Whenever a person visits the Philippines for the first time, the most likely thing they comment on is the driving here. It is certainly a different style of driving from most of the Western Countries in the world. Many foreigners who visit here, even many who live here comment to me that they could never drive here. To be honest, though, I love driving in the Philippines. Frankly, I am more comfortable driving here than in the USA.
Things work differently here, but if you let yourself absorb and understand the differences, you will probably do just fine if you try to drive here. I started driving here only a few weeks after moving here, and have been driving ever since – nearly 8 years now. Honestly, if I went back to the USA, I think I’d have a hard time adjusting to the style of driving there. I joke to Feyma and others that if I drove in the States again, I’d probably end up in Jail within just my first few minutes behind the wheel!
The way that driving is here, though, there are fewer hard and fast rules. You just do what is right. I find that drivers here (if you follow their style and rules) are actually quite courteous in most cases. But, if you don’t follow the local customs for driving, the drivers here won’t really understand what you are trying to do, and you will probably find them rude. Have you ever noticed that in much of the Philippines there are no traffic lights, yet the traffic still flows? That’s because people understand how to do it, they take turns letting each other go, etc. Frankly, if you don’t understand how it works you will probably mess up the whole system! 🙂
I do find that driving here is something that I take more seriously than when I drove in the USA. In the States, when driving on the Interstate Highways, you could carry on a conversation with your friends in the car, even look at them a lot, because everybody had plenty of room between cars, and you were not going to hit anybody. Here, driving is a more serious matter. You don’t spend your time talking and carrying on with the passengers if you are the driver – you drive. You pay attention to what you are doing. You pay attention to what others on the road are doing. If you don’t do that, you are likely to get involved in an accident of some kind.
I often say that driving here is a game of inches. Whereas in the USA you have lots of room between cars, here you have very tight spaces, so you must pay attention. I would say that I am a much better, more skillful driver now than I was before I lived here, because I can navigate through areas that would have been difficult for me to make it through before. I pay more attention to what I am doing and what others on the road are doing. The my life and the life of my passengers depends on my paying attention.
Don’t be intimidated by the driving here. You can do it to. But, be careful! Give yourself time to learn the local traffic customs and rules. Respect other drivers. Another very important thing to remember – they don’t drive the same here as where you came from. It’s another case where you, as a single person, are not going to change the other 88 million people here. You must adapt to what they do here. If you do that, you won’t have a problem driving. If you try to be stubborn and retain “your” way of driving, you will probably be in for some hard times.
Hi Bob – Drivers in the Phils are quite courteous and professional, compared to some other countries.
One Far East locale (name withheld) seemed to have just one rule when it came to driving: "Just blast your horn, point where you are going, and GO!" Quite an experience in "local driving etiquette"! 😆
Bob,
I remember driving my motorcycle ( big moped) around Digos. It reminded me of when I was a kid at the skating rink when we were roller skating. You had to pay very close attention to where you were going, blend in, and always expect someone to pull in front of you. Those were fun times.
Hi Paul – Ha ha… you are the second person to tell me those exact words! A friend of mine came here to visit a few years ago and he told me that the Filipino drivers were the most courteous drivers in the world. I don't know if I could go that far to agree with that, but the number of people saying it is indeed mounting up! 😆
Hi Kevin – Keeping your eyes peeled and watching what is going on around you is certainly a key to remaining alive! 😡
Bob,
Is your RSS feed working? I get it from some of your other webs, but nothing from this one since January 23.
Dan
Hi Danny Thompson – I am subscribed to my own RSS feed, and it is working fine for me. I see this problem pop up from time to time on other feeds that I subscribe to. Usually if I just un-subscribe and then re-subscribe that takes care of it. Give that a try. 😉
Thanks Bob, that worked.
Dan
Hi Danny – No problem! Glad you found it! 😆
Bob – I agree with you on driving here. I have always enjoyed it too. And I have years of driving experience in Manila! Sometimes it's fun as in playing pinball or a video game. But you've certainly got to be nimble and be on your toes. It's never any fun to be stuck in traffic; but other than that, driving here is a pleasure for me.
