EDITORIAL - A barrier to common sense?

It seems the government, particularly the National Task Force against COVID-19, is still bent on enforcing that proposal to have motorcycle drivers “wear” barriers between them and their passengers.

According to a report in Philstar.com motorcycle owners have until the end of the month to comply with the order to carry barriers on their motorcycles.

Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Philippine National Police deputy chief for operations, is quoted as saying that after the deadline they can start apprehending drivers of motorcycles without barriers.

It’s a sad thing that this policy is still being pursued.

We understand whoever came up with this proposal meant well, and it is also true that the design has been modified, and that the barriers are now an article that the driver can wear instead of a device permanently attached to the motorcycle, but this doesn’t change the fact that it is still impractical and dangerous.

Motorcycle experts have the same view that it is unsafe, with two prominent Cebuano motocrossers saying the barrier will affect the aerodynamics of a motorcycle, especially during windy days.

“Samot na kun ting-uwan or ting hangin. Kana balibag na gyud ta ana. Dapat gyud gani ang driver and passenger sikit para ang bug-at naa sa center,” said Cebu motocrosser Pepo Rubi.

Aside from pointing out this same idea, a group of mechanical engineers also said any barrier between the motorcycle driver and passenger will not protect either from infection because of the movement of the air around them.

"With the barrier attached when the motorcycle is in motion, the front side of the barrier builds up pressure while creating turbulence and suction behind the barrier... This will not guarantee that the barrier will be effective in protecting both riders from the spread of air particles to each other," a position paper from the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers read.

The more and more the rules regarding motorcycle barriers are refined and modified, the more and more it seems that those who set these rules have never driven a motorcycle before, or never use them to regularly commute.

Another question to ask here is are the police willing to enforce this rule on their own men? We foresee that the first violators of this rule will be the policemen themselves. Go online, you can find many photos of policemen riding in tandem even during quarantine.