Analyzing and Addressing Illegal Bike Parking in Singapore: An Essay

This essay examines the issue of illegal bike parking in Singapore, particularly concerning bike-sharing systems. It analyzes the challenges posed by indiscriminate parking and proposes solutions based on the principles of reinforcement and punishment. The essay suggests implementing a single app platform for reporting illegal parking, utilizing geo-fencing technology to inform riders, and employing a credit-based system to incentivize responsible behavior. It also explores the use of penalties, fines, and temporary bans for repeat offenders. Furthermore, the essay highlights the importance of theft-proof components on bikes, outdoor advertising, and feedback mechanisms through municipal service apps. The core argument is that a combination of technological solutions, clear policies, and consistent enforcement is necessary to tackle the problem of illegal bike parking and ensure the sustainability of bike-sharing services in Singapore. The essay emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach that considers both user behavior and operational strategies.

Running head: TACKLING ILLEGAL BIKE PARKING IN SINGAPORE
Tackling Illegal Bike Parking in Singapore
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1TACKLING ILLEGAL BIKE PARKING IN SINGAPORE
Bicycle sharing system refers to the service within which the bicycles are provided for
the purpose of shard use to the individuals based on the short term. The bike share systems
allow the people to borrow the bike from the “dock” and the bike is returned to another dock
that belongs to same system (Straitstimes.com., 2018) The bike-sharing firms have set up
shop in Singapore and the bright coloured two-wheelers are rolled out on the local pavement.
This essay analyses how the bike sharing companies can tackle the problem pertaining to
illegal bike parking by making use of principles of the reinforcement along with punishment.
Complaints were received that the two wheelers were blocking the pathways in
Singapore. Bike-sharing have acted like a boon for the users that has made the lives of the
commuter easy but the indiscriminate parking has thrown open challenges for the bike-
sharing companies. There were disputes in relation to the condition of the bikes and hence
reinforcements along with punishments can be made use of for handling the issue of illegal
bike parking. Single app platform can be developed that can help in addressing the problem
of illegal bike parking. It can help in the aspect of reporting of illegally parked bikes (He et
al., 2018). The operators would have to abide by certain common operating conditions and
proper education can be provided to the riders that can help them in the aspect of parking
within the designated zone. Measures can be implemented like that of geo-fencing
technology that can help in informing the riders regarding the aspect of responsible parking
(Schmid, Wang & Conway, 2018).
Punishment can be implemented on the detractors that can help in the aspect of
stopping the indiscriminate parking of the bikes. The users who would be caught doing illegal
parking three times within a year can be temporarily banned from taking the rent from all the
operators (Larsen, 2017). The bike-sharing operators can take recourse to penalties along
with fines that can help in the aspect of punishing the errant bicycle users. Reinforcement like
incentives can also be made use of that can help in encouraging the good behaviour. Credit

2TACKLING ILLEGAL BIKE PARKING IN SINGAPORE
can be deducted from the accounts of the users in the case of errant behaviour like parking
outside that of the designated parking zone or the illegal moving of the bicycle. The users are
generally provided with 100 credits till the time of registration and they should not be
allowed to use the service in the event of depletion of the credits (Bao et al., 2017). Concrete
enforcement of the penalty system can help in the aspect of handling the case of illegal
parking of the bikes. The bike –sharing companies can equip the bikes with theft-proof
components that can help in the aspect of theft prevention. Outdoor-advertising can be taken
recourse to by the bike-sharing companies that can help in the aspect of tackling the parking
of illegal parking of bikes. Integrated cable lock can also be used by the bike-sharing
companies that can help in securing the bikes. The reporting of a faulty bicycle can help the
user in earning credits can be used as a re-inforcement that can help in dealing with illegal
parking of the bikes (Schmid, Wang & Conway, 2018). Feedback category can be introduced
within Municipal Services Office One Service Mobile app. Feedback can be sent directly to
the operators of bike sharing companies by taking recourse to the app. The residents who do
not possess the bicycle-sharing apps would be provided with a channel with the help of which
they would be able to report about the bicycles that are causing obstruction within the
neighbourhood. The feedback that is submitted with the help of an app can help in providing
the Municipal Services Office of Singapore with the necessary data that can lead to the
developing of accurate sense in relation to the concerns of the residents. The information will
prove to be helpful in planning the infrastructure that can help in addressing issue pertaining
to indiscriminate parking of the bikes.
Bike-sharing has been an advantage for many users which has helped in making easy
lives of commuter. The parking of the bikes indiscriminately has posed challenges for that of
the bike-sharing companies. The bike-sharing operators abiding by certain policies can help
to park the bikes within the designated areas. The defaulters should be provided with

3TACKLING ILLEGAL BIKE PARKING IN SINGAPORE
punishment which can stop the illegal parking of bikes. The ones who are illegally parking
their bikes should not be avail to make use of any of the bike-sharing companies that can act
as a measure for preventing such kind of negligent attitude on the part of the defaulters.
Incentives can be provided to the users who exhibit good behaviour which can help in
tackling the incidence of illegal parking of the bikes. Credit scoring system can be used by
the companies for punishing the faulty people. It can be used like a re-inforcement which can
be of great aid in dealing with the issue of illegal parking of the bikes.

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References:
Bao, J., He, T., Ruan, S., Li, Y., & Zheng, Y. (2017, August). Planning bike lanes based on
sharing-bikes' trajectories. In Proceedings of the 23rd ACM SIGKDD international
conference on knowledge discovery and data mining (pp. 1377-1386). ACM.
He, T., Bao, J., Li, R., Ruan, S., Li, Y., Tian, C., & Zheng, Y. (2018). Detecting Vehicle
Illegal Parking Events using Sharing Bikes’ Trajectories.
Larsen, J. (2017). Bicycle parking and locking: Ethnography of designs and
practices. Mobilities, 12(1), 53-75.
Schmid, J., Wang, X. C., & Conway, A. (2018). Commercial vehicle parking duration in New
York City and its implications for planning. Transportation Research Part A: Policy
and Practice, 116, 580-590.
Straitstimes.com. (2018). Bike-sharing in Singapore gathers speed after 1 year, but there may
be bumps ahead. Retrieved from
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/bike-sharing-in-singapore-one-year-
on