We’re not (road) worthy!

CEBU, Philippines - Having had to endure the ever worsening road conditions on diaper island for a good bit of days now, I could not help but point out the glaringly pathetic standards being implemented by the licensing, transport traffic enforcement and franchising offices.  Honestly, even a person suffering from bad eyesight could see these problems from ten miles away.  What am I talking about?  Let me enumerate them.

First, there is the issue of many public utility drivers owning valid licenses when they clearly do not qualify to drive.  What makes me say they’re not qualified to drive?  They’re about as illiterate as a plankton.  On the approach to the bridge, there is a huge sign that clearly says “No Stopping Anytime.”  For the basic fact that these drivers stop under the signage and wait for a good amount of time to load passengers into their dilapidated vehicles, you can clearly tell they have not ability to read and comprehend signages. 

So why were they issued valid driver’s licenses?  Only the people at the licensing office can answer that question. As far as I know, you need to fill up an application form to qualify for a driver’s license.  Second, to be issued a driver’s license, one must pass through an actual driver’s test.  If  you look at section 3.2.1 of the score sheet, it says, “Obey Traffic Signs.”  Stopping in a ‘No Stopping’ zone clearly shows these public utility drivers do not obey traffic signs. 

Which brings me to problem number two.  If these public utility vehicle drivers are disobeying traffic laws, why are the traffic enforcers assigned in that area not apprehending these violators?  At certain times during the day, you would see the same number of  violators as there are traffic cops in that area.  Yet nobody is apprehended.  How blatant must a violation be before these wannabe cops actually cite a driver for a violation?  That is a good question.  Sadly, I don’t think they have an answer either.

After these public utility drivers fill up their vehicles with equally illiterate passengers, they go on their merry way, driving very slowly up the bridge.  Knowing how reckless and competitive these allegedly drugged up drivers are, one may think that it is totally out of their character to be crawling up the bridge and backing up traffic badly.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  The reason why they lumber like sick dogs up the bridge is because they run their vehicles overloaded, unchecked and out of condition.  I am pretty sure a good conditioned vehicle could carry the approved and mandated number of people up the bridge with ease.  With the shoddy maintenance records these public utility vehicle guys are known for, it is no surprise that their vehicles cannot carry the approved number of passengers up the bridge. 

One may blame the mindless simpletons behind the wheel for carrying more than their vehicle could muster and cause horrible traffic on the bridge.  The true culprits are the other mindless simpletons paid to do simple jobs.  These are the traffic enforcers who allow them to overload their vehicles, the licensing office who still registers these vehicles and allow these to ply the roads each year, and the franchising office who keeps issuing franchises and wrongly approving the capacity of such vehicles.