Road Safety

Nakakainis na mga motor yan! (Isama nyo na mga tricycle!)These are my frequent words whenever i'm driving around the city. Our road condition here in our country is nevertheless one of hell of a ride especially if you're in major cities. Not only it causes you a lot of gas but it also causes you a lot of headaches. It's hilarious whenever I see 2 wheeled vehicles (motorcycles) are lying on the road because of a collision slash accident. Why? Coz it's so ironic... they occupy a few percentage of the road and yet they still collide with one another. Here's the catch though, most of the motorcycle accidents that I have been seeing are collisions of two motorcycles. Too bad motorcycle and bicycle users does not have any road or lane made specifically for them.

A while ago my dad shared an incident near our main road outside the village, there was an accident at around 10 pm he said.. and guess what? Two motorcycles crashed to one another. I don't know the full details but it's quite rainy and windy outside and they still managed to get ahead with one another. Poor them. My dad reminded me as well to be careful in crossing intersections. Yes papsi i will, as always.

Here are a few things that annoys me a lot with motorcycle drivers! No offense meant for my friends who owns a motorcyle alright?

(As seen in the pictures, walang personalan po.. hehehe it's your back naman that is seen :P hehe. It was taken when i was off to work and i got bored during the traffic with the same expression "nakakainis na mga motor yan". It was raining and as you can see it was quite a rush hour tsk tsk That shot was taken near Panganiban Bridge going to downtown area of Naga City)

1. When you'll find it so hard to find a parking space when you see motorcycles parked like a thrown pencil on a table as if it owns the whole space even though that space is meant for a 4 wheeled vehicle! I know they also need to park their ride but then they should at least know the meaning of "co-existence"! Ummm can you please park it properly on the side so that at least the space will still be used by other drivers?! But I guess it never popped in their heads right or shall I say it had never popped in MOST motorcycle drivers.

2. When motorcycle drivers "overtake"/get ahead on the right side!! We all know that the proper side to overtake is on left side. Then when they suddenly bump on something or slide on the road that they kiss the road, you're still the bad guy/girl to take care of hospital expenses. AND THAT IS CRAP!

3. When motorcycles doesn't have side mirrors! It has been a fad nearly for a few years already that people have been customizing and doing some modifications of motorcycles as well. While they should be thinking of road safety they still think of how cool their motorcyels would look like (but for me it's so "baduy") and sound like (that it sounds like a moving can, parang lata ang tunog eh). I'm talking about the sound system that they would usually show off that they like everyone to hear while they would pass by (sana nlng maganda ung klase ng tunog ano? kaso hindi eh!)

4. When motorcycle drivers wants to push themselves in traffic situations. In our lingo I can say that "mahilig sila magsuksok ng magsuksok bsta makakita ng space". They like it so much to go in between cars! It makes wanna crush them in between! hahaha but of course I can't.

5. When the drivers doesn't have any helmets on them. When there are accidents, the more that it would cost the other party especially if it's a head injury. Ang tigas kc ng mga ulo. Sa Manila bawal ang walang helmet, dto sa Naga? Sus! Ang iba nga may helmet din pero hard hat lng ang ginagamit or worst wala talaga tapos kasma pa buong pamilya! They would use the hard hat thing the one that is used in construction sites. Isn't that weird? They get so lazy in wearing helmets but if they get a head injury they would readily blame others so fast. TMG, PSO, and the PNP, heyyy guyssss do your jobs!!!

6. They are prone to accidents. Yes they are! with a capital Y-E-S so p.r.o.n.e to accidents. They are small yet they are prone to accidents. You know what I mean.

Now what do I do when them whenever I encounter drivers like them?

1. I blow my horns on them. Busina lng katapat nyan! Unahan mo na ng busina. Ung malakas ha. Before then I was still good to them on the road, I don't blow horns on them that often. But now? It's not anymore in my vocabulary. But then I can say mabait parin ako to them kc bumubusina lng ako if i need to. Because if I will compare myself to a friend of mine and my dad? It means war to them when they come across motorcycle drivers. hahaha

2. If they keep on insisting for a space in between cars, whenever I see them coming form the side and rear mirror I now move to the right or left for them not to overtake. =D Ang kulit nyo kc eh!

I know how you feel, it's as if the whole 4 wheeled-ride-community is against you. I know that you should be given a lane for you alone para kayo lng magkakabanggaan (hehehe) and there should be enough parking space alloted for you as well. Blame the government! hihi

See.. from the six things that I hate about them i only got two things for them. I still respect them of course! Knowing that they are prone to accidents, I would lay also lay off my steering wheel on you. But pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee know how to "co-exist" on the road. I just hope everyone knows it on the road para everybody happy and safe.

I'm not talking to the bare bone motorcycle huh.. I'm talking to you who are 2 wheeled drivers out there. Peace out!

(Originally posted December 7, 2008)

2 comments:

Nic said...

I have heard a doctor refer to motorcyclists as "donors".
Generally I agree with most of what you say. However it seems to me that road users in general have a lazy attitude to the rules of the road. Yes the police should do more to crackdown; you see transgressions wherever you look.
Crash helmets are seldom worn where I live. I even see uniformed police riding without them. Tricycle speedometers rarely work. I took an FX last week that rattled through a built up area with schools in a 40kph zone at 75kph.
Don't get me started on worn tyres and exhaust emissions and pedestrian crossings - why do they waste the paint!

December 7, 2008 10:24 PM

jjooaann said...

Thanks for the comment!

True indeed, they are helpful creations so to speak. Motorcyclists dies and have their organs donated. But then here in the Philippines not everybody can afford to have a transplant in case of serious illnesses or accidents too. Maybe for other countries yes it's good news somehow.

Although there is another kind of "donor" here in the Philippines. It's a business for some people living in the slums. They sell one of their kidneys and after a few years they also experience and die the pain of complications. They do it just for the sake of easing the hunger of their families.

December 8, 2008 2:41 AM