Riders Shouldn’t Take Shelter Under Overpasses When It Rains, Says Traffic Official

Need a recipe for instant chaos? Just put rain and Metro Manila’s streets together. We know rain can be one heck of a nuisance for the Metro’s motorists in more ways than one. And while everyone just wants to get home safe and dry, there is one common practice motorists do when it suddenly pours that should be stopped. 

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority traffic chief Bong Nebrija has a message for riders who obstruct traffic while taking shelter from the rain: You’re endangering yourselves.

In a Facebook post, Nebrija vented his frustrations regarding motorcycle riders who hide under overpasses to avoid getting wet during downpours. According to Nebrija, the practice is very dangerous, and that all it takes for the riders to become “bowling pins” is a sleepy driver or ill-maintained vehicle.

“Isa lang na SUV o light truck ang mawalan ng preno, o makatulog ang driver o di kaya lasing at masuyod kayo dyan na parang bowling pin, kawawa naman pamilya nyo na nagaantay sa inyong makauwi,” the official said.

“Please naman kung pwede huwag kayo dyan magpalipas ng ulan. Napakadelikado po,” he added, also saying he was expecting people to bash him for his take on the issue.

Also read:
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In a separate post, Nebrija stated that riders must be prepared to take on inclement weather on the road. He uploaded a clip of a motorcyle rider driving through EDSA in the rain, taken from a car.

“In the Navy, there is no such thing as bad weather only different kinds of good weather. Hooyah!” wrote the former Naval officer.

We know it sucks being caught out in the open when it’s raining cats and dogs, but at the same time, waiting with dozens of other riders on the side of the road is pretty dangerous, too. In the same way low or zero visibility pushed motorcycle riders to stop at the side of the road, drivers of four-wheeled vehicles may be taken by surprise by people stopped somewhere unexpected. Best to play safe!

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