EDITORIAL — Funny but sad

There is now a viral video showing a policeman quizzing a motorcycle rider about common road signs. The rider couldn’t figure out what the No Left Turn, Parking Area, and No Entry signs meant.

It might be a funny video, but it’s also sad and kind of concerning because aside from road ragers and kamote riders, it would seem we also have to deal with motorists who don’t know what some basic road signs mean.

Of course, this lack of knowledge may not be limited to motorcycle riders only, but also applies to some of those who drive vehicles with more wheels as well. Maybe this explains why some of them overspeed, enter the opposite lane, park in the wrong places, cut off others where they shouldn’t, or just plain get into trouble with other drivers.

Then they get mad and angry when they feel wronged, especially those who feel particularly entitled, then out come the fists or the guns and we all know what happens next. We see too much of it online or in the news these days.

You know what’s sadder? This isn’t the first time we have written about a motorist flunking such a test. A few years back we wrote about some drivers who were quizzed about road signs, and back then they failed spectacularly too. So it would seem there may not be a concerted effort to better educate our drivers about road safety.

It’s worth asking again if our motorists are being taught more than just driving, but also what the road signs mean, how to drive defensively, and the common road courtesy that may not be in any manual but should be familiar to anyone with common sense and patience.

The road is a dangerous enough place already with so many vehicles in it and so many drivers with so little patience. Those who don’t know the rules pose another added threat to the road.