EXPLAINER: Why bicycles, motorcycles can’t share lanes
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—With the government saying that it was considering the possibility of converting bicycle lanes to shared lanes, the group Move As One Coalition (MAOC) stressed that bicycles and motorcycles “should not mix in the same road space.”
READ: MMDA eyes conversion of bike lanes to shared lanes
It pointed out that there should be physical separation between motorcycles and bicycles for safety, saying that there is no better alternative than giving the vehicles their exclusive lanes.
This, as the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) stated on Aug. 23 that it was considering the possibility of converting bicycle lanes on Edsa to shared lanes, stressing that the bicycle lanes have been “underutilized.”
However, this was criticized, with MAOC saying on Tuesday (Aug. 29) that “there is no road safety guidance that suggests that bicycles and motorcycles should mix in the same road space.”
Because of this, the MMDA said it will look into other options instead of converting bicycle lanes. “No one agreed,” it said, reiterating what motorcycle riders and cyclists expressed in a stakeholder’s meeting.
READ: MMDA looking for other options to shared bicycle – motorcycle lane plan
MMDA chairman Romando Artes said if it cannot be combined, “what can we do?”
‘Safest’ way
It was pointed out by the website MotoDeal that while “road sharing is an admirable act,” it is not doable with bike lanes, saying that “bike lanes are designed for bicycles, and they should stay that way.”
GRAPHICS: Ed Lustan
“Bicycles weigh significantly less than vehicles and don’t go anywhere near as fast. Simply put, they don’t belong in the same lane. Bicycles deserve the space to ride at their own pace, without the threat of cars or motorcycles at every second,” said MotoDeal.
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According to data from the websites Discerning Cyclist and J.D. Power, road bikes only weigh 8.54 kilos, while motorcycles and large cars weigh 317.515 kilos and 1,905 kilos.
As for speed, the average for easy cycling is 20 kilometers per hour (kph), while it is 50 kph for cars on residential and busy roads. The Land Transportation Office meanwhile, had set a limit of 20 kph for motorcycles on busy roads.
However, according to data from the website PowerSportsGuide, the average speed of a motorcycle is 70 kph to 100 kph, almost the same as the average speed of cars “on main road [and] traveling reasonably fast.”
No less than the LTO has stated in its Memorandum Circular No. 2021-2267 that “no motor vehicle shall be allowed to either cross or park into bicycle lanes or pedestrian lanes.”
“Bicycle lanes are for the sole use of cyclists, non-motorized transport users, and light mobility vehicle or personal mobility devices users,” it said, pointing out that motor vehicles, “with their weight and potential speed,” will endanger bicycles when they enter bicycle lanes.”
‘We need protection’
MAOC said because motorcycles and bicycles are important for most Filipinos and are far more efficient travel modes than cars, the MMDA “should not hesitate to convert regular Edsa lanes to establish sufficient space for dedicated motorcycle and bicycle lanes.”
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“Doing so would also enable a higher throughput of people on Edsa than what we have today, and the most vulnerable road users would have safer travel,” it said.
GRAPHICS: Ed Lustan
This, as based on data from Social Weather Stations, motorcycle-owning households outnumber car-owning households by 6 to 1, while bicycle-owning households outnumber car-owning households by 4 to 1.
“The lives of pedestrians and cyclists matter,” the coalition said.
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“They need protection at all times. Because pedestrians need a safe pathway to avoid collision with motor vehicles, a sidewalk is a requirement on all roads, even though there may be times of the day when no pedestrians use them,” it added.
MAOC pointed out that “the same principle applies to bike lanes.”
Likewise, it stressed that “pedestrians and cyclists, who are propelled by their own energy, should have the most direct routes instead of being relegated to secondary roads involving longer and more circuitous travel.”
