A rejoinder on the useless law

Last week’s column about the Helmet Law drew several reactions from readers. Most agree that the law is indeed useless.

One reader, Jeffrey Sereno, sent this email:

I am an avid reader of The Freeman and particularly on your article, Motorist Corner and I would like to share also my opinion regarding this Motorcycle Helmet Act for I am an owner of one also.

While it is true that most road accidents involves motorcycles, usually leading to deaths, if we would look closely at statistics, it is not because motorcycle driver and backrider died due to substandard helmets but mostly because they are not wearing helmets. Thus, the real problem here is not the wearing of standard helmets but not wearing helmets are the usual cause of motorcycle accidents, aside from reckless driving.

Therefore it is my humble opinion that this Helmet Act is useless because the real problem here is the strict and consistent implementation of reprimanding of those not wearing helmets while driving and riding motorcycles. It is an additional cost on the driver by purchasing helmets accredited by DTI and also, why do we still have to pay 100 pesos for the sticker when we are already taxed upon purchasing those helmets? This is a clear case of double taxation.

We must not forget that election time is just around the corner so we could not blame if somebody would think na baka may kumita na naman dito, hehehe. I do admire Mayor Mike Rama and Chairman Jack Jakosalem for standing their ground in not implementing this useless law and we do fervently hope that others will follow so we would have a voice in opposing these useless law. I repeat, its not the wearing of proper helmet but its the failure of wearing one that is really the factor why many motorcycle accidents lead to death to the driver and to its passenger.

Thanks for having time to read this opinion of mine.

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First to voice out his opinion on the matter was Chairman Sylvan ‘Jack’ Jakosalem of CITOM while Mayor Mike Rama supported the statement that the traffic authority would not use its resources to implement this law.

There was already an announcement that the implementation will be postponed, but that does not remove the fact that the law is useless.

What we just don’t agree with Mayor Rama was when he seems to have focused on how the use of full-face helmets would help criminals. It could be to their favor, but what are the authorities doing to stop them? 

Don’t we have police checkpoints and intelligence networks working to stop these guns for hire?

What we need is the proper implementation of traffic laws. Those motorcycle drivers, who insist on making their own lanes, should be apprehended. 

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A reader also commented on the smoking incident at a gas station.

She said that she once asked her driver to stop filling up their vehicle even before they had a full tank because the security guards and attendants of a gas station did not stop a man from smoking.

The reader said that she could not risk her safety and hopes that operators of gas stations would be stricter in implementing the no smoking rule.

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