Two elderly sisters were walking on the pavement when an electric bicycle charged towards them.
Before Madam Nancy Tay, 71, could dodge it, the bicycle - ridden by a boy - scraped her right shin, causing her to stumble.
Her younger sister, Madam Lucy Tay, 64, was not so lucky.
The bicycle continued at full speed and hit her in the right shin, causing a hairline fracture.
The incident happened at about 10.30pm on Wednesday after the sisters attended the wake of a relative at Block 174, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4.
Madam Lucy Tay, a retiree, said: "I saw the bicycle hit my elder sister and before I could even blink, the bicycle hit me.
"My leg swelled up into a bun immediately."
The cyclist was about 10 years old, she said.
Under Land Transport Authority rules, cyclists of electric bicycles must be at least 16 years old.
Their brother, Mr Ronald Tay, 59, also noticed the bicycle had been illegally modified.
There was a throttle installed and the pedals had been removed, said Mr Tay, who is a dealer of kick scooters and electric scooters.
He said: "This means that it was working just like an illegal motorcycle."
Madam Lucy Tay said the boy, who was with two adults, rushed back to his home upstairs after the accident.
The grandmother of two said: "I was in a lot of pain and my heart was pounding so quickly. I kept shouting at the two adults who were with the boy, asking them how they could allow a child to ride the bicycle on his own."
The sisters were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
INJURIES
Madam Nancy Tay suffered some cuts and bruises while Madam Lucy Tay had to get a cast for a hairline crack.
"The doctor said I will be in a cast for six weeks and I bought a crutch. I couldn't sleep the whole night and have been feeling nauseous since the incident," said Madam Lucy Tay.
"I'm concerned about the inconvenience to my health and that my leg will never be the same again.
"I don't blame the child, but I think his parents should bear responsibility for my medical fees."
Mr Tay thinks that there should be mandatory insurance for such vehicles.
"These vehicles could kill and maim. If their owners have insurance, they will think twice before acting rashly and illegally modifying their vehicles," he said.
A police spokesman said it was established that a case of rash act causing grievous hurt had occurred.
Police investigations are ongoing.
SISTER SAYS E-BIKE DID NOT HIT MADAM LUCY
Farhan (photo), the boy involved in the incident, said it was his first time using an electric bicycle, or e-bike.
His sister, who wanted to be known only as Madam Siti, 25, and her husband were at the carpark talking to a friend, who owned the e-bike, that he had parked there.
She said her brother, 11, did not even manage to sit on the electric bicycle when it started moving.
"He had itchy hands and touched the throttle of the bicycle, causing it to start moving," she said.
The carpark is just outside the void deck where the wake took place, and Madam Siti said she saw the whole incident.
She said the Tay family was walking towards the carpark on the pavement when her brother crashed into one of them.
"My brother fell when he hit the first woman (Madam Nancy Tay) and tried to get up. He flew and fell with the bicycle when it moved forward again."
Madam Siti gave a different account of what happened to Madam Lucy Tay. She said the e-bike did not hit her.
"The woman was already limping and needed someone to support her when she walked," she claimed.
Madam Siti said the Tay family did not allow them to explain what had happened and jumped to conclusions.
She said her brother was shaken by the accident and suffered some bruises from his fall.
"He cried when the police asked him what had happened and he couldn't even answer them."
Farhan said: "I'll not go on the electric bicycle again."
LTA RULES FOR E-BIKES
Traffic Police requires all riders of electric bicycles, including pillion riders, to be at least 16 years old.
Cyclists must wear a suitable protective bicycle helmet when riding the bicycles.
These bicycles cannot be ridden on pavements (ED: "Pavements", meaning sidewalks?) and have a speed limit of 25kmh.
The maximum weight of the bicycle cannot be over 20kg and the maximum power output rating of the motor cannot exceed 250 watts.
The electric motor can cut in only when the rider starts to pedal. Using a throttle to activate the motor is forbidden.
The bicycles must have the LTA seal of approval.
Those caught riding a non-compliant electric bicycle will face a composition fine of $300 for their first offence.
Repeat offenders can be charged in court and have their bicycles seized.
