The Discrimination of Mr. Moto

The Discrimination of Mr. Moto

By Taga Ibaan Ako

Mr. Moto has been around the street since 1885 as credited to Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz to have built the first of its kind on wooden frame and iron-banded wheels and of “bone-crusher” chassis. Since then, Mr. Moto’s number increased in exponential manner almost identical to that of world’s population.

Almost to date, there are around 200 million motorcycles in use worldwide, or about 33 motorcycles per 1,000 people. This includes mopeds, motor scooters and other powered two and three-wheelers motorcycles. Their number is actually far-fetched compared to around 590 million cars, or about 91 per 1,000 people. Notably, 58% of motorcycles are in the developing countries of Asia –Southern and Eastern Asia, and the Asia Pacific, excluding Japan. A striking 37 million motorcycles/mopeds can be found in India as of 2002, enough for the country to be considered as the home to the largest number of motorized wheelers in the world. China came close with 34 million. Philippines? Well, we might find ourselves at the tail of the list with 3.2 registered motorcycles, tricycles and scooters as of 2009, according to LTO.

Mr. Moto’s family has gone a long way –too long to hug capture everyone’s attention, from ordinary individuals up to the government and law enforcers. This could be something to thank for being included and considered in some laws promulgated to protect its riders and the public in general. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of happiness, Mr. Moto is placed under microscope and being subjected to rigid micro management resulting to discrimination, on and off road. Motorcycles are now hot items, including those who ride them.

Let me account the ways how they are discriminated.

Police Checkpoints

Every minute, crime occurs in the country. In an attempt to curb such, law enforcers set up checkpoints on streets. A big sigh of relief for everyone and one of those ways to feel secured. However, in most instances, motorcycles get the most unfair treatment when it comes to this.

Checkpoints, as mentioned by one of those policemen, are done in random manner –meaning, not all vehicles are stopped for assessment. But not in the case of motorcycles. Perpetually, every motorcycle is directed to yield on the road side, as in all of them, no one is spared. As the procedure will go, they’ll ask for your license and registration. Worst, they’ll even open up your bags! Well, anyway, that’s part of the routine. But what’s irritating is that, when they stop a car, they would simply look on the inside of the car, won’t ask for any license or registration, nor ask to open the trunk of the car. Bags are generally off their attention. And most of the time, they would even apologize to the driver, which were hardly said to motorcycle driver. As observed, they’ll stop 10 motorcycles compared to 1 car.

Parking Space/Area

As mandated by law, business establishments are required to provide a non-elevated part in their entrance and exit for persons with disabilities. And as part of the customer service, parking areas, as their space may allow them, are allocated for cars and other four wheeled vehicles. Lines are even painted to guide those vehicles. Hardly any space is provided for motorcycles’ parking. If ever they provide one, only a couple can enjoy such privilege.

Motorcycles don’t have this luxury already. To add insult to the wound, security guards on duty would bark on you when you park in front of the store. You’ll be rudely asked to stay on the side and not in the front of establishment. The front part is for customers only. As if anyone on a bike can’t be a customer. Only those with cars are considered customers.

And yes, when cars moves out of the parking area, guards would even clear the way, stop other vehicles from coming, until the customer drives out safe and sound. Will they do the same thing on bikes? A big no! They don’t about bikes getting hit on their way out. And where can find these scenarios? Check out banks and food chains. (Good news is, SM City-Batangas provides large parking space for motorcycles.)

On The Road

SUVs, PUVs, trucks and other four-wheeled vehicle don’t respect Mr. Moto on the road. Why is that? Here are some of the reasons?

1. During night time, they won’t lower or use dim function of their head lights opposite a motorbike. Though some of them would be courteous enough to do so. But not in most cases. Majority of them don’t seem to care how one’s vision is blurred when hit directly with lights. Good for them they got tinted windows.

2. It’s easy for them to decide counter a motorbike on its own lane and right of way. Maybe because motorbikes can easily take turn on the side of the road and give way. But that’s still a disrespectful one.

3. Signal lights are meant to be used when making a turn. Those vehicles do so. But not all of them when a motorbike is on their tail.

4. Motorbikes are the one cut the most by other vehicles on the road.

5. During and after the rain, SUVs, PUJs and others don't slow down running on water deposits on the road. It doesn't matter spilling water on motorbikes next to them.

When Filling Gas

I’ll make this one short. Pump attendants get themselves busy with other vehicles and take on motorbikes the last even if they have been there waiting for a life time. After being filled, a motorbike should be out of the line not later than five minutes. Stay a little longer or an SUV behind will horn you out. Same thing that a motorbike driver can’t don when following an SUV on the line.

There are still more cases of discrimination handed to Mr. Moto. If we deal on that more, others might not agree on it. But you may also wonder, how come? Why are motorbikes being ridiculed? That is what we’re going to talk about next.

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