Shocking death of a Cainta Rizal at Barrio Kapitolyo Pasig City calls for immediate corrective measures

Wheels of Happiness

The death of Cainta mtb rider calls for resolute action.  It was schocking and gory.  It did not seem to be deadly from initial footage (All accidents are)  The opening of the door of the van, and the running over were all fast.

Dooring

Thisi post have experienced being doored twice - ie you hitting the door of a vehcile being opened at speed.   One was Pantok involving a jeep that unloaded a passenger in front.   The door opened suddenly.   My speed was around 5 kph but nevertheless it hurt.   Then the other one was in Pililla.  A driver of Ranger suddenly opene his door.  My handlebar hit his door This was a little bit faster at about 20kph+  The impact tore the hood cover of the STI.  The bike wobbled and the bike veered to the opposite lane.  It was good there was no vehicle from opposite direction or from behind.  My ankles - shin bones hurt and I had to have them checked for possible fracture.  Fortunately there was none.   The driver of course, as usual scratched his head.  He was not responsible for anything........??#!

Bike lane

1.  Most bike lanes are sharrow -  shared ROW.  Most of them are marked by chevron.   It means the lane can be shared by bike, MC, MV.  Thus the bike lanes become inutile for any protection or safety of bikers.  Those in Cainta (floodway) Pasig, Antipolo are sharrows.   This post is not sure whether the bike lane at Kapitolyo is sharrow.

2.  Most bike lanes (especially sharrow) are used for parking, tricycle and jeep terminal, loading and offloading passengers

3.  Apprehendsion (NCAP) for bike lanes is spotty if enforced at all.

We pay attention to this because someone died.   Will there be action or simply a news report.

If we want transformation to GREEN and sustainable public transportation, we must hae bike lanes.  This post understands that DOT has large budget for bike lanes.  As it is this looks wasted to this post

May be biking can be better through a safer bike lane system.  

Those car bike, MC accidents of loss of bike lanes pour cold water in cyclists enthusiasm, make them afraid

Wheels of Happiness

The publication of many pictures of accidents involving bikes and motor vehcles sow fear into the hearts of cyclists. Furthermore, the safety that used to be provided by bike lanes is gone;  most of them have become sharrows.  (Shared ROWs)

Even pros die from motor vehicle accidents.  And there are deaths in MV accidents where the passengers are protected by metals, how much more if it is between an all metal MV and a biker?  That is fear inspiring.

Ride safe friends, kapadyaks.

MC bike crash

Rode to Pasig this morning; great practice in city biking and heat training

Wheels of Happiness

This post rode to Pasig MM and managed 17Km one way for total of 34 km.  Was to see ftf somebody at The Grove This was a great practice in riding amongst MC, riding in fumes and heavy traffic.   Traffic was heavy and you are always near danger - MC overtaking from your right;   near collision with vehicles head on or from behind.    

Its odd to see traffic at Highway 2000 being managed according to the whim of traffic enforcer.  They turned off the traffic light and waiting can be as long as 5 minutes.    And you inhale all the fumes

At this hour, the bike lanes are occupied by parked vehicles.  They still have not acquired parking areas for their new cars!

You experience3 one great advantage ie being able to overtake at least 60 vehicles in bike lane.  Some MV still respect bike lanes but in Pasig, vehicles:   public and private hog the bike lanes.   There are great practice for riding uphills going up Rizal Provincial Hospital and the flyovers.   Great hill climbs.

Declining number of cyclisits lately

Wheels of Happiness

We see lesser and lesser cyclists on the road lately.  Due to the following:

1.  Very hot weather.  40 C is common at 10:00 up to 4:00 pm.  Such hot conditions are dangerous to health and can cause strokes which can be lethal;

2.  Unsafe riding practices by motorized counterpart -  overtaking from the right, over speeding even in busy streets, 

3.  No more safety provided by bike lanes, which are in reality sharrows;

4.  Expensive parts and repairs.   (However, we see softening of prices for inventories that have not been bought. 

6  And lately crimes vs bikers in isolated places.  There are still many brigands (NPA, thieves robbers) in isolated areas.  One news  took place at Sitio Labahan in Angono.   This happens despite huge salaries and huge number of PNP personnel.

To protect yourself, to minimize danger, then you minimize bike outings.  

Biked to Pasig, had difficulty with bike lanes

Wheels of Happiness

This post biked to Pasig C5 this morning.  Had difficulty with the bike lanes and those who use this:

1.  Mostly used by MC, and they assert they are bikes who have the right to bike lanes said one who

     was angry that I was in the bike lane.   Clarity must be sought

2.  Parking of MC, customers,  bereavement tent for those who are grieving for their dead.

3.  Garbage on bike lane.

What should be done.  Give up the bike lane or FIGHT?!

Bike lanes - are they real, or just an LGU gimmickry

Wheels of Happiness

This post would like to think that bike lanes were real legislative effort of LGU in response to pandemic, to enable many of the populace be mobile using their bikes.   DOTR has a huge budget for bike lanes. Perhaps, the bike lanes did get a lot of votes from the biker segment of the society  (It could be huge)

However my observation reveals that:   there are very few bikers using this;  this mostly occupied by MC and those without barriers are used by jeepneys, tricycles and cars for their motoring, in violation of the intended use of the bike lane.

