WILL SENIORS HERE TAKE TO THE TRIKE?

I kid you not - the view was spectacular! A bird's eye-view of the F1 race.

Was in Singapore over the weekend. Caught the F1 race again this year from the same hotel room as last year - from the 32nd floor of the Swissotel The Stamford. The view was simply breathtaking, and the roar of the cars simply deafening!

Hey, even F1 drivers have to start small. Me on the trike.

Last week I had an opportunity to try out a contraption called a trike. Of course, it's nothing like an F1 racer, but I was told the trike could boast speeds up to a maximum of 50mph. Not sure if I got that right, but Wow!

I found the trike extremely easy to maneuvre, even around tight corners. It is environmentally friendly as it uses pedal power. It is also great for exercising the lower body. And as you are in a recumbent position, you can relax and enjoy the view. No worries about backache from hunching over or, for the guys, no more "numb nuts"! Click here for a vicarious experience of triking.

Triking or recumbent biking has the potential to develop into a popular sport with the 50+. With its low centre of gravity, it's definitely much safer than riding a bicycle. There is no way you can fall and break a bone. But with a hefty price tag of USD2000+, not everyone can afford to pedal around the neighbourhood on a trike.

If you are interested in checking out the range of models for trikes, visit VelocityRacers in Hongkong. I'm going to put the recumbent trike next to the Kindle on my wish list!

SINGAPORE SNIPPETS

ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM

A group of 250 seniors were treated to a free shopping trip at the NTUC Fairprice supermarket in Jurong on Sunday. Volunteers from the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) and Moral Neighbourhood Link, a voluntary welfare organisation that focuses on elder care were on hand to help the seniors and share tips on how to check for expiry dates and nutritional content on food items.

On the same day, the CDAC concluded a month-long rice donation drive with about 87,000kg of grain collected. The rice will be distributed to 4,000 needy families and senior citizens.

With nearly half of the pedestrian fatalities coming from the over-60 age group, the Singapore government will be introducing longer time at selected pedestrian crossings, mostly in the homelands or areas with a large concentration of elderly people. These 'Green Man Plus' crossings allow for an extra 17 seconds at a 4-lane crossing, and 21 seconds for a six-lane crossing.

All a senior citizen has to do is to tap his ez-link concession card on the special card-reader to activate the Green Man Plus. This will give him more time to cross the road safely.

The Green Man Plus idea would be great for the pedestrian crossing in front of Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) along Jalan Ampang. You have only 22 seconds to cross this busy 8-lane road. And you had better pray that motorists give you right of way as some don't bother to stop.