Driving in the Philippines
Driving in the Philippines
Driving in the Philippines
There are several places in the Philippines I don't recommend you drive a vehicle at all. In fact the police in Manila have said they don't want foreigners driving there. Most places are ok during non rush hour traffic I suppose, if you stay out of the way of the speeding taxis, buses, trucks and other vehicles. When there is no rush hour, they drive faster.
Driving here is a no rules unconditional attempt to get somewhere without being hit or without hitting anything. If you, the foreigner, are in an accident, you will most likely pay. The poor Filipino probably won't pay anything.
Here are the situations to watch out for that Westerners almost never encounter:
Someone is passing the person passing you on the left.
People passing you on the right.
Not stopping at cross roads. Blowing horn and rolling through it.
No lights! (this is dangerous to pedestrians because there usually isn't much room on the road sides to get out of the way)
Bicycles, bicycle cabs, people walking, pigs, cows, chickens, goats, rice drying, peanuts drying, dogs and anything else that can be on the road in the midst of speeding buses, trucks, motorcycle drivers and speeding motorists.
Driving very fast and blowing horn at last second to say here I come.
Not slowing down for most situations where they should, even not for children.
Rolling turns at intersections (Filipinos keep rolling and don't yield like Westerners do. They pull in front of you and cut you off.)
Often you will find vehicles driving in the same direction 3 or 4 abreast on a two lane road.
Many Filipinos are impatient drivers, pedestrians and shoppers who will cut in front of you any chance they get.
Without driving laws enforcement, nothing changes. No one is afraid to drive the way they want. I hope the new President changes that. I hope he gets tough. I'm sorry it will cost poor people money they can't afford to spend, but the bottom line is driving habits have to change. Bus and truck drivers need to be held accountable for their bad driving. Anyone who doesn't obey rules and drive safely should receive some penalty. If they do it again they should lose their license. Laws have to be enforced and tough penalties imposed..
So, I recommend that those foreigners who have vehicles either hire a local professional driver or learn when to go and where not to go in their vehicle. The foreigner must be on the lookout for all possibilities. Filipinos often just wander out into traffic in a vehicle, on a motorcycle or just walking and they never look. They listen for a horn to blow as the warning, but that doesn't work very well. The reason there aren't to many bad accidents within city limits (motorcycles excluded from this statement) is because of how slow most vehicles are going. In Manila, Cebu, Davao and many other big Philippine cities slow vehicles aren't allowed in high traffic areas where average speeds are much higher. Still the old guy on his bicycle cab will wander out and just act like he is to stupid to know he shouldn't be there.
And that's the way it is for drivers in the Philippines. Foreigners will just have to be very careful and expect everything and anything. Maybe things will change soon. Let's hope so.
One more subject to cover that is important info for foreigners. Immigration has successfully tied getting a drivers license and bank account to having an ACR-I Card. That's one more hurdle and payment an expat has to take care of. Do it immediately when you get here. Avoid the hassle if you don't get one. Immigration won't let you slide. Pay up and get it over with. Being here is well worth the hurdles you have to jump to stay and to enjoy this place.
Read http://www.retireinphilippines.com and join Yahoo Group Retireinphilippines to talk to guys living there.
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