TOP GEAR PHILIPPINES ARTICLE: "Those Menaces on two Wheels"

[eyesman]

THOSE MENACES ON TWO WHEELS
by Jesus Erle Sebastian

Let me get this off my sagging chest. I hate bike riders. Come to think of it, hate doesn't really describe what i think of those menaces on two-wheels. They violate all traffic laws known to man. They weave in and out of lanes, at times going against the flow of traffic. They are all color blind-they can't distinguish red from green or yellow.

They think nothing of riding on the sidewalk, the gutter or street iuslan if they can't squeeze though vehicles on the road. They park anywhere they can chain bikes to a pole or fence. They are noisy, especially those with modifie mufflers.

Why do I deplore them? Maybe because they get away with it. Police and those so-calle traffic enforcers ignore bike riders' flagrant violations of traffic laws. As if being on two wheels exempts riders from regulations meant to establish order and safety on the streets.

It doesn't matter whether they are riding on puny scooters with 50cc engines made in China or those 1,000cc-plus Ducatis or harleys. Cops just wave them by as they beat red lights.

Okay, envy may also come into it. Especially when you see them going past traffic gridlock with gorgeous babes in tight pants and tiny tops clinging to them. What's this attraction for men with power trains-no matter how big or tiny-between their legs?

What I hate most is that their numbers are rising every day, exponentially. Honda philippines is building a bigger facility capablke of building more than a million bikes this year in Laguna. Other Japanese brands are moving in the same direction. And then there are the made-in-China rip-offs that are sold on every other street corner in urban areas from Aparri to Jolo. And don't you just hate those dirty, ugly bike repair shops sprouting like sari-sari stores in every barangay?

I can understand the growing popularity of the motorbike. They're cheap to own, use and maintain in thise days of spiraling fuel prices. They give the minimum wage earners the mobility of the middle-class car-owning folk at a time when even bus and jeepney fares are becoming prohibitive. Even car owners are turing to the motorbike as their daily ride to work and relegating their four-wheeled conveyances for family weekend outings to church, the mall, or countryside jaunts.

But does every other biker have to form clubs? Bike clubs are infesting the streets, from small barkadas bonded by the smell of fumes and grease between their legs to large groups of scooter-riding Hell's Angels wannabes with their faux leather vests and helmets bought from street-corner hawkers.

Don't you just hate it when you hear the roar of big bike engines chasing you on the highway on weekends, and then get overtaken by a horde of scooters with mufflers modified to soundd like Ducastis? Or being forced to brake hard to save the life of some stupid bike dragster on dark nights on Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard?

I realize that the allure of the bike is more than just the economy of using it. Motorbikes have always been associated with the Born to be Wild stuff ever since Marlon Brandon starred in the biker film back in the days when movies were in black and white.

But please, we can't all look like peter Fonda or even dream of being like Valentino Rossi, especially not drovong around in a 125cc faux Honda with the racing handle bars andd stainless steel mufflers. Okay, you can dream, but don't think that a bike is an excuse to break traffic laws or to endanger the lives of other motorists on the road. We already have a lot of dangerous-because they are ignorant or just plan reckless and irresponsible-drivers using four-wheeled vehicles.

I ashamed to admit it but I sometimes feel a twinge of enjoyment reading about bike riders getting creamed in accidents-not killed, mind you, just injured, preferably with a broken bone or two so they will be off the streets an not be a danger to others for a couple of months.

I usually take the side of the commuter who opens the oor of an FX shuttle and snags a bike rider speeding on the gutter side of the street, or on the sidewalk where they shouln't be at all.

If bikers have to form clubs, then it should be to organize legal races on proper racetracks or closed-off street circuits if they are into racing, or to espouse road safety and proper riding habits if they are more of social clubs.

Otherwise, I dread the day when Honda's prediction-that the Philippines will become a multi-million motorbike market a year-comes true. In the future, I fear I may be doing some snaggin myself-wittingly or not.

[aloy_g]

haay, nakakasawa na magreply sa ganyan...

[NSCB]

whoever wrote this article is surely do not ride MCs and probobly don't even know how to ride one....i hate to admit it, but he's got some points also...unless all the "pasaway" riders learn and become responsible riders...a lot of people will look at all of us to be one and the same, no matter how responsible and law abiding we migth be...and considering the growing number of the "pasaways" riders out there...people will always tend to generalize.

