* A speech delivered during the Kalantiao Toastmasters Club regular bi-weekly meeting held on February 1, 2007 at Bread and Butter Center, Kalibo, Aklan.
Traffic – is the movement of vehicles as well as pedestrians in the streets or highways. It is regulated to avoid chaos. Traffic must be controlled to have safe and efficient flow of vehicles like cars, buses, vans, and trucks over urban streets and highways.
To control the traffic, there are rules and regulations to be followed. These rules and regulations are expressed through signs and road markings. Traffic signs and road markings follow a uniform practice throughout the world and are designed to convey information with a minimum of words to avoid confusing drivers unfamiliar with the area and the language,
We have observed that the Philippines is still behind in the installation of traffic lights and other advanced mechanism to promote traffic flow regulation. Even direction signages are not enough. In some urban areas, traffic signals and lights are installed to permit safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians at busy intersections.
There are countries, that are using right hand drive cars such as the Philippines, United States of America, Australia and others. The left hand drive cars are also used by countries such as Japan, South Korea, France and others. However, the traffic signs and road markings and pictures are just the same.
In the Philippines, however these traffic signs are also visible in the streets but mind you; Filipinos have their own way of traffic rules interpretations.
Generally, traffic rules interpretations Filipino style are the following:
Rule 1 - The vehicle on the left has always the right of way:
This rule is applicable at the intersection in a place where there is no traffic light installed like the province of Aklan:
Filipino Style: The vehicle with the gutsy driver or the luxury car has always the right of way. Cars also have inferiority complex.
Rule 2-One Way Street:
Other countries are observing one way street in its strict sense.
Filipino Way: The Filipino driver on the opposite direction will stop upon seeing a one way street. Then he will look around, if the traffic enforcer is present or watching. In the absence of the police or its deputy, the driver will immediately pass through the one way street in the opposite direction. He would rejoice after he successfully passed through without being caught and would reason out if got caught. Filipinos are very reasonable!
Rule 3 - No Parking:
In other countries like Hong Kong, Japan and the United States, "No Parking" is absolutely no parking even if it means a kilometer walk from the parking area to the destination. Here in the Philippines, No Parking means double parking. I remember one of the prosecutor fiscals in the Prosecutors Office, Kalibo who was hurrying to go to his office only to be blocked by a tricycle waiting for a passenger in the middle of the street between the Regional Trial Court office, Kalibo and the post office. He was honking his vehicle but he was disappointed that the driver refused to give way. So the prosecutor got out of his vehicle; confronted the driver; asked why he waited for passengers in the middle of the street; and why he blocked the way to the prosecutor’s office and other government offices. He was shocked when the tricycle driver answered him back which I quote "Ham-an, ikaw ro tag-ana it karsada ngara hay?" Unquote. What do you think happened to the tricycle driver? He was apprehended and paid the maximum penalty for breaking the traffic regulation. It was citizens arrest!
Rule 4 – Pedestrian Crossing:
Any part of the road is a pedestrian crossing to the Filipinos. Even in the most busy streets in Manila, the underpass or overpass where pedestrians are strictly prohibited to cross, there are still pedestrians crossing in these areas. So we are tagged as violators and life in our country is becoming cheaper because many were able to pass through these streets dead on arrival. Very sad.
Rule 5. The Loading and Unloading Area:
Even though there are places designated as loading and unloading areas, it is in the psyche of the Filipino drivers that whenever there is a passenger waiting for a ride they willfully stop and let the passenger ride even if it is not in the designated loading and unloading area. Have you ever observed tricycle drivers in Kalibo, Aklan, that even in the middle of the street they stop and pick up passengers?
I have known one of the legal minds in Aklan that he whacked the tricycle driver who cut his way and stopped right in front of his car while in motion to get a passenger. For sure, the driver knew him that neither retaliation nor legal suit against the lawyer was filed.
Rule 6 – NO LITTERING:
Trash is properly disposed by the commuters or vehicle passengers; littering is a "no no" and must be strictly observed by the drivers as well as the passengers in other countries. In the Philippines, however, commuters’ trash is disposed anywhere inside or outside of the vehicle. The roads are made huge trash cans. Sometimes the vehicle that follows is splashed with garbage.
In one of our trips to Iloilo, I had this very disgusting experience on my way there. I was following the Ceres bus and waiting for an opportunity to overtake when I noticed that plastic bags full of trashes were thrown out from said bus. It rained plastic bags, not cats and dogs.
There are lots of rules pertaining to traffic, but if discussed all of the rules in my talk, I will be penalized for being too talkative.
As I have said, we are tagged as "law violators" but all of us here present are exerting efforts to correct the impression. All traffic rules are promulgated for our own good as citizens of this country. Government agency in charge of the implementation of these rules has been trying hard to educate the drivers to obey traffic rules and regulations as well as the commuters. Some organizations are also helping the government in this matter. With our joint efforts, we can attain changes to become traffic law abiding Filipinos. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment