When a Lorry Misunderstands a Bicycle: A Pasir Ris Tale of Wrong Turns
What Went Down
On a sunny December 22, a fateful moment played out at the intersection of Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Pasir Ris Rise. Teo Seng Tiong, a 58‑year‑old lorry driver, was trying to pass two cyclists when he “heard a crash.” He thought a taxi had hit his right side, so he veered left—right into Eric Cheung Hoyu’s bike.
Cheung, 35, lost his balance and tumbled onto the grass verge. The whole jam was filmed, and the clip quickly amassed over 3 million views, catapulting the incident into internet fame.
Why No One Got Hit
Despite the drama, CCTV shows that Teo’s lorry never made physical contact with the bicycle. “There was no collision between the lorry and the bike,” affirmed Teo’s lawyer, Chia Boon Teck, on the opening day of the trial (Sept 23).
The Legal Shake‑Up
- Cheung’s Plea: He admitted to two misdemeanors—committing mischief and causing obstruction by riding in the middle lane instead of the far left. He was fined $2,800 on April 12.
- Teo’s Defense: He contests two charges: acting rashly that caused harm to Cheung and failing to file a police report within 24 hours.
- Potential Sentences: If found guilty of the first charge, Teo faces up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine. The second charge could land him a maximum of three months behind bars or a $1,000 fine.
Witnesses Oil the Story
Taxi driver Ong Joo Kin recalls honking at Teo’s lorry as it attempted to intrude his lane. Meanwhile, fellow cyclist Nigel Harper described Teo’s reaction as “upset and sometimes angry” when Cheung’s left‑side mirror shattered. Harper added, “Teo didn’t seem to care about Cheung’s safety; he was simply at it with his mirror.”
And That’s How the Clutch Cos‑hat
Teo’s moving grip had a loose hold—he parked his lorry right after Cheung’s fall, and “drifted away” before an ambulance arrived 20 minutes later. The bizarre sequence of events culminated in a courtroom showdown, with each side suspecting that the clumsy driver’s “crash” was a misinterpretation.
Disclaimer
This retelling is based on an article originally published by The Straits Times. Full copyright and reproduction rights belong to its publishers.