This post is not complaining but merely pointing out our mindset towards laws and projects which we do not intend to pursue seriously.  And those bikers must learn to be more wary, and not complacent when they use bike lanes.  They need not be angry, frustrated or even go on bike rage (haha excuse the pun)

Excuse me.   No bike lanes

Abolition of bike lanes?

Wheels of Happiness

MMDA has been mulling abolition of bike lanes because of its low usage.  Roads are  narrow, and heavy traffic volume overwhelms major throughfare.

Since this is the situation, I favor the move.  Anyway the bike lanes legality is not observed  You cant fight the lack of discipline in the road ways.   

May be legalizing the non observance of bike lane is the only decision left for MMDA.  

DOTR however takes another point of view

Chief of a food manufacturing giant tweets bike lanes cause traffic at EDSA

Wheels of Happiness

https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/1504657986681470976

Ramon Ang: Ang problema lamang sa EDSA, traffic is because of the bicycle lane. In other countries, bicycle lane is on the sidewalk. Tayo ginawa natin sa gitna ng highway |

@stanleygajete
All ready this tweet is taking flak mostly from the biking world because as we all know traffic was in Edsa long before the bike lanes (which were introduced only in pandemic) There are other causes which know as too large volume of vehicles, undisciplined behavior at the road, illegal parking at some areas to mention many more
The good sir may have spoken out of turn or brash conclusion. We all know that this true but not entirely true. Other factors play a part.
This post used to teach at grad school critical thinking. One subject was systemic thinking:
1. The causes of problem is systematic - ie no singular cause of problems. There are multiple causes of problem.
2. The causes are not simplistic or linear;
3. Thus Peter Senges teaching that in strategic thinking we need to address the five items in each of the employees,: shared vision, ,shared learning, mindset, personal improvement, systemic thinkig

Trending bike lanes - more work has to be done

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

5.28.2021

Because of the huge number of bikers, bike lanes were hurriedly legislated on, budgets set aside and massive building started.  However as I tried the bike lanes this week end in going to KM 0.

     1.   A bike lane in a minor road in a MM city (but fabulous bike lane in CBD) has bike lanes that

           is rutted, dotted with depressed manhole covers, and I would rate this to be dangerous.  I had to

           swerve and avoid this

    2.  Bike lane in a road in a premier city is non existent in market place -  having been occupied 

         by parking and market stalls.

    3.  In Manila, there is no bike lane at Roxas blvd. but there are on both wings in side streets, service

         road, and sidewalk along Roxas blvd.

This would caution fellow bikers:  The bike lane does not guarantee safety and exclusive use of the lane:

    1.   MC and other MV continue to use the bike lane for their travel;

    2.  MV suddenly stop at bike lanes park, and open their doors.

    3.  There are counterflows by fellow bikers at bike lane and there could be head on collision

A lot more work has to be done in terms of 1.  infrastructure,   2.  education of bikers, other users

3.  enforcement.

We are still experiencing birthing pains in bike lanes.  

Bicycle Friendly Cities from Slideshare

"Mens sana en corpora sano" Sound mind in a sound body.

The presentation oontains various ideas on how to make biking welcome in cities, like making bike lanes wider, providing space for turning, providing areas for parking, bike rental solutions, etc. I hope these slides can influence planners in the Phils who want to keep par with bike friendly cities...

Bicycle Friendly Cities

View more presentations from Frank Calberg Services

There Oughta be Some Order

We need to improve on many thing that piss us off on the road:

l.  Motorcyle riders, jeepney drivers, tricyle drivers must drive safely.  When they drive, they drive as if bike riders do not exist.  For a measly P8.00 fare, a jeepney driver will without warning screech to a halt in front of you or drive you off the road just to get one (l) one passenger.As for motorcycle riders, many of them must learn traffic rules, courtesy, and safety.  Many of them don't and they pay dearly with broken body parts if not their lives...

2,  Smoke belching vehicles must have their smoke belching corrected.  Its  bad for our lungs.

3.  Gratings that are traps on the road must be removed.(DPWH?)

4.  All motor vehicle drivers must be educated that bikers. like them are entitled to one lane on the road.  One lane, repeat one lane not a sliver of space.(LTO? TMG)

5.  Our dear beer, wine, alcohol (alcogel?) drinkers, and others must not throw broken glasses or glasses on the road.  They are the main causes of flats. I thought we have proper solid waste disposal.  And the road is not the place to throw solid waste.... Hmmmm.

6. Road joints especially without seal in the middle can cause flats or fatal crash.  In Jalajala there are so many.  It takes little amount of asphalt (bitumen to remedy this. Where does the road maintenance budget go?) DPWH?

7.  The taunted bike lanes that are used as parking of homeowners or with dangerous obstacles in the middle?  Are you kidding?

Concerned bureaucrats must do something?!