It’s not every day that I hear about a cyclist’s death in the news. But when it happens, it is quite tragic, especially when it hits close to home in Kapitolyo.

News circulated about a 36-year-old man riding a bicycle, who was killed after being struck by an SUV driver on Shaw Boulevard.

Apparently, there was a delivery van obstructing the bike lane. And the door suddenly swung wide open in front of the biker, causing him to lose balance.

What adds salt to the wound is that this incident is not just tragic—it is utterly senseless. There was no good reason for the man to die. He was not a soldier sacrificing his life defending civilians in war; he was just an ordinary commuter on his way home after work.

However, because of negligence on multiple levels, an innocent person did not arrive at his destination alive. Let’s dissect what went wrong, so that, hopefully, this doesn’t happen again.

To begin with, cars shouldn’t be on the bike lane. The purpose of bike lanes is to provide a safe space for people on bicycles, where they don’t have to worry about getting hit by motor vehicles. Obstructing these defeats the point because it forces bikers into the line of fire.

In this regard, the driver of the van is not just guilty of a traffic violation; he also shares responsibility for creating the scenario that led to the fatal incident.

Just as guilty—if not more—is the SUV driver. I mentioned this in a recent article, and I’ll say it again: People should not be driving at a speed where they can seriously harm other human beings—even if they are within the posted speed limit. That is the law.

According to the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, the speed limit goes down to 20km/h when passing near stationary vehicles and in other risky circumstances. This incident clearly shows why.

Close passes are my biggest pet peeve on the road because it feels like you’re brushing against death. The driver was too fast and too close, such that a near-miss turned into the killing blow.

I don’t believe they intended any harm. But there is no excuse for negligence when operating deadly machinery. That’s why you need a license to use a motor vehicle.

The biggest entity that should be held accountable is the government, specifically the LGU. While motorists have the responsibility for following traffic rules, those with power and authority have the greater task of creating a safe road network.

Discipline is important. However, we can’t wholly depend on it because human beings are not perfect, and law-breaking is part of our nature. How do you make sure no one gets harmed when someone disregards the rules?

Painted bike lanes are better than nothing. But they are still a paper-thin defense against fast-moving, metal machines. Just as actions speak louder than words, concrete is stronger than paint.

As said in a statement from the Move as One Coalition, the biker did nothing wrong, yet he still paid with his life. This is not an accident; it is a systemic failure. Dying should not be the cost of choosing to ride a bicycle.

So, what can we do so that incidents like this don’t happen again?

If you drive a motor vehicle, respect vulnerable road users. Yield at pedestrian crossings; slow down and leave space for cyclists; and be prudent when behind the wheel. Every time you choose to ignore these, you complicitly endanger others. Your time on the road is worth less than the lives of the people around you.

On the other hand, LGUs must be proactive in addressing road safety—even if it means disrupting the status quo with measures like no-contact apprehension, proper bike lanes and sidewalks, and strictly enforcing speed limits.

Incidents like these are nothing new. But if nothing is done, they will continue to repeat as more lives are needlessly lost. Empathy matters just as much as political will when it comes to road safety and transportation planning.

There are already mandates to prioritize the safety and the convenience of pedestrians and cyclists: the National Transport Policy, the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, and the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2028. Noncompliance is not an option for the government.

Ironically, this news comes at a time when the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is riling up motorcycle groups to lobby against the bike lane on Commonwealth Avenue. You might not think much about bike lanes and sidewalks, but they play a big role in passively preventing collisions.

Road safety is no joke. We may be desensitized to it with all the crash videos on social media. But that doesn’t change the reality that you could easily be the victim on any day. The good news is that it’s never too late, and we can still do something to make our streets safer.

The question is not if it is possible–there are proven and established practices globally–but whether we actually want it.