“An arrogant person considers himself perfect; this is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person’s main task in life—becoming a better person.” –Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy

This topic has been discussed several times in the past, the way in which public utility vehicle operators, particularly tricycle drivers, are two-faced. They cry in front of the news camera, clamor for sympathy and assistance because it’s their only livelihood and they have to support a family; then, when encountering them on the road, they’re inconsiderate of other motorists, reckless when shifting lanes, and force other to slow down to their speed as they block the road while seeking out passengers.
One of the first encounters with a tricycle driver was getting into an accident along Circumferential Road. Looking at it from my “western perspective,” when driving along a road, those turning onto the main road must wait for an opportunity to merge into traffic—in other countries, that’s called “right-of-way,” unlike the Philippines where government officials think the term refers to the direction in which traffic flows. Despite having absolutely no space between my vehicle and the car in front, this tricycle driver tried to force himself into traffic and crashed into the front of my car.
Looking at it from his perspective, based on seeing how other drivers—jeepneys, personal vehicles, heavy trucks—the western “right-of-way” concept is absent from the minds of Bacolod City drivers as it appears most merge into traffic whenever they choose, disregarding any oncoming vehicles.
Based on observation, one can assume, it’s fine to cut somebody else off in traffic but if you honk at them for nearly causing an accident, the latter is in the wrong. As a motorcyclist who cut me off once told me, the driver is supposed to keep an eye out for him; meaning, he has no responsibility in the matter.
Given local customs, perhaps the tricycle driver thought he was “right” to cut in whenever he felt; luckily the responding police officer saw he was wrong.
Since then, there have been many encounters with tricycle drivers—they drive alongside your vehicle yelling because they didn’t appreciate being honked at for blocking the road, they obstruct entrance ramps because they are waiting for passengers that have yet to arrive and become irritated when you ask to pass through, they drive on the wrong side of the road and get angry when you refuse to move out of their way—none of it contributes to their pity party.
The latest incident occurred while driving into Bacolod City from Talisay City and that U-turn near the Ceres North Bus Terminal (which often becomes a three—sometimes four—lane U-turn). As mentioned above, when merging into traffic, one should wait for the opportunity and not cut in; however, it appears this tricycle driver learned from the same place as the aforementioned driver and cut right in front of my vehicle, merging from the furthest left lane to the right. Given he nearly caused an accident, gave him a honk to inform him to watch out for other vehicles. He turned around, visibly angry, and stared down the car.
Proceeded as usual down the road and prepared to turn left onto Circumferential Road and, while waiting for traffic to clear, a thud was heard. He had followed my car and stopped to kick the side. Opened the window and yelled to him, calling him over, but he turned and sped towards Banago.
He deserves public sympathy?
In a column published in September 2018 entitled, “Confronting a jeepney ‘driver,’” I recounted another experience that took place along the same exact road.
“Getting past the flyover onramp and moving down the side road, another jeepney was riding along the line and blocking both lanes in his pursuit to find passengers. Since he was blocking the passing lane at such a slow speed, honked the horn to suggest he move aside. Clearly, he did not like that. After moving into one lane, while passing, he pulled back his side curtain to give a look. Rolled down the window and asked if there was a problem. He expressed his consternation at being honked at. Informed him there are two lanes and he was in the middle. His irritated response of ‘Gani!’ spoke volumes; in this case, it was his way of letting me know he was fully aware of what he was doing.”
They feel they deserve empathy because their trying to support a family. That’s what everybody else in the country is doing and most of them manage to do it without being condescending to others./WDJ