Motorcycle owners junk new LTO rules

CEBU - Hundreds of motorcycle owners in Cebu City yesterday held a motorcade around the city to protest the new Land Transportation Office regulations for driving motorcycles.

Among the new regulations they opposed was the prohibition on wearing short pants and slippers while driving, modifying their vehicles without LTO approval and taking on more than just one passenger.

The motorcade swelled after some of the protesters were able to convince other motorcycle drivers to join their ranks against the “oppressive” new guidelines implemented by LTO chief Alberto Suansing.

But most of those who participated in the motorcade yesterday wore crash helmets saying they are not really against this rule, but rather the regulation prohibiting them from wearing slippers and short pants while driving the motorcycles.

“Grabe na kaayo ning ila. Wala sila’y kaluoy sa mga pobre,” one of the protesters said.

Cebu City has an existing ordinance that requires motorcycle drivers to wear crash helmets while driving the vehicle and provides a P300 fine for every violator.

Motorcycle driver Efren Cabrera said the policy implemented by the LTO is already oppressive and anti-poor and the LTO officials should know that for the poor, a motorcycle is already a luxury that can be of great help to them.

Another regulation they are opposing is the prohibition of motorcycle drivers from taking on more than one passenger and fines violators P1,000 for doing so.

“Kinsa man go’y mopalit og motor nga duol ra kaayo sa peligro kon daghan pa ta’g kwarta. Panaug-daug na kanamong mga pobre kon pamultahon pa mi kon pasakyan namo og subra sa usa ka backrider ang motor,” Cabrera said.

LTO-7 assistant regional director Edgar Catarongan clarified that the motorcycle drivers are not prevented from wearing short pants while driving their units, they should wear helmets.

For not wearing shoes while driving their units, the new LTO policy provides that motorcycles drivers will be fined P500 fine for the first offense, P700 for the second offense and P1,000 plus the revocation of the driver’s license for the third violation.

Catarongan explained that the new policy is aimed at improving the safety of the motorcycle drivers and riders because there is a tendency that drivers wearing slippers will not have a good grip on the pedals or brakes and get into accidents.

Suansing’s directive stressed that the motorcycle drivers should be apprehended if they would not wear any protective devices such as shoes, helmet, goggles, leather boots, gloves, heavy jackets and heavy pants.

Another motorcycle owner said: “Consider this, what would a motorcycle-owner look like if going to the public market wearing long-sleeved jacket, boots, sunglasses and crash-helmet to buy only rice, fish and vegetables?”

But it was further explained that the other requirements such as goggles, protective clothing and heavy pants are applicable only for riders of big bikes.

A P2,000 fine will be imposed on those motorcycle drivers or owners caught driving a motorcycle with design altered without approval from the LTO.

Some motorcycle owners have decided to modify their motorcycles by changing the handlebars and exhaust to make them look like big bikes.

But Catarongan explained that it is not allowed because allowing the modification of motorcycles might give advantage to the thieves. 

Other motorcycle riders in other parts of the country are also making peaceful protest against the strict implementation of helmets and for them to wear shoes. —/BRP (THE FREEMAN)