This is the three-way junction of Madrigal Avenue and Zapote road in Alabang.
The curved road you see on the on the right is actually a private service road that leads to McDonald’s and Alabang Town Center. Motorists like to use this as a shortcut to get to Zapote Road when the light is red.
One early week night just a few weeks ago, I was about to turn into the service road when the light turned green. That got me changing my mind and deciding to go directly to Zapote to make the right turn. The car just in front me had the same idea.
Immediately after turning right, two MMDA enforcers flagged both our cars down, in a rather aggressive manner (as if we had just brazenly broken a law in front of them).
I slowed to a crawl and rolled down my passenger window to ask what my violation was. The enforcer said “no right po dito”. I asked him to show me any sign that indicates it was illegal to turn right there. He pointed to the stop light and said “kita ninyo naman na walang right arrow yung signal light, left at green lang.”
Following his idiotic reasoning, I asked him what the green light was for, because if I followed that and went straight I’d drive into the wall ahead.
He had no response but asked for my driver’s license. I said “pakita muna ng mission order ninyo.”
The guy then turned around and walked away.
I drove up to the next car and loudly told the other driver “wag kang magpapahuli diyan! Wala tayong ginawang mali at nangongotong lang sila!”
That got the enforcer walking away too.
I was so enraged, I wanted to get down from my car and smack those leeches on the head, and teach them a lesson. Better judgement prevailed and I instead took a deep breath and just drove away.
I detest violence, and I’ve hardly ever been involved in fist fights in my life, but I easily could’ve snapped and gone violent on the enforcer who preyed on us that night.
If I had smacked them, there’d be a good probability I’d be in the news (even if my car is nowhere near the level of a Maserati).
I really should install a dash cam already.