Motorcycle groups thumb down bigger license plates

Transport groups on Wednesday advised against the use of bigger license plates for motorcycles, as this may endanger the rider and the pedestrians.

"If we place plates that are too big and will be affected by wind, there's no assurance that the mounting points will hold these plates in place," Joebert Bolanos of Riders of the Philippines told a House hearing.

The hearing was conducted by the House Committee on Transportation to discuss the proposed measures seeking to penalize and prevent the use of motorcycles or scooters in the commission of crimes through the use of bigger plate numbers and identification marks.

Land Transportation Office director Francis Almora presented to the committee a prototype of the bigger plate, but Bolanos said their group prefers license plates that are the same size as European plates.

LTO Dir. Francis Almora proposes bigger size for motorcycle plates. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/oF4OqnXhzO

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) January 24, 2018

Bolanos also advised against the use of front plates, for the same reason that it could pose danger to the rider and the pedestrians. He said other Asian countries have discontinued the use of front plates.

"Sa ibang bansa po itinigil na 'yung front plates. They went back to the rear plates. And as far as the rear plates are concerned, as long as kaya itong i-hold ng mga mounting points at hindi ito lilipad," he said.

Virgilio Montaño of the Motorcycle Development Program Participant Association also pointed out that front plates may not be suited for the design of motorcycles.

"License plates in front interfere with the function of the head lamp and signal lights and the safe operation," he said.

A technical working group has been created to discuss the suggestions of the groups.

The Senate, meanwhile, has already passed on third and final reading their own version of the measure. —KBK, GMA News