Pathways

A recent sight made me question what I had taken for granted - pathways.

Thus, I dedicate this post to elaborating how many ways can a pathway be used for.

These unassuming stretches of concrete across cities, towns and even circulating through our humble HDB flats are where pedestrians travel across with their legs. Recently, I have found people who used them for other purposes other than commuting.

If I got lucky, I would chance by a coincidental bump by one into someone he knows.

More often than that, I will usually see people standing on these pathways to play Pokemon Go.

These pathways are also crucial for the visitor's experience of Pasar Malams (night markets). Without them, it is going to be a rough experience browsing through the stalls.

Pathways are multifunctional in nature, are public goods and they connect us geographically. They can have drains underlying them, or be lined with wonderful greenery.

They bring us to pretty interesting places. I was walking from Chung Cheng High (Main) to the nearest MRT station after a meeting and enjoyed the experience of walking. I got to see interesting things.

There were the old buildings that were at least a couple of decades old judging by its brick and mortar structure seasoned with signs of wear and tear. There were the big bungalows and real crazy rich Asians. Then I walked through the beautiful park connector, where people exercising can enjoy the views of an adjacent canal. Ah, what a pleasure to be there on a Saturday evening!

I found an irritating aspect of the use of pathways. Hence, after this paragraph, the direction of this post is going to turn to my opinion of irresponsible usage of pathways.

Sometimes, I get shocked and shaken by a PMD passing by me without any prior "ringtone". Is just someone whizzing by, stirring up winds and leaving a chill on my spine. Encounters like this make me thankful for how lucky I was to be alive. I personally have no objections to bicycles, other PMDs and pedestrians sharing the same path, but that is only when the riders know where they are going.

Pathways provided safety from the busy roads and is a place where people can take a walk and have a chat with their friends. I would not want to be ferried around by private-hire cars. I appreciate something more public,as it will be more interesting because I can observe what others do, without fear of being judged as "kaypoh".

But if I can get injured while on the pathways (some incidents involving collisions can be so serious that offenders need to turn up in court), I seriously do not know what to do. Walk on grass? Maybe not or I may end up on "STOMP" if I do so in school uniform.

That is why I am so relieved when there are stricter regulations on the use of PMDs. Despite that, I still have fears of being knocked by a PMD when I see something as typical as a bicycle on the pathway.

I am not sure how hard the regulations clamp down on PMD users or how effective they have been. Never mind about this, now I have a wish. I wish, to walk in peace. Please lah.