Commuting in a crazy traffic.

Been alternating my mode of transport in the last four weeks. I commuted via public transports (Jeepney), then alternated it with bicycle, and driving to work on my pickup truck.

Just after the recent nationwide public transport strike, I took the jeepney again to commute to work. Rush hour, and the jeep I was riding, started to counter flow the opposite traffic so just to get ahead of everyone. Of course when he neared the intersection, he started to get back in lane and cut a car that was on the proper lane. The car was honking continuously and vigorously to no avail. The jeepney already cut his lane and he has no choice but to give way. And this very example is the type of drivers we have on the roads, no respect, no road courtesy and utter disregard for basic traffic rules. He counter-flowed the traffic on a solid yellow line road too. Then he foul mouthed the traffic enforcer upon reaching the intersection because of the heavy traffic, blaming the traffic aid for the buildup. Just another disrespectful, ill-mannered and uneducated driver on the road.

The public transport strike was done in protest to the higher penalties for traffic violations. The public transport sector was very much against it, as it will be too much for them considering they earn very little and oil price are on the continuous rise. And if they are fined for violations, they have nothing left, in fact they cannot afford to pay the penalties.

But if we continue to have drivers like described above, by all means penalize them. In fact, take them off the roads. Higher penalties are there to teach drivers a lesson, to discipline the drivers and of course to discourage and deter traffic violations. If drivers can follow basic traffic laws, no one has to worry about the penalties. No one will be penalized for staying in lane and giving way to pedestrians. No one will be penalized if you stop to alight and aboard passengers at the designated stops and not on the middle of the road. No one will be penalized if you will use your turn signals, stop on red light and follow speed limits. So what is it with the strike and protest to all these higher penalties for traffic violations? Do not commit any moving violations and we are all good.

But there is another problem. Traffic enforcers on the road does not, well, enforce traffic rules. Worse, they do not understand driving and basic traffic rules so they do not see moving violations as it happens in front of them. Going back to the example above regarding the jeepney, the traffic enforcer could have very well stop him and penalized for, violation of the yellow solid line which is no overtaking, for causing more traffic when he counter-flowed the opposite lane and for disrespectfully cutting other vehicles on the road. Yet, he just let that jeep pass as if nothing happened, worse he was bad mouthed by the driver. Sometimes you just have to laugh at the whole scenario.

Laws are there, but no one is enforcing it. It just become pointless that even professionals do not observe traffic rules themselves anymore. You stay in lane, fall in line to get to the intersection or over pass, yet as you wait in traffic, other vehicles will go out of lane, sometimes counter flowing the opposite traffic so just to get ahead of everyone and then suddenly will cut your lane in front. Might as well do the same, everyone is doing it anyway, right? And yes, as I drive my way to work, I see a lot of shiny SUVs, brand new sedans, compacts, sub compacts who cannot follow a straight line. They will leave you guessing if they will turn left, turn right or what? Will not use turn signals, so no way of knowing their intentions on the road and worse, will just cut everyone's lane just to be ahead or to be there where he wants to. On some of these vehicles you will see stickers such as MD, Attorney at Law, Dentist on board, etc. What a shame, you are all schmucks! 

But who can blame them? Our whole traffic situation is a total mess. No one is properly enforcing the law, enforcers task to enforce the law does not understand what they are doing, drivers continue to violate laws and be as disrespectful and un-courteous as they can be. Thinking they are entitled and with the mentality that he has every right on the road. Sigh!

To improve the situation, everyone has to start to at least respect everyone on the road. With respect you will learn to fall in line and stay on your lane. You will learn to yield and give way. It is not hopeless, but everyone has to do his share. Continue to do what is right even if others cannot. That way, we lessen the problem and not actually contributing to it. If only everyone will learn to follow and respect.