Despite the countless pushbacks, motorcycle-taxis will most likely be here to stay. And it’s probably for the better. These transport services allow commuters to get from point A to B at a much quicker pace and while charging significantly lower rates than any other four-wheeled taxi or TNVS.
Of course, there are several considerations when riding motorcycle-taxis. The biggest one?Safety. I’m a rider myself, but I also acknowledge that getting on a bike is a lot less safe than getting inside a car. And when you’re a pillion rider with an unfamiliar rider handling the steed, that makes things a lot more complicated.
That doesn’t mean it’s unsafe to ride motorcycle-taxis, of course. All of the trouble can be avoided and all of your fears can be laid to rest as long as you know what to do and what not to do as a passenger. So to help you guys out, we’ve come up with these motorcycle safety tips for commuters who ride motorcycle-taxis.
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1) Patronize only legitimate service providers, not the habal-habal kind.
There are three main players in the motorcycle-taxi industry: Angkas, JoyRide, and MoveIt. Those are the only three options you should choose from. Don’t patronize habal-habal riders—you won’t be able to hold those accountable in the event that something unfortunate happens. Also, with these legit service providers, you can be sure that the riders have undergone the proper training and that they’ll have valid licenses and registration documents, among others.
Of course, it also goes without saying that you shouldn’t even think about booking courier services like Lalamove or Grab and listing yourself as the cargo. That’s just... dumb. You can’t ‘beat the system’ like that. They’re also legitimate service providers, but they’re not authorized to transport people.
2) Communicate with your rider.
It’s important for you as a passenger to let the rider know of anything that might concern him. You’re not used to riding pillion? Let kuya know. You have alternate routes in mind? Map it out for the rider before you take off.
I, for one, am a pretty heavy guy. While I know motorcycle-taxi riders are backed with the right training, I still make sure the rider can handle my weight before I hop on. It’s best we both make it clear before we hit the road. For things like these, communication really is key.
3) Trust the rider.
Whenever you ride pillion—even if it’s not on a motorcycle-taxi—you should trust the rider. Whenever the rider makes a decision such as filtering through traffic, banking through a corner, or even taking an alternate route, don’t fight it. And if it’s a motorcycle-taxi rider we’re talking about, best believe they won’t do anything that could potentially harm their passengers. As we’ve mentioned a few times here already, these riders have been properly trained. They know what they’re doing.
4) Keep your eyes on the road.
Being a passenger on a two-wheeler is a lot different from being a passenger inside a car. When you’re in the pillion seat, you should also be aware of the road ahead at all times. Seeing a huge bump on the road ahead will let you anticipate any hard-braking situations. The same applies for any other road hazard that might require the rider to make sudden maneuvers—it helps the rider if the passenger’s able to brace himself properly for these.
5) Refrain from unnecessary activities—such as using your smartphone—when in transit.
Eyes on the road, remember? You should never have your hands full when you’re a passenger on a motorcycle. Always keep your hands on the rider or on the grab bar behind you and maintain focus on the road. Using a smartphone, for example, is a big no-no.
The phone you’re holding is a potential hazard. Imagine if you lose your grip, that could go flying onto the car or motorcycle behind you. Worse, it could even be a target for robbers and thieves. Remember that viral post about how a supposed riding-in-tandem was chasing a motorcycle-taxi? Yeah, we’d all like to avoid a situation like that, please.
These are just a few safety tips that we reckon motorcycle-taxi commuters and pillion riders in general can benefit from. Got more that you’d like to share? The comments section is open.
