image via Beh Chia Lor on Facebook