Comments on: Driving a car in Manila Traffic http://www.expatinthephilippines.com/driving-a-car-in-manila-traffic/ a Dutch expat decided to spend the rest of his life in the Philippines Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:43:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jan http://www.expatinthephilippines.com/driving-a-car-in-manila-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-1778 Jan Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:11:22 +0000 http://expatinthephilippines.com/?p=397#comment-1778 Hi Kat, Thanks for sharing your experiences in driving on this site. Every fine one has to pay for traffic violations is painful money. Lucky my wife was with me almost all the time and she was dealing with the police or traffic enforcers because she speaks the language. In a city like Manila you have to know exactly where you like to go, so knowing the main routes is essential. Changing lanes at the last moment causes not only traffic, but also the risk of getting caught by a greedy policeman. Sweet talks to the officer will help often, but not always. The moment they like to write a ticket ask them if they are not willing to change it in a warning. Promise to do better next time. If they insist in getting money without ticket (which is a violation by the officer) always ask him his name or number and write it down. Nine out of ten times he will let you go with a warning. Now you have a ticket and your driver’s license is confiscated (if it was an police officer, but traffic enforcers are not allowed to confiscate licenses). You have to get your license back at the police station / town hall of the city of violation. This could take several hours, so be prepared. Lucky for us drivers, police and traffic enforcers are afraid to ask for money because of new regulations implemented by Nonoy Aquino. For that reason you always have to ask their name and number. And do never offer money yourself. If they think that they have to punish you with a ticket, so be it. Try to sweet talk to them, it will help. But most of all, try to get driving experience as much as possible. Good luck, INGAT, Jan Hi Kat,
Thanks for sharing your experiences in driving on this site.
Every fine one has to pay for traffic violations is painful money. Lucky my wife was with me almost all the time and she was dealing with the police or traffic enforcers because she speaks the language.
In a city like Manila you have to know exactly where you like to go, so knowing the main routes is essential. Changing lanes at the last moment causes not only traffic, but also the risk of getting caught by a greedy policeman. Sweet talks to the officer will help often, but not always.
The moment they like to write a ticket ask them if they are not willing to change it in a warning. Promise to do better next time. If they insist in getting money without ticket (which is a violation by the officer) always ask him his name or number and write it down. Nine out of ten times he will let you go with a warning.
Now you have a ticket and your driver’s license is confiscated (if it was an police officer, but traffic enforcers are not allowed to confiscate licenses). You have to get your license back at the police station / town hall of the city of violation. This could take several hours, so be prepared.
Lucky for us drivers, police and traffic enforcers are afraid to ask for money because of new regulations implemented by Nonoy Aquino. For that reason you always have to ask their name and number. And do never offer money yourself. If they think that they have to punish you with a ticket, so be it. Try to sweet talk to them, it will help.
But most of all, try to get driving experience as much as possible.
Good luck, INGAT,
Jan

]]> By: kat kat http://www.expatinthephilippines.com/driving-a-car-in-manila-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-1777 kat kat Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:34:46 +0000 http://expatinthephilippines.com/?p=397#comment-1777 Hi. I'd like to thank you for your post, sir. I'm just a newbie on the road and my driving skills are not good yet. I just like to share my first violation which costed me a lot on my allowance. I was planning on turning to the right but i was on the third lane going to the left. However, I still insisted my turn then an office asked me to stop as I turned right. I know it was my mistake. The officer said the ticket would cost me 2,500 and it could get higher once I go to QC because of the seminars, etc. My parents and I were really worried that we didn't agree for my license to be brought at QC (because we live outside Manila). Being a newbie, I had no idea what that "could be settled here instead" he was talking about. I was so naive at this so I keep asking him how to do that. But he couldn't answer me directly and instead, he kept on insisting me to have the ticket instead. We paid him P2000 since we have no idea about this kind of transaction plus our car didn't have a plate number yet - he even commented on the car being new (newly bought). And right now, I really think that that P2000 was really big compared to what you gave. Now that I think of it, I should have just allowed the officer to give me a ticket. Then this afternoon, I was nearing the intersection when the light turned yellow... then red. But I think that if I stopped at the red light, I would definitely stop inside the intersection which is more troublesome (I think) so I drove ahead instead. An officer asked me to stop and I accepted the ticket, knowing that my parents would get disappointed again. Then he gave me a warning instead since he said that I was just a student. I was really confused at following traffic violations here in the Philippines as well thought I'm already a Filipino. I find it very inconsistent. Or maybe I just lack some driving skills. But mostly, it is very inconsistent! Anyway, sir, thanks for the post! (sorry for the long post) Hi. I’d like to thank you for your post, sir. I’m just a newbie on the road and my driving skills are not good yet. I just like to share my first violation which costed me a lot on my allowance. I was planning on turning to the right but i was on the third lane going to the left. However, I still insisted my turn then an office asked me to stop as I turned right. I know it was my mistake. The officer said the ticket would cost me 2,500 and it could get higher once I go to QC because of the seminars, etc. My parents and I were really worried that we didn’t agree for my license to be brought at QC (because we live outside Manila). Being a newbie, I had no idea what that “could be settled here instead” he was talking about. I was so naive at this so I keep asking him how to do that. But he couldn’t answer me directly and instead, he kept on insisting me to have the ticket instead. We paid him P2000 since we have no idea about this kind of transaction plus our car didn’t have a plate number yet – he even commented on the car being new (newly bought). And right now, I really think that that P2000 was really big compared to what you gave. Now that I think of it, I should have just allowed the officer to give me a ticket.
Then this afternoon, I was nearing the intersection when the light turned yellow… then red. But I think that if I stopped at the red light, I would definitely stop inside the intersection which is more troublesome (I think) so I drove ahead instead. An officer asked me to stop and I accepted the ticket, knowing that my parents would get disappointed again. Then he gave me a warning instead since he said that I was just a student. I was really confused at following traffic violations here in the Philippines as well thought I’m already a Filipino. I find it very inconsistent. Or maybe I just lack some driving skills. But mostly, it is very inconsistent! Anyway, sir, thanks for the post! (sorry for the long post)

