Bicyclist and Motorist, Metro Manila issue re: Bicycle lane

**MAXBUWAYA** · September 4th, 2005 11:46 PM

Halo pipol!

Just want to ask 2 qustions regarding pedestrian bicyclist and motoring

1. MMDA is planning to have bike lanes all over the metro, (Marikina has 66km of bike lane which world bank provided the financial needs. or utang? hehehehe)
Do you think its feasible for our narrow roads to have one? Xavierville Av. will have one soon i believe (EDSA is already crossed out in this)

2. We still dont have bike lanes, What are your concerns about bicyclist?
How do you feel man powered machines Sharing the road with you?

(Ok so thats 3 questions. hehehehe)

**oldblue** · September 4th, 2005 11:55 PM

imagine a bike/motorcycle lane in edsa, then imagine buses plowing recklessly on the bike lane just like they do on our lanes. i'm sure it will feel like a video game for those pesky bus drivers.

**nicolodeon** · September 5th, 2005 09:41 AM

AFAIK, the bike lanes at Markina are not being...used as it was imagined by their former Mayor. Meaning, hindi gaano na-u-utilize: walang gaanong gumagamit nung mga lanes.

Now for the biking part.

Medyo mahirap naman ata na kung medyo malayo ang panggagalingan mo eh mag-bike to to work. I mean, if you work in the Pasig area and you come from, say, Makati eh are you willing to ride a bike. Eh baka apag-dating mo dun amoy usok ka na. Buti nga kung amoy usok lang, eh kunh bankgay ka ng dumating?

O, sa mga kapwa ko dyan na nagwo-work sa Makati: are you willing to ride a bike to work, considering na we always put a premium on our looks (and smell) when we go to work there? Admit it, everybody want so look fresh, feel fresh and smell fresh. Okay lang siguro kung pag-dating sa office eh may time pa to shower and to change clothes. Eh kung wala na?

It's probably okay for short distances i.e. your work is about 5-10 kms from your place. Pero kung malayo, medyo malabo.

There is also the safety factor: how safe are our roads for our cyclists?

Huwag sila kasing i-ambisyon na gumaya sa Vietnam, Cambodia, China at Japan na maraming naka-bike. Sa Japan, disiplinado ang motorista at cyclists kaya safe sila. Sa Cambodia naman, kaya naka bike eh bihira sa mga citizens nila ang naka kotse dahil mahal ang gasolina (mas mahal pa kaysa sa atin). Sa China at Vietnam, nasa culture na nila ang mag-bike eh. Even nung French colony pa ang Vietnam, gumagamit na sila ng bike.

As for me, I'm not against biking. I ride every Sunday so I know how fun and healthy biking is. I just wish that the MMDA would put things more on the proper (and sane) perspective.

**ts1n1ta** · September 5th, 2005 09:48 AM

i think bike lanes would help out a lot dun na den mga MC. as long as yung bike lanes may poles (parang sa china) para nde makapasok yung mga cars. Ako kase lapit lang work ko sa house namen kung may bike lane ba naman mag scoo-scooter na lang ako to work. Now, kung sa Makati ako work, shempre nde ako magbibike. mag M-MRT ako.

**mazdamazda** · September 5th, 2005 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by oldblue

imagine a bike/motorcycle lane in edsa, then imagine buses plowing recklessly on the bike lane just like they do on our lanes. i'm sure it will feel like a video game for those pesky bus drivers.

IMO - it is not only PUV drivers who plow recklessly into bike lanes... include there private vehicle drivers. just observe the bike lane in the QC circle.

**nicolodeon** · September 5th, 2005 10:01 AM

IMO - it is not only PUV drivers who plow recklessly into bike lanes... include there private vehicle drivers. just observe the bike lane in the QC circle.

I agree. I was there yesterday and I'm witness to this.

**niky** · September 5th, 2005 01:17 PM

There are bike lanes at the circle!?!?... no wonder... :p

I used to be an avid biker, but my wife now really REALLY doesn't want me to get a bike because it isn't safe.

Ironic, isn't it? If we lived nearer her family, there'd be lots of places to bike (QC and Marikina area... she used to live in Cubao)... but now that we're back in Biñan (Laguna), there's almost nowhere I can go without getting sideswiped by a jeepney, tricycle, scooterboy....

...it used to be biker's heaven out here in the province, but now... gaddamn progress...

If they put a bike lane on EDSA, I wouldn't be surprised if no one used it. If they widened the sidewalks enough for bikes (like in Marikina), I wouldn't be surprised if a few dozen people get killed or injured every month by scooterboys using the sidewalk.

**mikline** · September 8th, 2005 01:01 PM

para sa item 3, la choice but to co exist with them, give way na lang tayo sa kanila since mas lamang tayo sa gulong and mas delikado sa kanila ma side swap...

**ian_rex** · September 8th, 2005 01:52 PM

of course, bike lane would do just fine. but the problem lies not only on the lack of "special lanes" but also to those who happen to ride two-wheeled vehicle.

marami akong nae-encounter na ganyan sa daan. animo, kanila yung daan, lalo yung mga naka-motorsiklo. napaka-unpredictable pa. kasi biglang lilipat ng lane nang walang tingin-tingin.

**bogart** · September 9th, 2005 02:49 PM

sa ganang akin, maganda sana yang ideya na yan kung ang lahat ng sektor ng lipunan ay makiki-isa at susuporta upang maging matagumpay at kapaki-pakinabang sa sambayanang Pilipinas.

kaso, mahirap iyang maimplemento kasi nga madaming negatibong aspekto. isa na dyan yung kakulangan ng espasyo sa ating kalsada. tapos pag meron ng dedikadong bike lane, babarumbadahin lang ng mga bus, jeep, kotse, trak.

kung ako ang tatanungin, maige kung umpisahan muna sa roxas blvd, kahit papaano, maganda ng kaunti ang simoy ng hangin don.

hayy, buhay talaga sa pinas, kahit na gaano kabulok, ayaw mo pa ring iwan...