One of the unfortunate realities is that drivers from the middle class (and above) seem to have this universal resentment of motorcycle riders in general. And as a car driver myself, I have certainly seen and experienced the same “issues” which led to this unfortunate generalization.
I say it’s unfortunate because it’s the riders and not the motorcycles that are the real issue. Of course, this type of argument is all to common for practically any “collective culture” being judged of [legitimate] stereotypical behavior. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Still, I’d like to make sure this is clear because this little detail makes all the difference in the psychology of such resentment. And in turn, such poorly qualified resentment inevitably leads to similar poorly thought laws.
That’s a long winded way of saying: because most people who make our traffic laws aren’t riders, they usually base their recommendations out of their resentment of that which they don’t understand, instead of actually trying to understand, and finding meaningful solutions that could benefit everyone.
I’m nowhere near being a “veteran” rider, but in my short time of riding – I’d like to attempt to “enlighten” those who want to understand what it’s like to be someone who rides a motorcycle in Manila traffic – and hopefully would result to a better understanding of, and patience with, motorcycle riders in general. Read More