WHEN public transportation was limited during the height of the strict movement restrictions last year, we saw more and more Davao City residents using bikes as an alternative form of transportation.
Many essential workers benefited from the community-led Lend-A-Bike Project. Through the project, Dabawenyos who have an extra bike and are not using it lent their bikes to health care workers, fast food chain workers, security guards, and other workers who were working in establishments operating during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The ECQ, which may leave a lot of negative memories for us, has also led to a boom in cycling in Davao City and other parts of the country. However, roads in the Philippines were not people to have cyclists plying them. Also, many drivers are not used to having cyclists alongside them when they drive. Hence, the roads in the city and around the country were not very safe for cyclists.
In response, the national government and local government units did whatever they could to make the roads friendlier to cyclists. Cyclists have also banded together to push for road sharing and educate fellow cyclists about road safety.
But a year into the bike boom, there are still a lot of things to work on to ensure the safety of cyclists. Clearly, some cyclists have been observed for not observing minimum safety standards and follow traffic rules. Some fail to wear a helmet, signal when turning, and others have been biking in the inner lane instead of the outer or bike lane. Some drivers have also been known to "bully" cyclists on the road, park along bike lanes, and recklessly drive past some cyclists.
Since last year, there have been several accidents involving cyclists and motorists in Davao City. On social media, we also see reports from other parts of the country of cyclists being involved in a vehicular accident. One of the most recent is a 17-year old girl who was run over and immediately killed by a truck while cycling along Caribaan Maharlika Road in Tacloban City.
With the cycling accidents, the Interagency Technical Working Group (TWG) on Active Transport called on local government units (LGUs) "to take the lead in constructing protected bicycle lane networks in accordance with design standards as set out in DPWH DO 88, as soon as possible."
The group said it will be working closely with the LGUs for the roll-out of protected bicycle lanes.
The TWG is composed of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of Health (DOH).
The TWG also urges LGUs "to ensure that traffic rules and regulations are enforced correctly to secure the safety of all road users, especially those using light and active transport options."
Private logistics and transport service providers are also encouraged "to ensure the safety of other road users by fitting their trucks and other large vehicles with safety equipment, including side guards to prevent cyclists and pedestrians from being swept under middle or rear wheels in the event of a collision."
"We remind all road users, most especially motorists, to be respectful and to share the road with others, particularly cyclists and pedestrians who are most vulnerable to road crash incidents. They have just as much right to use the road as motorists do. We must all do our part to create roads and communities that are safe and accessible to all," the Interagency TWG on Active Transport said in a statement on Thursday, March 25.
In a post-pandemic society, cycling will most likely be more common in the Philippines. If cyclists want to ensure their personal safety, they have to do their part by following basic safety rules and traffic rules. Likewise, other vehicles on the road must also be aware of the cyclists they are driving alongside with. It is through road sharing and respecting one another on the road that we are able to ensure the safety of everyone who uses it.