Warning to all Foreigners: Most Filipino Motorists Don't Know What Pedestrian Lanes are for!!!

I have planned to write about this a long time ago, unfortunately though, either my mind would go blank or I simply wont have time…Finally though, I was able to bring it to the finish line. Before I decided to have this article published, I did some research as to what the heck really does PEDESTRIAN LANES mean. Let’s try to go through some definitions: According to Merriam Webster: (Noun) street crossing where pedestrians have right of way; often marked in some way especially with diagonal stripes Wikipedia English - The Free Encyclopedia A pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is a designated point on a road at which some means are employed to assist pedestrians wishing to cross and have right of way. They are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can be seen by motorists, and where they can cross most safely with the flow of vehicular traffic. Pedestrian crossings are often at intersections, but may also be at other points on busy roads that would otherwise be perilous to attempt to cross. They are common near schools or in other areas where there are a large number of children. Okay, so I guess I have different sources yet same meaning. Clear enough to understand that PEDESTRIAN CROSSING gave the pedestrians the right of way. Take note PEDESTRIANS and not motorists or cab drivers nor jeepney drivers and neither those moronic yuppies driving their SUV’s and yet ignorant of universal traffic rules. Now let’s get to the meaning of PEDESTRIANS. It means travelling on foot. Yup you read it right, surf the freaking internet, browse Mr. Webster or Wikipedia, it means, TRAVELLERS ON FOOT. Translation? Those who don’t have cars, tricycle, bicycle or aren’t behind any type of steering wheels. In short those who use their feet as means of travelling. Clear enough? You see, I have always been annoyed by those drivers, be it learned or the moronic jeepney drivers, whenever I encountered them along pedestrian crossing. Either, they would try to gain speed just to beat the pedestrians or they would blow their freaking horn as if an emergency is going on. Sad to say this incident is a recurring event in the Philippines. For godsake! Several instances had me almost lose my temper. Let’s take some of the perilous encounters that I had! Let’s start with the pedestrian crossing nearest to my place. I live in St. Joseph, Cainta Rizal, and every morning I have to battle with these dimuits. What’s even more ironic is the fact that there are two police stations in this place. The Pasig Police Station along Ortigas Avenue Extension and the Cainta Police Precint along St. Joseph Drive. These two stations are just across each other. Almost facing each other. Add the fact that there ARE MMDAS on the road, and yet these morons have these routine every freaking day! Mind you, I am not just referring to those illiterate and uneducated stinking jeepney and bus drivers but those who are wearing bows and ties, some professionals yet uneducated individuals. Haaaayyyy Another encounter I would never forget is when Jae and I were about to report for work in Ortigas, while we were crossing the pedestrian lane along ADB Avenue in Ortigas Center. For those who aren’t familiar with Ortigas Center, it happens to be the business capital of Pasig City. Well, as we are about to cross along with a foreigner, a taxi came careening while honking, almost hitting the said foreigner. The foreigner glared and shouted at the maniacal driver who didn’t give a damn. The foreigner pointed the pedestrian lane. God, I was so ashamed at that time, so ashamed that I am a Filipino. I wish I wasn’t. I was just wondering how these type of people obtained their driver’s license…. Oh, I shouldn’t have asked that because I knew the answer quite well. Are you aware that just by paying 1,500 pesos(philippine) you can get a license? You need not to take the exam and you don’t even need to submit urine specimen. LTO, would you want to deny this allegation? Okay back to the pedestrian crossing incident, one more notable place and probably known not just by Filipinos but as well as outside the country… who wouldn’t be familiar with Makati City, Philippines? Ayala Avenue is definitely familiar to almost all of us, yet in the country’s business capital it’s sad to say that drivers here as well are not familiar as to what pedestrian lanes are for. Even those yuppies and old professionals as well, not to mention those who are in SUV’s, I can’t believe why these people can’t spare like a couple of minutes to give way to pedestrians…. Haaay And another experience, this isn’t mine though… this is a first hand experience of an Englishman… This is an entry posted by him on take note…. FORUM.GOV.PH. Go through his experience, here is it I got it just the way he published it. Philippine Drivers • (2376 bytes) Posted: 3/14/2006 • 21:43 GMT+8 Quote-reply

By: Englishman registered: 1/21/2006 member United Kingdom Can anyone tell me why your government spends money painting pedestrian crossings on the road in case you wonder what is a pedestrian crossing it is the black and white strips that you see painted going across the road, in the rest of the world it means pedestrians have right of way, in other words traffic have to stop to let people cross in the Philippines it seems to mean nothing at all. In my many visits to your country I can say I have never seen a driver that has stopped at one, One of the biggest talking points in Manila is how bad the traffic is you seem to think you have more traffic than other capital cities and smaller roads which just is not true in fact you probably have less than most and your main roads are just as big if not bigger than many other cities in the world. So why are the traffic jams so bad in Manila? It is simple you have to drive slow because drivers just pull out in front of you they change lanes without looking and for no reason you push in they drive down the wrong side of the road to just gain a few feet. Everyone I have spoke to in the Philippines agree that you have no discipline on the road and tell me that’s what is needed but sit beside the same people that complain about it and they drive the same way they don’t look they don’t give way. I hate to be rude but is there such a thing as a highway code in your country if there is has anyone ever read it. The worst thing of all is the way drivers will not even move over for ambulances and fire engines next time your more worried about getting some where quick and don’t move over for a emergency vehicle stop and think it may be on the way to your child, your wife, your mother this vehicles should be able to go through even heavy traffic at speed and should never ever be stopped because someone failed to move over. You should have laws like in France if you fail to move over for emergency vehicles they take a photo and you get traced and a very heavy fine. Every Country needs good road transport in this modern world if they are to prosper yes the roads in the Philippines need work but learn to use the ones you have stop blaming Government for the state of them its you the drivers that make them so bad, the only thing you can blame the Government for is not fining every one of you that pulls out that don’t give way that have no lane discipline.

Care to react? I wouldn’t cause I know its true… A sad fact that all Filipinos must realize. Why can’t we start with simple discipline? Calling the attention too of law makers. I understand a bill has been submitted my Sen. Villar, but nowhere did I read anything about apprehending motorists who are moronic on pedestrian lanes.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that one day our law makers would probably be hit by these moronic drivers while traversing through the pedestrian lanes… and maybe that would be the day that they’ll come to their senses.

I would like to aknowledge http://forum.gov.ph, this is where I got the reaction of the Englishman’s experience and Sire if I could send you an e-mail of gratitude I would, unfortunately I haven’t got any information about you… but my sincerest thanks. Thank you for posting your experience. I just hope this will be an eye opener to my apathetic countrymen and women.

This blog is also for Jaean who right from the start has urged me to write something about this. Rest assured lots of related articles will follow.