Exempted? Yes, some people really think that traffic laws do not apply to them. Here, for your perusal and in no particular order, are some of them. (If you find yourself included in my list, please do not be offended. Just try to change your driving attitude and keep an open mind.)
Jeepney drivers. The original "King of the Road". They rule the streets, zooming around without regard for speed limits, if there are any. You’d think they were trying to break a land speed record, or maybe they are late for a pressing appointment with God-knows-who. They stop to load or unload passengers anywhere they wish. Even in the middle of the road. They pollute the air with their diesel engine exhaust emissions, as they add to the sound pollution with their muffler-less, free-flow exhaust systems. And they drive into the opposite lane when they find it convenient, especially when their lane is clogged up with traffic. So the opposite lane becomes clogged, too. Such is their spirit of sharing. And when they think you violated one of their most minuscule of rights, like tightening emission laws in aid of the Clean Air Act, or raising the prices of diesel fuel, or imposing the ordinance that they wear blue uniform, or denying their petition for a fare rate increase, they will gather all members of their loving brotherhood association and threaten the commuting masses with their God-given right to stage a transport strike. Such is their spirit of nationalism. Where you’ll find them: You will find jeepney drivers all over the city. Even in roads that are not covered in their franchise.
FX drivers. The new "King of the Road". They do the same things as jeepney drivers, except they have air-conditioning and fewer passengers. Like jeepney drivers, they suddenly cut your lane from the left, stop in the middle of two lanes blocking your way, and proceed to load or unload passengers even while you are blowing your horn. Then, they give you dagger looks for blowing your horn and give you a middle finger salute. However, to their credit, they do not go on strike at the drop of a (leftist-leaning) hat. But they emit the same amount of evil black smoke, especially the diesel-powered FX’s, except they are not as noisy. They still have mufflers, you know. Such is their sense of distinction. Where you’ll find them: You will find FX drivers in major streets around the city. They contribute a lot to the traffic mess in major roads like Aurora Avenue in Cubao. You’ll find them in small streets, too, when the traffic in the larger streets becomes heavy.
Tricycle drivers. They are small. They are fast. They feel they are exempted from the law and flaunt it. They squeeze in and out of traffic. They run through stop lights. They drive into the opposite lane like jeepneys, except they can run up the sidewalks when it is convenient. They take up a busy corner of a main street as their terminal. They do not care if they cause traffic. They have eardrum-busting sound systems which have been outlawed. They do not wear any uniform, and they drive with utter disrespect to the well-being of their passengers and other road users. Yet, when they are involved in an accident, they will invoke their rights as members of the urban poor. Meaning, they will tell you that they have no money to pay for the damage they caused on your car. Nor do they have insurance. Nor do they have a driver’s license. Most of them drive without a license. Such is their sense of responsibility. Where you will find them: You will find tricycle drivers almost everywhere, even on roads they are banned from plying. Roads like EDSA, Quezon Avenue, C-5, Ayala Avenue, etc.
Pedicab drivers. Almost the same as tricycle drivers, except their vehicles do not pollute the environment since they don’t have engines. Such is their sense of environmental consciousness. But also because of this, their vehicles become more of an obstruction, a road hog, if you may, because they cannot keep up with the traffic flow. With almost the same width as a car, they consume the same road space, width-wise. Since they do not have power, they do not have headlights or tail lights. So, it is quite difficult to see them at night. Especially when they run against the flow of traffic. And like tricycle drivers, they cry "discrimination against the poor" if you even mention "phase-out" in order to help clear the traffic mess. Oh well, such is our concern for the under-privileged. Where you will find them: You will find pedicab drivers huffing and puffing, getting themselves some mutation of a lung disease while pedaling about the many minor arteries of Metro Manila. Streets like South Superhighway between San Andres and Quirino Avenues, and Quirino Avenue from South Super Highway to Otis. Small streets, really.
Bus drivers. They do the same things as jeepney drivers, except they muscle other motorists into submission because they believe they are driving a tank. Whatever happened to the proposed psychological tests for bus drivers? Anyway, these bullies bulldoze their behemoths into your lane and make sudden stops as if you were driving in another dimension. Good if your brakes work in time. Bad when they do not. Worse when the brakes of the other bus behind you do not work on time and uses the rear end of your car as their brakes. Such is the nature of the urban jungle. Where you will find them: You’ll find bus drivers plying most streets of Metro Manila. On EDSA, they’re supposed to stay on the yellow lane but they veer off when there are no competent traffic enforcers around. You’ll also find that most bus companies have inadequate terminals, if at all they have one. This is why you’ll find buses parked in city streets, clogging traffic even more. Streets like Earnshaw, Carlos Palanca, Quiapo, Alabang-Metropolis, etc.
