Girl, 12, sent to hospital after being knocked down by cyclist in Punggol

A 12-year-old girl was sent to hospital after allegedly being involved in an accident with a cyclist at Punggol Waterway Park.

According to a Facebook post by user Matthew L. Tan to the SG PCN Cyclist group on Saturday (Aug 16), the accident involved his friend's daughter and occurred on Friday in front of Waterway Point mall.

He wrote that the girl was "knocked down by a cyclist" and was unconscious in the hospital's intensive care unit.

A photo posted of the incident showed a girl lying on the ground, surrounded by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers and several bystanders.

A pink bicycle was also pictured on the ground near the girl. 

Girl conscious when taken to hospital

According to Lianhe Zaobao, the bicycle which hit the girl was a fixed-gear bike or "fixie", which are not typically affixed with brakes.

A police spokesperson told AsiaOne that the police had received a call for assistance at about 5.20pm on Aug 15. A 12-year-old girl was taken to hospital while conscious. 

A 51-year-old man is assisting the police with investigations for rash act causing hurt and investigations are ongoing.

In response to queries from AsiaOne, a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesperson said that they were alerted to an accident at 83 Punggol Central, and one person was sent to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital for treatment.

In his post, Tan stated that he decided to share the incident to warn other cyclists to "slow down when approaching crowds and people", especially at "bus-stops and walkways filled with old folks and children".

"No matter who's at fault, we as cyclists should really slow down since we are the one creating the impact. I have seen too many cyclists, sound bell and expect people to give way, while riding fast," he wrote.

One commenter who described himself as an avid cyclist appeared to agree, responding: "There is never a valid reason for a cyclist to hit a pedestrian unless it is truly an unforeseeable accident... Instead of pointing fingers, we need to all examine our own attitudes and how we can create a more considerate mindset on the road."

Wrote another user: "We should be slowing down, especially around Waterway Point. As frustrating as it may be especially during weekends around that area, like someone else mentioned, slowing down by 10 minutes or so wouldn't hurt anyone."

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candicecai@asiaone.com