urban solutions
What Kind of Personal Mobility Device (PMD) Should I Get?
27 November 2017
Cycling and the use of personal mobility devices (PMDs) are an "essential part" of Singapore's quest to go car-lite, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo in Parliament.
With the Land Transport Authority’s push for a car lite society in Singapore, it is not uncommon to see an increasing number of PMDs around, with people zooming past on e-scooters on the streets.
Transportation via PMDs are green, convenient and efficient for short distances, such as the first and last mile of journeys.
PMDs are also allowed on footpaths and cycling paths, so no worries as you are able to conveniently bring yours down to the nearby park for a ride! (Note that PMDs are not allowed within some parks like Singapore Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay.)
We categorized the 3 different PMDs that we have tried; hoverboard, trikke, e-scooter, based on its usefulness in different aspects of life.
Working Adults
As we all know, many working adults commute daily via public buses and trains. However, their journey to the bus or train station may be still take up a considerable amount of time. Foldable bicycles and e-scooters are therefore convenient for these travellers to shorten their travelling time as these PMDs can be brought on board public transports as well.
In our opinion, E-scooters are the most suitable PMD for working adults. The collapsible storage design of the e-scooter also makes it convenient to bring onto the train or bus for travelling the first and last mile of the journey. E-scooters can also be a convenient mode of transport during working hours, for example, when running errands or going out for lunch. E-scooters are allowed on footpaths and shared paths, but prohibited on roads. Note that it is important to keep the speed of PMDs below 15km/h on footpaths.
Office/Home Use
Hoverboards are deemed by us as most suitable for usage at home, as well as in offices. Hoverboards are currently being used by many celebrities for entertainment purposes, as you might have seen on social media platforms like Instagram. You may have also caught sight of this nifty device at the park, void deck or may already own one. If it’s in your online shopping cart or is collecting dust in the storeroom, how about taking it out for a spin? It is definitely an ideal transportation tool for moving around the office or an accompaniment to a fitness session.
Leisure/ Family Outings
Sometimes, we just want to ride scooters and skates for leisure purposes. The Frog Kick scooter is a slight variation to the conventional scooter and is definitely easy to learn. While it does require considerable leg strength in order to power this scooter for mobility, it is certainly a fun PMD for exercise and play. As it is easy to learn, users of all ages should not have any problems mastering it. An important point to note is to control the speed with the brakes, especially when going downslope.
PMDs are not without its risks. There have been cases of people falling off their PMDs and sustaining serious injuries which led to their death.
The 3 PMDs we have tried are all convenient in bringing us around. However, further use of it made us realise that these 3 serve very different functions and they should be only used at appropriate times in order to ensure the safety of the user.
Hence, it is important to choose the PMD you want to use wisely! Once you master how to operate your PMD, it should be hassle-free and can effectively serve to bring convenience into your lives!
Furthermore, commuters with foldable bicycles and personal mobility devices of up to 120cm x 70cm x 40cm are allowed to board trains and buses at all hours, as part of LTA’s Walk Cycle Ride strategy to encourage more people to adopt active mobility for the first and last mile of their public transport commutes.
PMDs are definitely convenient in our mobility and getting around but we must not forget how to properly control it and take necessary precautions whenever riding, perhaps putting on protective gear when you are first starting out, for it may pose as a safety hazard to you as well as non-users.
If you find walking mainstream, consider switching your mobility means to a PMD to inject a bundle of excitement to your mundane lives. The world of PMDs offer a plethora of devices that will definitely suit your needs!
BONUS: More PMDs!
1. Foldable Bicycles
Foldable bicycles are also useful for working adults for commuting to the train or bus station.
2. CargoBikes
Ever wanted to run an errand outside, but unfortunately unable to leave your pet or little toddler unattended at home? Fret not, because you can easily bring your pet or child along in your cargobike out for a spin!
CargoBikes are already being utilised by street cleaners and it can also be adapted to fit baby strollers, hence bringing convenience to parents who wish to bring their child out while exercising.
3. Honda UNI-CUB
Forget the automated wheelchair. By simply shifting your weight, the UNI-CUB provides freedom of movement going forward, backward, side-to-side and even diagonally! This allows anyone, even the elderly, to easily navigate around the house at safe speeds.
