Helmet laws now being enforced

[shadow]

Well, it has been pleasant up to now, but as of today DC LTO will start implementing the helmet law. This of course is a drive by LTO to collect MONEY!

Although I agree helmets save lives, I also believe in personal choice. This is not like in many countries where when someone bumps their head and has no insurance they become a big public charge, as here if you have no money you just do not get treated. So I fail to see where the helmet law does the general public a tremendous amount of good.

In fact, having everyone wear a helmet may actually be advantageouis to the hoodlums and robbers which seem to be calling out for the vigilantes again, as now they have to wear a helmet as does everybody else, and wearing a full face brain bucket that covers their face will fit right in with the general public, making facial identification of suspects impossible.

I knew it would not be long before we came to this, when I read about Bacolod doing this about 2 months ago. Bacolod of course enforced a lot of other laws on the public that had not previously been enforced, such as "no children under 7 years allowed to ride" rule.

This particular law, if enforced here, will put undo hardship on MANY families with young children. There are many areas here that are only accesible to the general public by motorcycle. How are these people living in these areas supposed to get their children to school, doctor, family visits. etc.? Carabao?

I also oppose the checkpoints, which I am afraid they will have set up in strategic places around town. I oppose this for one reason, they will probably be stopping everyone even if they are wearing a helmet. Where I come from this is considered "illegal search and seizure" and of course is illegal. They must have probable cause to stop someone. If someone is obviously breaking the law (no helmet?) I can see the right, but to stop everyone to see if they can find some way to harrass them is another issue in my opinion.

At the end of the day, it's all about money. The rich controlling factors, in this case LTO, are always looking for ways to collect more money from the lower classes.

Unfortunately, oppression (or rather lack therof) was always one of the appealing parts of the Philippines to me, but it seems we are not too far behind other politically oppressed countries in some ways.

Comments?

Larry

[Tom87]

shadow I agree with u...it's almost everything about money....
but the helmet could save ur life...that doesn't matter how much money you spend right?
My opinion is that they could also close the traffic for trycycles on blvd...

have fun

[archon_manofsteel]

hate helmets... ruins my "punk" hair.. hahaha!

[Rhoody]

just came back from town and overtook a police-man on his Silliman-sponsored scooter... guess what, no helmet for the officer...

but serious, I don't think it is a bad idea, one problem is that this plastic-buckets (called helmet here) break under the slightest pressure and the splints are even more dangerous.
There are many points which have to be improved when it comes to traffic, I actually think the city is on the right way, the Trike-lane at Lee is a good example, and the lady-officer there seemed to be a strict beast (ment in a nice way), don't wanna argue with her at all.
How about enforce rules like 2 persons are enough on a bike, strictly no txting, listening to music, carring 3 bags and a chicken while driving...

There is way to go, it has to be a start somewhere, and a helmet is not the worst thing in life... even I love driving without...

Archon, nothing can destroy real beauty...

Rhoody

Hope my new helmet is ok, and I protect my eyes against all the dust and dirt...

[progmeister]

Looks like you've got competition Rhoody

[shiba]

Ha, with thousands of motorcycles in Duma, very funny to see a lot of turtle backs on the road

[babel-fish]

Its interesting, I always wear a helmet and so does my passenger. I see what the normal Filipino uses the helmet for, guess what? yes to place shopping into.

I expect the seven passengers on the hubble-hubble should also wear helmets. Oh laws are regularly broken here the main excuse is the people are poor.

The police enjoy sitting on the corner watching the day creep by and of course those that can not afford helmets can not afford pay the fines.

Trust in God, God will protect you and your never have an accident and crush your head - the normal Filipino logic. Hmm I just love this country.

[Arie]

it has it charms the complete lack of safety rules in the filipines and you got to wonder about motives if some get enforced

I don't really get the check-point thing, you argue that it will improve the ease to do crime and object illegal search and seizure". I have no problems with searches as long as they are do not have the objective to shake-outs.

Many of these checks are for other stuff as well (papers, drivers licence etc), as long as somebody can not just travel on without a licence after paying a cash fine at the spot they do make some sense.

[babel-fish]

Not many thing make sense here to most ex-pats our laws and there inforcement are different, but as visitors we have to do what the romans do or more. A smile works wonders and shouting is definatly out, lol

[shadow]

Originally Posted by Arie

I don't really get the check-point thing, you argue that it will improve the ease to do crime and object illegal search and seizure". I have no problems with searches as long as they are do not have the objective to shake-outs.

No, that is not what I said, read it again. I said that making everyone wear helmets wil help the robbers and snatchers, as the smart ones will likely wear a full face helmet, making facial identification impoissible. "Yeh that's him, the one with the red helmet!" Now EVERYONE will have a helmet.

So you would have no problem with someone barging into your bedroom at night to search, without having a reason to do so?

Larry.