Unsafe, ugly and discriminating

The Luzon Motorcyclists Federation Incorporated (LMFI), which is a member of the National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs in the Philippines (NFMCP) with most of its member clubs 'big bike' clubs, joins the whole motorcycle riding community to express their dismay against the newly enacted Republic Act 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, dubbed by motorcyclists as 'Doble Plaka Law'.

In a press release they sent last night, the group cited points on why they are one with the millions of fellow motorcycle riders against the new law, namely:

Safety issues

As the front-mounted plate may become detached due to several factors including vibration, wind, or just simply the failure of the material to hold the plate. It poses a risk to both the motorcycle rider and pillion, as well as risk to pedestrians and other road users.

No consultations from stakeholders

According to LMFI, there were no proper consultations, safety test runs and demonstrations [made] by experts or experienced riders to conclude that the installation of a front license plate is applicable to all types of motorcycles.

No provisions

All motorcycles old and new just don't have the provisions for a front-mounted plate. Adding a bracket outside of factory specifications may, again, pose a big risk for the rider and everyone's safety.

Law enforcement

The task of solving the problem of motorcycle-riding-criminals is not the job of the innocent motorcycle riding citizens. Given, that the motorcycles are the favorite tool of some criminals, it is unlawful to put the blame and burden to all the innocent motorcycle riding public. Police visibility is the key to prevent these criminals from doing their deed.

The Motorcycle Rights Organization or MRO also released in a statement that besides the points above, the law may be prone to many abuses particularly on the subjective and heavy penalties that the law imposes on motorcycle riders.“If you lose a plate, you risk having an enforcer penalizing you for a plate that already fell off [that] you did not even noticed. That's 50,000 pesos and /or jail time. Yes, jail time for losing a plate that came off because of a [LTO supplied] bolt that did not do the job right.”Big bike groups express dismay over

Another point on the new law that MRO cited was Section 14. “If that isn't unfair enough, all motorcycles that cannot accommodate a front plate CANNOT BE REGISTERED”. The group also talked about uniformity: “The law states that all plates must always be legible and easy to read. So if you position it too low, that can be an enforcement issue. If you slant it too much, another enforcement issue. Hundreds of designs mean hundreds of possible different positions depending on who made your plate bracket.” The group further argued that “there’s the issue of MODIFICATION. Any modification must not be detrimental to the safety of a vehicle. That's a violation right there. Front plates, NOT SAFE. Therefore, front plates are an illegal modification for motorcycles.”