Solving our traffic woes, two wheels at a time

**tomboy** · February 29th, 2012 06:44 AM

Solving our traffic woes, two wheels at a time - BACKSEAT DRIVER By James Deakin - The Philippine Star » Business Features » Motoring

Solving our traffic woes, two wheels at a time
BACKSEAT DRIVER By James Deakin (The Philippine Star) Updated February 22, 2012

Over the last couple of years, I’ve been riding my bicycle more and more to work. Sure I smell a little ripe when I arrive, but by my calculations, I’m up around 220 pesos a day just in fuel and parking – which buys a lot of deodorant and cologne.

But perhaps even more important than all the fuel savings I’ve made, I have also shed off 30 unwanted pounds and managed to keep it off. It’s a lifestyle that has seen my sugar levels stabilize, cholesterol and blood pressure normalize and given me new-founded energy to tackle things I once never thought possible.

I live exactly 10 kilometers from my office, and no matter how bad the traffic is, the commute never takes any longer than 30 minutes. In fact, there are many days when I get home a lot faster on a bicycle than had I driven.

But as much as I would love to recommend this to everyone, sadly, until the government can come up with some decent infrastructure and policies, and the public could undergo a complete reboot in their attitude towards bikers, I cannot in good conscience encourage anyone else to join me.

It’s such a shame, really, because the solution to our traffic problem relies heavily on alternative transport. You hear about the cost of building skyways, flyovers, mass rail transit systems, extra lanes – all of which contribute to pollution – when the most basic tried and proven zero emission solution sits right underneath our noses. Yet not just is there no attempt to encourage the use of bicycles, there actually seems to be a disturbing prejudice against the bike commuting community.

Aside from the fact that there are no bike lanes, or none that are properly enforced anyway, it’s the pollution as well as the general disregard that motorists have for cyclists that is the biggest deterrent. I’m not saying that this is a one way street (I have seen inconsiderate riders out there as well) but when a motorist gets cocky, it can very often be fatal to a rider, whereas it is rarely, if at all, any threat to a motorist when it’s the other way around.

I’ve lost count of the amount of times that cars will overtake you just to slam on their brake to turn in front of you. Or those that pull out of a side street, check both sides for cars, yet look straight through you like you’re invisible and drive right into your path.

The lack of concern is actually shocking. The attitude seems to be one of resentment that you don’t have to suffer the same congestion that they do. It’s as if some people get so upset to see you get ahead that they wanna pull you down a peg or two.

The sad reality that these inconsiderate selfish thugs can’t seem to process through their feeble, bigoted minds is that if they succeed, they would have only driven the cyclist to either hop back into a car, bus or jeep and take up an even bigger footprint – both environmentally and physically. Good one.

I’m not trying to cause an even bigger rift between motorists and cyclists here; to the contrary, I write this with the sincerest hope that we could respect and appreciate each other. And the only way to achieve that is by making the rules clear.

First of all, a bicycle is a vehicle. Meaning that once it is ridden on public roads, it is subject to the same road rules. That means that we cannot run red lights, stop signs and the like. We cannot ride counterflow to the traffic or make illegal turns. In return, however, we must be given the same respect as every road user. Technically speaking, we are entitled to one lane, although we will rarely (if ever) exercise that right for the sole reason that less is more. If we take up less of the road, there’s more for everybody. So go ahead, feel free to take it, but please, just don’t act like you own it.

Being a non-motorized vehicle, however, we have the unique privilege of riding on paths and sidewalks. This is a universal rule around the world, although we must give priority to pedestrians. A lot of tension comes from the lack of understanding of the rules, or what we are or are not entitled to do. And sadly, the ones who understand the rules the least are usually the ones tasked to enforce it. Like the other day, while riding through Ayala Triangle, I got chased down by their security. Strange thing is that I regularly ride through there but on that occasion, I was harassed and forced to get off and walk the bike.

Naturally I demanded to know why. Eagle One basically told me that bikes are no longer allowed to ride through the park anymore. That’s it. Final. Their prerogative, you may say, as it is private land after all. But I pointed out to him that the printed rules on their own signs clearly state that the use of non-motorized bicycles are allowed. He told me to ignore the sign because he was told verbally by his commander that it is no longer allowed.

Of course it would have been just as fast to ride around the park, but once again, it’s clarity and consistency that I’m after; imagine being told by a cop that a green light now means stop simply because he had a verbal instruction that morning from his commander.

