Origin and History
RABS began in 2019 after its creator, Glenn, was repeatedly caught in the rain while riding
to and from school. The first version was a small Telegram bot called SG Rain
Areas, built to deliver simple rain alerts.
As the bot became more reliable, riders around Singapore began using it and suggesting new
features. Those community requests gradually shaped the broader toolkit available today.
RABS has since grown beyond rain checks. Riders can now use it to prepare for border
crossings, organise group rides, follow COE updates and access other useful information
without leaving Telegram.
What can RABS do?
- Rain checks — view current rain coverage and recent movement.
- Meet ride manager — create a group ride, share its itinerary and collect RSVPs.
- Checkpoint traffic — view the latest Woodlands and Tuas camera conditions.
- Lottery results — retrieve the latest Singapore 4D and TOTO results.
- COE status — follow current bidding or check the latest results.
- Craft Deals — see current offers curated for the riding community.
- Support RABS — contribute towards maintaining and improving the bot.
How does it work?
Telegram bot commands begin with a forward slash (/). Open a private chat with
RidersAssistBot, or use a group where the bot has been added, then type or select the
command you need.
Note
For example: /raincheck, /meetride or
/checkjb.
/raincheck
/raincheck returns the latest rain coverage over Singapore. Radar information
is sourced from the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).
/rainpattern
/rainpattern returns an animation of rain coverage over the past hour. Use the
movement between frames to judge how conditions may affect your route.
/raincheck240
/raincheck240 works like /raincheck, but shows a wider area for
riders travelling between Singapore and Malaysia.
/rainpattern240
/rainpattern240 shows animated rain movement across the wider regional view,
making it useful when preparing for a cross-border ride.
/raincheckmy
/raincheckmy shows a broad view of current rain coverage across Peninsular
Malaysia.
Creating meet rides
Use the following format, separating each value with a comma:
/meetride VENUE, DATE, TIME, ITINERARY
Values and Types:
| Value Name |
Value Type |
Value Description |
| VENUE |
STRING/TEXT |
Use a specific, Google-searchable place name. Avoid generic entries such as
“KFC”; use “KFC Kallang Stadium” instead. |
| DATE |
STRING/TEXT |
Use the date format your group understands best.
For example: 3rd February 2023 3/2/2023
3rd Feb...
|
| TIME |
STRING/TEXT |
Enter the assembly time clearly, including AM/PM when needed. |
| ITINERARY |
STRING/TEXT |
Briefly describe the ride and its stops. Do not use additional commas because
they separate the command values. Use > between itinerary
items to create a simple sequence. |
Example
Example: a meet ride at Old Airport Road on 3 February at 3 PM:
/meetride Old Airport Road, 3rd Feb, 3pm, > Dinner > Rounding > Chill and Catchup
Note
A comma separates each value. Avoid adding extra commas within the
venue, date, time or itinerary.
Editing meet rides
Edit the current meet ride with /editevent, using the same comma-separated
format described in Creating meet rides.
Join & Leave meet rides
Every meet ride includes JOIN and LEAVE buttons. Riders can
use them to update their attendance without sending another command.
Note
Spamming the Leave button when a user is not in the list will
reflect a warning to the user. This is to prevent the user from unknowingly spamming
the bot as it can affect the quality of the bot's service.
/checkjb
/checkjb returns the latest available Woodlands Checkpoint camera views from
Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA).
/checktuas
/checktuas returns the latest available Tuas Checkpoint camera views from
Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA).
/4dnow
/4dnow returns the latest finalised 4D results available from Singapore Pools.
Live numbers are not shown while a draw is still in progress.
/totonow
/totonow returns the latest finalised TOTO results and available prize
information from Singapore Pools.
/coenow
/coenow returns the current bidding status when an exercise is active.
Otherwise, it shows the latest available COE result and comparison.
/craftdeals
/craftdeals returns the latest available community deal. If no offer is active,
the bot will let you know.
/supportriders
/supportriders opens the contribution page. If you use the command in a group,
be aware that the bot may announce completed contributions there.
Meetrides
Can you create multiple meet rides
in a group chat?
No. A group can have one active meet ride at a time, though you may create separate meet
rides in other group chats.
Are meet ride details private?
Meet ride details are associated with the group where they were created and are removed when
the event is cancelled. Avoid placing sensitive personal information in an itinerary.
When are meet ride reminders sent?
Meet ride reminders are scheduled at:
- 7am
- 1pm
- 5pm
- 8pm
- 10pm
- 12am
These reminders keep the active ride visible and give group members another chance to join.
Can we disable the reminders?
Not at this time.
Will the bot need administrator
access?
RABS only needs the permission required to pin messages for meet ride management. It does
not need every administrator permission.
Is there a limit to how many riders
can join a meetride?
There is currently no bot-imposed limit. Organisers remain responsible for following local
rules and using safe convoy practices.
Information Sources
Where do you source for all your
information?
RABS uses different authoritative sources for each type of information:
General Questions
How can I reach out for any
partnerships?
You can contact me via LinkedIn or via Telegram .
