EDITORS DESK

Over the past couple of weeks, heavy rains have battered the country quite frequently. And when it pours suddenly, you can almost expect riders to build up and park in shaded underpasses, under overpasses, or just about every shaded area on the road that provides shelter from the rain. The government has recently called riders’ attention on this dangerous activity that blocks traffic and has even threatened to issue penalties to those caught doing so. The riders, in turn, have complained that four-wheel commuters don’t understand the plight of riders and cite  how dangerous it is to ride a motorcycle in the rain. A frequent tirade is that they are being unfairly targeted and discriminated against, and this complaint over waiting out the rain is yet another in a long list of litanies. However, I feel that this complaint may be rather misguided. In fact, riders have it too good, and are getting away with quite a lot of bad habits on our roads. It’s only appropriate that some liberties are now being curtailed. Many motorcycle riders have been complaining that they have been unfairly targeted by new road laws, exclusive lanes, and frequent checkpoints. For the past couple of years, the main narrative has been that they have been treated as potential criminals, being herded into motorcycle lanes, motorcycle specific parking, and subject to frequent checkpoints. Being a motorcycle rider myself, I’ve been frequently opting to commute on two wheels rather than four simply because of the large time savings, fuel savings, and ease of parking. During the past few years, I’ve experienced many of the things riders frequently complain about. However, being a driver of cars myself, it’s also evident how some of riders’ bad habits can inconvenience those in cars. For one, I’ve experienced driving on motorcycle specific lanes. These were quite prolific before the pandemic before they were suspended and are now being brought back again. As a rider, I can understand why. When you’re a small, fast, and agile vehicle, the temptation to frequently switch lanes and weave around cars is too high. In all honesty, this liberty is one of the reasons I shifted to motorcycles in the first place. It’s much easier to change lanes or even swerve as a motorcycle doesn’t take as much space and has the agility to do so without disrupting other vehicles too much. Nonetheless, it’s still a dangerous driving action and can cause confusion or a defensive reaction from drivers around one. As much as I hate to lose this liberty, it’s evident that it’s being abused all too often by other riders. It’s no surprise that the government is implementing motorcycle lanes on especially busy streets to reduce this problem. Another matter is that of motorcycle specific-parking. Granted, it’s much more orderly when vehicles are segregated between two-wheels and four. After all, without the delineation, motorcycles could take up car spaces, or even park in between vehicles, making it difficult for drivers of cars to get in or out. Finally, there’s the matter of the frequent checkpoints. I’ve been flagged down to stop at a few. Mainly, these checkpoints are to ensure the riders are wearing the proper attire (motorcycle-rated helmet, no slippers or shorts), and the right paperwork (motorcycle-rated license, updated registration). This is necessary as the ease of using a motorcycle makes it tempting for some riders to simply hop on to do a quick errand without the right attire or paperwork. In fact, in many videos that cover these checkpoints, the most common excuse is that these riders are simply headed to the corner store for a quick errand. The risk of an accident may appear low to these riders. Nonetheless, this is still not a valid excuse for not having a license or helmet. Finally, there’s the matter of parking under shaded areas when it rains. As a rider, I can tell you that many do this because riding in heavy rains is quite miserable. Your visor fogs up, the rain drops are painful on your hands and arms, and it’s nearly impossible to see potholes and other obstacles when they’re covered in water. Seemingly normal operations like braking or turning on a motorcycle are complicated by the fact that the water greatly reduces grip and dramatically increases the chance of a fall. Nonetheless, riding in the rain is one of the many risks we have to deal with. In fact, each rider should be prepared for this and should invest in rain gear. There’s no excuse to block the road. If it suddenly rains while on the road, the best course of action is to keep riding until a shaded area away from the road is found. There are many gas stations, convenience stores, and parking areas that can provide shade and the space to put on rain gear. With all the conveniences riding on two wheels offers — faster travel time, lower fuel costs, easier parking —new rules like motorcycle specific lanes, frequent checkpoints, and banning stopping under bridges are a small price to pay. Overall, riders still enjoy a lot of liberties when it comes to our roads. *(Iñigo S. Roces is the Motoring Editor of Manila Bulletin)*