Why are Filipinos such bad drivers?

[jimeve]

I hate the drivers who pull out without signaling just before going past them, causing you to stamp on the brakes or go to the left and end up in the middle of the road.

[scott h]

I just had a thought (while cursing a guy who served into my lane without signaling, stomping on the gas and sprinting 100 meters to stop at a red light that clearly showed 120 seconds before it would turn green ) as to why it seem drivers here have no common sense or logic.

I am wondering if it might be because they did not grow up in a car culture like a lot of us probably did. Sitting behind or next to our dads learning by osmosis the rules of the road, common courtesy (and those swear words if mom wasn't in the car ). When I come to think about it I knew all about merging, slowing down to let a guy in, alternate turning across traffic, all those little things that drive me nuts here, before I ever got behind a wheel.

Naturally you cant fix stupid, but maybe, just maybe a lot of these folks might just not know better, just a thought. 

[Arizona Kid]

The reason Filipinos are such bad drivers is because all of us are good drivers!

[hk blues]

10 minutes ago, scott h said:

I just had a thought (while cursing a guy who served into my lane without signaling, stomping on the gas and sprinting 100 meters to stop at a red light that clearly showed 120 seconds before it would turn green ) as to why it seem drivers here have no common sense or logic.

I am wondering if it might be because they did not grow up in a car culture like a lot of us probably did. Sitting behind or next to our dads learning by osmosis the rules of the road, common courtesy (and those swear words if mom wasn't in the car ). When I come to think about it I knew all about merging, slowing down to let a guy in, alternate turning across traffic, all those little things that drive me nuts here, before I ever got behind a wheel.

Naturally you cant fix stupid, but maybe, just maybe a lot of these folks might just not know better, just a thought. 

What you've described may well be part of the reason - my parents didn't drive so I didn't do any passive learning and I think that made it harder for me when I started to learn. However, I think it goes deeper than that - people here (some, not all)  tend to do everything with a lack of discipline and sometimes even logic so it's not surprising they carry that into their vehicles.  Also, quite simply many of them are driving vehicles that are not suitable for them i.e. teenage girls/guys driving oversize 4x4s etc etc with a lack of control and/or spacial awareness. 

[scott h]

13 minutes ago, hk blues said:

I think it goes deeper than that

Oh don't get me wrong my friend...………..drivers here have serious self esteem issues lolol

[Gary D]

Are they even taught to drive. Here in the UK you would average 20-30 hours with an instructor before siting the licence.

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, scott h said:

Oh don't get me wrong my friend...………..drivers here have serious self esteem issues lolol

Indeed - which is perhaps why the guy with the biggest and most expensive 4x4 feels he/she has no need to give way to the guy in the Rusco truck! 

[robert k]

4 hours ago, hk blues said:

Indeed - which is perhaps why the guy with the biggest and most expensive 4x4 feels he/she has no need to give way to the guy in the Rusco truck! 

I think it may have something to do with the wealth pecking order.

[sonjack2847]

What amazes me is the people on MBs who drive stupidly with young kids on board. Don`t they even think of the safety of their children, seems not but they would be the first to crucify an expat who got into an accident with them even though it was their own fault.

Edited August 23, 2019 by sonjack2847
Just had to put this picture here.

[Tommy T.]

16 hours ago, hk blues said:

What you've described may well be part of the reason - my parents didn't drive so I didn't do any passive learning and I think that made it harder for me when I started to learn. However, I think it goes deeper than that - people here (some, not all)  tend to do everything with a lack of discipline and sometimes even logic so it's not surprising they carry that into their vehicles.  Also, quite simply many of them are driving vehicles that are not suitable for them i.e. teenage girls/guys driving oversize 4x4s etc etc with a lack of control and/or spacial awareness. 

I stated this in an earlier post - I believe that most of the bad driving habits we see here are a result of people observing other drivers.

Filipinos are some of the best imitators in the world. L tells me that all the time too. They imitate western and other cultures. But somehow, they have not picked up on driving etiquette and courtesy even after watching how many movies? Maybe too many movies with car chases and crashes?

Some Filipino friends and neighbours here who have spent time in USA are astounded and shocked and appalled by the local drivers.

And I want to echo the previous comment about drivers having cars they cannot control. Many of the roads here were not designed to carry huge, modern cars - more likely just motorcycles or tricycles. I see so many Fortuners (yes, I dislike most of those drivers...sorry) or Hillux's that can barely enter some tiny alleys. They barge in a bit, then just stop if someone is coming the other way. And they will not usually back up to allow traffic to flow again, just sit and maybe flash their lights waiting for the other driver to back up and give way. Okay, okay, I am generalizing again, as usual... But I see this behaviour often - big cars driven by people with maybe big egos but small driving skills...

There... right or wrong, that is my opinion...

Edited August 24, 2019 by Tommy T.