Despite the fact that the bicycle is older than the car, there’s still this sense that we are second-class road users. And if we want to encourage more people to commute with them, we need to be clear about their rights and offer more incentives.

Just remember that one more cyclist on the road means one less vehicle. Sure you can argue that if that person catches the bus then the theory is flawed. Until you take into account that the average commuter here in the Philippines tends to catch two or three different public utility vehicles to get to work (a bus, tricycle and jeep). Each way. Even in the rare case that it’s just one, no matter which way you cut, slice or dice it, as far as congestion and pollution is concerned, there will never be a more convincing argument to support taking a car over a bike.

So the next time you see a cyclist on the road, try and not look at them as a problem but as the closest thing to a solution to your traffic woes.

**tomboy** · February 29th, 2012 06:55 AM

Ito si james deakin marunong umintindi. Kung sino pa mga foreigner, dating foreigner, anak/apo ng taipan, mababango tingnan yun pa mga nagbibike. Natuwa talaga ako doon sa anak ng taipan.....Nagbibike.... Kaya pala pinalagyan ng bike parking yung mall ng tatay nya.

Nakakaloko kung sino pa mapuputi ito pa nagbibike....Yung mga maiitim ano pa iitim sa inyo.....

Yung ibang motoring columnist na nababasa ko sa dyaryo ang suggestion lagi more roads, highway, skyway.....Eh kaya sila nagsuggest ng ganyan para pwede mag 300kph yung itetest drive nilang maserati, porsche......Feeling Bundesautobahn. Eh kahit ilan kalsada ilagay mo sa manila magiging forever traffiic. Bibili at bibili ng kotse ang pinoy. Mababaw kaligayahan ng noypi ang identity kotse. Hindi na nga nagiisip kung may parking pa ang bahay....

Dahil sa kotse nasisira utak ng pinoy....Meron sa middle east isang pinoy nagfranchise ng jollibee doon....Kaso dahil sa ferarri sinira ang buhay nya....Tapos dito naman sa pinas ang pinoproblema more roads.....Taruushhhh.

Kung gusto nung mga ibang motoring columnist ng 300kph ang isuggest nila bullet train.

**niky** · February 29th, 2012 10:58 AM

You don't read very much in terms of motoring journalist editorials, do you?

Most of the motoring journos I know commute, bike or use motorcycles. Those of us who use cars every day do so because we travel long distances and often have to bring passengers with us. Can't very well carry along a supplier, a geodetic engineer and a structural engineer on the back of a motorcycle, now, can I?

I used to walk and bike, a long time ago. Sadly, unless our government focuses its energies on creating a viable pedestrian infrastructure, it's not a viable form of transportation for most people. Not to mention the problem of where you're going to change and shower when you get to the office...

The only place that comes close to having a viable infrastructure is Marikina, but it's still not sufficient in some places. Filipino streets are just too narrow... and Marcos Highway is just too fricking wide.

**uls** · February 29th, 2012 11:16 AM

yung mga mayaman na nagba-bike they do it to stay fit or to lose weight

they don't bike as means of transport

yung iba naman greenie/treehugger. they're reducing their carbon footprint kaya nagba-bike

pag 5:30pm dami mo makikita trabahador nagba-bike pauwi

yan ang mga ginawang transportation ang bisikleta. di sila nagba-bike coz they wanna stay fit o dahil environmentalist sila

gusto nila makatipid sa pamasahe

pero kung tatanungin mo sila syempre gusto nila makabili ng motor

malalaman mo kung ano reason baket nagba-bike ang isang tao

tingnan mo lang yung bike

kung ang bike niya kasing mahal ng kotse, pang stay fit yan. at pang porma. at pang social bike riding... kasi mga kaibigan niya puro mamahalin din ang bike

makikita mo sa mga car nila meron bike carrier sa likod o sa bubong

OMG gumagamit parin sila ng car! pang dala ng mountain bike sa malalayong lugar at doon sila magba-bike

**uls** · February 29th, 2012 11:26 AM

tapos pag cheap ang bike, luma, kalawangin... pang transportation talaga yan. wala sila kotse o motor at ayaw gumastos sa pamasahe