[hotruss]

Originally Posted by aloy_g

haay, nakakasawa na magreply sa ganyan...

Nakakasawa na talaga sir. Hindi yata nya alam ang MCP. To think nagresearch pa sya kuno at alam nya difference ng scooters to underbones and to big bikes.

[r_castanas]

whoever wrote this article is surely do not ride MCs and probobly don't even know how to ride one....i hate to admit it, but he's got some points also...unless all the "pasaway" riders learn and become responsible riders...a lot of people will look at all of us to be one and the same, no matter how responsible and law abiding we migth be...and considering the growing number of the "pasaways" riders out there...people will always tend to generalize.
..or maybe he is a rider or a manufacturer. sometimes you should "beat one to be one!" kasabihan, pero ako i am looking this on the positive side..

he is not posting to criticize MC's. tingin ko he is telling all these para mas lalo sumikat ang MC's. as you can observe to his lines..

What I hate most is that their numbers are rising every day, exponentially. Honda philippines is building a bigger facility capablke of building more than a million bikes this year in Laguna. Other Japanese brands are moving in the same direction. And then there are the made-in-China rip-offs that are sold on every other street corner in urban areas from Aparri to Jolo. And don't you just hate those dirty, ugly bike repair shops sprouting like sari-sari stores in every barangay?

ako ang rationale ko dito, he is promoting nga mc's. sabi nga ng isang baklang writer sa isang celebrity column ng isang tabloid "bad or good publicity is still PUBLICITY"

HEHEHE... analyze his words bros!

OK itong "gimmick" ni brader?! ah, simpleng commercial ng negosyo nila(motorcycle shop or dealers ito or connected sa honda), ito yung simpleng mag spread ng commercial for "free", hhehehehe, gamitin mo yung factual incident in your benefit, para free yuung commercial, atin atin lang naman to, make sense di ba?, tingnan mo yung mensahe mga bros!, kung totoo yan he will not name "names" like honda motors philippines di ba?

hehehe..just been observed! obvious naman kasi e.

[tellybuhay]

Yep eto na naman. Ride-bashing sa media pa.

Can't entirely blame him though.

Dami rin naman kasi pasaway sa kalye.

Tama ka sir Hotruss, baka di nya pa alam ang MCP.

[rjmvirgotaurus]

almost all riders like me is also a cage owner and during family day or outing we usually drive cars in and out of the city. may be the writer of this article has a bad experience with riders/bikers. well the best answer here is for all the riders to be discipline and courteous to other motorist especially us the MCP members, but take note na mas marami ang hindi member ng MCP, delivery man, messengers, lalo na iyong iba na mga newbie na pasaway pa rin. I would say that the respect of cage driver can be seen in our riding attitude, ability and outlook particularly in wearing complete safety/riding gears.

[SpawnSPR]

The writer of the article simply hates bikes and bikers no matter what, I think he never wants or never will see the good side of motorcycle riding.

Too bad.

[Modular Overrev]

inggit lang yun kasi di sya marunong magmotor.

[rjmvirgotaurus]

Originally Posted by Modular Overrev

inggit lang yun kasi di sya marunong magmotor.

you got your point brod. many want to do it, but they don't have the guts to do it. simply natatakot sila he.. .he ..he..

[Riverflow_2000]

IMO, he's got some really good points which is the outcome of what pasaway riders do on the streets. As well, he's got also disgusting ideas in his article.

Here's the contact of Top Gear. You may frop them an email, or better yet, if anyone has got good writing, you may post an article for our benefit.

http://www.topgear.com.ph/about.html

Contact Details


Neil Palabrica
Team Publisher
neil.palabrica[at]summitmedia.com.ph


Susan Leonardo
Associate Publisher
susan.leonardo[at]summitmedia.com.ph


Vernon Sarne
Editor-in-Chief
vernon.sarne[at]summitmedia.com.ph


Maiza G. Mueco
Advertising Director
maiza.mueco[at]summitmedia.com.ph


Dennison Ko
Web Business Operations Manager
dennison.ko[at]summitmedia.com.ph


Paolo Gillego
Web Master
paolo.gillego[at]summitmedia.com.ph
Copyright 2005 Summit Media Co. Inc.

