Riding “in tandem” or the act of riding a motorcycle with two passengers may have crime-related connotations in the Philippines, but here’s one instance netizens found it totally cute.
Twitter user @kirbygaitano posted a series of photos on Tuesday of a motorcycle rider with not one but two pets that came along for the ride. In the photos, a cat can be seen sitting behind the driver while the dog is sitting in front with his very own helmet.
Gaitano tweeted in Filipino: “I was shocked when I saw the cat behind the back of the rider. I wanted to ask him if he knew there was a cat behind his seat. But I got really surprised when we got closer to him. Apparently, he was also with a dog.”
He spotted the motorcycle while also riding in tandem along F. Cabahug St. in Cebu City (It’s really common here).
Nagulat ako sa pusa sa likod ni manong. Gusto ko sanang tanungin si manong kung alam niyang may pusa sa likod niya. Pero mas nagulat ako pag lapit ng motor namin sa kanya. May asong rider pala siyang kasama pic.twitter.com/w4J44BHjWM
— kirBAE🌴 (@kirbygaitano) July 10, 2018
The tweet has gained popularity with over 25,000 likes and 5,600 retweets.
Gaitano also shared a video of the same event yesterday.
— kirBAE🌴 (@kirbygaitano) July 12, 2018
Gaitano told Coconuts Manila in a message that he spotted the motorcycle while he was on his way to a mall at 5pm.
When he first saw the cat, he and the person he was riding with started laughing because of the cat’s cool demeanor while aboard the moving vehicle.
“The cat seemed so calm and balanced. It was closing its eyes. I think it was napping and just minding its own business,” he said. “So when I had the chance to grab my phone, I took a video of the cat and the driver.”
“Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any funnier, I saw a small figure at his front,” he said. “To my amaze, it was a dog wearing a helmet.”
And it was a darn cute knight helmet, too.
Gaitano said that the cat and dog weren’t the only furry critters there: “Just below the dog was a basket full of puppies.”
He added: “I don’t know what they were doing or where they were going but seeing them makes me want to join them.”
Twitter folks also shared what they thought about the crazy situation.
Twitter user @pscltroy replied in Filipino: “At least the dog knows how to wear a helmet.”
buti pa yung aso marunong mag helmet
— Turoy (@pscltroy) July 11, 2018
Another user with the handle @Jeyynana couldn’t help but worry about the cat that didn’t have a helmet on like the dog.
“The dog is so cute, but how about the cat at the back? Does it have a [helmet] too? Even just a seatbelt would do.”
https://twitter.com/Jeyynana/status/1016996622092255232
One netizen wasn’t as worried. “Cats have nine lives so,” @Roypu08 wrote back.
https://twitter.com/Roypu08/status/1017012132980768768
One referenced a Hollywood movie. @theraeban asked: “What is this Mad Max Fury Road?!?!”
https://twitter.com/theraeban/status/1017011577466179585
To which @pitaobataw quipped: “It’s Mad Max: Furry Road.”
Mad Max: Furry Road kasi
— moving and grooving (@desiphera) July 11, 2018
@zcharinna_ took a screenshot of the puppies in the basket:
https://twitter.com/zcharinna_/status/1017080160539963392
“Nyahaha this is so cuteee this made my day,” Twitter user @matediosglaiza shared.
https://twitter.com/matediosglaiza/status/1017041135301099520
While animal videos are cute, we can’t help but point out that riding in tandem is dangerous for animals too.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority told Coconuts Manila through a Facebook message that it is illegal to transport animals via a motorcycle in Metro Manila but didn’t disclose if it is illegal in other cities (like Cebu).
Giving the cat a seatbelt isn’t a bad idea, and maybe transport the puppies in a bigger vehicle to avoid overcrowding?
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