2-11-2023 (SINGAPORE) A peculiar cultural norm in Singapore took an American tourist by surprise when he stumbled upon an unattended bicycle in a public space. On Monday (October 30), Nick Whitaker shared a photo of a costly bicycle parked against a pillar at Lau Pa Sat on X.
“The ultimate Singapore culture shock: a $15,000 bike left unattended,” wrote the amazed American tourist.
The bicycle featured in Whitaker’s post is a Pinarello Dogma F12, a professional racing bike. A quick search by AsiaOne revealed a similar model for sale at $16,500.
Whitaker’s post quickly gained traction, amassing over 1.1 million views and receiving approximately 300 comments from netizens, many of whom were equally astonished that the bicycle had not been stolen. “High trust society,” commented one user.
“I’ve witnessed people reserving food court seats with their iPhones, so an unattended bike is perfectly normal,” remarked another individual.
Charlie Hub, a travel writer, also shared a similar anecdote recounting an incident where he witnessed a woman leaving her expensive bag unattended on an outdoor table at the Raffles City outlet of McDonald’s.
“My New York City mentality suddenly felt out of place. I no longer needed to maintain my urban vigilance against potential dangers. It was a deeply cathartic experience,” expressed Hub.
Whitaker’s post also caught the attention of former NFL player Jake Bequette, who stated, “We could live like this in America, but our leaders decide every day they’d rather have crime,” as reported by the New York Post.
Singapore’s strong reputation for safety is supported by the 2023 Global Peace Index, an annual ranking of the world’s safest destinations, where Singapore secured the sixth spot out of 163 countries. In contrast, the United States was ranked 131st.
‘Don’t take chances’
Despite the awe expressed by foreigners regarding Singapore’s level of security, those residing in Singapore had a different perspective online.
The New York Post article was shared on a local Facebook group called SG PCN Cyclist, prompting members to recount their own experiences of having their bicycles stolen.
“Please don’t take chances. Even with a proper lock, my mountain bike worth less than $600 was stolen at an MRT bicycle parking area,” cautioned one member.
“My Trek carbon racing bike was stolen within 90 seconds when I got distracted by a conversation and momentarily took my eyes off it,” shared another.
To prevent bicycle theft, the police advise the public to keep their bicycles at home when not in use. For cyclists who need to park their bikes in public spaces, it is recommended to select areas with high human traffic and CCTV surveillance.
Cyclists are also encouraged to secure their bicycles to permanent structures and ensure that all removable components are locked or secured.
The ultimate Singapore culture shock: a $15k bike left unattended pic.twitter.com/RhGiwXPjT7
— Nick Whitaker (@ns_whit) October 30, 2023
