Russell and Eileen's Church Missions: DRIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Between Monday being a local holiday (Rizal Day), and then with New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day on Tuesday and Wednesday, traffic has been kind of light this week. Even on Friday when we did housing inspections in Pasig (part of Metro Manila) the congestion was less than usual. Since we first arrived I (Russell) have been considering when would be a good time to write about driving here. Navigating traffic here is unique and something foreigners notice immediately upon arrival. Maybe this is a good week to talk about it since I’m not currently frustrated by it.

Most foreigners look at the traffic here and think that there are no observed rules of the road and that it is just a mass of confusion. My perspective, as one who has to drive every day of the week in my role, is that there defiantly are rules which are observed by the vast majority of drivers. It is just that the rules are much different than what foreigners are used to.

Rule One - do not hit anyone or anything! He who hits is at fault. It doesn’t matter if the motorcyclist pulls in front of you, clips your front bumper, and then falls over, you are at fault. If someone hits your side or back, then they are at fault. But if the front end of your vehicle comes in contact with anything (or if you back into anything) then it is your fault. This rule causes you to be highly focused about observing and avoiding all things in your path, and only moderately interested in what is going on beside or behind you. Mirrors are nice to have when trying to back into a parking spot but are used far less when actually driving forward. Remember, it’s the responsibility of those behind and to the side of you not to hit you.

Rule Two - do not materially exceed the speed of traffic around you! Most of my driving here is done between 20 and 40 kilometre per hour (yes, 12.5 to 25 miles per hour). Speeds of 50 to 60 kilometres per hour are wonderful when traffic (or lack of it) allows, and driving at speeds of over 60 are unusual. Many times in heavy traffic you will be moving at only idle speed to 10 kilometres per hour. Traffic often can literally be “bumper to bumper” with the vehicles on your sides being just inches away. With traffic being so much heavier, even with speeds being much slower, your focus has to always be on what is immediately in front of you and anticipating what other drivers might be trying to do. When everyone is anticipating what all other drivers are doing there are less mishaps. Driving faster than the rest of the traffic messes that up.

Things like lines in the road marking lanes or crosswalks are generally considered as nice suggestions to be observed when convenient. Even driving on only your side of the road seems to be too restrictive for some (particularly motorcyclists) in heavy traffic. More than once I have seen gridlock occur at an intersection because those turning left have filled up all lanes of oncoming traffic.

Traffic congestion in Metro Manila probably ranks as being among the world’s top 20 worst places to drive, and two of our six mission zones (Pasig and Taguig) are within Metro Manila. However, once you get out into the province the traffic lights up and the scenery is often beautiful. Faced with either being tied to the office or traveling every week to see the missionary apartments, I am glad I get to travel and see the places where our missionaries live and serve. At times, driving here is actually enjoyable - not relaxing but entertaining.

Unfortunately, both Eileen and I have witnessed traffic fatalities not far from our home; Eileen when she was driving two missionaries back from the hospital on Halloween, and I just a week ago yesterday. I was delivering a washing machine by myself early on a Saturday morning. A motorcycle driver was lying on the side of the road, no longer moving, with many others stopped around him. It was a grim reminder to pay close attention and always remember how fragile life is.

On a different subject, the missionaries taught Lance again last night in our apartment. Grace was home sick, as was their daughter who has chicken pox. When he came in, Lance apologised for wearing shorts. Eileen said, “Don’t worry, I’m in slacks - it’s our P-day!” Lance then proceeded to tell us about Grace’s urinary tract infection and how she too was having one of those days! I guess we shouldn’t refer to our “preparation-day” as “P-day” around non-missionaries.

Metro Manila traffic jam

Trikes line the streets while waiting for passengers. Once moving they cut in front of cars, do turns in the middle of the street, it is all rather crazy.

Crossing the Barkadon bridge. What is normally a 2 lane bridge turns into several lanes.

You are supposed to drive on the dirt road here rather than the pavement. Sometimes it is hard to know where to go.

It is hard to tell from the photo but there is an electrical pole in the middle of the right hand lane. Cars swerve around it. There are also electrical lines again down everywhere.