Live in the Philippines

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It happened in the Philippines?

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Something unthinkable happened yesterday.  I went swimming with a friend in the morning, and after we left the pool I was driving home.  As I drove down J. P. Laurel Avenue, somebody started slapping on my side window of my car.  I looked, and it was a traffic police.  He motioned for me to pull over to the side, which I did, and rolled down my window.  He informed me that I was getting a citation.  What?  A citation for what?

I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt.

Yes, here in Davao they are now giving citations for people not wearing their seatbelts in their cars.  I had heard a few weeks ago that this was happening, and I’ve been trying very hard to wear my seatbelt all the time.  However, it’s something I’ve never been in the habit of, and I forgot.  When I picked up my friend to go swimming yesterday morning, I was wearing my seatbelt, and I told him that he should wear his because they were giving tickets for that now.  So, we headed down to the swimming pool, had a nice time, and headed home.  We just forgot to put our seatbelts on again.

This whole enforcement action started in Davao a few months ago.  They’re particularly strict on enforcing laws on motorcycle riders now.  A certain type of helmet must be worn, certain clothing, motorcycles must put their lights on, a lot of these laws are very similar to what’s found in other developed countries.  And yes, seatbelt wearing is enforced now!  So, I have to get into the habit.  Yes, it’s something I should have always been doing, but I’ve never been a wearer of my seatbelt before, at least not regularly.  That’s going to have to change now.

The fine for not wearing a seatbelt is only about 350 pesos, so it’s not the money that bothers me.  I just don’t like getting a ticket.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Here in California seatbelts have been required for a long time and helmets for motorcycle riders for quite while now.

    The helmets for motorcycle riders, in particular, gets a lot of complaints. That being said, riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Yes, riders will say that it is the cars on the road that make it dangerous. And the final point is, regardless of who creates the danger, heads hit concrete and bad things happen. 😯

  2. Maayong Buntag Bob
    Helmet and head light required on motorcycles? 😕 I thought the only requirement was the horn and brakes were an option. 😉

    One thing about getting a ticket in the RP, you just shrug it off since the fine is cheap and nothing goes on your record.

  4. Hi Tom N – Yeah, these laws have been in place in the West for decades already. But, it is something quite new and unexpected here in the Philippines.

  5. Hi Larry – If you don’t have a horn you get life in prison for endangering the public! 😆 No brakes? You get 10 years for that, but only if you kill somebody! 😀

  6. Hi Dan Mihaliak – I tried to do the “pay on the spot” system, but they don’t accept that any longer in Davao. That’s probably a good thing too.

    I am sending my niece to the LTO (Land Transportation Office) today to pay the fine and pick up my driver’s license.

  9. Actually the whole pick up the driver’s liscense thing might be a good idea in the states as well. I know alot of people who just ignore tickets until they get pulled over and hauled off to jail. I’m sorry Bob, I feel I have some responsibility in this thing as I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt either.

  10. Hi BrSpiritus – No reason to feel guilty. I was the driver, and it is my responsibility to make sure that the laws are being followed. Also, even if you had not been there, I would have gotten the same citation since I was not wearing my seatbelt! Anyway, no big deal… my niece is getting my license back at the LTO right now.

  11. I hate seatbelt laws, helmet laws, child seat laws, etc. I mean, when will they outlaw sky diving, surfing, SCUBA, skateboarding, riding in the back of a pickup truck, bong hits – er, umph, oh yeah that last is illegal 😉

    Here in TX you’ll get a seatbelt ticket, but you can ride a Harley without a helmet, or in the back of a pickup – or jump out of a perfectly good airplane for that matter.

    I personally wear a seatbelt when I’m in a car and I wear a helmet on a bike – well, motorbike anyway, not a pedal bike, but that’s just me. I even wear seatbelts in RP taxis (when available) – but I think the state’s enforcement is “revenue generation” pure and simple!!

  12. Hi Bob

    I guess Philippines are coming in line with other countries, but I’m sure there are a lot more important issues to be tackled before this. However having said that I think it is a good law to bring in, if only for the wearers own safety and I suppose the Country need your hard earned pesos and what better way to get them. 😆

    Jack

  13. Hi Gary – You know, this morning Feyma and I were out and about. We were behind a Jeepney, and he was driving quite crazy. Feyma said that the passengers in the jeepney had no seatbelts, I wonder why they are not required to wear them? I mentioned that on Jeepneys people often stand on the back, sit down on the roof, etc., yet there are basically no safety laws for them. Strange!

  15. hi bob,

    seat belt law has been in effect in manila particularly in makati and it’s neigboring cities like mandaluyong, pasig and other cities for more than a decade, even a child that is at the front passenger seat is not allowed and you could get a ticket for that. in cavite area they are very strict with the traffic law, i guess it all depends on where you are in the philippines. traffic laws may vary from non-existent to nazi style.

