LTA responds to video of elderly cyclist kneeling before officers on overhead bridge

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has said its enforcement officers could have exercised greater sensitivity, after a video of an elderly woman cyclist kneeling before two of its officers on an overhead bridge circulated online.

Woman kneeling before two LTA officers

The incident took place on Aug. 27 on an overhead bridge near Block 95 Aljunied Crescent, the Straits Times reported.

The clip, posted on Reddit, shows a woman in a yellow shirt kneeling before two men who have since been identified as LTA enforcement officers. She can also be seen gesturing towards a bicycle parked nearby.

Cycling across overhead bridges without dismounting is an offence, as such bridges are primarily meant for pedestrians and have limited space.

In February, LTA posted on Facebook that they detected 391 offences and 57 non-compliant devices at active mobility hotspots, including Pedestrian Overhead Bridges.

Officers involved could have managed situation more sensitively, LTA says

"Our officers carried out their enforcement duties, in line with the rules in place to keep pedestrians safe," the spokesperson told ST.

The LTA spokesperson said the authority empathises with the distress experienced by the elderly cyclist.

The spokesperson acknowledged that enforcement encounters can sometimes be "difficult", particularly when members of the public are distressed, and that the officers involved could have managed the situation more sensitively.

According to the spokesperson, the officers involved have since reflected on the incident and recognise that they could have handled it with greater empathy.

"Enforcement is a difficult job, and our officers have to manage a range of situations while balancing the need to be firm in upholding safety rules with empathy in their interactions with the public," the spokesperson said.

LTA added that it will continue to strengthen its officers' training so that they are better equipped to manage such situations sensitively, while ensuring safety rules are applied fairly and consistently to all users of its public paths.

Mixed reactions

The video of the cyclist and enforcement officers garnered mixed reactions online.

Most Redditors agreed that "the law is the law", and one user, who claimed to live near the bridge, said cyclists crossing it instead of dismounting was a "constant sight".

A few expressed sympathy, calling for more compassion for others. Others empathised with the enforcement officers, saying that they would be at a loss for what to do.

With effect from Jul. 1, 2025, first-time offenders convicted of riding bicycles as well as motorised and non-motorised PMDs on a pedestrian-only path can be fined up to S$2,000 or jailed up to three months, or both.

Top image via Reddit