BMW Bikers endangering people (one racer dead and a bystander)

[Horsepower]

[SIZE="4"]‘Safedrivers’ put others in harm’s way [/SIZE]


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:03:00 01/17/2009

[SIZE="1"]Filed Under: Safety of Citizens, Road Transport[/SIZE]

I am a locator in the export processing zones of Baguio City and Clark. I have been shuffling back and forth between these places every Saturday for the past three years. Last Jan. 10, I experienced the scariest drive of my life.

I was driving my Mitsubishi Adventure van down Kennon Road when two big bikes overtook me on a blind turn and cut me when they saw a bus on the other lane. This forced me to swerve to the right and luckily I hit a mound of soil, otherwise I would have fallen down into the Camp 6 river. They didn’t stop and just continued weaving through the cars on Kennon Road. As I maneuvered my car back on to the road, thus inevitably stopping traffic, three other bikers cursed me for causing them to stop. This is when I found out that they were participants in the BOSS Ironman Competition.

When I reached Clark, I saw a lot of big bikes at Oxford Hotel. The next day, I inquired from the riders who was running the event and they told me to talk to Teng Soreta, the committee chair of the BMW Motorcycle Club of Saferiders. When I could not get hold of him, they told me to talk to Joseph Tan, the president, or Gil Yuson, the chair. I told the riders what happened to me in Kennon but they told me to forget about it because the BMW Club is backed by prominent officials like Rep. Alfred Romualdez, Chavit Singson and retired police director Reynaldo Berroya from the Luzon Law Enforcement Riders Federation.

I went inside to observe their ceremonies and was saddened to know that one participant and a bystander died in a crash somewhere in Ilocos the previous Saturday.

How on earth were they allowed to race in public streets without taking into consideration public safety? In present-day Philippines where anarchy rules and “palakasan” thrives, the answer is obvious.

The race’s reckless organizers should be jailed.

JUN AREVALO, Clark, Pampanga

Racing on kennon road????? diba delikado doon? mga siraulo pala itong mga riders na ito.

[Horsepower]

One poster in this forum mentioned that bawal ang race sa public roads, so they call it a "challenge" instead.

But with only 24hrs to spare to get to the rendezvous point, running at 230kmh++ on two lane public roads, it's pretty clear that it's a race alright.

It's funny, if you read that thread, majority of the posts cared more about the ambulance bill of 13,500 more than the issue posted that accidents (apparently 45 crashes) happened and that people died. I find it kind of weird actually. I expected remorse and condolences but it's like: Oh, someone died. ah Ok, kudos to the ironman challenge next year ulit...

Apparently, yung namatay palang "bystander" is a kid. Nasagasaan. tsk tsk tsk.

[alwayz_yummy]

BOSS iron man challenge pala,e...

24 hours, clark to clark via the northern loop yan tol.. kaya delikado nga yan...

pero in the 1st place dapat dinicipline ng pres nila yung mga members nila regardless who they are in society.. nakaka-sira sila ng image ng club nila.

[shadow]

eh kasi mayayabang pala eh, they are backed pala by "prominent people"..sus prominent my ass

[uls]

BMW Motorcycle Club of Saferiders

saferiders?

hehe

[coiter]

kakapal ng mukha

[hmpps]

Racing on kennon road????? diba delikado doon? mga siraulo pala itong mga riders na ito.

It is indeed a stupid race for stupid people. They go as far as putting their ego above their heads and letting fate crawl within their stupidness. Those who joined the race are wannabes ( Wanted to be known instantly) they are 90% beginners and had long time wished to pour some pride on the street in a speedy two wheel machine. Laughed along side with some old school riders, this race is a total pointless freak. What are they trying to prove anyways? Speed? Then we got racetrack down south to push their skills to the limit. Fun ride? Then they should stop this foolishness before they take more lives out there. Ride Safe!