Lights on sidecar of tricycle, pedicab mulled
BACOLOD CITY -- Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) Committee on Transportation passed recently on first reading an ordinance requiring all motorized tricycle-for-hire and non-motorized pedicabs-for-hire plying within the city of Bacolod to install lights inside their sidecars.
SP Member Wilson Gamboa Jr., Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Traffic Management, said that the objective of the ordinance is for "crime prevention" because series of drug-related and other unscrupulous activities happen during nighttime.
Gamboa also cited one case in Silay City where a server of a fastfood chain was stabbed 23 times while riding a tricycle on her way home at night.
He also observed that oftentimes tricycles plying barangay streets do not have lights inside their sidecars, whereby in the cover of darkness, opportunities of illegal transactions/activities take place, and furthermore they are being used as getaway vehicle with their passenger/s not being noticed or identified.
Based on the proposed ordinance penalties for violation would be: first offense will be meted the fine of P500, second offense is P1,000 and the third or last offense is the confiscation of their license and cancellation of their franchise and impounding of vehicles.