--

yung mga sinasabi ni tomboy na sosy maputi konyotic na nagba-bike (kompleto ang porma from helmet to tights to shoes) pang recreation and fitness lang yan (and pang social biking)

punta ka sa bahay ng mga yan kita mo puno ng kotse garahe nila

AS IF naman full time nagba-bike mga yan

**vinj** · February 29th, 2012 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by uls

yung mga mayaman na nagba-bike they do it to stay fit or to lose weight

they don't bike as means of transport

yung iba naman greenie/treehugger. they're reducing their carbon footprint kaya nagba-bike

pag 5:30pm dami mo makikita trabahador nagba-bike pauwi

yan ang mga ginawang transportation ang bisikleta. di sila nagba-bike coz they wanna stay fit o dahil environmentalist sila

gusto nila makatipid sa pamasahe

pero kung tatanungin mo sila syempre gusto nila makabili ng motor

malalaman mo kung ano reason baket nagba-bike ang isang tao

tingnan mo lang yung bike

kung ang bike niya kasing mahal ng kotse, pang stay fit yan. at pang porma. at pang social bike riding... kasi mga kaibigan niya puro mamahalin din ang bike

makikita mo sa mga car nila meron bike carrier sa likod o sa bubong

OMG gumagamit parin sila ng car! pang dala ng mountain bike sa malalayong lugar at doon sila magba-bike

In the case of James Deakin, if you read his columns and articles, he's really an avid biker (and photographer) and chances are, he has a test vehicle at his disposal at the office to meet his needs for the rest of the day since that is his line of work.

When i was driving to Calatagan and Nasugbu last weekend, I found it strange on how some rich mountain bikers had their SUVs trailing them with a driver just like a back-up car. It was really stalling traffic flow. If i were them, i would not have the SUV trail like a bodyguard but rather have them go ahead every 500M to 1KM then wait on the shoulder.

**uls** · February 29th, 2012 11:32 AM

so di sila treehugger haha

nagba-bike nga pero may SUV nakasunod

so much for reducing carbon footprint

and traffic

from the article:

Just remember that one more cyclist on the road means one less vehicle.

--> basta the cyclist doesnt bring his driver along driving the Expedition

**KERSMcRae** · February 29th, 2012 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by uls

tapos pag cheap ang bike, luma, kalawangin... pang transportation talaga yan. wala sila kotse o motor at ayaw gumastos sa pamasahe

--

yung mga sinasabi ni tomboy na sosy maputi konyotic na nagba-bike (kompleto ang porma from helmet to tights to shoes) pang recreation and fitness lang yan (and pang social biking)

punta ka sa bahay ng mga yan kita mo puno ng kotse garahe nila

AS IF naman full time nagba-bike mga yan

parang yung kapitbahay namin. yung Vios G Plus nya may rack ng bike. Tingin ko yung bike niya ay mas mahal pa sa isang underbone mc.

**tomboy** · February 29th, 2012 11:48 AM

uls,

Yung binanggit mo meron bike-rack mga weekend mountain bikers papunta sa dulo ng commonwealth. Forgot yung name ng place hindi pa ako nakapunta.

Pero yung mga nagbibike around metro-manila na magaganda bike like folding bike, racer.... usually punta mall or punta sa shop magbabantay hindi na dala kotse. (its a good start kaysa magdala ng kotse.)

Yung 5:30pm na nakikita mo mga workers nga yun or weekend mountainbikers called them shimanongs. Naiinis talaga ako sa mga weekend mountain bikers pinang-aangas lang yung bike...upgrade ng upgrade tapos lalaitin pa mga trabahador dahil bulok ang bike....Ilan beses na ako may mga nakasabay na workers masarap kasabay usap-usap about bike commuting kung saan safe ang route, less car, walang dog.....etc

May mga bike groups nagsabi sa akin join daw ako sa kanila pero i refuse....Ano purpose? Mag-grupo-grupo parang fraternity tapos ipopost sa facebook...."Samahan ng mga spandex", "Grupo ng mga upgrade", "Society ng mga dri-fit" (eh sa outfit na lang paano maeenganyo magbike ang tao kung mukha tour de luzon ang damit)

Ako gusto ko lang pumunta sa pupuntahan ko na hindi na matatraffic, no waiting time sa parking slot.

Gumagamit pa din ako ng car araw-araw pero most of the time bike na. Usually sa gabi-madaling-araw ako nagkokotse.