Driving in the Philippines - I want to be first

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Dumaguete City

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Driving in the Philippines – Cross your self first and sprinkle the holy water

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One of the things I love to do is to ride a motor bike, some ex-pats (long noses) think that I am total mad driving here in the Philippines. The fact that I still find enjoyment whilst driving amongst people, that simply disobey all the laws on the road. People that mostly want to get their first and will cut you up just to do so.

The laws concerning driving are good by international standards the roads are badly signed and mostly full of potholes as soon as one get of the main highways.  Most Filipino’s that drive motor bikes simply can understand why one should wear a helmet. When asked why don’t you wear a helmet the answer is its spoils my hairstyle or it makes my head hot (not true).  Most carry a helmet if they pass through areas that the LTO or traffic police have spot checks. Normally it’s used as a food basket, in fact seemingly the best way to carry eggs.

Bad maintenance results in lights not working, brakes not working properly it world seem 30% of the motor bikes are traveling in a dangerous situation due to bad maintenance.

All motor bikes by law should have side mirrors but 60% of the motor bikes on the road do not have them and seeming the traffic cops and LTO turn a blind eye to this problem.

Only 2 people are allowed by law to travel on a motor bike, however 50% of motor bikes carry 3 or more passengers including babies and small children. A public utility that blatantly breaks the law is illegally allowed by local authorities, that allows many people to travel on one motor bike, my own personal record sighting is 8 people on one bike.     

Worn out tires are normal sights on the roads plus vehicles that pump out incredible amounts of exhaust fumes that practical choke motor bike riders that get trapped behind them in heavy traffic.    
   
Most of the traffic police are lazy or have no real clue of how to control traffic at a junction in the cities.

But the main problem is 80% of the drivers on the road want to get there first 20% put down the gas peddle to its fullest and behave like speed maniacs with no concern at the dangers nor others on the road.

To get there first braking every traffic rule or some of them is essential it does not matter who they cut up as its all about getting in front of everyone else. However a small percentage of drivers do drive responsibly and there are some Filipino knights of the road. These are normally Filipino’s that have driven abroad in Europe or America.

Being a foreigner I notice that other drivers are more apt in thinking they can cut me up especially at junctions where I have learnt how to nudge through like they do. If I did not I could sit at a junction for a very long time being polite when I really have the right of way.
To drive here one learns to have eyes in the back of your head one Filipino will overtake on the out side while another over takes on the inside. At night one has to be like a bat as there are so many vehicles without lights. When overtaking someone with out rear view mirrors one has to toot the horn just in case they have not seen you with the eyes in the back of their head, lol

Using your indicators on their own can be dangerous as not many people notice them a hand signal as well keeps you fairly safe.

The most protective attitude is not to want to get there first but get there alive. Why I love driving here is because shamefully I love to live a bit dangerously.

Oh one thing I forgot when I see someone religiously cross themselves before driving, I know the guy is a speed freak trusting in God. Lol 

What really amazes me is those and there are many of them that travel with their kids on board their bike drive like fury in an effort to be first, something I would never chance doing with my precious offspring. Seemingly driving like they do is become an habit thankful the vehicles they drive are mostly low cc. or there would be more really fatal accidents.