Driver stops to help foreign worker who cycled onto SLE after following Google Maps

A driver who stopped to help a foreign worker who had cycled along the Seletar Expressway (SLE) has been commended for his kindness.

Wilson Foong, 45, told Mothership he felt worried for the cyclist's safety when he spotted him riding on the expressway towards Woodlands.

Foong overtook him, then found a safe spot to pull over and wait for him.

The encounter was filmed on video, which shows Foong asking the cyclist where he was going.

The cyclist explained that he was trying to get from Ang Mo Kio to Woodlands, but his ATM card had stopped working, so he was unable to take public transport.

He decided to rent a shared bicycle instead and used Google Maps on his phone to navigate.

However, his navigation was set to "two-wheeler" mode, which is meant for motorcycles, and the route took him onto the SLE.

He did not know that bicycles are not allowed on the expressway, Foong said.

To help him get off the SLE safely, Foong loaded the bicycle onto the bike rack on his car and drove the cyclist to Mandai Road.

There, he could enter the Ulu Sembawang Park Connector and continue towards Woodlands.

Before they parted ways, Foong also showed him how to toggle the bicycle mode on Google Maps to avoid getting directed onto an expressway again.

As they say goodbye, the cyclist thanked Foong for his help.

Recounting what happened, Foong told Mothership that as a cyclist himself, he always keeps a look out for other cyclists’ safety.