I have been an avid mountain biker for years, but up until 2021, I never experienced how painful a biking emergency could be.
But it wasn’t just the pain that I remember most. A year after the accident, I still recall the bitter frustration of being ripped off at a time when I needed help the most.
Both of us were well aware that we were in the middle of nowhere. Since the only way out was down the hill, my friend carried both our bikes while I called the ambulance and walked alongside him.Despite the size of an ambulance, I knew that I could not bring my bicycle on board with me. The person from the transportation company quoted me S$35 to ferry my bicycle from Dairy Farm to my friend’s place in Yew Tee that was 7km away.
But less than five minutes later, I got another text from the company stating that they will further increase the rate by S$15, as my request was “super urgent”. I signed a form to indemnify the paramedics from any liability. Then, with my functioning right hand, I cycled to my friend’s home while he supported me with his hands on my back.
Even as a full-time Republic Polytechnic student studying for a business diploma, I believed that I can do better than anything out there.I created a Telegram group of cycling enthusiasts about my idea and my experiences, enlisting from among them a pool of drivers, including my friends. The sheer number of orders to fulfil meant many sleepless nights, and for months, I had been manually connecting drivers to cyclists and vice versa.
Through the programme, I learned how to overcome the complexities of bringing my start-up to the next level.