Just Another Theft Incident III

The rear blinker of my bike was stolen last night while it was locked in an enclosed area besides Rustan's in Araneta Center. The incident happened between 8pm to 10pm. When I found it out, I contemplated before deciding to be upset or not why there's a need for the thief to do it. If the thief is a fellow cyclist who really needs a blinker for his own use, then I may forgive him. If that light he stole from me will keep him safe riding at night, then why not give him the blessing? But I wonder if the thief may be able to recognize an expensive NiMH rechargeable battery for if he's not, he surely would throw it away once it is drained - and that surely would pissed me off. I actually bought the blinker for 50 pesos only in a kiosk in Shopwise but the two size AAA batteries that I used are high-end NiMH rechargeable batteries with the price 12 times the cost of the blinker itself. It will be a total waste on my part if the thief won't recognize the valuable use of the battery and would just throw it away at a later time *. The way he took off my blinker, I don't think the thief is smart enough to be able to recognize things like that. The poor guy broke the mount (aaarrrgggghhh!) when he could have easily remove the blinker using its quick-release lever. If only he approached me beforehand, I surely would be glad to be giving him my blinker plus I can advice him that the batteries are rechargeable that he can use over and over again for many years to come. And he didn't need to break the light mount so I can use it again with another set of blinker. *

Now, I can only hope that thief would be able to put into good use the blinker that he was stealing from me, and recognize that the batteries are rechargeable and employ those into good use. If those are fully utilized and appreciated, then it is not wasted. My only piece of advice for him on the next occasion this thief would strike again, "Please don't break the mount. Use the quick-release lever and be environment-friendly!"

I also always make it a point to detach the HID headlight (another device using rechargeable batteries) and cyclocomputer head unit whenever I leave my bike on a rack. I'm glad I always did otherwise thieves will also take it off (I've known several stories of cyclocomputers being stolen by ignorant thief without realizing there is no resale value if it is not completed with the rest of the component).

Lastly, I hope this will be the last entry of the theft incident series in this blog.

Tax for Bicycles and Other Alternative Mode of Transport? Ganyan Daw Kami Sa Makati

Trending now at the Firefly Brigade Facebook Group a topic about animal-drawn carriage, bicycles and pedicabs to be subjected for issuance of bicycle license plates upon payment of One Hundred Pesos (PhP 100.00). I had here the whole article quoted below:

Republic of the Philippines
CITY OF MAKATI
SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD
Ordinance No. 2003-089

ARTICLE XIV – OPERATION OF ANIMAL-DRAWN CARRIAGES, BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES
PAGGAMIT NG SASAKYANG HILA NG HAYOP, BISIKLETA AT TRAYSIKEL.

Section 70. Effect of Regulations. –
Saklaw Ng Regulasyon. –

The regulations applicable to animal-drawn carriages or bicycles shall apply whenever an animal-drawn carriages, bicycles or tricycles is operated upon any road or upon any path set aside for the exclusive use of such carriages, bicycles or tricycles.
Ang regulasyong ito ay ipinatutupad sa mga bisikleta, traysikel at sasakyang hila ng hayop na gamit sa kalsada o daan na inilaan para sa eksklusibong gamit ng naturang sasakyang hila ng hayop, bisikleta o traysikel.

Section 71. License Required. –
Kailangang Lisensiya. -

All animal-drawn carriage, bicycles and pedicabs owned by residents of the City of Makati shall be registered with the Traffic and Parking Management Office for issuance of bicycle license plates and upon payment of One Hundred Pesos (PhP 100.00) to the City Treasurer’s Office.
Lahat ng bisikleta, traysikel, pedicab at sasakyang hila ng hayop na pag-aari ng residente ng Lungsod ng Makati ay kailangang magrehistro sa Traffic and Parking Management Office para mabigyan ng “Bicycle License Plates” matapos magbayad ng Isang Daang Piso (P100.00) sa City Treasurer’s Office.
No person, whether resident or not of the city, shall operate, ride or propel an animal-drawn carriage, bicycle or tricycle on any street, highway, alley roadway, sidewalk or upon any public path set aside for the exclusive use of carriages, bicycles or tricycles unless such has been licensed and a license plate 5.0 cm x 7.5 cm (2” x 3”) in size is attached thereto as provided herein.
Bawal ang sinuman, maging residente man ng lungsod o hindi, ang papayagang gumamit at sumakay ng bisikleta, traysikel o sasakyang hila ng hayop sa kalsada o daan, iskinita o bangketa, na inilaan para sa eksklusibong gamit ng mga nabanggit na sasakyan, maliban kung ang mga ito ay lisensyado at may license plate na may sukat na 5.0 cm. x 7.5 cm. (2” x 3”).

