“We are our own worst enemy.”
Like everyone else, I normally would not be venturing out of my comfort zone during the All Saints’ Day break. But the arrival of a relative from an overseas trip necessitated a trip to NAIA to pick her up. And because almost everyone in the Metro area left for the provinces, it was a treat to experience three days of stress-free driving in the NCR for a change.
Even if the traffic was very light, however, there were still quite a few drivers who simply cannot be patient and just follow traffic rules. Bad traffic habits are indeed difficult to do away with for many people. One driver for instance instead of merely following the two lane traffic entering the Shaw Boulevard underpass going north could not wait and formed another lane which was totally unnecessary. The driver almost hit another car when swerving to the left to enter the underpass.
Although the light traffic afforded those who stayed an opportunity to be able to drive around and get to their destinations faster, this cannot be maximized due to the outdated traffic signals still in use throughout the NCR. If the traffic signals were all automated and self-adjusting, travel could be faster and more convenient. Perhaps, the MMDA should take advantage of traffic moments like the November 1 and Holy Week breaks to study possible improvements that can be undertaken in the Metro area to improve traffic flow.
But it was on our drive back north that we were brought back to the realities of driving. In one of the stopovers, there was this driver who instead of proceeding a few meters to execute a U turn, forcibly executed a difficult U turn on the barriers causing several vehicles to wait. Such a behavior is one big reason why traffic in the Metro area is so difficult to improve. We are our own worst enemy.
Another example is that vehicle with the number seven plate who entered the bus carousel even when the traffic was light. The driver and occupants instead of simply apologizing thought that they are entitled people even giving the traffic enforcer the finger and just drove away. That folks in a nutshell is what is wrong with the traffic in this country. Any Tom, Dick, and Harry who occupies a position in government or belongs to the upper echelon of the social order thinks that traffic rules are only for the masses and do not apply to them.
For one, I do not believe that the plate is fake as the LTO is saying. It is more likely that the LTO is hesitant to proceed any further due to the personality involved. Besides, it is easy to find out who owns the vehicle if the LTO really wants it. After all, there are only 24 senators.
Except for that driver in that stopover area, the trip back to Baguio was basically uneventful until we got to Kennon Road. Whether going up or coming down, Rosario is where everyone queues to gas up because fuel prices in the icty are over nine pesos more. Why the government allows this is hard to explain. A simple calculation will tell us that it will not cost nine pesos to transport one liter of fuel thirty six kilometers to the city. Could it be that some people are benefiting from this anomalous and scandalous arrangement?
As for Kennon Road, it has not been much in use for the past several years due to never-ending repairs which for all intents and purposes has allowed the many houses along the river bank to claim Kennon Road as their private road. Gone are the scent of Pine trees because they are all gone. The road was again opened recently but due to Typhoon Kristine, a section of the road was washed out. The one lane bridge constructed however, is causing more than an hour delay because of inefficient road management. This needs to improve. In spite of everything however, Kennon Road remains the most preferred route to Baguio by motorists. For this reason, it should be repaired and maintained to international standards and kept open for the benefit of the public.
