Motorcyclist clears path for ambulance: 'I thought I could make a difference'

SINGAPORE - A motorcyclist who went out of his way to help clear a path for an ambulance on the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) has received widespread praise on social media.

A video clip of his kind gesture, which was uploaded by Facebook user Maria N Clyde Alexander on Saturday (March 19) afternoon, had more than 13,000 shares.

She wrote: "I was in the ambulance taking my mom to the hospital. I have to really commend this Malay guy who help me clear the road... he did it on his own all the way..."

The video showed Mr Mohamad Rafiq Azhar riding ahead on the right-most lane of the expressway and attempting to signal to vehicles to give way, allowing the ambulance an unobstructed path to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The 20-year-old, a logistics and supply management student at Republic Polytechnic, told The Straits Times he had first noticed the ambulance at a traffic junction along Upper Changi Road East at around 4pm.

He was on the way back to his Bedok North home after attending a wedding in Pasir Ris.

"I heard the siren and saw a lady seated in the passenger seat of the ambulance. She look quite worried and I assumed her relative was being taken to hospital," Mr Rafiq, who has been riding for about eight months, told The Straits Times.

"Right there I knew they needed to get to hospital as soon as possible and decided to take the initiative to help."

Mr Rafiq said he cleared a path for the ambulance along the PIE all the way to the Balestier Road exit - a distance of about 15km.

He then made a detour and headed back home.

"I did not mind travelling the extra distance as it felt really good. This is not the first time I'm doing something like this; I did the same for another ambulance a few months ago, although it was only for a short distance on a main road," he added.

"I've seen some of the road users not giving way to the ambulance or emergency vehicles in general. It is saddening to see that happening and I thought that maybe I could make a difference."

Mr Rafiq , who did not know that he was filmed, said he was shocked at how the video clip hadgone viral.

"My family and friends all praised me for doing the right thing. Some thought it was dangerous, but I feel that an act of kindness has no limits. I will definitely do the same again."

This article was first published on March 20, 2016.
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