MANILA, Philippines - I write this observation on the state of traffic along a three-kilometer portion of E. Rodriguez Avenue after many months of driving through the route in a variety of seasons: rainy, hot, Christmas holidays, summer break, school opening. Intense observation of driving habits of motorists there show this is the place where anyone studying society's temperament can gather a volume of data.
Perhaps it is because that part of E. Rod has taken an extraordinary flow of traffic since the construction work on the underpass at Quezon-Araneta Avenues. The massive gathering of vehicles, naturally resulted in a slower traffic flow. Add to that is the presence of more individuals (drivers) making decisions on where and how to drive in a road that has only two lanes going towards Manila and two lanes towards Cubao. But trust us Pinoys to make the best of bad situations. Our local version of giving way is achieved through arrogance or guts. Traffic gives way to the most aggressive or gutsy drivers, among them jeepney, UV Express, taxi, and SUV drivers.
Here are a few observations to entertain you - and warn you of what to expect when you drive through E. Rod, starting at the junction before Christ The King Church up to Banaue: (Before that junction, expect traffic slowdown along Morato, just before you turn into E. Rod, because of the construction of a residential tower, where delivery trucks regularly unload materials or even park.)
• The "No U-Turn" signs, especially at the exit of St. Luke's Hospital and other places where there are small streets, are suggestions which are not usually taken seriously. So traffic flow slows down or stops to allow those who think the suggestion is not a good one.
• When a vehicle makes a left turn, a long line of vehicles keep to the bold car's bumper like a magnet, and they think it is now their right to create a counter flow lane, taking up the whole two lanes of the on-coming traffic! I once made a motion to exert my right to drive into my lane, which was at the shoulder of the sidewalk, but the counter-flowing driver, stopped and became angry, motioning to two small children sitting beside him.
• Security guards of the food establishments, banks and offices along E. Rod act like they have been given the authority to direct parking and traffic in their five-meters of space. Double parking, even if only a bumper, or a side-mirror is jutting out into the moving lane, slows down traffic flow. But of course they do not care about that as long as their restaurant or bank can satisfy their customers.
• As if the mass of four-wheel motorized vehicles is not enough, when you cross Araneta Avenue, there are all sorts of vehicles that will haggle for space - tricycles, pedal-powered pedicabs disguised as delivery vans, bicycles, even push carts. And yes, expect those to do illegal U-Turns in front of what used to be QI, or make a left into a small street less than 10 meters away from the signal light at the Banaue and E. Rod junction. Again, exercise patience in waiting for those illegal moving structures to pursue their personal plights.
If you plan to make a U-Turn in front of QI, be ready to humor a small army of young boys standing by the lane opening. They demand to be paid a "toll" for their effort to raise their arms in the air and signal the oncoming traffic to allow you to pass. If you ignore them, I hope you catch the green light because I've seen those boys follow and badger non-payers to dole out something.
• I always heave a sigh of relief when I see the construction of an SMDC project at the corner of Espana Avenue because that means I am coming closer to the better traffic order of Espana Ave. But to get there, I have to be patient through two stop lights where again - there are vehicles stopping for a left turn, which is not indicated by the signal light. Prepare to wait (again), or if you are gutsy, do a fast swerve into the next lane.
• If you think all of this is over when you clear the last traffic light of E. Rod, which is at the junction of D. Tuazon St., keep your cool. Jeepneys who clear the junction immediately stop at the Shell Station to load, unload or wait for a passenger they see across the street!
• When you clear that, keep right, even if that means you have the jeepneys in front of you, which may just stop to load or unload anytime. If you keep the left lane, there is another unofficial left turn just before Espana Ave. I have not yet passed that way without seeing a few vehicles turn towards that side street - again, stopping traffic.
• After you have made the U-Turn at Espana and are approaching the Welcome Rotunda, prepare for the bullies who are coming from the other side and are making a left turn to get to Mayon Ave. - which is clearly across the wide street - to go against the on-coming traffic from Espana.
Among the bullies are big provincial buses, SUVs, etc. This week the bullies led a long line of vehicles (including motorcycles and tricycles) that stopped traffic because the bus could not enter Mayon where many vehicles were loitering.
I think I can write a book on driver behavior if the Quezon Ave-Araneta underpass construction takes another year to complete. The title will be "Driving Only With Personal Plans."
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