on my driving
Saturday, August 14, 2004
mood:
since i'm on the topic of cars, i got to thinking about how i drive. just last night, two of my friends rode with me from the office to camp aguinaldo. it's probably just a ten minute drive, which turned into thirty because of the goddamn traffic along santolan.
anyway, it's funny because everytime someone hitches with me, they always comment that i'm a different person when i drive. last night was no exception. true to form, my friend imelda told me "nag-iiba ka pala ng anyo pag nagda-drive ka." ha!
if you're into cartoons, there was this episode of disney where goofy was this all-american do-gooder. he wakes up the morning, has his coffee, reads his newspaper, kisses his wife and kids, heads out the door, greets his neighbors good morning, and enters his car. the moment he gets on the driver's seat, he totally changes and becomes an absolute maniac. that is me. i am goofy personified. something like a dr. jekyll and mr. hyde thing.
now i'm not as bad as i sound. seriously. it's only when i'm provoked that i begin to transform. however, with the traffic situation in manila, that's pretty much everyday.
here are some things that bring about my transformation:
student drivers
oh, come ooonnn!!! going above 40kph ain't gonna kill you! i know they're still learning how to drive, and i'm all for it. just not via the route i take.
motorcycles
now, these guys have a death wish. it's not like they have the benefit of a metallic enclosure that will shoulder the blow should they get hit. all they have are those little helmets. but noooo! they seem to have an utter disregard for their safety. these guys just love to annoy me by hogging an entire lane and going at 60kph. or zipping in out of nowhere.
buses
aaah, need i say more about these big brutes? they switch lanes like they're blind. they rule only because of their size. unfortunately, size DOES matter, whether it be buses or otherwise. because i am concerned about the welfare of my car, i let them rule. but not without a big F U and the middle finger to go with it.
jeeps
these guys have absolutely no concept of lanes. none whatsoever. if a customer has to get down the jeep, he gets down immediately. no matter that the jeep is right smack in the middle lane. admirable customer service skills, i must say. who cares that there a bunch of cars right behind, right? the customer is king.
tricycles
these guys are jeepney drivers on a smaller scale. also no concept of lanes, but commendable customer service skills. the jeepney drivers have taught them well. in our village, these guys are gods. they go as fast as 20kph (my grandma probably walks faster...) and stay right smack in the middle of the road. i end up staring at the customer riding at the back, who is suffering the glare of my headlights on full beam.
pedestrians
they come in all shapes and sizes. they cross a high-traffic street like they're strolling in the park. get the fuck out of the way! use the overpass, for crying out loud! that's where your taxes go!
other than that, i remain calm on the road. i use my signal lights before switching lanes or turning. i use my car horn sparingly, unless in contact with the abovementioned. i follow speed limits, unless i know i can get away with it.
i ain't so bad. am i? you don't have to answer that.
tin ni roLand | 11:37 PM | |
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