Motoring

Can the new MMDA Chairman pull this off?

February 24, 2010 | 12:00am

Word has it that most Metro Manila mayors have expressed their interest to work with the MMDA in crafting a Unified Traffic Code for the metropolis.

As you may know, this was one endeavor that the former strong-willed MMDA chairman and now vice presidential candidate, Bayani Fernando had worked very hard on during his abbreviated term but failed to get the support of most of the mayors.

As it is, without a “unified traffic code”, definition and application of traffic violations differ from one city and municipality to another and from that of the MMDA. The fines for the violations also differ in like manner.

One of the main issues that found difficulty in being settled then in coming up with such a unification of traffic concerns in Metro Manila was the issue of revenues from the fines imposed on traffic violations. It appeared that the sharing of the revenues was never settled among the MMDA and the local government heads. And I guess if the current MMDA chairman would fail to pull this off, it would probably be due to the same stumbling block. Now, you would understand why the issue is so critical if you get to know the figures involved here – the amount of money collected from traffic violation fines and penalties.

But indeed it’s about time Metro Manila had a uniform traffic laws and regulations and a centralized ticketing system, which we hope is part and parcel of the “unified traffic code”. It can be a nightmare for motorists, especially those that inadvertently have non-moving violations say, a defective light, having to be fined and cited on every city or municipality that he traverses within the metro.

When this pushes through, I can almost hear the detractors of the former chairman saying – “it’s the singer and not the song”.

Would it also be a good idea if part of the “unified traffic code” would have a provision that all traffic enforcers in Metro Manila had the same uniform – in style and color?

Real serious competition shaping up

Judging by the demeanor of most of those who came last Saturday, February 20 for the well-attended briefing of all of the participating teams in the coming 2010 STV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge there’s serious competition that can be expected in this latest endeavor to revive the “Sampaguita Rally”.

The conference room of the Ortigas Home Depot, in which parking lot along Julia Vargas Avenue is the flag-off venue, was bursting in the seams filled with out-and-out “on time, all the time” rally enthusiasts, both veterans and first timers joined by their team managers and supporters.

Most members of the motoring media who regularly see action during auto industry-organized motor sports events have been commissioned as either driver or co-driver/navigator joining the ranks of some known road rally drivers that were sought-out by very committed auto industry players who have serious desires to have their company names etched as winners in this historical milestone in the history of Philippine motor sports.

Indeed just participating in this road rally that flags off on March 6, Saturday, makes one already part of this historical milestone, which will have on record, at 65 automobiles, the biggest starting grid in any “Sampaguita Rally” ever held in the country even counting those staged during its “glory days” in the 60s.

And to ensure the success and the proper technical management of the auto rally, the organizers, Sunshine TV, have commissioned the team headed by professional race driver Georges Ramirez. If only by bloodline alone, being the son and part of the racing clan of the recognized motor sports legend of the country, the late Pocholo Ramirez, Georges, as Chief Steward and his group are expected to run the rally smoothly from the time it flags off at the Ortigas Home Depot to its timed “transport stage” that shall traverse the expertly-managed world-class NLEX and on to the scenic and silky smooth SCTEX ending at the Tipo Gate of Subic, where most of the exciting stages of the rally shall cut through its maze of roads.

The local automotive industry is in full force supporting the revival of this motor sport event, which is not considered a race but rather a competition of driving skills, route navigation and precise time management. This is the kind of motor sport that can be engaged in by those who are not keen on spending as much as those in other motor sports disciplines like racing, where special safety and performance modifications are needed for the participating vehicles. It is also infinitely safer because only legal speeds are required of participants. All these mean that one can participate in any staging of the event using an everyday vehicle.

A total of thirteen auto manufacturers and distributors are fielding 5-vehicle teams, which makes the event also a showcase of their different models being offered in the market. Although rules of the sport calls for a one-minute interval between the flagging off of each participating vehicle, the initial flag off to a “transport stage” at the Ortigas Home Depot will have all the different teams represented by 13 different brands and models of automobiles together in a bunch for a spectacular representation of the local automotive industry.

There are no cash prizes at stake in this event – mainly prestige for the winning team and the winning driver/navigator tandem. The winning team gets to bring to the home office a very impressively designed trophy that aptly represents the skills needed to excel in the competition (courtesy of MOMO) and keep it for the entire year until another team claims it in the next staging, not unless the crown was successfully defended. The team that gets to win the championship three times, not necessarily consecutive, gets to keep the trophy. But the fact that there will be 1st to 3rd runners up in the team and tandem competition makes the contest a very tight one. There will also be other awards like winners for every stage and those who would register zero demerits – meaning that they were “on time, all the time”.

All participants will be amply covered gastronomically – from breakfast, lunch and including the finish line merienda with drinks and snacks to boot all throughout the rally.

Great event!

Young Street Smarts Club School Tour

The machinery needed for the staging of the Motoring Today’s Young Street Smarts Club School Tour has started to grind with many stakeholders in the universal concern to keep our children safe while on the road signifying their intent to support it. Even some schools have expressed their interest in having them in the short list of those that will be visited in 2010.

The idea stems out of the newest segment of the TV show Motoring Today (Solar Sports Channel, Global-Destiny Cable Network, 4 pm Sunday) dubbed Young Street Smarts Club, which is dedicated to the young people that need to be taught how to be safe and responsible road users of the future. Initially, the segment deals with very familiar, found almost anywhere street and road signs that most people, even professional drivers included, do not know and understand their meaning. Later on the portion shall dwell on “right of way” and “road courtesy” inputs to teach the students early in age to make them safe pedestrians, commuters, bikers and future drivers. Now, what’s being lined up for broadcast on the show shall have its counterpart in several schools with easy to understand power point presentations and audio-visuals designed for the targeted students to easily understand and relate to. Now to find out how much they have retained in the easy to understand audio-visual lectures contest with prizes galore shall be held. If that’s not a fun way of learning things that can save lives – I don’t know what can.

This advocacy has been taken up by my daughter Kristine (popularly Suzy for her countless listeners in Magic 89.9) as she has been picking up from me the dire need for driver education and discipline while growing up in the midst of producing the TV show Motoring Today immediately after she was born. She also hosts the Young Street Smarts Club segment and would most probably host the school tour also whenever her radio schedule permits.

If you are interested to have your school listed as part of the tour, just send us an e-mail to the address printed at the end of this column.

Pit Lane Notes

Many are still in a quandary as to the line up of teams that are running in the 2010 World Formula One Series and their drivers. So here it is.

McLaren

1 Jenson Button

2 Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes GP

3 Michael Schumacher

4 Nico Rosberg

Red Bull

5 Sebastian Vettel

6 Mark Webber