Commendable local behavior

[RBM]

Yesterday had rather a gratifying experience, very rare here. As always, if people on a pedestrian crossing I stop, ignoring the toots and semi road rage behind me. This time was a middle aged guy whom gave me a nice wave for stopping, this is extremely rare and warmed the cockles.....

[JJReyes]

Yesterday, we had difficulties crossing Legazpi St. fronting our hotel.  The traffic flow was never ending.  A passenger van driver coming from the side road noticed our predicament.  He used his van to block the entire street and never mind that everyone was tooting their horns.  He waved to us to proceed, then shouted at a motorcylist trying to manuever through a small gap.  We waved our thanks for his thoughtfulness and courtesy.

[RBM]

16 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Yesterday, we had difficulties crossing Legazpi St. fronting our hotel.  The traffic flow was never ending.  A passenger van driver coming from the side road noticed our predicament.  He used his van to block the entire street and never mind that everyone was tooting their horns.  He waved to us to proceed, then shouted at a motorcylist trying to manuever through a small gap.  We waved our thanks for his thoughtfulness and courtesy.

I sympathize here as I also must cross a busy street when ever I take a long walk. Traffic is never ending, zebra crossings ignored, had once a similar experience, nice feeling. 

[Freebie]

And sadly this morning , two JoyRide riders with passengers both waved at me t to get out of the way as I was on a pedestrian crossing, Makati  Ave and De La Rosa. I walk across that crossing every day and its always a mixed bag.. sometimes cars and bikes stop but mostly its selfish inconsiderate bastards who have no idea what a pedestrian crossing is.  The more they beep ( whem Im on a crossing ) the much slower I seem to go.

I also find an arm raised and very confident stride tends to stop most adventurous cars, who think they can get across before me. Bikes are another matter.

[Tommy T.]

31 minutes ago, Freebie said:

And sadly this morning , two JoyRide riders with passengers both waved at me t to get out of the way as I was on a pedestrian crossing, Makati  Ave and De La Rosa. I walk across that crossing every day and its always a mixed bag.. sometimes cars and bikes stop but mostly its selfish inconsiderate bastards who have no idea what a pedestrian crossing is.  The more they beep ( whem Im on a crossing ) the much slower I seem to go.

I also find an arm raised and very confident stride tends to stop most adventurous cars, who think they can get across before me. Bikes are another matter.

It was interesting when I visited Vietnam several years ago. Their roads are packed with motorcycle traffic - I mean almost solid like a river of them... I was very intimidated at first until a local told me how to deal with it. He said to just start walking across the road at a steady pace, don't speed up or slow down and it will be fine. I did that and I felt like Moses parting the sea! They just went around me as if I were a rock they were going around... Sadly... that's not the case here... Motorcycle drivers here seem to think they are immortal or, at least, the best drivers on the planet... They frighten me, even when driving my car, as they zoom in and out with abandon. I also have seen a lot of accident sites with motorcycles damaged on the pavement...

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 3/22/2023 at 10:14 AM, Freebie said:

I also find an arm raised and very confident stride tends to stop most adventurous cars, who think they can get across before me. Bikes are another matter.

The locals usually use the hand stop signal which usually works so do the same.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Just a story of commendable behavior in the news.

Cebu taxi drivers unite to help traveler retrieve lost bag

CEBU, Philippines – Talk about teamwork. Finance manager Peachy Tan almost lost hope when her bag full of valuables went missing on Tuesday, March 21. That is, until a group of Cebu taxi drivers banded to help retrieve the missing bag.

“None of them were obligated to help, and yet when they heard and saw that I needed their help, they stepped up and contributed actions that led to the best outcome possible,” Tan said in a Facebook post on March 22.

“I got back everything I lost,” she added.

The Manila-based Tan had arrived back at the Cebu City Pier 1 on Tuesday, around 8 pm from a side business trip to Bohol.

She and two colleagues took a taxi to the Cebu R Hotel in Mabolo.

When they got to a hotel, one of the key cards did not work.

“I checked and narealize ko na nawala na yung bag ko (I realized that my bag was gone),” Tan told Rappler.

She and her colleagues tried contacting the port and the taxi driver who had brought them to the hotel.

One of Tan’s colleagues also tried calling the phone that was inside her lost bag, but no one picked up.

“Tinry namin to activate ang Find My Phone. Na-detect namin siya kung saan banda,” Tan said.

(We tried to activate Find My Phone and we were able to detect where it was)

Tan said the bellboy and the guard of Cebu R Hotel assisted them.

Radio relay
They hailed some taxi drivers parked nearby. They showed the drivers a receipt from their taxi, in case some drivers would be familiar with any of the driver’s details. 

A taxi driver by the name of Richie Echavez was able to identify the taxi.

Esteves said he even knew the driver from an online radio group.

“[Echavez] coordinated the search over the radio with their driver group. He also kept announcing the location of my phone as I kept track of it using the find-my-phone feature,” Tan said.

Two other drivers were able to spot the driver along Gorordo Avenue in Cebu City.

With the help of their radio relay, Tan and her colleagues were able to contact the taxi driver carrying her bag.

“Our taxi driver who was not online with the group stopped to wait for us to catch up to get my bag,” Tan said.

Tan said they were able to meet with him near Ayala Center Cebu. Before 9 pm that day, Tan was able to retrieve all of her belongings, including two iPhones, credit cards, and her Nikon camera.

“We checked the time stamps. It took just 35 minutes lang from the time I realized missing yung bag ko to getting it back,” she told Rappler.

Tan thanked the driver for waiting for them and the latter went on to find his next passenger to service. She also thanked the bellboy and the guard that assisted her.

“I hope when you read my story, what you see here is how people respond when someone needs help. I hope even just by a small increment, it adds to your faith in the goodness of others,” Tan said.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/taxi-drivers-cebu-unite-help-traveler-retrieve-lost-bag-march-2023/

 

[JJReyes]

California has or had a law that pedestrians always have the right of way.  Once they step off the curb into the street, be ready to hit the brakes.  Unfortunately, a few pedestrians abuse this privilege.  Several times teenagers cross the street in front of me wearing earphones and eyes glued to their mobile phones without looking out for traffic.  Philippines should pass a law making it the motorist who is automatically at fault for hitting pedestrians.  I still remember the old days when hitting a provincial semi-feral chicken meant paying for the chicken and future generations that chicken is expected to produce.  Several residents would also step forward claiming it was their chicken you ran over.

[Mike J]

8 hours ago, JJReyes said:

I still remember the old days when hitting a provincial semi-feral chicken meant paying for the chicken and future generations that chicken is expected to produce.  Several residents would also step forward claiming it was their chicken you ran over.

Unfortunately I ran over and broke the leg of a young goat that belonged to our neighbor.  The tale he told my wife was sad indeed.  Turned it he loved all his goats but this one in particular was HIS FAVORITE.  He LOVED this baby goat and was the joy of his life.   It took 500 peso to take away his grief, I think he used the money to buy beer.  Took the goat over to papa's house.  I am not a fan of goat, but I have to say the meat was tender. 

[Viking]

3 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Unfortunately I ran over and broke the leg of a young goat that belonged to our neighbor.  The tale he told my wife was sad indeed.  Turned it he loved all his goats but this one in particular was HIS FAVORITE.  He LOVED this baby goat and was the joy of his life.   It took 500 peso to take away his grief, I think he used the money to buy beer.  Took the goat over to papa's house.  I am not a fan of goat, but I have to say the meat was tender. 

I am pretty sure, if you run over another of his goats, that one will be his new favorite 😂

Reminds me of the movie: You don't mess with Zohan.🤣