The system is actually quite efficient, I believe. Traffic here flows like water – water in a stream or river. It can take the path of least resistance, regardless of (what we Americans might consider) rules. But it works.
And, in many ways, Filipino drivers are courteous … and understanding. They are patient and accommodating of others using the roadway too – like tricycles, jeepneys, and busses, and people needing to make u-turns in the middle of busy traffic. Ha!
But they tend to be unaccommodating to pedestrians too often, in my opinion. And play it way too dangerous in tailgating motorcycles. Aye!
Bob, I have definitely seen how you love driving! LOL. Hold on to your seats! Bob is driving!
By the way, I had lunch with Dr. Abella yesterday. She sends her thank you for your really good review of Sarangani Highlands. SHe definitely wants to meet you!
The passing of the little tricycles in crowded steets would be hard to get accustomed to and the times when people are running three abreast in two lane traffic is too much risk for my liking but it happens alot!
Hi Cathy – Ha ha… it's not THAT bad is it? 😆 Give my best regards to Dr. Abella, and I also hope to meet her soon!
Hi John – Oh, 3 abreast in 2 lanes is only for light traffic! When traffic is heavy you can fit 4 or 5 abreast in two lanes! That's when the fun starts! Tricycles? Remember, the bigger the vehicle, the more that they have the right of way. Don't ever give up the right of way to a tricycle! Just ignore them, and keep moving ahead! It's the only way to go! 😉
I have to pull shards of seat fabric from my sphincter the way it is Bob thankyou. My God!
Hi John – See how exciting it is! You don't get to pull out seat fabric in most parts of the world! Plus, that keeps the upholstery people working!! 😛
Re: #4 thru #7 — There's an RSS feed for the "Dispatch" ???
Hi Paul – Yes, there is an RSS feed for this column (Dispatch from the Farside of the World) and also for the Dispatch Podcast too. You should see an RSS icon in the address bar of your browser.
Bob just started driving myself in davao and i wasn't looking forward to it but actually am finding it no problems at all you just need to be very careful like you say and at times a little bit brave
the jeepneys stopping / pick up areas are fraught but those guys are fighting for a living so i can respect them
i went for a trip to Mati a coulle of nights on the beach and back again, enjoyed the drive and got some experience of road conditions
anyway Bob i am expecting to be like you in a short while and actually get to enjoy driving
Thanks, Bob. Am using IE 6.0 so nothing in address bar. Use an external RSS reader (NewsGator FeedDemon 2.6) so entered the address to auto-detect the feed. 😉
Don't "believe" in IE 7.0, and too lazy to switch browzers. 😆
I have drove here in Manila, to be honest it's no problem at all. It's quite similar to driving in London in the rush hour. The main difference that I find is that drivers don't get road rage here, they all seem to be quite calm even though cars are cutting in left and right… I like that. In london, drivers want to kill you if you overtake them or cut in at all, over here you don't even get the one finger salute.
It seems to me that although driving may seem to be erratic there is a method and it works well.
Hi Bob, You're a braver man than I am down there! I wouldn't even attempt to drive down there. I would be lost in the first kilometer as there are not many road signs down there as well! I just rent a van and driver and enjoy the fun as a passenger. Safer for me and the rest of the population!
By the way, under IE7, your RSS feed is not working right now, but I did get it many months ago. Here is what my feed reader is listing: http://liveinthephilippines.com/bobm/2008/03/04/i…
re: blog title – yeah, me too.
Hi Rick B – I have an announcement coming up on the blog later this week regarding where and when I am available for meetings and such! But, I am happy to get together with you anytime that we are both available. I'll text you soon.
Hi Paul – Yeah, I don't use IE at all, especially because I use Linux instead of Windows! 😆 I am a Firefox user!
Hi gerry – yes, I agree 100% about the lack of road rage here. I rarely see any driver get mad about anything! It amazes me.
Hi John in Austria – Ha ha… You would get used to it after a while!
Hi macky – you must really be feeling bad about those long comments you left last week, because you've cut back to only 6 words! 😆
yup!
Thank you, as a driving instructor I'm fascinated by the different customs and styles of driving around the world.
Having driven in Mexico and Italy I think I've experienced some of the most free spirited driving the world can offer!
