Have discussed in previous columns the odd way Bacolod City residents encounter moving motor vehicles. Coming from decades living in the United States, have always adhered to the standard “look both ways before crossing the street,” check for other vehicles before executing a turn or merging into a lane, among other habits to ensure personal safety.

However, over the past few years living in Bacolod City, none of those rules seem to apply – at first, just called it “culture clash,” but, thinking it over, these kinds of safety precautions should be universal.

Jaywalkers routinely walk into traffic without looking, sometimes looking the opposite direction, many times, blindly walking into the road and holding out a hand – as if to suggest the action will stop any moving car operating at any speed; motorists often merge into traffic without regard for others, often times nearly side-swiping others, all done under the assumption other drivers will accommodate for you – whether or not they have the space to do so; then there are jeepney operators, tricycle operators, and motorcyclists who clearly believe everybody else needs to kowtow to them and adhere to their every whim – swerving in and out of traffic, under the impression, others need to keep a watchful eye on them but the responsibility is not reciprocal.

Is that bravery or ignorance?

On the one hand, one can say there is an element of bravery to the local methods. Pedestrians jaywalking, with no fear of being struck by a car; tricycle drivers driving against the flow of traffic, completely oblivious to everything going on around them; drivers able to block everyone and everything around them, believing they are the only ones on the road – have always said, as somebody who is easily distracted, there is a bit of envy in how many city residents are able to block everything out.

They create this bubble, where they believe they are the only ones in the world; as exhibited in how often people will stop and block walkways, slowdown others who may be in a rush, among other actions that show how little consideration they have others. In this world they have created for themselves, there is nobody else in existence.

Personally, would lean more towards the side of ignorance. It takes a pretty tactless and uninformed person to be so willing to risk life and limb for something so petty as to be in the front of the line; assert their imaginary superiority over others (which, if it were true, there should be no need to force it); or to intentionally inconvenience others because of some kind of joy taken from it (if one’s pride comes from bothering others, that makes for a pretty sad reality).

One such instance occurred over the weekend, driving behind a sport-utility vehicle, turning towards the University of St. La Salle, this driver was operating painfully slow – as Dad says, “It’s good to be careful, but that’s too much.” However, once a clearing opened up and tried to overtake the driver, they suddenly sped up – apparently, they are able to drive faster than first suggested. Once it got congested again, the driver returned to their “guided tour” speed. Then, as expected, another opportunity arrived and, again, they sped up to ensure they would not be passed.

This is, unfortunately, not an isolated incident and, clearly, the driver was intentionally speeding up and slowing down to inconvenience the driver behind them. Why? Do they get a thrill out of frustrating others? Do they get a boost of confidence by asserting their ability to annoy others? Do they feel a sense of pride in their expression of stupidity? There is no positive assumption associated with such behavior and, with any of the possible noted reasons, they all leave the driver looking like a miserable twerp.

It really is sad that so many motorists carry on that way. It’s one of the things that causes so many problems on the road – beyond an inability to stay within the lines, being unaware of what a red light and green light mean, or pedestrians who walk first before looking (if at all) – sheer ignorance. Perhaps, instead of putting up offering alternate routes to avoid congestion, the signage needs to be taken down a level and, instead, offer the basics – things people should be aware of in the first grade but, clearly, have yet to learn it in adulthood.

Look both ways before crossing the street – if there is a car approaching, do not cross, wait until there is a clearing offering ample time to cross safely; when merging into traffic, make sure to check if there is another vehicle either to your side or approaching – do not cut into traffic as if may cause a collision and flicking on the turn signal in the middle of execution is not how the function works; and if you are unable to operate at a speed on pace with traffic, pull over to let others pass – do not purposely slow down to spite other.

Thinking it over, in addition to ignorance, there also appears to be a splash of immaturity mixed in with local driver attitudes./WDJ