RTM sportscaster Faisal Jamal recently sold off his under-utilised mountain bike, after deciding his preferred mode of cycling would be a combination between exercise and commuting.
A recent hike in attention on folding bikes and Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, the holding company for the LRT, KL Monorail and Rapid KL public transport systems, announcing that folding bikes were welcomed on board their trains, helped Faisal make his decision on his next purchase.
Duly, he soon took ownership of a folding bike.
Faisal yesterday (Jan 31, 2012) was put to shame by the ERL Bandar Tasik Selatan Station. This was the ordeal he went through.
This is Faisal's bike when folded.
This was how it needed to look if he wanted to board the train with his bike.
According to Faisal, he was told by the station manager that he needed to put his bike, which is the size of any regular suitcase, in a bag is he wanted to bring it on the train.
Now we've heard of this silly regulation before, but the LRT system seems to have done away with it. Maybe a logical decision if you look at what Faisal had to do next.
He was told to go look for garbage bags and wrap his prescious bike with them if he was to be allowed to bring it on the train. Stuck in an uncompromising situation and needing to get to Putrajaya for an assignment, Faisal obeyed this silly instruction and was allowed to bring that bag of garbage on board the ERL train.
SO, is the ERL Bandar Tasik Selatan station telling us that we can bring bags of garbage on board their trains but not folding bikes, which play a massive role in commuters doing their part to save the environment? What harm can a folded bike be on the train? It is about as dangerous as a suitcase!
Do furnish us with the logic behind this because I personally find it obscenely silly, probably a regulation made up just to make it seem like some people are doing their jobs.
In the meantime, we've also heard of enthusiasts enjoying weekend folding bike adventures thanks to KTM Komuter, who allow their bikes on board, resulting in more and more weekend folding bike riding groups heading to Ipoh, Seremban and other KTM Komuter stops around the country for their leisurely strolls. That's going green for you.
