The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, encouraged motorists, bicyclists and electric scooter riders in the city to observe road courtesy towards each other to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that will pose a serious threat to riders and the public.
In a resolution, city legislators stated that to protect the lives and properties of all road users in the city, it is of the utmost importance that the road courtesy should be observed and practiced by motorists, bicyclists and electric scooter riders when interacting with each other on the road.
The council added the city government recognized that bicyclists and electric scooter riders right to be on the road and for motorists to be mindful of them.
Further, motorists should recognize that bicycles and electric scooters have equal rights to usage of the roads, thus, car drivers and motorcycle riders should not impede or hinder the free passage of bicycles and electric scooters traversing the roads as the same had already been allowed to freely travel on the roads.
On their part, the council reminded bicyclists and electric scooter riders should observe a high degree of diligence and care in observing traffic rules and road courtesy in return.
Earlier, the city government has adopted an aggressive traffic management policy through a consistent application of the enforcement, engineering, education and enactment of appropriate legislations that will ensure the protection of life and limb.
According to the council, due to the restrictions on mass public transportation system because of the enhanced community quarantine brought about by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the body passed a resolution encouraging the use of bicycles and electric scooters as an alternative mode of transportation, thus, there is a surge in the popularity of using bicycles and electric scooters as means of transportation among the residents of the city and bicycles and electric scooters on the roads have become a common sight.
The councilors noted there had been reported acts of road discourtesy committed by motorists, bicyclists and electric scooter riders towards each other where some bicyclists and electric scooter riders have experienced excessive honking or aggressive action, such as being tailgated or being driven too close to by motorists.
On their part, city legislators claimed that motorists have reported bicyclists and electric scooter riders displaying a ‘devil may care’ attitude, such as overtaking without giving the proper signal or speeding in a densely packed road.
The council stipulated that the aforementioned acts pose a serious threat to life and property of both bicyclists and electric scooter riders and motorists alike and while it is true that the COVID-19 around the cities of the world have encouraged more bikers and electric scooters on the roads, the prevailing norms on common road courtesy still remains unchanged where people must accept that bad manners and careless behavior are a major cause of road accidents and that more courtesy and care from road users will help improve road safety and will help reduce the road toll. By Dexter A. See