Contributed by Manny Tirona
As seen on the August 2019 issue of The Philippine Sentinel
BASICALLY, these are the common practices of day-to-day driving in Metro Manila
Proposed amendments to the Land Transportation and Traffic Code (Republic Act No. 4136).
- Turn signals will give away your next move. A confident Filipino Driver avoids using them.
- Under no circumstance should you maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front of you, because the space will be filled in by somebody else, putting you in an even more dangerous situation.
- The faster you drive through a red light, the less chance you have of getting hit.
- WARNING! Never come to a complete stop at a stop sign. No one expects it and it will result in your being hit from the rear.
- Never get in the way of an older car that needs extensive bodywork, especially with out-of-town plates. With no insurance, the other operator probably has nothing to lose.
- Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible to ensure that your ABS kicks in, giving a vigorous, foot massage as the brake pedal violently pulsates. For those of you without ABS, it’s a chance to strengthen your leg muscles.
- Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. It’s a good way to prevent other drivers from entering the highway.
- Speed limits are arbitrary figures; given only as a suggestion and are not enforceable in Philippines.
- Just because you’re in the left lane and have no room to speed up or move over doesn’t mean that a driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn’t think he can go faster in your spot.
- Always brake and rubberneck when you see an accident or even someone changing a tire. This is seen as a sign of respect for the victim.
- Learn to swerve abruptly without signalling. The Philippines is the home of high-speed slalom-driving, thanks to the DPWH, which puts potholes in key locations to test drivers’ reflexes and keep them alert.
- It is tradition in Philippines to honk your horn at cars in front of you that do not move three milliseconds after the light turns green.
- To avoid injury in the event of a collision or rollover, it is important to exit your vehicle thru the windshield right away. Wearing your seat belt will only impede your hi-velocity escape from danger.
- Remember that the goal of every Filipino driver is to get ahead of the pack by whatever means necessary.
- In the Philippines, ‘flipping the bird’ is considered a polite salute. This gesture should always be returned.
- When approaching a marked crosswalk, do not give way to pedestrians under any circumstance. In fact, you must honk vigorously in order to clear a gap for your safe passage. ━ ♫♪