The Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) is reminding motorcycle riders, cyclists, e-bike users, and even slow-moving tricycles to use the outermost lane.
An electronic trike taking care to avoid the middle of a two-lane road
The post references the Department of Interior and Local Government’s Memorandum Circular 2020-036 stating that tricycles, and pedicabs are strictly prohibited from using national highways. Then again, one should remember that many major roads have since been given outer lanes allowing more two-wheelers and three-wheelers on public roads amid the pandemic.
To clarify, DILG’s 2020-06 memo doesn’t actually involve motorcycles, e-bikes, and bicycles. It is instead, focused on prohibiting tricycles, pedicabs, and motorized pedicabs “along all national highways” to ensure the safety of motorists. Tricycles and pedicabs are also not allowed to cross and/or make U-turns on national highways. To this end, the PNP-HPG is reminding these two and three-wheelers to stay on the outermost lanes for their own safety.
According to a report, the said memo was a response to recent videos of vehicles getting involved in accidents while trying to avoid tricycles on the innermost lane of some highways.
On the PNP-HPG’s aforementioned Facebook post, many netizens also shared their reactions. Some said that the right-most lanes of certain roads should also be cleared of parked cars as this was the main reason why motorcycles and other two-wheelers are forced to use the inner lanes.
Cars parked on the side of the road is a common sight on Philippine roads
Some also pointed out that many bike riders cannot in fact use bike lanes as cars will sometimes drive through on the said lanes. For that matter, it also remains a fact that some provincial roads will have unfinished shoulder lanes, which can also force riders to occupy inner lanes.
How about you guys, do you have any reactions regarding this matter? For more car news, car reviews, and car safety tips, keep it here on Philkotse.com.