I like the idea that people concentrate on the business of driving in the Philippines – we could learn a lot from that in the US and UK.
Hello Bob – haven't tried driving so far in Davao 🙂 however, i admire these drivers, their skills in driving, – 'common sense' is what they always do..give & take on the road as well… i think it teaches you to be patient as well… Wish to try to drive whem I'm there! hopefully! July 2008 is coming anyway!! yahoo!!!
Hi Bob,
Great Article! Finally, someone who appreciates driving in the Philippines! It's a constant source of humor that asians in the US are bad drivers. And, due to my growing up driving the Philippine way, my American friends see it in me as well. When they pointed it to me I didn't see anything wrong however. I had to tone down my 'aggressiveness' on the road so I will look normal here in the U.S.
Once I get back to the Philippines however, driving will definitely one of the first things I will try out again!
Hi intensive driving – Your "name" is perfect, driving is very intense here! I believe you are right, we can learn from the drivers here – but they can learn from us too! Probably throw us in a bag, shake it up and we can all come out better!
Hi Marygrace – Sounds like vacation time is coming quickly! I hope you get your chance to test your driving skills while you are here.
Hi //ChrisC – Ha ha… hang in there, my friend! You just have to adapt yourself to the way they drive in the USA while you are there. Just like me, I had to adapt to the way they drive here in the Philippines. When in Rome, you must do as the Romans do! 😉
Bob,
I would have to agree. The last time I went back to the states and drove I got stopped 3 times and saw quite a few little flying birds ha-ha and that was just from the Dallas Airport to the outskirts of Fort Worth. At any rate, driving in the Philippines is much easier then driving in Cairo. Take the same roads we have here and multiply the traffic by about 2.5… That should give you an idea. I do love the Philippines and would find it very difficult to leave here. Only way I'll go is by force.
Hi Mike K. – Haha…. I'm glad it wasn't me trying to drive in the States again! 😆
Bob,
That's for sure. I don't know how I did it but I talked my way out of all the tickets and didn't get shot at. Ha-ha I did get a few horns and a lot of nasty looks. don't know how many bad words because I turned up the radio to drowned out the noises.
Hi Mike K. – Ha ha…. I have talked my way out of tickets before too. I found that the best way to do it is to act like you can't understand them! 😆 Honestly, though, that happened only once, and that was years ago. I haven't had any problems with things like Traffic Enforcement and such.
Good stuff. Drivers in the Philippines are really quite skilled, and as you said they are courteous. People don't go crazy when they're cut by another driver cuz the attitude here is more like "aah, you cut me off. That's pretty good skill my friend" than "wtf!?!? watch where you're going you pos!" .
Hi Beth – Yes, road rage is practically non-existent here.
I find driving here to be quite more easy than I expected. I have lived here on and off for 6 years, but only started driving here (Manila) some 4-5 months ago.
It is really true that you have to go with the flow. As one of my Danish friends said: "You need to take a valium before you start the car, then you will do just fine". I get from A to B – not always in the desired time, but I always get there.
However, in Alex Lacson's book "12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country", the first of the little things is actually "driving discipline" meaning that mr. Lacson is apparently not so impressed with the driving discipline here in Philippines.
I would also say that especially in Manila, we sometimes see some really bad accidents most likely caused by uneducated drivers, driving on 24-hours shift, keeping themselves awake with other stuff than coffee. I have more than once experienced waking up a taxi driver who fell asleep at a red light 🙂
Personally I would be happy to see people using their blinkers more frequently and it would also be nice to see the jeepneys using headlights after 6 pm 🙂 it makes it a bit easier to see them, when they overtake on the right at high speed.
Hi Ole – I'm glad that you enjoy driving like I do! For me it's one of the pleasures of living here!
i remember the first few months after i learned to drive, i was always shouting and cussing while driving but later i realized im just making matters bad(as far as my health is concerned).
i also agree with nick. driving here is like water and you learn how the traffic here flows. learn how to read the movements of those around you. notice how motorbike riders here dont even use their side mirrors?lol
Glad that you cut off the road rage, a.mapangarap! It doesn’t really help.