The Doctor that Rides

You’d think that doctors would probably dissuade you from riding a motorcycle.

After all, doctors are all about keeping you healthy and riding a bike isn’t exactly a “safe” hobby.

But Mark Apostadero is a doctor as well as a rider. And if he has to choose between a car and a bike, he’ll pick the latter.

“I think I started riding motorcycles at around 15 to 16 years old,” recalled

Mark.

“Because in the province there are many tricycles, for public transport. Maybe I'm exposed in the two wheels and also some of my relatives is using a bike for means of income.” added the Cardona, Rizal native.

Mark took up Medical Technology as his pre-med at Trinity College before graduating Emilio Aguinaldo College’s School of Medicine. He now specializes in radiology.

He’s been a licensed doctor for six years now, but he has been riding motorcycles longer than that.

Mark’s first ride was an old Suzuki before eventually getting hands on a Kawasaki HD III, which was commonly used for tricycles back in the 1990s. In his college days, he rode a 125cc Kymco Pulsar. He also used a Suzuki Thunder 125 while he was already doing his hospital duties.

Later on, he became a father of four kids. Naturally, he had purchase a car so he could take his kids around.

“I have a car, actually I have two cars same Nissan and then I also have SUV… If we go out, I often times bring the SUV,” he said.

Also, as a doctor, he has to attend seminars and functions that would require him to stand in front of people, dressed in neat clothes. So having a four-wheel vehicle at his disposal is a must.

This, however, did not end his bond with motorcycling. Mark has been riding motorcycles out of practicality.

“The daily clinic visits, I usually take the bike, Because there is no traffic, then Im on call. Then They say, ‘Doc we have patient, can you come?’” he said. “I’d say, ‘Sure just give me 10 minutes.’ Because I have a bike, there is no problem.”

But as a doctor, who has figured in major and minor crashes, he admitted that riding isn’t exactly the safest way to travel.

Mark remembered himself suffering broken bones after accidentally ramming his bike into a concrete barrier.

“It is very dangerous to ride a bike” said Mark. “May it be your fault or may it be not your fault, You are the looser. Whether you hit the car or the car or the car hits you, You will fly.”

This is why he said a rider must take all the necessary precautions to keep himself safe on the road.

“You’ll be surprised so many lives those helmets saved,” said the doctor. “others are too conscious to ruin there hair, or ruin their form.”

“Dude, It will be more distructive if you get an accident without an helmet.”

One of the reasons Mark remained tied to riding is the memories he has with the hobby.

“I roots back to the childhood days. Because back then, we had a tricycle. My father was a retired US navy. When he goes home out primary mode of transport is tricycle” narrated mark.

“Then my father trained me to ride the tricycle. It left an imprint to my mind… the activity that we enjoyed. This is something I cherish, and this is something I could pass on to the kids,” he said.

“Given a choice, I’d still ride a bike.”