It happens all too often. Driving down any road in Bacolod City, behind a slow-moving jeepney, the driver is seemingly unaware there is anybody else on the road because his primary focus is looking for passengers. He operates at a snail’s pace to ensure he doesn’t miss an opportunity; weaves back and forth between lanes of traffic, unaware of anybody else or possible accidents, just to get ahead; and stops wherever he wishes, with the expectation that other drivers have to make way for him.
The bizarre irony is that this particular sector is constantly begging for compassion from others. Politicians and individuals in the media talk about the “plight” of the jeepney driver and the need to support them in their livelihood – yet, watching how they operate, it seems their groveling is not a matter of building a cohesive community that supports one another, based on their actions, they desire to be the center of everything and demand the city (particularly, the city’s drivers) to kneel to them.
Psychologist, Dr. Susan Heitler, Ph.D., presented her “6 Sure Signs of Narcissism” in a 2012 issue of Psychology Today. Often described as “extreme selfishness,” “self-centeredness,” and an “excessive or erotic interest in oneself;” the actions by these self-proclaimed kings of the road exude the very definition of the personality disorder.
She opens her list with “unilateral thinking.” Very much the basis in how they view their role on the roads. She describes the attribute as “What I want and what I have to say are all that matters my opinions are right” and “Narcissistic listening dismisses, negates, ignores, minimizes, denigrates or otherwise renders irrelevant other people’s concerns and comments.” Much like in discussions with these drivers – they always think they are right.
One such occurrence happened just outside the subdivision. The four-lane road, two-lanes each way, had a truck blocking one of the lanes. A tricycle driver, clearly focused on picking up a girl standing on the sidewalk, drove forward edging closer and closer into the path of the vehicle heading in the opposite direction. The car honked to avoid the accident and the tricycle driver responded with defiance. His excuse for driving on the wrong side of the road was explaining the flawed belief that “his lane” was 2/3 of the available space; when that failed, he blamed the truck – no matter what, he would never admit he was at fault.
The second aspect is “it’s all about me.” Heitler describes this as “I’m big and important and you are merely also here,” which speaks to the size of their vehicle – much the same way armored cars operate as well – based on their sheer size, jeepney drivers and armored car operators alike will assert themselves above anybody else on the road, risking life and limb in the act.
In terms of these public transportation operations, No. 3 is definitely major: “The rules don’t apply to me.”
“Narcissists suffer from what I call Tall Man Syndrome,” the psychologist explained. “They experience themselves as above others, so the rules don’t apply to them.”
With the way the rules of road are flouted each and every day in the city (not to mention, how elected officials and law enforcement allow them to get away with it), it is clear they believe they are above the rules – and with authorities tolerating it, one almost can’t blame them since, besides an accident, there are no legal consequences to their recklessness.
Another case occurred just outside Robinsons Place Bacolod, where the traffic light situated near the exit is perceived to be optional. The light turned green for traffic to turn onto Lacson Street and upon reaching the area to turn, a tricycle nearly rams right into the car. Rolled down the window to point out he has a red light and that “red light means stop,” he still managed to respond with a loud and unintelligibly rant, apparently, about why he is allowed to proceed despite the red light.
The fourth aspect looks at their inability to take criticism. According to Heitler, “Narcissists paradoxically manifest both an inflated idea of their own importance and quickness to feel deflated by negative feedback.” Such is the case when confronting them on their unruliness, they throw back anger and, seemingly, question why one would be offended by their dangerous maneuvers.
Number five goes back to a previous point brought up, but put under more scrutiny, the “You’re wrong, so when things go wrong between us, it’s always your fault” trait.
Something based in their socioeconomic background may contribute to this, as Heitler explained, “Blaming and fault-finding in others feel safer to narcissists than looking to discover, learn, and grow from their own part in difficulties.” Perhaps difficulties in their own life makes it challenging to accept errors, but it is not an appropriate defense mechanism when, on the other hand, they still call on the public to give in to their demands.
Her final point also returns to a prior topic, in that, when tempers flare, it’s not a matter of them being frustrated, it’s somebody else making them angry – it’s always somebody else’s fault.
Another occasion arose when a jeepney was driving extremely slow, the driver looking back and forth for possible passengers, and unaware of other cars behind him. With a honk from other cars, it only made him drive slower, even swerve between lanes and almost causing an accident as other cars believed he was pulling over, but he quickly turned back into the lane. Once around him and pulled over, he slides up next to the car, in a way, trying to intimidate. Rolled down the window to ask what he problem is, he gave a face of consternation and drove away.
In a 2015 article for The Guardian, Dawn Foster cited a study by Oxford University and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that looked at how poverty affects psychology. One of the aspects she pointed out was, “When facing poverty, the researchers found, individuals enter a ‘scarcity mindset.’”
“When focused on short-term survival, your decision-making ability is scrambled and your attention span narrowed,” she explained. “When you’re constantly poor and struggling to make ends meet, the scarcity effect permeates all decisions.”
This is something that also may play into how they act in public, since they are desperately seeking passengers, in order to earn the fare money, they are no longer concerned with the safety of other drivers, their vehicle, and the overall peacefulness of the community. In their constant quest for money, they ignore everything else and are solely focused on one thing. While it makes sense in one aspect – if one is poor, they need money – however, it is not a viable excuse in ignoring the welfare of others.
A study by psychologist, Dr. Daniel C. Marston, Ph.D., found disciplinary problems were considered a psychological problem associated with persistent poverty. This is part and parcel with describing how jeepney drivers and tricycle drivers take to the road; it is perhaps a side effect of poverty that they choose not to follow the rules and take issue with having to comply by the rules.
With the life challenges these members of local society are constantly projecting on various platforms, it is already well-known where they have centered their purpose in life. However, seeing them in action, it is not about trying to improve their lives and, in turn, the lives of others, it is about promoting themselves and inconveniencing the rest of the city. Politicians may cower to them every time they need their vote, which likely inflates their egos and gives them this sense of entitlement. But it is that entitlement and attitude that makes their sob stories all the more feckless and transparent./WDJ