In the report on the jail sentence given to a motorised bicycle rider who knocked down an elderly woman on a pavement last Tuesday, the comment made by the district judge that "a power-assisted bicycle poses a greater danger than cars as anyone is free to ride wherever he wants" is worth noting.

There are more and more of such motorised bicycles being used on the roads as well as in housing estates. In such accidents, especially those involving the elderly and children who are knocked down and left unattended, how can we track the riders? Vehicles on the road are licensed and easily identified by their number plates, but these motorised bikes are not.

It is time for these motorised bikes to be licensed and issued with number plates for easy identification and tracking. The authorities should also enhance checks and enforcement against riders of such bikes.