Riding In Tandem

[Corzhens]

Riding in tandem is now being regulated here. Particularly for motorcycle but it is now covering bicycles as well. A child below 10 years of age is not allowed to ride as passenger of a 2-wheeled vehicle and presumably not allowed to drive also. As the law is nearing implementation, there are complaints and oppositions in the media for most bike owners bring their children to school using their bike. How can their children go to school now if they have no money for the fare?

 

[joshposh]

Riding in tandem is now being regulated here. Particularly for motorcycle but it is now covering bicycles as well. A child below 10 years of age is not allowed to ride as passenger of a 2-wheeled vehicle and presumably not allowed to drive also. As the law is nearing implementation, there are complaints and oppositions in the media for most bike owners bring their children to school using their bike. How can their children go to school now if they have no money for the fare?

It's a safety issue. There are a lot of conveniences in the world that risk our lives. I'm sure we would be breaking a bunch of laws to make life easier for us but they are there for a reason. Kids can die on these bikes. That is the main focus on this new law. Instead of driving a bike to take your kid to school, then ride with them on mass transit. You have jeepneys and so forth. Ride those with your kids.

 

[gavinfree]

It is indeed a saftey issue. Such a law might be incnovenient for a small group of people, but the safety of the public at large matters far more than a small number of people. I wouldn't complain about that if such laws existed where I live. Some safety measures are pointless, but this one actually makes sense on a few different levels, if you ask me.

 

[Keyan]

There will always be reasons for people not to follow a certain rule or law. A couple of resistance here and there are expected but these people know what would be the repercussions should they choose not to follow. Looking for an excuse is the most convenient thing to do but when it comes to safety nothing comes first. You can take a walk, do car pool, name it there is always a solution for every issue.

 

[maydog]

I assume that the previous respondents do not rely on bicycles and or motorcycles as their only means of long distance transportation. The more privileged among us have snickered at pictures of commuters with grossly overloaded bicycles and mopeds while overlooking the conditions that must exist to make such transportation methods a necessity.

Corzhens, I do not know the particulars of the law - but you do make it sound as if it will be a large burden on many who rely on bikes and scooters/mopeds/motorcycles for transport. Here in the U.S. there are parents who transport their young children in special seats mounted on their bikes. I used to own a 250cc scooter and my kids loved getting rides through the neighborhood or to the ice cream shop. Tandem or tag along style bicycles are also popular to use for small children. I would have to imagine that a similar law in the U.S. would meet vehement opposition.

I tried to search on google for the proposed law / ordinance. I found hits on laws restricting males from riding together for the ridiculous purpose of crime prevention. I found no mention of children - is the point safety or are there other motivations?

 

[sunshiney]

I can definitely see both sides of this. Growing up my family didn't have a car and we got everywhere either on foot or bike, and I can see how taking that option away from parents is causing controversy. Especially since, depending on distance, it's not always practical or possible to walk somewhere with a young child.
At the same time...it's a clear safety issue. I'm sure any parent would prefer the inconvenience of finding alternate transportation, rather than possibly putting their children at risk.
It sounds like a problem that could be helped with bussing or possibly subsidized public transport, since ultimately kids have to get to school one way or another.

 

[joshposh]

I tried to search on google for the proposed law / ordinance. I found hits on laws restricting males from riding together for the ridiculous purpose of crime prevention. I found no mention of children - is the point safety or are there other motivations?

The Philippines is a 3rd world country. Their laws are made and rarely enforced or is not put into digital form as they are made. Everything in the Philippines is 20 years behind the rest of the world. I split my time in the US and the Philippines, and I see and experienced the lack of communication and infrastructure that goes on here.

I am not surprised you did not find anything about the new law. I did read about it on yahoo news, and it is supposedly in full effect, but I'm sure as always the land officers will not enforce it unless they want to extort the foreigner so that they can get off.

 

[joshposh]

Here in the U.S. there are parents who transport their young children in special seats mounted on their bikes. I used to own a 250cc scooter and my kids loved getting rides through the neighborhood or to the ice cream shop. Tandem or tag along style bicycles are also popular to use for small children. I would have to imagine that a similar law in the U.S. would meet vehement opposition.

The reality is, in the Philippines, it's a free for all in the streets. No one is safe and they sometimes when they feel like it enforce the helmet laws. I see kids all the time riding on the back of a scooter or standing on the floor board and overloading it just because it is cheaper and quicker to get from point A, to point B.

Does this look safe to you? Google it and you will see that this is a normal scene in the Philippines and you will see this on the main highway from time to time.

 

[joshposh]

I can definitely see both sides of this. Growing up my family didn't have a car and we got everywhere either on foot or bike, and I can see how taking that option away from parents is causing controversy. Especially since, depending on distance, it's not always practical or possible to walk somewhere with a young child.
At the same time...it's a clear safety issue. I'm sure any parent would prefer the inconvenience of finding alternate transportation, rather than possibly putting their children at risk.
It sounds like a problem that could be helped with bussing or possibly subsidized public transport, since ultimately kids have to get to school one way or another.

It is clearly a safety issue. Hell if you hit a pot hole or a rock on the road you can go down easily. Take a look at the picture I attached. You can see how grossly overloaded they are and how dangerous it is for the kids on the handlebars. They look like they like it too which is disturbing.

 

[sunshiney]

Oh wow, I was imagining one parent on the bike with one, maybe two, kids in an attached trailer or bike seat.
The pictures you posted are so scary! I can't imagine the risk that must put the kids at. It's terrible that these people feel like they have no option besides transporting their children in such a dangerous manner. Even a fall from two or three feet up can be deadly if you hit your head or land the wrong way, and that's not even accounting for traffic.

 

[Corzhens]

The pictures above reminds me of my husband's uncle whose scooter was the main transportation. He normally rides his scooter with his wife at the back, 2 kids between him and his wife and another kid in front (between him and the handlebars). Sometimes we tease him about saving money on that but his main reason is the difficulty in getting a ride in a public utility since the buses are always crowded. But that was in the olden days because now it is already considered a major traffic violation.

 

[joshposh]

The pictures above reminds me of my husband's uncle whose scooter was the main transportation. He normally rides his scooter with his wife at the back, 2 kids between him and his wife and another kid in front (between him and the handlebars). Sometimes we tease him about saving money on that but his main reason is the difficulty in getting a ride in a public utility since the buses are always crowded. But that was in the olden days because now it is already considered a major traffic violation.

That is still commonly practiced everyday. They do that all the time just not on the main highway. Go out into the provinces more and they do that all the time.