FULL TANK Bus and tricycle deaths

TWELVE were killed violently in a span

of almost only a week involving public

utility vehicles-headline items.

The first one was a botched holdup of a passenger bus on Edsa,

where four passengers of the bus were killed when the

holdupmen peppered the passengers with bullets.

The brutal slaying was triggered by a passenger-a jail

guard-who fought back by drawing his own gun.

It was a mismatch, of course. The jail guard was up against at

least three persons, who had announced the holdup with drawn

guns.

The second one involved tricycles, which figured in collisions

with buses.

Again a mismatch.

Eight persons died in those two collisions that occurred in

Bulacan.

* * *

The bus tragedy happened right at our doorstep, so to speak, as

Edsa has become the metropolis' main artery.

If our cops would only do their job right-not doing things other

than patrolling Edsa for maybe 24 hours a day-maybe, just

maybe, the holdup-triggered mass murder would not have

happened at all.

The presence alone of enforcers would help discourage

criminals from preying on our public utility vehicles.

Maybe, even our drivers of public conveyances should be

given crash courses on how to deal with would-be holdupmen.

Sort of subjecting them to courses of emergency situations, like

continuous blinking of lights to attract attention, or maybe

"smashing" the vehicle into a pavement or an electric post near

a crowded area-but not to run over a pedestrian, of course.

The "accident" should easily draw the attention of the crowd.

* * *

Maybe, if the jail guard did not have a gun, the killings would

have been avoided as the holdupmen, instinctively, would not

fire a shot if not provoked.

Why the jail guard, who was not on duty anymore, was carrying

a gun-if indeed he was-boggles the mind.

There ought to be a law-if there isn't one yet-prohibiting law

enforcers from carrying a gun if they are not in uniform.

I don't know but secret missions, or special missions, should

never be exemptions for people to carry firearms.

Maybe, a more thorough study on this should be done.

* * *

In the twin tricycle accidents in Bulacan, the one thing that

readily comes to mind is the propensity for tricycle drivers to be

so bold and daring when they are in the highway.

I'm sure you have noticed it yourself: Many tricycle drivers

drive almost recklessly, if not crazily. They drive so fast you'd

think they know nothing about death.

Whatever happened to moves to ban tricycles on highways and

main roads?

I think there's a trike ban on highways and, sadly, this has not

been strictly implemented.

In our area lone, tricycles have become eyesores. The trike

drivers love to race with cars from the subdivisions as though

they could outrace cars.

Why not a specific lane for tricycles if there existence could not

be really avoided?

That way, they would not be tempted to race against cars and

other vehicles as they are roped off from the mainstream of the

highway/road.

* * *

Starting tomorrow and ending on June 20, you will be witness to

the first truckfest ever to be held in the country as Isuzu

launches its "Truck Attack" at the World Trade Center on

Roxas Boulevard.

Toru Koyazu, the president of Isuzu Philippines Corp., is

extending his invitation for the public to come.

Isuzu's Sheila Tolentino said tomorrow's opening alone would

draw business executives belonging to the top 10,000 Philippine

corporations, aside from scores of technological experts from

Japan.

On display is the model of the official bus being used by the

Batangas Blades of the Metropolitan Basketball Association.

"If you want to buy a similar bus for your Pangasinan Wave, let

me know," Sheila said.

I'm interested. About time, really, that the Pangasinan Wave

have their own bus.

* * *

The prodigal son is back.

Rommel Cortez has been reunited with Tonette Lee of Nissan

Motor Philippines Inc.

No, not with romantic connotations, fellas. They've never been

sweethearts in the first place.

Rommel is back in the corporate communications of Nissan,

under the wings of Tonette-where Rommel really rightfully

belongs.

Welcome back, Rommel.

But where's Teresa Guazon, anyway, Rommel?

* * *

The S70 has retained the basic feature of the world-famed

Volvo: safe.

To paraphrase Vernon Sarne, Volvo does not impress-externally.

While it is the most conservative car in the world,

aesthetics-wise, Volvo remains as the world's safest car.

As I've told Ate Marra on the phone: Once I hit the lotto

jackpot, Volvo would be first on my mind.

* * *

QUOTE ME. The best way to deal with a slow-moving vehicle in

front of you is to avoid it, not blow your horn to signal it to

move aside.