Beware of Jeepney Drivers!!!

Posted under Urban Jungle, Cars, Driving

I’ve ranted so many times before about some of the drivers attitude towards driving. And most of those ’some’ drivers are PUV drivers.

Every morning I drive myself to work, struggling with jeepneys obstructing the roads, as I’ve mentioned before, traffic laws here in the Philippines are merely suggestions. Most of the PUV (or even non-pro) drivers obtain their drivers licenses through other means. When you get caught by the police, try to “settle” things - thus, people don’t really care about the rules of the law.

Last Tuesday, I got a call from my b/f that he’s already out from work and he could drive me to work. I was so happy because as much as possible, I want to spare myself from morning chaos on the road. But just as when I thought I was spared from morning stress, one jeepney hit us while crossing the intersection of Pasong Tamo and V. Cruz (near Shopwise).

We signalled before we changed lane - and there was this fast jeepney and hit the side part of the car. I was shocked.

What pisses me off:
1. The driver said he didn’t do anything wrong (ok, due process, innocent until proven otherwise)
2. He won’t pay for the damages
3. He said he saw us signalling but it he didnt slow down because according to him, malapit na sya sa amin. (which, all the more, dapat nag-slow down sya)

It all happened in a split second, the jeepney was still far behind us when my b/f manuevered to the other side (he changed lane because there was this Ford who cut us off and just stopped there).

5. The police officer in the traffic bureau wasn’t much of a help.

It it weren’t for my b/f, I would have had filed a case against the driver. Pity was the last thing on my mind. I am a person with soft spot to everyone but there’s just something WRONG with letting an irresponsible person go just because he said he’s ‘poor’ and he thought we are rich - because we’re driving a car and he’s driving a PUV. The driver was even smiling while we were in the traffic bureau. I don’t know if he thought everything was funny - or that he knows we can’t ask him to pay for the damages.

It cost us 4,500.

Why do I want to file a case against him? Okay, I am not being inconsiderate or mean - but I just want to fight for my rights and teach him a lesson. People often waive their rights because it’s ‘expensive‘ (court fees, lawyers and stuffs) or impractical (court hearings, etc) to fight for our rights. I don’t have money to hire a lawyer. I don’t have anything. But I just want to let him know that what he did was wrong, that he can’t always get away from his obligations. One more thing that aggravated the situation was that the driver doesn’t have a license - ok, he has - but it was a traffic ticket because he was recently apprehended for another traffic violation.

We all have our rights - inherent to us and even protected by the Constitution. But there are times when we can’t even assert ourselves. I guess, I should try to live with it. BUT, come to think of it - if we try to adapt to this sub-par kind of society and standards, then, no wonder we are still a third world country. It’s a loop. I don’t know where to start. Defensive driving are mostly for those who really got into driving schools - for others, it’s NOTHING. They don’t even care.

If you come across this post - I just want to ask you that please, be a responsible driver. If we can’t change even this system, then how can we grow as a nation?

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Tags: Chaos, Traffic, Manila Life, Manila Traffic