Traffic observation question

[kjiwasaki]

Hello guys, just want to ask questions on what i have observed about traffic in the Philippines.

1. Why most public transport drive crazy? Do they really have drivers license?

2. Philippinos don't give way do they. They also swerve without flashing signal lights.

3. Why don't pedestrians cross using pedestrian lane and underpasses? Especially near the manila city hall.

4. I see some beginner marks on some vehicles most especially honda's who look race cars. What's that suppose to mean here? Beginner racer?

5. Speeding on yellow light?

6. What does your traffic enforcer do standing around on tree shades?

7. Where are all the bus/jeetney stops? you can just stop wherever you want!

8. Why too many old and rusty vehicles? Especially public taxi and buses?

9. Pedestrian lanes should be respected at least. i tried crossing once and jeetney and motorcycles doesn't want to stop

10. After watching local news here, most of them really show car crashes. is that frequent?

Sorry if i offend anybody. i just want to say out after i rode jeetney going to and from school. Very very scary. That being said, i will now try to take the train and will see if its better than riding jeetneys. I also hope my english is understandable.

[Taurus]

Welcome to the PHILIPPINES . . . and welcome to TSIKOT!

[abet_ramz]

Wow! good observation there!

Welcome to the Philippines and to Tsikot

You'd definitely see alot more 'action' along your way in the busy metropolis. That said, why not even wonder if our Traffic Enforcers are well-educated too and 'really' know their job/duty? Then you'll have the answers to your questions

Peace bro and stay safe on the roadside!

[manilet]

Welcome to the Philippines I agree with your observations. We Filipinos need to get back to the basics, discipline. And I've started doing my very best to be a disciplined driver

[ghosthunter]

Hello guys, just want to ask questions on what i have observed about traffic in the Philippines.

1. Why most public transport drive crazy? Do they really have drivers license?

Takes years of training to be licensed to be able to cope with the craziness of the Philippines roads.

2. Philippinos don't give way do they. They also swerve without flashing signal lights.

We have developed telepathy.

3. Why don't pedestrians cross using pedestrian lane and underpasses? Especially near the manila city hall.

Pinoys love to live dangerously.

4. I see some beginner marks on some vehicles most especially honda's who look race cars. What's that suppose to mean here? Beginner racer?

JDM styling dude!

5. Speeding on yellow light?

Green = go
Red = stop
Yellow = go very fast!!

6. What does your traffic enforcer do standing around on tree shades?

They are waiting for the next victim.... este ..... traffic rule offender to drive by.

8. Why too many old and rusty vehicles? Especially public taxi and buses?

That is not old... that is called extreme recycling.

10. After watching local news here, most of them really show car crashes. is that frequent?

Actually there are more but there isn't enough journalists to cover it all.

[Mguy]

Let's try to break this down:

1. Why most public transport drive crazy? Do they really have drivers license?

They try to squeeze in as much trips as possible during the day so that they could earn more money. Plus the fact that they are on the road practically the whole day, it makes them a bit crazy with the traffic and all.


2. Philippinos don't give way do they. They also swerve without flashing signal lights.

It's spelled 'Filipinos'. There are a lot of drivers there that are in a hurry and would like to get to their destination the soonest possible time. Having said that, road courtesy would take a back seat. They would change lanes if the car would fit and in a hurry so they have no time to use the turn signal.

3. Why don't pedestrians cross using pedestrian lane and underpasses? Especially near the manila city hall.

A lot of pedestrians do not like using the stairs and underpasses because sometimes they are dark and scary. It is a lot quicker, albeit dangerous, to cross the streets at the spot where it is convenient for them.

4. I see some beginner marks on some vehicles most especially honda's who look race cars. What's that suppose to mean here? Beginner racer?

Beginner marks?? Kindly explain. There are a lot of wannabee racers here in Manila because each driver thinks he is a better driver than the other. Some drivers do bring their cars to the race tracks a few KM from the city just to let off some steam.

5. Speeding on yellow light?

If you were waiting behind a traffic light for so long and you don't want to wait for the next cycle of lights again because its going eat up 5-10 minutes of your time again, you punch it while its yellow.

6. What does your traffic enforcer do standing around on tree shades?

Try standing in the heat here for 6 hours every day and you'll want to find a tree shade also. It is just too hot out there to manage the traffic always, hence they need to rest in a nearby tree shade.

7. Where are all the bus/jeetney stops? you can just stop wherever you want!

It's spelled jeepney. On certain occasions, it is also spelled jitney. The jeepney was designed to take you anywhere within a specific route. So if your place of destination is far from a designated stop, you could tell the driver to stop at the nearest point possible to your destination. That is the unique trait of the jeepney. The reason for this is convenience, that when it is hot or when it rains, you are very near to your point of destination.

8. Why too many old and rusty vehicles? Especially public taxi and buses?

The drivers do not own these cars and buses hence, they usually do not take care of their cars. In addition, the owners would like to make the most money possible so, they put off repairs as long as possible and cosmetic repairs are usually sacrified.

9. Pedestrian lanes should be respected at least. i tried crossing once and jeetney and motorcycles doesn't want to stop.

Again, it has to do with the traffic and weather. If you are in the traffic for hours and/or in the sweltering heat, you want to get moving always.

10. After watching local news here, most of them really show car crashes. is that frequent?

As compared to other countries, there are a lot more fender benders here than major accidents. They get on the news because bad news is good news for the TV station.


The jeepney is something that takes getting used to, but it is relatively safe here within the metro.

