EDITORIAL - A privilege not taken seriously  

It would seem that more people aren’t taking the privilege to drive seriously.

One video making its rounds online shows a motorcycle rider getting up on his vehicle and doing the boat dance while waiting for traffic in Makati City. Another video shows a man letting his son take the wheel in the parking lot of a mall in Parañaque, while another video shows a man changing the license plates of his vehicle in the North Luzon Expressway.

While the motorcycle rider did his stunt while he was stuck in traffic and not moving, it still sets a bad example for those watching. While the vehicle being driven by the child was still in a parking lot, there was still the possibility of it going in the wrong direction and hitting other vehicles or even people. He was also endangering his child. Meanwhile, the man who changed his license plates broke the law, plain and simple.

It’s good that they were all caught on video; we have hard evidence showing they did what they did. All those responsible --or maybe we should say irresponsible-- have been penalized with the temporary suspension of their licenses, although some people think they deserve something more permanent.

 Yes, we have to make sure drivers who don’t take driving seriously don’t get to drive.

 It’s worth pointing out again that driving isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. To have the privilege to drive means you must have the qualifications and skills to do so. There are also some rules that have to be followed.

 That also means anytime you lose the qualifications, display the wrong behavior, or break those rules you can lose that privilege.

 The good news about such drivers is that some of them can’t resist but film themselves doing their stunts then post their shenanigans online. The bad news is that there may be many more out there who don’t deserve to drive but haven’t been found out.