Goodness! Use luminous paint!

Try driving around Metro Manila at night and you’ll find out that most, if not all traffic signs do not reflect light or are hardly visible. Notice also that most, if not all of the traffic barriers, especially those that are being used for the infamous u-turn sections are also barely visible, until they are very near and "staring" at you.

I guess that’s one of the main culprits responsible for the many accidents that happen in the Metro at night.

Now, if you’ll ask those that are not from here, like foreigners, they have another story to tell — the signs, aside from being barely visible, are "out of this world". And that phrase is not idiomatic but literal. Many of the signs of the Metro are out of the world’s standards — meaning they are not part of the globally accepted standard signs. And this is so because, quoting an MMDA official during a TV interview, "The signs that are recognized and accepted worldwide are corny". Can you beat that? But then that’s another story.

Going back to these hardly visible signs and traffic barriers that pose danger to motorists, I think one thing that they can do immediately about them is to use or have them painted with luminous paint — the kind of paint that glow in the dark upon being hit by light.

Those who have had the opportunity to drive in the US and Europe or in our neighboring countries would know how it’s being done there. The highways look like having signs all lit up, when in fact the signs you clearly see have luminous paint used on them.

I don’t know who’s really responsible for all these traffic signs, whether the MMDA or the DPWH. But then probably these two government agencies would have to settle first what signs to use — the globally accepted ones or those "designed" by the MMDA. But whoever wins the "toss" should start using luminous paint instead of sub-standard paint for these signs.

I have wanted to write about this concern but I have Mr. Miguel Sayat, one of our readers to thank for writing in his observation, which hastened the writing of this article.

I’m sure the specs for these signs and other traffic infrastructure dictate that luminous paint should be used on them. But then I don’t understand why some people would still opt to use substandard and off-specs paint to the detriment of motorists’ safety.

If some people want to make money, let’s not do it at the expense of people’s lives or limbs.

Another "people mover" from Isuzu

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) introduces what it calls "an ideal business partner" — the NHR passenger van.

IPC considers this 17-passenger people mover as a fulfillment of its promise to the motoring public as their "responsible partner" by providing the perfect entrepreneurial ally even in the most competitive business environment.

The NHR Passenger Van is powered by a 2.8-liter in-line four-cylinder, water-cooled OHV 4JB1 direct-injection diesel engine that commands 79 horsepower and 17.8 kg-m of torque. It also has a 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive for more fuel efficiency. It also boasts of power steering and semi-elliptical alloy-steel leaf springs with hydraulic and telescopic shock absorbers for better comfort driving and riding. For the 14 center-facing passengers in the rear cabin there’s extended aircon vents and the NHR is vaunted to effortlessly carry a total payload of 1,340 kilograms.

The price? P895,000 for the air-conditioned variant and P795,000 for the base variant. For a closer view, I suggest you see the NHR passenger van up close and test drive one at any of the Isuzu showrooms located nationwide.

The STAR Shines at Honda Media Challenge

That institution known as the Honda Media Challenge now dubbed as the Jazz VTEC Media Challenge kicked off last September 23 with no less than the very friendly, soft-spoken president of Honda Cars Philippines, Mr. Takashi Sekiguchi welcoming all the participants and doing the ceremonial run at the Carmona Racing Circuit.

The Team Philippine STAR managed by motoring editor Dong Magsajo shone brightest among the veterans with its top podium finish in the very exciting Round 1, which also had the team Team Top Gear besting the novices.

The ravaging best time of the day registered by The STAR’s top account manager Jeff Reyes added to the honors of the team whose impressive line up of racing veterans include Manny delos Reyes, Andy Leuterio and Lester Dizon, motoring writers all.

The Honda Media Challenge, a long-time baby of Honda’s top marketing honcho, Arnel Doria has been considered a spawning ground for racing motoring journalists, giving them the dual opportunity to do what they write about and to write about what they do.

For the second straight year now, no less than the country’s racing legend and Motoring Today co-host, Pocholo Ramirez has taken the reins as Race Director.

The next round is slated for October 14 also at the same venue.

Typhoon Spoils Mitsubishi’s Party

The fateful Thursday when Typhoon Milenyo ravaged the Metro was the media launch for the new Mitsubishi Strada at the Fort Global City. What could have followed the next day and the entire weekend was the Mitsubishi Week at the Fort featuring display and test of the new Strada including all the other remarkable vehicles in the esteemed Mitsubishi stable that are available in the country.

I was talking to Froy Dytianquin, the indefatigable avp for marketing services of Mitsubishi Philippines, the other day and he told me that he was right at the site when the devastating typhoon hit causing extensive damage to the launch tent, of course among all the other properties it wiped out by its fury.

Froy was saying that we just stay put for a new date for the launch and the weekend of test drives and fun for the whole family, which MMPC shall announce in a short while.

Pit Lane Notes

Sorry, but as of this writing I’ve not watched the coverage of the Chinese Grand Prix held in Shanghai — we’re typhoon victims too, you know and we still have no power.

But I know that Michel Schumacher won it making a real "down the wire" last two races affair for the 2006 World Formula One Series. Schumy now has equal points with the Spanish defending champion from Team Renault, Fernando Alonso.

The Japanese and Brazilian Grand Prix would indeed be "must watch" for Formula One fans — power or no power for the typhoon victims.

Auto Focus & Motoring Today now on Solar Sports

To answer calls coming from loyal fans of our TV shows wondering what happened to our shows, first of all you may have really missed them last week because there was no power in many homes in the Metro and second, if you still didn’t know, we’re now on the Solar Sports Channel (Channel 34 for Sky and Home Cable).

Auto Focus, the premier auto TV magazine exclusively dedicated to the automobile and the auto industry, now airs on a later slot every Thursday, at 11 o’clock in the evening to allow for many of our viewers time to be home to enjoy the show.

Motoring Today, the institution on Philippine television being on its 19th year of broadcast still is your "Sunday viewing habit" at 4 o’clock in the afternoon.

Happy Motoring!!!

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