Following Monday's fatal road mishap that involved a city bus and a motorcycle rider who was on the MC lane along Commonwealth Avenue, the local government of Quezon City is now reevaluating their Motorcycle Lane ordinance and its provisions to make it safer for motorcycle riders.
The motorcycle group, Riders of the Philippines (ROTP), has sent their position paper upon the invitation of Councilor Toto Medalla of Quezon City, who is also the city's chairperson for its Committee on Transportation.
“Based on past statements, we understand that this [MC lane] was made out of an ordinance promulgated by Quezon City and Pasay,” says ROTP in their position paper.
While the MC lane was initially put through with the intent of making the roads safer for motorcycle riders and to instill discipline, many everyday motorcycle riders see it as dangerous. Restricting them to a lane puts them at high risk of being involved in a mishap not only because it is non-exclusive to motorcycle riders, but it also takes away one of the most important characteristics of a motorcycle, which is its maneuverability.
ROTP has also added that, among others, the root cause of the lack of discipline not only for some motorcycle riders but also for many drivers is the lenient license issuance, lack of knowledge on traffic laws and the lack of enforcement. Many traffic violators meet little to no repercussions for their misdeeds and, hence, continue to break the rules.
We've also shared our thoughts on the MC lane in this article (5 reasons why motorcycle lanes are dangerous for riders) based on our own daily experiences on the road. Like you, we too are also everyday motorcycle riders who ply these roads and motorcycle lanes.
We just hope that whatever the QC council comes up with, it will be genuinely for the safety of all motorcycle riders.