[mark040477]

Originally Posted by eyesman

THOSE MENACES ON TWO WHEELS
by Jesus Erle Sebastian

.... I hate bike riders.

let him hate us all he want... hate causes cancer.. he'll be dead long before we're done riding our bikes.

[blueDINK]

We cannot please everybody hehe!!

[Andre_Tigs]

Is this a real article? Does anybody have the issue of Top Gear where the article here is printed on? Top Gear Philippines are complete morons if they actually printed this horrible piece. To think that they have a motorcycle section! This is so twisted man.

Until I can be convinced that Jesus Erle Sebastian really wrote this, I'm keeping an open mind. And I urge you guys to do the same. Maybe this is just a ploy to defame Top Gear and Mr. Sebastian. I mean, this article is peppered with misspelled words. And judging from some of the articles he wrote that I found with Google, I can safely say that he has impeccable grammar. Each and every word was correctly spelled as well. Let's wait and see.

Can anyone scan the article and upload it here? Or what about a link?

[felix]

full of s__t!

"k_pal sa earth"

[KIPS150]

Calm down people.. Whether if its true or not, bits of facts and opinions. Let them write as long as they can. Anyway who in the world of philippine politicians can take a glimpse of similar issues, our politicians would rather divert in taking good care of their personal interest (Pockets, Assests) minding their pork barrels and alike instead of digging itself with this kind of addendums. Let them write articles such as these, it would be a big help to us (Publicity) we should say.

[dominion]

as for me... di talaga sya marunong mag motor.... he worte what he had observed but he did not worte anything what he had expirienced... though he have some points or ideas regarding some "pasaway" type of riders... what i hated most is that he mentioned about clubs... i think he doesn't have a lot of friends... but what the heck, writing/reading this article is a waste of time... better use your time biting your nails... @$$#***

[Jeboy M.]

Originally Posted by Modular Overrev

inggit lang yun kasi di sya marunong magmotor.

Correct ka diyan! Inggit lang yon. Mas madali kase pag-aralan ang pagmaneho ng cage or 4 wheel vehicles kesa sa 2 wheels o motorsiklo (w/ clutch siyempre )

Sa tingin ko kay Mr. Sebastian hindi dumaan sa pagka bata, baka hindi din marunong mag bisekleta yon,mwehehehe!

O baka naman si J. Sebastian ay naiingit at gusto sumali sa mga motorcycle clubs para makasama sa mga out-of-town rides, pero di siya matuto-tuto mag motor? mwahahaha!!

Kung titignan mo ang mga sinulat niya, meron din siyang interest sa motorbikes. Paano niya nalaman ang Ducati, Harley, modified muffler, 125cc Faux Honda, racing handle bars, Honda Plant in Laguna, Marlon Brando's movie, Valentino Rossi, etc., etc., etc.? Mr. SOUR GRAPES!

[lordraven12]

wala lang po natin lahatin thank you po... may matino rin naman rider, parang sa car din... at kung akala nyo na hindi kami nasasaway ng ibang pulis, better think again, mas kawawa ang motor sa mga pulis na hindi nagtatrabaho ng maayos...

[robliecruise]

Masyado niyang igene-generalize yung mga motorista. Parang modern age witch hunter, itapon kaya natin siya pabalik sa panahon ng inquisition para may silbi?

[elmerg]

g'day all.

the writer is entitled to his opinion. for a balanced view, he should also
write about "those menaces on 4 wheels" mentioning the puj/taxi/bus/car
drivers who turn without signalling, hog more than one lane, stop in the
middle of the road and block traffic, trip cut, drive without proper lights, etc.

a sad commentary about the lack of discipline of a lot of filipino riders/drivers.
as they said way back when ... sa ikauunlad ng bayan, disiplina ang kailangan.

[Wolver888]

Originally Posted by Jesus Erle Sebastian

Let me get this off my sagging chest. I hate bike riders. Come to think of it, hate doesn't really describe what i think of those menaces on two-wheels. They violate all traffic laws known to man. They weave in and out of lanes, at times going against the flow of traffic. They are all color blind-they can't distinguish red from green or yellow.

