Earlier today, we learned of a German man’s epic cycling adventure from Singapore to Alaska that hit a small bump in the road in Penang.
Luca Montoya, a determined cyclist, was stopped in his tracks by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) while attempting to pedal across the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge in Penang.
In his viral TikTok video, which has amassed over 560,000 views, documents Montoya’s journey from Batu Kawan to the halfway point of the 22-kilometer bridge.
@unknown.route A few days ago I had to cross the bridge from Batu Kawa to Penang Island. I had no idea if it’s allowed to cross that bridge by bicycle or not, so I just tried it out. It was pretty hot around 1pm so I put an extra layer of sunscreen and got excited to arrive soon in Georgetown to meet up with some friends. The bridge has a length of 22km and is the longest bridge of Southeast Asia. I made it half the way and stopped to get some video footage, of me cycling this massive bridge. As soon as I wanted to continue, I got stopped by the police. They told me that it isn’t allowed to cross the bridge by bike and they never saw anyone else before trying it. They were very friendly to me and apologized to stop my little adventure 🥹 The only solution was to get transported by a car to the other side of the bridge. I waited for like an hour until a truck of the police arrived to pick me up. – Moments like that ❤️ In Germany they would’ve probably take my driving license away and let me pay a fine of 500€ and here in Malaysia, they just cared about my security and health. They also took some photos of me and my bike and wished me all the best for my travel. #cycling #bikepacking #biking #biketok #fyp ♬ In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
As he paused to capture footage of his impressive feat, the police intervened, informing him that cycling across the bridge was not allowed.
Transported by Malaysian Police
Despite the setback, Montoya praised the police for their friendly demeanor and concern for his safety.
After waiting for about an hour, a police truck arrived to transport him and his bike across the bridge.
Montoya contrasted the experience with what he imagined would happen back in Germany: a hefty EUR500 (RM2403) fine and a possible revocation of his driving license.
For those unaware, cycling on the Penang Bridge or any Malaysian highway is prohibited without permission from PDRM or the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).
Violators could face fines between RM1,000 to RM5,000 or imprisonment up to 12 months under Section 54(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