Delivery truck drivers. They are the oversized and overloaded contraptions you meet on a one-way street going the wrong way. You see them loading or unloading soft drinks or beer or construction supply without any concern if their activity is causing traffic a half kilometer long. All they care about is how convenient it is for them to do their jobs. Never mind if they inconvenienced a few hundred commuters who might get fired from their jobs because of involuntary habitual tardiness. Such is their concern for fair play. Where you will find them: Usually, you’ll encounter them at small streets that you use as alternate routes for beating the traffic around the city. Unfortunately, they do deliveries during rush hours most of the time.
Garbage truck drivers. Like delivery trucks, they go into one-way streets, driving opposite traffic flow. Unlike delivery trucks, they do this in the spirit of public service. But the emission of heavy diesel smoke, pungent garbage odor, and a blaring horn to call the attention of homeowners, seems more like public dis-service. However, we cannot do anything about this because if we toot our horn, they won’t collect our trash. And a smelly moving truck is better than a smelly front yard. Such is the nature of choices. Where you will find them: You’ll find that garbage truck drivers drive into all streets of the metropolis, especially the aforementioned alternate routes. And, more often than not, they collect garbage along these routes during rush hours.
Taxi drivers. They are the demi-gods of the urban transport sector. They choose their passengers, and they have the luxury of increasing the fare when the chosen passenger is going to an area that has experienced a few inches of rain. You know the connection: a little rain will cause a little flood, a little flood will cause a little traffic, a little traffic will cause a little fare increase, and if you don’t want to pay, the taxi driver will wave his magic arm and leave you standing in the street. Normally at night, under a heavy downpour, after you have just closed your umbrella to get into the cab. And if you complain to a cop, if you find one, a typical taxi driver will invoke his God-given right to rest, (i.e. the "car barn" excuse) and say in his defense that even on his way home, he is doing a Samaritan-like service by picking up passengers who are going his way. Such is their sense of service. Where you will find them: You will find these cab drivers all over the city. However, flagging them down is another story.
Armored car drivers. They are Rambo personified. They zigzag through the streets with a back-up vehicle in tow. Heavily armed with fire power that would shame a SWAT team, they blow past clogged traffic blasting their horn and siren with gay abandon. No one dares question their mission (or if any of them are indeed gay), unless your idea of a cozy afternoon is being peppered with bullets by trigger-happy security guards who mistakenly thought you were a robber. Such is the nature of the beast. Where you will find them: You might encounter them at most major thoroughfares, but I’d avoid them like the plague if I were you. Plagues, like gunshot wounds, are very difficult to heal.
Official Government Vehicle Drivers on Official Government Business. If the taxi driver is the demi-god of the urban transport sector, G-cars are the gods of gods, the "créme de la créme", the "new ultra plus..." you get the picture. They zoom through the streets that were cleared prior to their passing, err... passing by. They have back-up or security cars that run in the front, sides, and back of their entourage. They blast their sirens and their blinking emergency lights so mere mortals like you and I are aware of their presence. No wonder they never passed any laws or censures regarding this prevalent traffic problem. They were oblivious to it. Such is the intoxicating effect of power. Where you will find them: You might see an entourage like this on any day in any street in any municipality around the city. Stop when an advance party or motorcycle cop-escort blocks your way. Pat yourself on the back for zooming past the intersection before the entourage passes. Give yourself a medal of courage if you zoom past the intersection even when the advance party or motorcycle-cop escort tells you to stop. You deserve it.
Official Government Vehicles Drivers on Unofficial Government Business. These are the Sweepstakes-donated ambulances being used by elected officials for unofficial use, Supreme Court or Court of Appeals shuttle busses loaded with government employees, and similar vehicles with red license plates. The drivers were probably thinking that the power of the government office is transferable once you drive their service vehicles. That’s why they drive as if they own the road. Such is the residual effect of intoxicating power. Where you will find them: You’ll find these vehicles at major thoroughfares throughout the city, especially during rush hours. Mostly, you’ll only notice them when they blow past stoplights or cuts your lane or... I think you get the picture.
Official-looking Private Vehicle Drivers on Unofficial Private Business. These are your everyday typical automobiles driven by men who have fantasies of becoming a secret agent like James Bond, or an undercover cop like Dirty Harry or Starsky and Hutch or worse, being a modern day traffic Gestapo. You will only notice them once they blare their aftermarket sirens and their blinkers when they want to get through clogged traffic. They brandish large official-looking ID cards that reads "Media" or "PNP" or "Trafcom" or "MMDA" or "Civilian Traffic Action Group". They do not stop when flagged down by real cops, because they feel they are above the law. (Or maybe because they have fake I.D.cards.) Whatever the case, these guys are the penultimate example of exemptions to existing traffic laws. Such is the power of illusion. Where you will find them: You will find them once they use their sirens and lights. Otherwise, they blend with the traffic like normal drivers.