Section 72. Traffic Laws Applicable to Persons Riding Bicycles or Tricycles. –
Batas Trapiko para sa Paggamit ng Bisikleta at Traysikel. -
The provisions of this Ordinance granting right to and imposing duties upon a driver of a vehicle shall apply to every person operating on animal-drawn carriage, bicycle or tricycle upon a road or in a public place, except those provisions that by their very nature are not applicable.
Ang mga alituntuning napapaloob sa ordinansang ito na nagbibigay ng karapatan at responsibilidad sa mga drayber/tsuper ng mga sasakyan ay siya ring gagamiting alituntunin sa mga nagpapatakbo ng bisikleta, traysikel at sasakyang hila ng hayop sa kalsada o pampublikong lugar, maliban kung ito ay hindi dapat ipatupad sa tamang kadahilanan.

Section 73. Riding Bicycles or Tricycles. –
Pagpapatakbo ng Bisikleta at Traysikel. –
     (a) No person shall ride a bicycle or tricycle which does not have a permanent and regular seat attached to it.
        Bawal ang mag-bisikleta o mag-motorsiklo kung ang mga ito ay walang permanenteng upuan.
     (b) No bicycle or tricycle shall be used to carry at one time more persons than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
        Bawal ang bisikleta, motorsiklo, at traysikel na magkarga ng tao o kargamento na lagpas sa disenyo para dito.
     (c) No person shall ride a bicycle without having at least one hand on the handlebars.
        Bawal ang sinuman na mag-bisikleta ng hindi nakahawak sa manibela.
     (d) Whenever a bicycle lane is provided, the rider of a bicycle shall use that bicycle lane.
        Dapat gamitin ng mga nagbibisikleta ang nakalaang “bike lane”.
     (e) No person shall ride a bicycle within two meters of the rear of a motor vehicle.
        Bawal ang mag-bisikleta ng mas mababa sa 2 metro ang layo sa likuran ng sinusundang sasakyan
     (f) No person shall drive a tricycle on any national road.
        Bawal ang magmaneho ng traysikel sa mga pangunahing kalsada (National Road).

Section 74. Towing of Bicycles. –
Paghila ng Bisikleta. -
     (a) A person riding a bicycle shall not attach himself to nor permit himself to be drawn by any vehicle.
        Bawal kumapit ang nag-bibisikleta sa isang sasakyan upang siya ay mahila.
     (b) The driver of a vehicle shall not permit a person riding a bicycle to attach himself to or be drawn by the vehicle.
        Ang drayber ng isang sasakyan ay pagbabawalan ang isang nagbibisikleta na kumapit upang mahila ng kanyang sasakyan.

Section 75. Riding More than Two Abreast. –
Pagbibisikleta nang Higit sa Dalawang Magkaagapay. –
     (a) Except on a bicycle lane where such is permitted by signs or other means, no person shall ride a bicycle so that it is traveling abreast of more than one bicycle.
        Maliban sa loob ng “bicycle lane” kung saan ito ay pinapayagan ayon sa nakasaad sa karatula o permiso, bawal mag-bisikleta nang higit sa dalawang magkaagapay.
     (b) Paragraph (a) of this section shall not operate to prevent a cyclist from overtaking and passing other persons riding bicycle abreast.
        Ang nasasaad sa naunang talata (a.) ay hindi nagbabawal na lumusot ang isang nagbibisikleta sa kapwa niyang nagbibisikleta.
     (c) A bicycle shall be deemed to be abreast of another bicycle if any part of it is by the side of any part of the other.
        Ituturing na magkaagapay ang bisikleta kung ang anumang bahagi ng mga bisikletang tumatakbo ay magkatabi.

Link for the quoted article above is here: http://makatiparking.com.ph/regulation/articles/article14.html.

What I Have Just Bought Lately

2 pair of Serfas road brake shoes, 2 pcs. of Kenda inner tubes with 60mm valve stem, and Kenda tyre repair kit.

 

 

 

 

 

* - closely possible. In the early 1990s, a friend who is a communication student borrowed my Walkman and threw away 3 pairs of AA rechargeable NiCd batteries thinking these were already depleted and replaced with disposable ones. I was very sorry because during those times, the total costs of batteries almost costed half of the value of the Walkman itself.
** - because I could no longer use the broken plastic amount, it was off into the trash bin.