I WENT back to the Philippines as a balikbayan to study in a seminary in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.
Weekly, from Bulacan to Nueva Ecija, I drove a car and it took me about three hours to reach my destination. The problem, e.g. Baguio and other places in Luzon, is not so much about the conditions of the road but about the tricycles who hamper travel by using the national highways.
These tricyle [drivers], though they have the right to earn a living, are blocking the streets particularly in public palengkes or markets. Without these tricycles on the streets, I could have reached Cabanatuan within one-and-a-half hours. Lack of discipline and training for traffic rules compounded the problems — endangering both motorists and pedestrians.
Let’s not wait for some big disasters to happen — they are causing deaths and accidents in every part of the country. I urge the MMDA and the LTC to act on this nuisance and obstruction in our our national highway. I urge Mr. [Bayani] Fernando, who is doing a good job as MMDA chair, to travel more by car to those places to see these problems.
– Paddy Padilla, Carson, California (via e-mail)
Loading ...
September 21st, 2007 at 12:51 am
Tricycles are a general problem. They are needed everywhere due to lack of sufficient public transportation. But they are also an imminent problem, the vehicles and the drivers.
The vehicles because it is not easy to imagine a public transportation which is more inconvenient, more dangerous, mor uncomfortable than a tricycle. There is not space enough, it is open to dust and rain, and outside bigger communities, riding a tricycle is more a torture than a transportation, not to mention that, for obvious reason, anything carried in the back box is also unprotected against dirt and rain, no one has a cover.
The drivers, there are some very careful and very honest ones, who do not overprice, who try to return what might have been forgotten or lost by a passenger.
But there are also those who try to cheat, to overprice, requesting double- and triple ride even this is not existing in their license. Those who push three and four passengers, even the license says “three incl. driver”. Those who ask “where you come from” and if they realize the passenger does not know the local rules, charge more than taxis would charge.
Driving a tricycle is not an easy target, tricycles are not technically controlled like cars after they are produced. Means, easy the wheels could be unparallel, causing side-drifting. Brakes are often not in good condition because of overloading and poor maintenence. Lights are a horror since usually power comes direct from the engine, not from a battery. Means that there where the vehicle has to go slow for bad roads, the light is also dim where brightest light would be needed. Lastly, there are many tricycles with very small and old engines, causing that passengers have to go out when the road is bad or a bit steep. An old, poor maintained 99 or even less cubic centimeter engine has too little power at roads that are not flat and in good condition. No problem for private Tricycles, but if used commercially as public transportation, the engines should be at least 125 cc.
In addition, drivers should be well informed that more oil as by the manufacturer requested is not better protecting the engine but lessening the power and producing a lot of cancerous smoke.
September 20th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Deal with it!As you have mentioned balikbayan ka kaya naninibago ka sa pinas,unlike in the states cars rule the roads,sa pinas tricycle rules.Tricycle and jeepney are the primary mode of transport in the Philippines and not mearly a nuisance that should be banished.When you are driving just treat and respect them(tricycle)like they are cars also.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Filipinos observing traffic discipline and traffic rules and regulations is another big dream, tall order, or whatever one may want to term it.
I don’t think it will happen, ever.
Balikbayans will just have to re-learn how to drive in the Philippines, and foreigners have to learn how to drive there.
It’s a fact.
If a decent driver ever stops FULLY at a stop sign in any congested city, he will either get hit from behind, or get cursed at by his fellow drivers, especially jeepney drivers, and given the “what, you crazy or something” stare, and then there are the pedestrians, who will most definitely block his way, making him think, “next time I won’t do that”.
It’s not just the drivers.
The pedestrians are a problem, too.
Sometimes traffic happens where you get stopped in front of a driveway, or small cross-street, or side street.
Here in the States, you normally would not block that intersection, or driveway.
Can’t do that there, man.
You try to be halfway decent and give consideration to other incoming drivers, the vehicles behind you honk at you like crazy, or the vehicles left of you block what you do not want to block.