CITOM to impound vehicles that are lacking side mirrors

The City Traffic Operations Management warned owners and drivers of motorcycles that they will be apprehended and their vehicles impounded should they fail to equip these with side mirrors.

CITOM executive director Arnel Tancinco reminded motorcycle owners and drivers that failure to install side mirrors in their units is a violation of the provisions of Republic Act 4136 or the Transportation and Traffic Code.

In a one-page letter addressed to the city council, Tancinco informed the city legislators that the CITOM traffic enforcers are actively conducting a campaign against motorcycles without side mirrors.

The city council, through councilor Procopio "Coping" Fernandez, chairman of the committee on police, earlier sponsored a resolution asking CITOM to verify reports that many motorcycles plying the city streets do not have side mirrors.

Side mirrors enable motorcycle drivers to see the vehicles tailing them without actually turning their heads and taking their eyes off the road.

Fernandez said that he himself noticed that plenty of motorcycles do not have side mirrors anymore. Tancinco confirmed this, saying, there are indeed many motorcycles that do not have side mirrors, but that the traffic enforcers are apprehending these.

Many motorcycle owners and drivers reportedly intentionally remove the side mirrors to give their vehicles a "kalabira (skeleton) effect" which makes it reportedly difficult for traffic authorities to identify stolen motorcycles. - Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV