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Page updated:
06/11/2011 |
Philippines Tricycles & Motorelas |
Tricycles and their driversThe Tricycle is the Philippine rickshaw. A motorbike or sometimes a bicycle with an attached sidecar. They are decorated like the jeepneys and gadgets are attached here and there. There are various styles of tricycles. Each region has its own type. On Panay Island there are two types: the Aklano type with 2 facing benches in the rear and 1 bench in front. They offer officially 9 passenger places. The Iloilo type has two benches back to back and a small seat in front. They also transport up to 9 people.
Somehow different is the Motorela of Mindanao and Camiguin. They are called Motorela. The passenger room is built around the motorbike and has two facing benches and a seat on each side of the driver. Tricycles are funny to ride, but they are a pain in the traffic. In towns they block the roads by hundreds, curving around and occupying the smallest slot in the traffic. Their 80 cm3 to 150cm3 two stroke engines are weak and smoke heavily. The fact is that the drivers cannot afford 2 stroke oil for the mixture, so they mix used car engine oil in their fuel. The smokescreen in the air is sometimes so thick, that the sun sun is merely a brownish disc. City traffic would break down permanently, if tricycles were allowed within the city limits. Tricycles FaresTricycles are fine for in-town rides or the short distance from airports or bus terminals to your downtown hotel. The fares are fixed by the government and should be displayed in the tricycle. The standard fare is 2 pesos to start and then 1 peso every 300 meters. This fare apply when you tell the driver, that he may pick up other passengers. If you forget to do so, he drives you directly to your destination and you have to pay 9 times the price of one fare, because you hired the tricycle exclusively. Usually count PHP 10 for any ride inside the town center. If you are a group, you may consider to hire a tricycle for a day to do sight-seeing. The driver then puts a sign on his windshield saying:"Family use" and you won't be stopped by other travelers. A tricycle costs PHP 100 to 200 per hour. Tricycle SecurityTricycles are rather safe. They do not drive very fast and when there is a collision, it is not too serious. But beware, when you are seated in the back, protect your head with your hands. When there is a hole in the road or the concrete road turns into mud, the tricycle will hopp and your head bangs against the roof. We recommend not to take tricycles at night on country roads. Usually their lights do not work and when there is a jeepney crossing, usually also without light, the collision may be deadly. |
 The Aklano type of tricycle. There are hundredthousands of this vehicles.
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