The traffic is something that can be dealt with as a matter of normal course, especially for those who are from Metro Manila where traffic snarls are nothing new; its actually a way of life. Besides, the unpleasant situation is more due to the sheer volume of vehicles, particularly during this time of the year, being cramped into a narrow two-lane highway. What makes the experience a nightmare is the wanton display of many motorists complete disregard for traffic rules and regulations.
As the traffic builds up beginning mid-afternoon and the snails pace maintained well up to about eight oclock in the evening, a whole slew of undisciplined drivers take every opportunity to get ahead of everybody else. Passing on the highways shoulder, overtaking on areas where its not safe and then using the shoulder of the opposite lane or force themselves back into the line for refuge when an on-coming vehicle suddenly appears, are just some of the unsafe and disgusting antics that are commonplace in this stretch starting in Nasugbu just before one enters the Tagaytay City and well inside the metros summer capital.
But all these can be stopped and prevented just with the mere cooperation and collaboration of Tagaytay Citys police and traffic enforcers and the guardians of our highways the Highway Patrol or whatever it is now called. On Sundays, when the problem is at its peak, the City, with the help of its socio-civic organizations which augment the much-needed numbers to make the endeavor less difficult, can utilize volunteer traffic enforcers.
There should be police visibility and actual traffic management in the entire stretch to ensure a much smoother flow of traffic sans all the unsafe tricks employed by undisciplined drivers just to go ahead of the rest, which more often than not, result to further traffic snarls and worse grid locks.
I join the legions that now find Tagaytay so pleasant to go to clean, hospitable and orderly, except for this manageable problem. Its a booming area whose progress may be deterred by a growing problem that can still be managed and even arrested at this stage. Sayang.
I hope I have the kind ears of the City Mayor of Tagaytay and the head of the TMG or the Traffic Management Group on this matter.
Its very doable lets go for it! And lets go for it now before the problem gets to be unmanageable. Its already difficult and telling as it is.
Well, I had a taste of what it is to travel nowadays at the North Tollways last week when we went for our yearly pilgrimage to Our Lady of Manaog with all the traffic and every inconvenience motorists encounter during a major highway rehab.
In fairness, there are indeed substantial areas already rehabilitated possibly done in large part with the motorists tolls, unmindfully increased while they bear the inconvenience of the rehab notwithstanding. But what worries me is that some multi-laned areas found in the southbound lane in Bulacan are also multi-leveled. A driver cannot miss noticing the difference in the roads level from one lane to another as your vehicle either bounces up or dips down as you change lanes. Aside from being uncomfortable and even scary for both driver and passengers, it can be downright unsafe especially at higher speeds. Be that as it may inconvenient and unsafe, we presume that further resurfacing will be done in this area (They should!). Indeed another stage of inconvenience as traffic flow would definitely be affected again, unnecessary though, if they had only made sure to have even road surface levels to begin with. Well, they would know better. Or do they?
The worse is still to come in the North Luzon Tollways?
Is Formula 1 getting too dangerous? BMW-Williams test driver Mark Gene seems to think so. In fact, he is appealing for something to be done to reduce speeds. How well will this idea sit with the FIA, not to mention us fans? Isnt the point of the sport to be the fastest man on the track? Certainly something else can be done to up the safety of the sport without sacrificing the speed? Lets see if the FIA listens to Gene.
Love your car and youll definitely go far.
Happy Motoring!!!
For Comments: (e-mail) motoring/today-star@sunshine-tv.com