They think nothing of riding on the sidewalk, the gutter or street iuslan if they can't squeeze though vehicles on the road. They park anywhere they can chain bikes to a pole or fence. They are noisy, especially those with modifie mufflers.

Why do I deplore them? Maybe because they get away with it. Police and those so-calle traffic enforcers ignore bike riders' flagrant violations of traffic laws. As if being on two wheels exempts riders from regulations meant to establish order and safety on the streets.

It doesn't matter whether they are riding on puny scooters with 50cc engines made in China or those 1,000cc-plus Ducatis or harleys. Cops just wave them by as they beat red lights ............

............ they they they.

May pagkululang yung writer.




Tama ka Modular, inggit nga sya. Haha!

[windblown]

masyado naman nya nilahat ang 2wheel riders...i respect his opinion and
he may have some points but come to think of if whether your on 2wheels
or 4wheels in my opinion nasa driver yan..don't tell me if your on 4wheels you
dont beat the red light(naka motor lang ba ang color blind)...and dont
tell me na wala na illegal drag race for cars(libis ba yun ) also yung
mga na set up na kotse nag papaiyak ng gulong....again di naman lahat ng
4wheel driver ganito and sana maintindihan natin na hindi rin lahat ng 2wheel
driver walang disiplina..opinion lng po

[dizaint]

I ashamed to admit it but I sometimes feel a twinge of enjoyment reading about bike riders getting creamed in accidents-not killed, mind you, just injured, preferably with a broken bone or two so they will be off the streets an not be a danger to others for a couple of months.

mukang galit nga sa mga mc riders..
there's a lot of ways to tame a beast..wag lang sa ganyan

isa lang ibig sabihin nito, mas dumadami ang bilang ng un-educated and irresponsible mc riders satin.. kung sila ang parating nakikita ng karamihan sa kalsada, there's no doubt about it na mageneralize ang image na ito sa lahat ng mc owners. nakakalungkot isipin na kahit fully oriented and disciplined rider ka eh ganun parin ang imahe mo sa mga tao..

napansin ko kasi napakadaling kumuha ng motor at lisensya satin.. may pambili ka lang oks na.. lalo na ngayon maganda ang mga offered installment plans. sa ibang bansa mas mahirap kumuha ng restriction level pag mc, meaning dadaan ka muna sa butas ng karayom bago ka pumasa at makakuha ng lisensya.

kung mabibigyan lang sana ng proper orientation ang lahat ng mga mc owners and riders bago bigyan ng lisensya o motor eh siguro mababawasan ang mga tinatawag nating "pasaway" sa kalye. yung tipong maisaisip lang nila ang benefits of being a responsible driver and rider.. na ang pagsusuot ng safety gears like helmet ay hindi compulsory kundi para rin sa ikabubuti natin. karamihan kasi dagdag macho points sa kanila pag hindi nakahelmet

[eyesman]

Originally Posted by Andre_Tigs

Is this a real article? Does anybody have the issue of Top Gear where the article here is printed on? Top Gear Philippines are complete morons if they actually printed this horrible piece. To think that they have a motorcycle section! This is so twisted man.

Until I can be convinced that Jesus Erle Sebastian really wrote this, I'm keeping an open mind. And I urge you guys to do the same. Maybe this is just a ploy to defame Top Gear and Mr. Sebastian. I mean, this article is peppered with misspelled words. And judging from some of the articles he wrote that I found with Google, I can safely say that he has impeccable grammar. Each and every word was correctly spelled as well. Let's wait and see.

Can anyone scan the article and upload it here? Or what about a link?

yes it is a real article, will not post it if it aint. with an hour left before catching my flight out...you'll have to pardon my typos as I copy it from the last page of TOP GEAR where his column appears. Had no time to spellcheck buddy. (not to mention ang titigas ng kepys na) Been wanting to compose this since last week but our internet was down. His article is so inconsistent. He obviously hates bikers thats it...and its probably based on experience/s he has encountered but dang, such an elitist to criticize biker clubs, and even bike repair shops...

anyway, if you guys wanna post your inputs, check out:

http://www.topgear.com.ph/board/index.php?topic=191.0

our fellow bikers already had a headstart.

For those of you who wanna ignore this issue, by all means...but you have to remember, this is a MOTORING magazine, and they even have a motorcycle section....