4 Lane Highways

[RBM]

For those living in central Negros most will be aware of the nice highway heading to Murcia and beyond,  from Don Salvador  We are frequent travelers here.

 

What continues to puzzle me although there is usually not excessive traffic all slow traffic, meaning tricycles and trucks continue to hug the center line. This makes passing a little awkward, especially if alone and  dangerous as often sugar cane trucks and others are parked on the edge of the  road. If on coming traffic one is forced to pass on the right. 

 

Perhaps I missing something here or is just another quirk in the Philippines way of driving.

[mogo51]

For those living in central Negros most will be aware of the nice highway heading to Murcia and beyond,  from Don Salvador  We are frequent travelers here.

 

What continues to puzzle me although there is usually not excessive traffic all slow traffic, meaning tricycles and trucks continue to hug the center line. This makes passing a little awkward, especially if alone and  dangerous as often sugar cane trucks and others are parked on the edge of the  road. If on coming traffic one is forced to pass on the right. 

 

Perhaps I missing something here or is just another quirk in the Philippines way of driving.

Saw the same behaviour on a bus trip from Laoag to Angeles.

[Gratefuled]

No,you are right. It was a 4 lane highway but no traffic laws or none are enforced. I've seen 2 lane roads made into 3 and 4 lane roads by all kinds of vehicles. Which is why I will not buy a car here in the Philippines.  I'll let the jeepneys and taxis negotiate their own right of ways.

Only in the Philippines will you see sidewalks used to park vehicles and pedestrians forced to walk in the street.

I've been in jeepneys and taxis that use sidewalks to move ahead in traffic. Vehicles from side streets cutting in front of through traffic. Motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic. Pedestrians darting out in front of moving traffic with their hand up motioning the traffic to " halt"  until they pass. 

It's more fun in the Philippines but only if you're not the one driving.

[Dave Hounddriver]

just another quirk in the Philippines way of driving

 

Any idiot can turn the motor on and steer the vehicle.  Driving is a learned skill.  I don't see much driving in Philippines. I hope that changes one day but I also don't see many places teaching the skill of driving.  A driver's license is a form of ID that can be bought.  The basic rules of the road are:  He who is in front wins. and If you don't see the other person then they are at fault.

 

Only in the Philippines will you see sidewalks used to park vehicles and pedestrians forced to walk in the street.

I have actually seen that in other places.  What I find unusual here is motorcycles driving on the sidewalk and expecting pedestrians to get out of their way.  Yesterday I was walking down a narrow sidewalk and a motorcycle was driving toward me on the sidewalk.  His wife? was sitting behind him, holding a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood in front of her (between her and driver).  He was on the sidewalk because he was going the wrong way on a one way street but decided it must be OK because he was 'only' on the sidewalk.  I refused to go into the street so he could drive past and it was a difficult battle of wills but we both smiled through the whole escapade.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Dave Hounddriver

[scott h]

quirk in the Philippines way of driving

 

Now this is just all my opinion from my observation of driving habits of the average Filipino driver. First of all, my brother law describes it perfectly, everything is considered "Democracy in Action!" Unlike countries where we come from there is absolutely no driver to driver courtesy. If a trike or a slow truck plans on making a left turn in the next 10 kilometers, he will get in the left lane regardless of how much he inconveniences other drivers. 2nd is that there is very little enforcement, either on the highways or city streets. So it is a free for all.

[Markham]

There are only two rules:

1. Me first
2. The foreigner is always at fault

[Methersgate]

For those living in central Negros most will be aware of the nice highway heading to Murcia and beyond,  from Don Salvador  We are frequent travelers here.

 

What continues to puzzle me although there is usually not excessive traffic all slow traffic, meaning tricycles and trucks continue to hug the center line. This makes passing a little awkward, especially if alone and  dangerous as often sugar cane trucks and others are parked on the edge of the  road. If on coming traffic one is forced to pass on the right. 

 

Perhaps I missing something here or is just another quirk in the Philippines way of driving.

I think you will see the same in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. I cannot comment on Indonesia.

[Mike S]

In the Phils a 4 lane road is really just a 2 lane road the 2 outside lanes are used for drying rice ..... fixing cars .... parking your car to carry on business or pleasure (usually half in one lane half in the other) ........ vulcanizing repair shops ..... riding your carabao ...... loading sugar cane ........... extending your sari sari store .... opening a new store or business ..... and if there happens to be a shade tree hanging over the road the uses of that outside lane are endless for everything except what it was meant for ..... DRIVING .... JMHO

[DavidK]

I've worked out there are actually 3 rules of driving in the Philippines:

Rule 1 - There are no rules.

Rule 2 - Might is right.

Rule 3 - In case of dispute see Rule 1.

It's more fun in the Philippines  :rolleyes:

It causes more problems if you don't drive like a Filipino, because then you're not doing what they expect and anticipate.

[Dave Hounddriver]

It causes more problems if you don't drive like a Filipino, because then you're not doing what they expect and anticipate.

 

That is SO true.  A few times I have come to an intersection, planning to turn left, and waited for the oncoming traffic to pass.  The number of times they slowed to an almost stop and said bad words to me is comical.  They EXPECT you to cut across in front of them and if you don't then they slowed down for nothing.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Dave Hounddriver