MANILA, Philippines — Regulating electric vehicles like bicycles and tricycles or e-bikes and e-trikes could worsen road congestion in Metro Manila, a group promoting mobility and active transport warned.
The recent decision of the local government units in Metro Manila and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to ban e-bikes and e-trikes along national highways and requiring users to secure driver’s license was “narrow thinking,” according to Roberto Siy Jr., co-convenor of Move as One Coalition.
“It will send the message that we should instead use cars,” he said in a report from News5.
Investing in private cars and motorcycles would “cause more traffic” compared to electric vehicles, which Siy maintained would be “more efficient, zero emission and less demanding in terms of road space.”
I think banning these vehicles from the listed roads makes sense. They often are really slow and don’t carry that many people.
There are also e-trikes and bikes that only accommodate a single rider and they make the roads dangerous as they can’t keep up with the posted speed limits and people always need to go around them.
At night, it is hit or miss whether they are even lit up or have reflective tape.
I’d like to see a bigger solution to the traffic problem, but that would require real investment and effort.
But these e-trikes are too slow and don’t carry enough people in them to help.
Where I live the whole city is limited to 20mph and the ebike problem is the complete opposite. They all ride too fast smashing through red lights.
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