  16. Hi dans – Yes, I agree that these laws have been on the books. Have they really been enforced in Makati and other parts of Metro Manila, though?

  19. Hi Bob , here in the Netherlands the police is always schecking that you
    wear your belt.
    All the years i did .
    Only last week drove from my house anr when driving try to put
    it on .
    On the corner [ maybe 80 meters ] stand a cop , he stopped me and gave me the ticket.
    I had some diffigulties to get it on .
    It cost me Euro 90 [ peso 6000 , $ 125 ]
    I tell you , that never will happen to me again .
    The next day i read the newspaper , that a cop wrote a letter to a
    nice-looking woman that her ticket was cancelled , because of her
    beautifull eyes that make his day.
    So , that will never happens to me i think !
    And for for me [ as a pensioner ] 90 euro is a lot of money that i
    loosed in the street where i live.

  20. Hi Anton – I am sorry to hear that they got you! I think that you and I don’t have beautiful enough eyes! 😯

  21. the moment you realize the importance of wearing seatbelts, you will not regret wearing one.

  22. You still don’t have to wear a seatbelt here in wyoming Bob! I would trade itl for those warm tropical breezes you have though.

  25. Hi Bob- Here in the UK its just second nature now to wear a seat belt whenever you get into a vehicle be you driver or passenger. Because I’m so used to doing it I always do it when in the Philippines even in a taxi.
    Sorry about about your fine but they need to make an example of somebody and who better than Mindanao Bob to make sure the message gets across the city.
    Regards.
    Jim.

  27. hi bob,

    yes, the seat belt laws is enforced, however due to low number of traffic officers, they could not check every single vehicle so there is a chance that there are drivers who is not wearing it and not get caught, in jeepneys and FX terminals, they are very strict about loading capacity, with the taxis, if the driver refuses to take you or charge you with a “fixed” price, there is a number you can call and report the taxi body number to the authorities, in my hometown there’s a mmda in civilian clothing walking around and looking for someone who will throw garbage or cigarette butts on the street (believe me i was fined 400 pesos for throwing a cigarette butt). every city in manila has different ordinance law, so i guess, davao just implemented it recently while in other city it has been there for a decade.

  29. Here in Ca, besides seat belts, you can not text while driving or calling on your cell phone unless you have a wire. It is a good law. Look what happened to the recent train wreck. The engineer was found to be texting two teenager boys, 22 seconds before the accident, causing a few dead bodies and several injuries.

  30. Its just a force of habit to me now, since I was in a bad accident several years ago…some one hit me blind side. But the old (pos) car I had then…a 78 Ford Fairmont, the seat belts didn’t work with them.
    But every car since then I have had…they work just fine.

    Adios,
    Danny 🙂

  33. I am a American living in Davao i have always had luck with just giving the LTO 100 peso on the spot.Just tell them its for their lunch money and give it to them in a secret way so many people in the puplic can not see..

  34. Hi John S – I am glad to hear that the method worked for you! I have tried it twice, but was unsuccessful each time. The first time, a few years ago, the TMC guy had his boss right behind him watching, and thus said NO. The other day it was a “sting” operation with a whole bunch of officers there, and that probably discouraged it from happening.

  35. hang in there Bob if that ‘s the worst thing that ever happens to you,then u are doing good in life .. 😀 😀 .Phil R.

  37. Bob in South Australia where I live it has been the law for many years. Also you cant hold or use a cell phone while driving.
    I don’t agree that it should be a personal choice – taxes here pay for the hospital treatment of people injured in accidents because they don’t wear a belt. Also a high proportion of accident deaths are people who did not have seat belts on. Even Lady Di may not have been killed if she had worn her seat belt. Wearing a seat belt has a huge effect in minimising injury and hence cost to society, not to mention you and your family.

  38. Hi Michael – What you say is very true in a western country like Australia, Europe or the Americas. However, in a country like the Philippines there is no publicly funded health care. You pay for any medical attention you would get, and you must generally pay in advance of services being rendered.

  41. hi bob,

    i wear seatbelt not because of the law or the fine it will incure me or the type of healthcare i will receive, i just can’t imagine myself getting involve in an accident, getting killed or be an amputee. no matter where in the world i am, i always make sure i put them on just to be on the safe side. better safe than be sorry. 🙂

  42. @john s.

    personally, i would rather get a ticket of 300 pesos than bribing the officer, corruption will not stop if there’s anyone out there doing it.

    you may believe me or not but i have the experience of not committing bribery, i was pulled over for a traffic violation, the officer is trying to talk to me of paying him less than giving me a ticket and the inconvienience of paying it to the LTO to get my license back.

  43. Hi dans – There can be accidents that wearing a seatbelt can actually make your situation worse. Anyway, I do agree, though, that in most cases, wearing a seatbelt will be safer, though.

  45. Hi Paul – Interesting article. I was guilty of the offense, though…. so I’ve already paid it and put it behind me…