⌛ Helmet law enforcement

Pedicabs are exempt. The law applies to 2-wheelers only. So if they really enforce it, I'll get the smallest sidecar possible made for my motorcycle. That would be expensive and inconvenient, but almost anything is better than wearing a helmet.

 

Including cracking your skull open when it hits the pavement??!!

 

...if they can afford cellphone, they can afford helmet. The "can't afford" line is a very stupid one, nobody in the "deciding" positions gives a damned.

By enforcing the helmet law it might even take 30% of the dangerous drivers of the roads, so it makes it simply more safe.

Of course we are in the PI and law are always somehow, well lets say not what most of us understand under the term "law". As much as i think the helmet-law is ok, there are many traffic rules in place which should be enforced first before thinking about making the next where nobody cares about.

 

Where I am in Australia, we are in the hottest part of the country, crocodile territory...regardless of the heat, it is compulsory here. The way I see it, is it not a worthwhile investment if it saves you from a major head injury? I guess it would be too late if you didn't wear one if a accident did occur......you could be scarred for life, or even worse, a vegetable......or dead. It just gets a little getting used to. We are accustomed to wearing it even in the dreaded heat as it does SAVE lives.
I remember 30 years or more ago in Australia, we didn't have to wear seat belts here, now it is compulsory...but look at how many times it has saved lives? We get all those people who have accidents not wearing seat belts fly through the windscreen and getting themselves messed up....they are there for a reason.....so do yourself a favor and don't be a statistic, its your choice.

 

Dodong, maybe fabricating a sidecar will be treble the cost of a helmet.....

 

A sidecar is cheaper than buying a car, not that I could tolerate driving a car here. No patience for catching pedicabs either. So if they enforce the helmet law it's either get my own pedicab or walk.

 

Some recent articles from the Visayan Daily Star;





Oct 2, Vicar-general Msgr. Gamaliel Tulabing said at a public hearing on the Helmet Law that Republic Act No. 10054 that requires motorcycle riders to wear protective helmets while driving motorcycles is not only impractical but is also anti-poor.

Tulabing said this at a public hearing at the Dumaguete City Session Hall where an ordinance prohibiting the use of bonnet or full face shield crash helmets or items of similar nature that cover the face or otherwise hide the identity of a person within Dumaguete is being proposed.

Tulabing claimed he is a law abiding citizen, and, as much as possible, would want all traffic laws to be implemented, and accept the principle that the law may be harsh but it is the law.

But, to be effective, the law must be acceptable, practical, necessary and truly beneficial, Tulabing said.

Living in a tropical country like the Philippines, particularly in Dumaguete, which is considered as the motorcycle capital of the country, it is impractical to wear helmets, he said, adding that it will be an additional burden to a poor family.

Tulabing suggested an amendment to the law or put it on the level of advisory, and give the responsibility to the motorists, with strict implementation of the speed limit and other traffic laws. He said that most accidents happened because of open defiance of traffic rules on speed limits and carelessness.

Negros Oriental State University president Dr. Henry Sojor, meanwhile, said it is about time a thorough study is made on why this law is vehemently opposed in Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental.

Being considered as the motorcycle capital of the country, Sojor noted, proper consultation and public hearing should have been conducted in this part of the country before it was passed by congress.*JG








Sep 30, Land Transportation Office chief Roland Ramos reiterated that in the absence of Implementing Rules and Regulations, he is now implementing the national law on the wearing of helmets in his area.

Ramos enjoined the public to wait for an official announcement even if the dissemination period for the use of the helmet has already expired.

Questions have been raised as to why the Highway Patrol group was implementing the helmet law in the absence of the IRR.

The LTO chief said their order came from the national command of the highway patrol group and their forms from the Regional Office.

A close coordination between the two groups is expected to avoid contradictions especially in Dumaguete where Ramos wanted a status quo.

He said the new chief of the highway patrol group did not coordinate with his office with regards to the enforcement of the helmet law and he wanted it stopped immediately.

Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria also clarified that he coordinated with the LTO chief several weeks ago about preserving the status quo until the IRR is issued.

In the event the IRR is issued, Sagarbarria said it will have to be studied if there is a way to shelve its implementation or minimize it.

He cited the burden to motorists in buying helmets which cost from P1,000 to as high as P5,000.*JG


Larry

 

Maybe someone here can verify current info. I was once told that the LTO is the ONLY authority to issue any citation and stop vehicles on the road. Any other agency stopping vehicles would require a mission order from the LTO. Can someone verify if true and cite sources?

A 2nd thought, I used to live in Angeles City, Pampanga where there's and exceptionally large expat population. The policing of the roads there got extortionate to an extreme and even impeded movements by foreigners. Xerox copied ticket books used, sideline money paid roadside, extortionate rates for fine with the underlying threats of worse situations and lastly...it got so profitable for agencies that 2 entrepneurs FROM MANILA brought their police vehicle to angeles city to work each day and set up checkpoints to collect fines. That ceased when expats began taking photos of them, posting them on the internet, and sending in registered letters to the LTO and different agencies.

Then another situation was happening after the original traffic stop scenarios above: You got a citation for no helmet (1500P direct on the LTO website). You go to pay it and they say, 1500P and you must take a day seminar about safe driving OR pay 800P and NO RECEIPT and no seminar.

Seems as though there is no education campaign to get people to wear helmets. I would think there would be roadside billboards, flyers, posters: "wear a helmet and save your head", etc

Is it possible it's got nothing to do with actual safety, saving lives and everything to do with the revenue generated?

Maybe the success is in the failure?

 

Simply put, if it were about saving lives, it would be about proper lighting and education about how to signal before one takes a left turn from the right lane, not to mention nail some of those that weave in and out of traffic at high speed. Accident prevention should be the emphasis, but there is no emphasis on accident prevention whatsoever.

It's about money.

Larry

 

When I paid my 50P in Sibulan (no helmet) and they told me that if I keep the receipt, "IT'S GOOD FOR 7 DAYS NO HELMET"....I guess that was prolly about the 50P and nothing to do with the education, safety or anything else? hahah