I'm not saying that all the things above would justify the improper behavior of Filipinos. There is a reason to everything we do and we are not really a bunch of crazy people. Undisciplined yes, but not crazy.

[uls]

1. Why most public transport drive crazy? Do they really have drivers license?

yes, they have driver's license

but it's very easy to get driver's license here

you don't have to know all the traffic rules

just some

2. Philippinos don't give way do they. They also swerve without flashing signal lights.

Philippinos are too lazy to signal

3. Why don't pedestrians cross using pedestrian lane and underpasses? Especially near the manila city hall.

coz it's faster just to cross anywhere you like

Philippinos are too lazy to walk all the way to a ped crossing, underpass

4. I see some beginner marks on some vehicles most especially honda's who look race cars. What's that suppose to mean here? Beginner racer?

no, it's just a fashion accessory for cars

5. Speeding on yellow light?

yes

isnt that what yellow means? go faster?

6. What does your traffic enforcer do standing around on tree shades?

coz standing under the sun is too hot

7. Where are all the bus/jeetney stops? you can just stop wherever you want!

yes

why should you get off at a stop far away from where you're supposed to get off?

8. Why too many old and rusty vehicles? Especially public taxi and buses?

coz they're still useable

9. Pedestrian lanes should be respected at least. i tried crossing once and jeetney and motorcycles doesn't want to stop

you should give way to motor vehicles at ped crossings

10. After watching local news here, most of them really show car crashes. is that frequent?

well, wherever there are motor vehicles, there are car crashes

that's the way it is

Sorry if i offend anybody. i just want to say out after i rode jeetney going to and from school. Very very scary. That being said, i will now try to take the train and will see if its better than riding jeetneys. I also hope my english is understandable.

welcome to the Philippines

hope you enjoy it here

you'll get used to it

you're english is good

much better than many Philippinos

from now on, i'll be using Philippinos

[silverrain]

Try driving in India and you will love driving in the Philippines more.

[ame="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/116783/crazy_driving_in_india/"]Crazy Driving In India - Video[/ame]

[tidus1203]

4. I see some beginner marks on some vehicles most especially honda's who look race cars. What's that suppose to mean here? Beginner racer?

More like rice boys, people who feel they are in Japan or their car came there... Baduy lang sila...

[ben_david19]

4. I see some beginner marks on some vehicles most especially honda's who look race cars. What's that suppose to mean here? Beginner racer?

I assume you are a Japanese dude since you know the Wakaba badge sticker, and yes, Filipino JDM enthusiasts put this decal on their rides.

but wait a minute, they don't even know it's a beginner badge hehehe.

I have a Wakaba badge on my ride (yeah, others may call me a ricer) but it is the intermediate one (yellow and orange). I'm not a beginner driver just as you know hehe and I know what the Wakaba badge stands for.

[erick_214]

Try driving in India and you will love driving in the Philippines more.

Crazy Driving In India - Video

In fairness huh hindi sila nagkakabuhol-buhol...kung dito yan sigurado wala nang aandar sa intersection na yan...Mukhang as nagbibigayan pa sila eh...

[kurby]

Just to put some insights.

Hello guys, just want to ask questions on what i have observed about traffic in the Philippines.

Welcome to the Philippines.

1. Why most public transport drive crazy? Do they really have drivers license?

They do have drivers license, and they drive like that because its what their instructors taught them. Also, applying for driving licence here is like applying for an ID. I believe in some countries like in the UK they have to pass a certain exam (the DSA), here just go to any LTO office some guys will assist you and ask you money and they'll tell you that your licence is ready in an hour.

]2. Philippinos don't give way do they. They also swerve without flashing signal lights.

They actually do, just let them pass first and after that the road is yours. Yes they swerve most of the time without the lights because there's a "swerve reflex."

3. Why don't pedestrians cross using pedestrian lane and underpasses? Especially near the manila city hall.

There aren't many pedestrian lanes in the metro and underpasses or over passes are "snatch prone" or "home for some petty thieves" (especially the one in Baclaran.) LOL!

4. I see some beginner marks on some vehicles most especially honda's who look race cars. What's that suppose to mean here? Beginner racer?

Oh they don't know what it stands for. They just saw it and placed it in their cars to make them look "maangas" or shall i say, cool.

5. Speeding on yellow light?

Yes, this is what instructors taught them, If red means STOP, green means GO, yellow means GO FASTER IT'LL TURN RED IN THE NEXT SECOND.

Also, some justifications are made regarding this.
If you are travelling 60kph and approaching an intersection with a yellow light you can not just slam on the brakes and come to stop otherwise vehicles from your rear will collide on you.

6. What does your traffic enforcer do standing around on tree shades?

They aren't allowed to bring umbrella because it'll make them look girly.

7. Where are all the bus/jeetney stops? you can just stop wherever you want!

The city gov't must have forgotten to allot budget on this one.

8. Why too many old and rusty vehicles? Especially public taxi and buses?

Well, I mean no offense but these taxi and buses are somehow surplus from Japan. They rebuild it and it's ready to use. You haven't notice the black clouds they emit.

9. Pedestrian lanes should be respected at least. i tried crossing once and jeetney and motorcycles doesn't want to stop

Again, it's what instructors told them. Pedestrian lanes are "designs" of the road only.

10. After watching local news here, most of them really show car crashes. is that frequent?

Yes, mostly motorcycles.

Sorry if i offend anybody. i just want to say out after i rode jeetney going to and from school. Very very scary. That being said, i will now try to take the train and will see if its better than riding jeetneys. I also hope my english is understandable.

No offence taken.

Welcome to the Philippines and we hope you'll enjoy your stay here.