Motorcycle Myths & Misconceptions

**bogart** · March 10th, 2004 05:48 PM

The following is an article taken from Philippine News Explorer and which can be found again at motorcyclephilippines.com.

Motorcycle Myths & Misconceptions

**smeagol** · March 12th, 2004 05:05 PM

Just for contrast. More info for those interested.

http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html

**yebo** · March 13th, 2004 04:34 PM

the statistics refered to by bogart did not mention one crucial data: percentages and fatalities involved in accidents involving the same type of vehicles, as againts involving other types and accidents wherein no other vehicle was involved. like in motorcycle to motorcycle or car vs car accidents, or car againts bus, or motorcycle vs cargo truck.

if those data are available then the picture will be clearer. i doubt it if you would rather be in a motorcycle if the other vehicle involved is a car.

i've had 2 accidents in the past 2 years, both involving a motorcycle (well 1 motorcycle and one tricycle). in both accidents the motorcycle rider admitted their faults. in the first accident, one motorcycle cut in front of another motorcycle forcing the poor guy to swerve and hit (or in fact he was hit by) my car. not my fault, he was the one who swerved. in the one involving a tricycle, the unlicensed minor driving it was picking passengers on the left side of the road and then suddenly made a right-hand U-turn while i was passing him at 10 kph. his tricycle "bumper" pierced my front bumper. i even gave him a warning with the horn but he said he did not hear it since his motor was revved up.

i'd rather be in a tank but they don't sell them to the public yet!

**pajerokid** · March 15th, 2004 09:25 AM

And another thing....

Most of the motorcycles here are of the "Mosquito" category.

Kadalasan when tricycles and motorbikes of this class are involved in accidents, hindi na nirereport sa Pulis. So how will the PNP have statistics on non-reported accidents??!! Take yebo's case. Was that reported? I dont think so. If all motorcycle accidents, from door dingers and gasgas to full-blown brain spilling collisions were properly documented, ewan ko lang kung ganyan pa rin ang analysis dun sa motorcyclephilippines.

I mean, lets face it. Pag nasabitan ka ng tricycle, ano sasabihin sayo? "walang pera". Ikaw naman as a car owner, idadaan mo pa ba sa insurance yung gasgas na kayang ipagawa for P500? of course not. But is it an accident? You bet.

Isa pa? The article displayed a picture of a bus without tailights..... well, what about tricycles and scooters who intentionally ride with headlights off ?

On lane spliting, yes, I agree that its better to have a bike zip past me and be on his way... pero dapat naman nasa lugar! Ang dalas mangyari nagi-gitgitan na, sabay pipilitin pa mag lane-split.

Im sure the people behind motorcyclephilippines are intelligent and responsible motorists. But the fact of the matter is around 99% of motorcyclists on the road ARE NOT!!!! And because of this, motorcyclists will be the subject of ire by "cagers", despite the justifications of the said article.

**boybi** · March 15th, 2004 09:29 AM

i couldn't agree more with PK and yebo!

**ess** · March 15th, 2004 11:11 AM

I wish the folks at motorcycle philippines would spend time in LIBIS --> C5 during rush hours. Man... the motorcycle drivers there are really, really something different.

Last week, I was in the 2nd leftmost lane going to C5 (bandang Toyota). To my left was a dark blue sentra. The sentra's sideview mirror was just about 2.5 ft away from me.

Then, a motorcycle with a lady passenger (w/o helmet or course) tried to squeeze between my car and the sentra. The knobs of his handles were almost touching my side windows. Tapos nadulas siya and I heard GRINDING metal. Thank heavens the sound did not come from my car... I felt really sorry for sentra. The motorcycle guy tried to make a get away. Pinilit niyang mag-squirm between our side view mirrors. Luckily, nag-GO na and I was able to jink to my right to avoid the motorcycle.

I saw in my rear-view mirror the motorcycle swerving to the right and escaping by turning right in the first intersection.

Worse... "FOR REGISTRATION" yung plates niya.

**pajerokid** · March 15th, 2004 12:12 PM

Hehe.... kaunting dagdag pampainit ulo lang....

When i was waiting for the green light at C5/Kalayaan, meron tumabi saking naka motor. As usual, a mosquito bike, but a privately owned one (hindi delivery boy, but parang messenger ang dating). Aba, mantakin mo ba naman SUMANDAL SA PAJERO KO!!!!!! I cant blame the guy if he's tired and all, but HELOOOOOWWWW!!!! Hindi ko nga pinadadampian sa mga bystander yung auto ko sabay eto mega-pahinga yung g*go.

So what I did was to move my car half a meter forward. Biruin nyo.... nagalit at ang sama pa ng tingin!

Binabaan ko ng bintana and tanong...."Ano problema mo?"

"Bakit mo inabante?"

"Tanga ka pala eh! Kotse yang sinasandalan mo, hindi pader!"

Napahiya ang ogags at nanahimik na lang. We both went on when the light turned green.

**HC01** · March 19th, 2004 10:47 PM

One word: nuisance

**GlennSter** · March 20th, 2004 02:23 PM

Originally posted by pajerokid
Hehe.... kaunting dagdag pampainit ulo lang....

When i was waiting for the green light at C5/Kalayaan, meron tumabi saking naka motor. As usual, a mosquito bike, but a privately owned one (hindi delivery boy, but parang messenger ang dating). Aba, mantakin mo ba naman SUMANDAL SA PAJERO KO!!!!!! I cant blame the guy if he's tired and all, but HELOOOOOWWWW!!!! Hindi ko nga pinadadampian sa mga bystander yung auto ko sabay eto mega-pahinga yung g*go.

So what I did was to move my car half a meter forward. Biruin nyo.... nagalit at ang sama pa ng tingin!

Binabaan ko ng bintana and tanong...."Ano problema mo?"

"Bakit mo inabante?"

"Tanga ka pala eh! Kotse yang sinasandalan mo, hindi pader!"

Napahiya ang ogags at nanahimik na lang. We both went on when the light turned green.

arrrggg..kakainiss...

tama naaaaaaaa

naiinis nakooooooooo

bwahrharhahrarh...

**mazdamazda** · March 22nd, 2004 04:59 PM

not all motorcycle riders are nuisance... although most are!!!

in my years of driving, i can almost count in my hand the number of motorcyle riders that are observing the proper road courtesy.

what am particularly irked at is LANE SPLITTING. well IMHO they can do it if the traffic is a stand still - but other than that they shouldn't as they pose a great risk to themselves and to their fellow motorists.

i have two close encounters with these lane splitting idiots in the NLEX. as i was about to go to the other lane a motorcyle (a ducatti) appeared out of nowhere (fresh from swerving from another lane) and zoomed past! damn...

those justifications posted doesn't give them a right to disregard the traffic rules & regulations.

tricycle drivers in the Bataan show more discipline by using their hands in lieu of signal lamps. if they can't keep up with the traffic, they try to as much as possible stay in the rightmost lane.

and the nerve of them to try to get those mosquito motorcycles to ply NLEX and SLEX. we are already having a hard time seeing those big bikes in the road - what more of those messenger type motorcycles? plus the fact that they always are fond of riding in the leftmost lane regardless of their speed! geez...