Man has the ability to adapt. It’s the main reason evolution happened and continues to happen. To survive we adapt to change–consciously or not–, whether it’s change in environment, social or financial status, weather, or technology. Name any factor and normally we would see anyone adapt to it one way or another. Such inherent nature to adapt is also true in the way we drive.
In the Philippines, our beloved country, law and culture play a big role in the orderliness–or the lack of it–of our traffic flow. Everyone I’m sure would agree that day in day out we would shake our heads in despair somewhere some time during our daily commute. As a stimulus, the chaotic traffic sends our brain looking for answers, answers we may not find but we seek nonetheless. We are that desperate that more often than not we start using techniques we use in problem solving sessions at work while stuck between smoke belching buses, sneaky motorcycles, unruly pedestrians, inconsiderate drivers, and non-performing enforcers. Nothing sucks so much energy than bad traffic, second are bad bosses.
It is a known fact that we live in a country with so many laws yet a few of which are implemented to a tee. Whatever the reasons behind the ongoing transgression we may not know although corruption would definitely be one. Does the word bribery ring a bell? Our dear governing traffic bodies down to the policemen and to the deputized enforcers still have a lot to be desired.
Then there’s that one thing strongly ingrained in our culture. One that works both in our favor and against us is what we call diskarte. While diskarte is among the many Filipino words that have different English equivalent, you’ll know it once you see it happen. Diskarte is what makes that couple sandwich their infant while on a motorcycle–or worse, e-bike and without helmets. Diskarte is why our buses are packed and why the drivers would still pick passengers, not to mention anywhere they’d find an opportunity to do so. Diskarte is why we see colorum vans. Diskarte is why flying coffins–commonly jeepneys–exist and why professionals continue to patronize it as their means of transportation to and from work despite the risks. Diskarte is why some logistics companies overload their trucks despite poorly maintained brake systems. The list is almost endless.
It is everyone’s wish that time would come when we see our traffic conditions improve. When? Your guess is as good as mine. Until such time people behind the LTO, LTFRB, PNP, and all other related agencies seriously gather their heads and balls (no pun intended) altogether then we can just continue to expect to witness circus, chaos, and diskarte happening all around us and all we could do is keep our fingers crossed that at the end of the day we return home unscathed. We just have a looong way to go until the time we see a much more civil driving environment.
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Last night I was behind one vehicle stuck in the Nuvali trap. It was an SUV but it doesn’t look like the one that had me looking like an ignoramus the first time I made the mistake so I passed it without any fuss but the next cars weren’t as forgiving. Looks like this trap is going to embarrass more clueless drivers.
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I recently installed an app from called Sketch by Sony Mobile Communications and it is what I used to create the image above. The app has features I didn’t expect like the capability to do layers. It was what got me busy yesterday while waiting for Marcus finish his day’s physical therapy. The app is available on Google Play Store.
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Mood: 1/10 Honks! (Survived another week at the place that of all things it should not lack is a working speaker set.)
Marcus Can Blog 