Over 100 held for violating ‘motorcycle lane’ traffic scheme

MOTORCYCLE LANE. Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard implements the motorcycle lane traffic scheme Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — More than 100 motorcycle drivers were held in the first three hours of the first day of the implementation of the “motorcycle lane” rule on Macapagal Highway in Pasay City and Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, an official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Monday.

Supervisor Maximo Dilla said that on Commonwealth Avenue, a total of 126 motorcycle drivers were stopped and given a 15-minute lecture on the use of motorcycle lanes and other safety measures on motorcycle riding, such as keeping headlights on, wearing protective gear like helmet, shoes and keeping a license with Restriction Code 1.

The lecture was held in front of the St.. Peter’s Church along Commonwealth Avenue.

Dilla said among those who were stopped were policemen, soldiers, employees from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and even from the MMDA.

The MMDA has designated the fourth lane of Commonwealth Avenue and the first lane from the sidewalk on Macapagal Highway in Pasay City, as motorcycle lanes.

Light vehicles can use the fourth lane at Commonwealth but only to “pass through,” according to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Engineer Joel Donato.

Starting next week, motorcyclists who do not use the designated motorcyle lane will be fined P500, lawyer Yves Gonzales of the MMDA also said.

Deaths from vehicular accidents involving motorcycles has been rising in the past years, prompting authorities to assign a specific lane for the two-wheeled vehicles.