High costs of fuel and the convenience electric vehicles such as “e-bikes” offer have resulted in an “explosion” of electric bicycle sales here in Laguna province and elsewhere.
But with the resumption of economic activities that had been curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic last year, this boom in the sale (and use) of e-bikes has turned our roads into a Wild West of sorts.
Driving in the Philippines can already be stressful, but these e-bikes are something in a class of their own.
Driven by minors, senior citizens and others who probably haven’t even applied (or wouldn’t qualify) for a driving license, these e-bikes would pop in and out of our national roads, with drivers totally disregarding even the most basic of traffic rules.
No wonder that in 2021 (when e-bikes became the rage due to the restrictions on public transport brought by the pandemic), authorities reported 346 road crashes involving e-vehicles in Metro Manila alone.
There’s already an administrative order issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) way back in 2021 laying down the rules on the registration of electric vehicles, including e-bikes, as well as their use on public roads.
But strangely, local government units (LGUs) in Laguna province have been lukewarm in issuing their own regulations on e-bikes.
It had to take Biñan City to impose its own political will and require e-bike owners to register their units, as well as restrict their use along major thoroughfares – despite the current brouhaha it has caused among social media users.
Here’s the thing: while we understand that these e-bikes have become a convenient mode of transport for many of our citizens, let’s not forget that we all have the same responsibility to ensure safety in our roads.
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