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WHY do
the authorities allow those antipollution teams from the
various local governments to do their thing on the
streets at any given time of the day?
Thousands of motorists are pissed off by this because
they are randomly and suddenly pulled over by those said
teams on corners where the flow of traffic is heaviest.
Hailing
vehicles is like a cat-and-mouse game on many streets
where antipollution teams set up checkpoints. Those who
disregard the hailing team are chased down by motorcycle
squads, brought back to the checkpoint and automatically
given a traffic-violation ticket.
This is
something that the authorities should look into.
The task
of catching violators should be given only to those who
have the capability to do proper testing on the street.
The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources or even
the Land Transportation Office (LTO) must take the lead
in the antipollution campaign, and not teams designated
by the local governments, many of whom don’t even know
how to use their testing equipment.
Motorists simply see the random checks as a form of
harassment.
Vehicles
are supposedly tested by LTO-accredited testing centers,
right? If vehicles that have passed testing are later
proven to be smoke-belchers, then their permits must be
revoked and they must be made to undergo another test.
The testing center that issued the clearance must also
be reprimanded and given a warning.
But who
should be tasked to do it? Definitely the LTO, since it
is mandated to certify that vehicles are safe and
antipollution compliant before they are issued permits.
If the
authorities are keen on cleaning our roads of
smoke-belchers, they don’t have to look far. Those
dilapidated buses that roam Edsa are polluting the air
24 hours a day. Are they being pulled over even if black
and gray smoke coming from their tailpipes is seen by
the naked eye?
Definitely not! But does anyone care to know why?
****
THE new
Ford Escape recently made its public debut with lots of
celebrities and personalities in attendance despite the
driving rain that almost stopped traffic in the
metropolis.
Ford’s
newest sensation “features a fresh face incorporating
key elements of Ford design DNA and a new character that
feels sleeker and more dynamically poised.” Yes, it is
designed for those who live for weekend adventures, and
it retains the strength and robustness that have been at
the core of the brand and differentiate it from other
vehicles in its segment.
“With
its refreshing style, flexibility and capability, the
new Ford Escape offers a no-boundaries experience.
Offering great value to our customers, Ford’s latest
offering provides every bit of strength, durability and
real SUV capability that have always been its
hallmarks,” said Ford Philippines vice president for
marketing and sales Steven Tan.
The 2008
Ford Escape is now available at an introductory price of
P999,000 for the 4x2 as a limited offer. Its SRP is
pegged at P1.05 million.
****
NOT to
be outdone, Cats Motors Inc. also launched its all-new
Dodge Journey at its Pasong Tamo office.
Do you
know that this vehicle earned a five-star rating for
driver and front-passenger protection in a frontal
crash, along with a five-star rating for driver and
rear-passenger side-impact protection—the highest in the
US government’s safety crash-test program, although it
was offered in the market only early this year?
The
all-new Dodge Journey features a staggering 35 safety
and security features. No wonder it is a global vehicle
that offers a unique combination of versatility and
flexibility in a youthful, sporty package. It simply
takes the capability of an SUV and the overall
efficiency of a passenger car, “and blends all the best
attributes of each into an all-new right-sized crossover
for the Dodge brand.”
Congratulations, Mr. Felix Ang!
****
I WAS a
participant in that four-car fuel-economy testing
recently organized by Chery Cars.
One
morning, four QQs—two .8-liter and two 1.1-liter
variants—set out over some 58 kilometers around Metro
Manila from its head office in Jupiter. I was with Jude
Morte, Kris Lim and Bam Olivares and we were assigned to
“ride” the four cute cars. Yes, we didn’t drive. We were
told to enjoy the ride as a designated driver did the
econo-driving.
True
enough, after the almost two-hour drive around Manila,
the .8-liter proved to be the better fuel-sipper between
the two variants. Our car consumed only .51 liters while
that of Jude and his partner used up 1.09 liters.
It was
fun, and I tell you, it was the only time I rode a Chery
car, although I had already visited its main
headquarters in Wuhu, China, in February.
Chery
officials led by its COO Ricky Lam were there to witness
the conclusion of the event, together with Tito Yupangco,
Jonas Silva, Walter Inguito, Imee and Racky. |
