464 motorcycle lane violators nabbed

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) collected some P232,000 in fines as of noon yesterday from 464 motorcycle riders who were caught driving outside the “blue lanes” or motorcycle lanes along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City and at the Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City.

MMDA assistant general manager for operations Emerson Carlos said that traffic enforcers along Commonwealth Avenue apprehended 254 violators while 201 others were caught along the Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard.

Violators of the motorcycle lane program are issued traffic violation tickets and pay the P500 fine for each violation.

Meanwhile, a motorcycle rider filed a petition seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) and writ of preliminary injunction before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office that urged the city government, MMDA, and the Land Transportation Office to stop imposing limitations on the use of motorcycles along Commonwealth Avenue.

Jobert Christian Bolanos, chairman of the Motorcycle Rights Association filed the 17-page petition.

Bolanos was referring to a city ordinance (Sangguniang Panlungsod-1835, S. 2008), which was enacted by the Quezon City council and approved by the city mayor in 2008 but was not immediately enforced.

The MMDA had enforced the ordinance yesterday that designated a motorcycle lane or the blue lane along Commonwealth Avenue.

Bolanos said the MMDA started issuing traffic tickets to the violators and imposed fines worth P500 for violating the designated lanes except when making turns or U-turns where the riders are required to gradually shift 100 meters away from the turning point.

Bolanos said the motorcycle riders have been selectively discriminated by limiting their use of the road.

The petition said that the limitations imposed on the motorcycle riders subjected them to more risks and bring them more harm contrary to what is stated in the city ordinance.

MMDA enforcers started issuing tickets yesterday to erring motorcycle riders following a weeklong “dry run.”

During the dry run, erring drivers were required to attend a 15-minute lecture on safe motorcycle driving by riding experts from the MMDA.

Last Monday, the MMDA started segregating the fourth lane of the 12.5-kilometer long Commonwealth Avenue and the rightmost lane of the Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard that were designated as motorcycle lanes.

The MMDA also painted the lanes blue to make them visible to motorcycle drivers.