]]> By: Tammara Winton http://www.expatinthephilippines.com/driving-a-car-in-manila-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-441 Tammara Winton Fri, 02 Apr 2010 21:24:33 +0000 http://expatinthephilippines.com/?p=397#comment-441 Terrific site, where did you come up with the information in this blog? Im glad I found it though, ill be checking back soon to see what other articles you have. Terrific site, where did you come up with the information in this blog? Im glad I found it though, ill be checking back soon to see what other articles you have.

]]> By: jan http://www.expatinthephilippines.com/driving-a-car-in-manila-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-31 jan Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:36:32 +0000 http://expatinthephilippines.com/?p=397#comment-31 Joris, Thanks for stopping by on my website. I have heard that Cairo (Egypt) is also a terrible city to drive, but I haven't been there to see. I have been driving in Paris several times and didn't experience any problems, although the people there are also driving very offensive. I seem to be able to handle that. The most well behaved drivers are in German Cities, but not on their high ways. There they are more arrogant than Filipinos especialy against foreigners. But it might be a good idea to send Filipinos there to learn to drive. In the Philippines it looks like if they get a drivers license for free when they buy a kilo of rice !! I have send you a private mail for my mail address. Joris,
Thanks for stopping by on my website.
I have heard that Cairo (Egypt) is also a terrible city to drive, but I haven’t been there to see.
I have been driving in Paris several times and didn’t experience any problems, although the people there are also driving very offensive. I seem to be able to handle that. The most well behaved drivers are in German Cities, but not on their high ways. There they are more arrogant than Filipinos especialy against foreigners. But it might be a good idea to send Filipinos there to learn to drive.
In the Philippines it looks like if they get a drivers license for free when they buy a kilo of rice !!
I have send you a private mail for my mail address.

]]> By: Joris claeys http://www.expatinthephilippines.com/driving-a-car-in-manila-traffic/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Joris claeys Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:54:46 +0000 http://expatinthephilippines.com/?p=397#comment-32 Hi Jan, Indeed after 9 years int he Philippines, there is only one way to drive: defensive - everyone around you are bad drivers, so that you are aware of everything that can happen. But honestly there are 2 more places on earth that are even worse: -Paris: on the round-abouts and if you are not from Ile-de-France, they will drive you off the rotonde without scrupules ... they can even see on the number plate that you are not from around, though you are from somewhere else in France. - Colombia-Bogota: the worst place I have seen - my car, may freedom counts everywhere except for there... just take a taxi and hope you will get in one piece at your destination. Still one recommendation for all Filipinos: Tather then following any driver school in the Philippines, you better off sending ALL drivers for: - 6 months to Paris and let them practice ont he round-abouts - 2 months to Germany (longer makes no sence - cvause if they still don't get it, it is hopless anyway and better leave their car home) to learn discipline and gentlemen act in traffic. As long as public transportatio is not taken care of in the Philippines cities, there will never be an economic boom relative to the efforts being performed. Bilions of euros are spent daily on inactivity because of people in traffic here, but the government doesn't get it... THERE IS MONEY HERE, politicians: grab it! Jan, send me an email cause I was nto able to respond to your email on InterNatios. Thanks Best regards Joris Claeys. Hi Jan,

Indeed after 9 years int he Philippines, there is only one way to drive: defensive – everyone around you are bad drivers, so that you are aware of everything that can happen. But honestly there are 2 more places on earth that are even worse:
-Paris: on the round-abouts and if you are not from Ile-de-France, they will drive you off the rotonde without scrupules … they can even see on the number plate that you are not from around, though you are from somewhere else in France.
- Colombia-Bogota: the worst place I have seen – my car, may freedom counts everywhere except for there… just take a taxi and hope you will get in one piece at your destination.

Still one recommendation for all Filipinos:
Tather then following any driver school in the Philippines, you better off sending ALL drivers for:
- 6 months to Paris and let them practice ont he round-abouts
- 2 months to Germany (longer makes no sence – cvause if they still don’t get it, it is hopless anyway and better leave their car home) to learn discipline and gentlemen act in traffic.

As long as public transportatio is not taken care of in the Philippines cities, there will never be an economic boom relative to the efforts being performed. Bilions of euros are spent daily on inactivity because of people in traffic here, but the government doesn’t get it…
THERE IS MONEY HERE, politicians: grab it!

Jan, send me an email cause I was nto able to respond to your email on InterNatios.
Thanks
Best regards
Joris Claeys.

]]>