‘Blue lanes’ get mixed reactions from motorcyclists

In October last year, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority set up “blue lanes” on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, often referred to as the “killer highway,” and Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City, to reduce motorcycle-related accidents which make up the majority of road mishaps in Metro Manila.

The lanes have been designated specifically for motorcycles, although the agency clarified that other vehicles can use the lanes, except public utility types.

The blue lane project is still in the trial stage, but the MMDA claims it has already delivered good results.

Director Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operations, said that since it was implemented, the number of motorcycle accidents on Commonwealth was cut from 4-6 to less than one per day. He added that the figure is even lower on Macapagal, from 4-5 to almost zero.

The lanes also prevented accidents involving motorists who were distracted by swerving riders. “Motorcyclists can now use a specific lane without other motorists worrying about them,” he added.

‘Our own’

The MMDA’s move has elicited mixed reactions among motorists and motorcyclists.

““I’m glad that we now have our own lane and we won’t be having a hard time navigating in the traffic,” said Noli Bajos, a 32-year-old mechanic who has been riding his motorcycle for three years now on Commonwealth Avenue.

He noted the tendency of some motorists to ignore rules on the road. Many PUV drivers “hog” the lane, forcing motorcylists to drive outside it, he said, adding that some don’t make signal signs whenever they cross over to another lane, which is dangerous when there are many speeding vehicles. “We can’t just stop because we’d crash if we do that,” he said.

Bajos also said that the lane’s location—4th from the innermost—from the U-turns is not only impractical but also exposes them to fast-moving vehicles.

For Jovi Bianan, a 45-year-old machine-shop owner who has been driving for 17 years now, the innovation was “a welcome change.” Motorcyclists are now more organized and disciplined, he noted, unlike before when they would not stick to one lane but “were everywhere.”

On the other hand, while Ferdinand Herreres, a 37-year-old jeepney driver, approves of the blue lanes, he noticed that motorcyclists have become more “aggressive and feel like they’re the kings of the road.”

For him, the blue lane’s location is “too precarious.” “There are many PUVs on the yellow lanes. Buses often ‘hog’ our lanes, thus blocking off motorcyclists,” he said.

Criticism

A group of motorcyclists have questioned the program, saying it is “discriminatory because we are the only ones given restrictions,” said Jobert Bolanos, president of the Motorcycle Rights’ Organization (MRO).

He said the program is “disadvantageous” because of design flaws like: (1) confining motorcycles to one lane, yet having them share it with other vehicles; (2) lack of signs; (3) the 100-meter turning rule in  the U-turn slots. Bolanos cited studies by the American Motorcyclist Association and Motorcycle Safety Federation which said “motorcycles are not safe if they ride side-by-side, especially if they are confined to a limited space.”

On the other hand, the “huge drop” in accidents may be attributed to rider behavior adjustment and misconceptions about the program, he said. “Many of them are afraid of being penalized. Some even thought that motorcycles had been banned from the roads.”

‘Not discriminatory’

But for Carlos, the initiative is not discriminatory. “In the past, motorcycles had to jostle for space with other vehicles. In the blue lane, other motorists have to give way to the riders,” he said.

He attributes this to the perception that motorcylists are “second-hand road users who have no rights.”

While the blue lane addresses the motorcyclists’ right-of-way, they themselves can erase this perception by changing their road-use attitude, he said.

“Motorcyclists have a tendency not to follow traffic rules, which they say covers only 4-wheel vehicles. They insist on going ahead, weave into tight spaces and zigzag through lanes, earning them the ire of other motorists,” Carlos said. “Changing that attitude will get them the respect of other motorists.”

The MMDA plans to set up blue lanes on other highways in the Metro. With the favorable response from the public—like receiving a request for blue lanes in C5—the agency is confident that the plan will push through. “The clamor for motorcycle lanes on every road is a sign that it is now a welcome move,” Carlos said.

Meanwhile, Bolanos and the MRO are seeking legal help to temporarily suspend the blue lane project until their concerns on the program are addressed.

On the other hand, motorists like Bianan, Bajos and Herreres agree that for all its faults, the blue lane is still effective. “But it can be made better if they’ll listen to us,” Jovi said.