Yes, there are cars out there that were built, it seemed, to kill their drivers. No, we’re not talking about poorly built cars here. In fact, the cars involved are top-of-the-line performance rides, the best in their class as well as the envy of those who just can’t afford them.
Before the “Jingle Bells,” “Silver Bells,” “Carol of the Bells” and “Come on, Ring Those Bells” again become out of season, it would be wise to prepare ahead of the worst of the 2012 holiday traffic. Think of the city streets during Christmas season as a fat-clogged heart, where road users are like blood flowing to and from the diseased organ. Where the arteries have been clogged with fatty cholesterol after years and years of eating pork, beef, chicken and other LDL-laden foods, normal blood flow is slowed down and, at worst, grinds to a complete stop. Now that’s another set of bells tolling. The same logic can be applied to traffic: Lifetimes of selfish habits have led to chaotic road conditions on urban streets, and try as they might, our heroic traffic enforcers are rendered powerless by a problem that has become systemic.
It’s the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, but it has no police powers. So how can the LTFRB enforce franchise-related laws?
I just recently celebrated my birthday, which means it’s the rainy season. On a bad year, either a volcano erupted or a major earthquake happened somewhere but usually just heavy rain, which nevertheless keeps everybody from leaving the party. Since rains and floods are already here, it’s time to debunk some driving in the flood myths.
The column I wrote on being a conscientious driver elicited good number of responses, shares on various websites and some private messages so I felt it might be a good idea to follow it up with more tips.
Holy Week is coming, and with it annual summer sojourns back home, or to discover new places with family, friends and loved ones. Popular destinations include Baguio, Tagaytay, and for some wet and wild fun, Boracay, Batangas, Puerto Galera and CamSur in the Bicol Region.
Rolling coffins and “Runaways.” That’s how wayward trucks and buses are called. And just like in the suspense-thriller movie “Runaway” starring Denzel Washington, hapless humans have to deal with the brute force of uncontrolled machines. But while Denzel and co. are the heroes in a Hollywood movie, what happens in real life turns out to be tragically different.
The recent accident concerning a truck that lost its brakes and slammed into a number of vehicles and finally into a police precinct is a sad reminder that despite stricter laws and requirements for vehicles coming into sale in our country, the rest of the Philippine motoring landscape still has much to catch up with as compared to the rest of the world. Initial reports on the telly said five people were killed, while eyewitness accounts state that as many as 17 were killed, including passengers of a tricycle with 11 children on board, either going to or coming from school. Last I heard, the driver, who fled the scene, is still at large.
In a study of Japan’s Automotive Insurance Industry a few years back, the vast majority of accident-related insurance claims occurred at very low speeds, with as much as 60 percent happening right after the owner had just started the car. No doubt, we all tend to develop a lot of poor habits along the way [...]
If someone asks if you are a safe driver what do you usually answer? Do you get angry when a slow driver is on the wheel? If someone cuts you off do you chase him to get even? When you’re late do you tailgate and honk your horn? Do you text while driving? Does yellow [...]
The weather guys just sounded the alarm: more typhoons and heavy rains are to be expected in the coming weeks and the Inquirer Motoring team wants everybody to be prepared for driving in poor weather. As raindrops keep falling on our heads, we continue our series on safety checks by offering these valuable tips on [...]
