Ban? What ban? That would be the day…just for the sake of some wishful thinking: Lawmakers seek motorbike ban on highways (Thursday, January 3, 2008 )
Two lawmakers have filed a bill at the House of Representatives seeking to ban motorcycles on main thoroughfares and national highways.
Can you imagine how many oppositions they’re going to have? Just among my brother-in-law and his bike-riding friends who have their own organization: Samahan ng mga Amang Walang Pakinabang (Useless Father’s Club). Why?
- If you have children under the age of 18, you should be home helping them with homework.
- On weekends, you should be home with your family and not with your buddies polluting the highways…worse, making your wife believe that you’re working overtime.
- Considering that you can’t even afford a P5M insurance…well, if you have a job that is only enough for the upkeep of your motorcycle–I guess, nothing could be lost.
- I could rant and rave like a raging lunatic, but this is a facet in the selfish man’s life that would never change unless something drastic happen–loss of limb or life.
I just hope they’re not going to be their children’s role model. Though, sad to say, this is a very enticing lifestyle from the teen-agers perspective. However, even families ride together–not just husband and wife, sometimes with 2 children between them.
Citing a World Health Organization report, Santiago said in many Asian countries including the Philippines, road accidents are usually caused by motorcycles….“Nearly 1.2 million persons die of road traffic accidents every year, 40 percent of which are under 25 years old,” he said…..”young motorcyclists make up a significant percentage of injuries and fatalities among road users in many Asian countries”.
I don’t believe on statistics alone. Numbers may not be everything…but my eyes had seen enough. My niece’s driver landed in the hospital, luckily, just a few days and a few thousand pesos to fix the bike–more than any savings he made–if he ever did. How many more like him? We can only guess!
Among the accident reports cited by WHO, speeding, non-use of helmets, risk-taking behavior and drunk driving were contributing factors to the rising trend of traffic accidents, he added….Teodoro said an Asian Development Bank report on road safety in the Philippines showed that motorcyclists were the “second most at risk” of being killed or injured in a road accident.
Many times that we had been on the road there, we have seen quite a few minor accidents. There was even one couple that skidded behind us one rainy night. I could only gasp, and luckily the traffic was awfully slow… almost to a halt; otherwise, the bus following them would have run them over. Still, a few unlucky ones like my brother-in-law’s friend didn’t expect to meet their end. Motorcycles are fun, convenient, but dangerous and are getting to be a continuing hazard on the road as their number continues to grow.
Records from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority showed that motorcycles have the highest fatality accident rate with 122 motorcycles or 23.6 percent of the total fatal accidents. – Delon Porcalla
If you visit the website www.motorcyclephilippines.com , you will find more information from the serious to humorous. One picture I love was that of the dog backriding…and without helmet [or any harness], enjoying the ride in perfect balance. At least the human had one…I mean the helmet!
*Originally posted @ https://zylla3.wordpress.com
Personally Yours, Philippines 