Don't block the road when it's raining

Riders waiting out the rain cause of traffic

As motorcycle riders, especially those who spend a lot of time on the road, it is already a given that we'll run into rain at some point. Bringing a foldable raincoat is a really good idea. In fact, we've shared some tips in the past on how to deal with weather when riding.

However, there are still an awful lot of pasaway motorcycle riders that think they own the road. When it rains, many still park underneath the flyovers or footbridges to stay dry during a sudden downpour. However, when a lot of riders do this, they take up more and more space, eating up more and more lanes. This causes traffic congestion and delays the travel of other road users.

Bear in mind that riders caught doing this can be slapped with a number of offenses from illegal parking to obstucting the flow of traffic, both of which have hefty fines and could result in your bike being impounded.

The same thing happened during today's brief downpour in Metro Manila. In his recent post, EDSA boss, Edison “Bong” Nebrija, reminds all motorcycle riders to be considerate and be responsible. He urges riders NOT to use structures like flyovers as temporary shelters during a sudden downpour. Obviously, parking underneath these flyovers or footbridges blocks the free flow of traffic, which then results in congestion.

“Sa mga riders (to motorcycle riders) who are doing this please be responsible and do not obstruct the road for your own convenience. Take secondary roads or gasoline stations to put on your raincoats or if you really wanna weather it out, please do not do it sa Edsa mismo, nakakahiya naman po sa ibang road users na maabala (Do not do it along EDSA, let’s be considerate of other road users who are inconvenienced by this),” said Nebrija.

What to do

When you're caught in a sudden downpour, DON'T STOP UNDER AN OVERPASS. Instead, bear with the rain until you can find a SAFE PLACE to stop AWAY FROM THE ROAD. There are a number of emergency bays along main roads to do this. If not, gas stations or convenience stores are safe spaces to stop too. 

If you have rain gear, put it on there. Don't worry about the bike as it can take a little rain. And if you don't want to get wet, or find riding in the rain painful, perhaps you should reconsider riding in the first place. 

The EDSA boss has already deployed MMDA traffic personnel to clear the area of these motorcycle riders. But let's not let it get to this point. When it rains, keep riding and stop in a safe place away from the road, not on it.