Floods at NLEX making same impassable

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Due to typhoon Enteng.   Virtual river.   Traffic was at standstill.  

Valenzuela, Marilao.   Meycauayan

Respect for law even just the pedestrian lane

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The pedestrian lane law

This post was made several years ago re Sec 42 of RA 4136 (or the LTO law)  This refers to the right of way of pedestrians in designated walk way or pedestrian lane.   My experience on this law is (just be careful)

     1.   The vehicles especially MC do not slow down a bit on pedestrian lane.   They think they have

           the right of way if they are on the highway;

    2.  The pedestrian lane I am talking about is near an intersection where there is a traffic light.  Even

         when the signal is stop, the vehicles will not slow down nor stop;

   3.  It does not matter if they see you have white hair.   

How sad that laws in our country are disregarded and disrespected.   Short of having anarchy.   In a country where is a constitution, so many laws being passed, a 200,000 strong police force with force multipliers from Barangay.  So many laws so huge bureaucracy.  But do we have order?

The mayor of this town was killed at the same highway topic of this post, when a vehicle ran over him.  It that can happen to our mayor, what about ordinary citizen.?    What are the PUSO officers doing.??

Excerpts, repost of the article 

 video of woman crossing a pedestrian lane in Bulacan being  hit by two speeding motorcycles caught my interest.  Indeed, many motorists, MC and other MV disobey disregard the pedestrian lane.   They forget that they too sometimes become pedestrians.  In our town, right in front of the municipal building, motorists do not stop at pedestrian crossing lane.   An elderly was hit by a speeding tricycle near a bakery pedestrian lane.   The victim was able to get up, was brought to hospital where he was declared out of danger but died later during the day

WHO identifies the pedestrian, ,the bikers and even the  most vulnerable entities to traffic accidents.  50% of deaths occur among those vulnerable entities    From WHO Road Traffic Injuries report  (The video says in the Philipppines this is 9/10!)

What can be done?

1.  Driver education (like this one)  The trouble is one can easily get drivers license here at LTO even without taking the exams;   Republic Act 4136 enjoins motorists to yield to pedestrians when approaching pedestrian lanes.  (The traffic code of the Philippines )   These laws are important for road safety.

From LawPhil

      Excerpt of the Law   Section 42.C

Section 42. Right of way.

(a) When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right of way to the vehicle on the right, except as otherwise hereinafter provided. The driver of any vehicle traveling at an unlawful speed shall forfeit any right of way which he might otherwise have hereunder.

(b) The driver of a vehicle approaching but not having entered an intersection, shall yield the right of way to a vehicle within such intersection or turning therein to the left across the line of travel of such first-mentioned vehicle, provided the driver of the vehicle turning left has given a plainly visible signal of intention to turn as required in this Act.

(c) The driver of any vehicle upon a highway within a business or residential district shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing such highway within a crosswalk, except at intersections where the movement of traffic is being regulated by a peace officer or by traffic signal. Every pedestrian crossing a highway within a business or residential district, at any point other than a crosswalk shall yield the right of way to vehicles upon the highway.

(d) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway shall bring to a full stop such vehicle before traversing any "through highway" or railroad crossing: Provided, That when it is apparent that no hazard exists, the vehicle may be slowed down to five miles per hour instead of bringing it to a full stop.

2.  Those who have MC or other vehicles are kings of the road -  mayabang and will regard other entities on the road as piece of meat,  a future road kill.

3.   Traffic enforcement   -  If the traffic enforcers stop the vehicles at pedestrian lane, issue tickets, and or send those who violate the traffic law should be sent on seminars  The trouble is in the said law, while there are penalties, (and which are very light and addressed to the timeline of the passage of the law the 1960s) there are no penalties for the violation of section 42 c of the said law.  No wonder the traffic enforcers are helpless to enforce a tooth less spineless law.  No wonder majority of motorists ignore the pedestrian lane crossing since they are unenforceable anyway, and so too pedestrians, (anyway the motor vehicles will  just ram them at the pedestrian lane) So buwis buhay na lang  anywhere it is convenient)

    What can be done?

Bakit napakatraffic?

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Rizal Philippines
December 1,2017

There is so much traffic lately. It does not take a genius to explain why:

1. For instance, at the boundary of Taytay and Angono, obstructions abound:

    1. The arch makes the road narrow;

    2. There are vendors and parked tricycle near the  arch

    3.  The PUV load and unload passengers at the area.

2.. At highway 2000, before the bridge, the traffic can delay you by one hour;   from SLEX or Makati, via
     the C6 can take only 30 minutes;

   1. The road is irregularly shaped. Some narrow some wide and there are obstructions in the middle like
        post

   2.  There is a tricycle terminal at the very kanto

   3.   The traffic enforcer gives priority to traffic coming from the  West Bank especially tricyles;   Only
          about 4 vehicles are allowed to go through every cycle which lasts for about 5 minutes. Hence the
          traffic jam can extend up to the bridge before c6

   4.  There are just too many traffic enforcers who do not seem to know what they are doing

   5.  The traffic enforcers do the traffic manually.    They over ride the traffic lights.

Thanks to the irregularly shaped roads, priorities given to tricycles and West bank, a 200 meter ride took as almost an hour

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Rizal Philippines
November 3, 2017

                                            The TMG.  Sometimes only 20 vehicles were allowed to go
                                             per interval


Many wonder why traffic take so long.  The one that I observed and was able to take pictures of was in Highway 2000 at the end of C6. The travel took us nearly an hour.  a distance of mere 200 meters.

What were the causes?

1. Irregular shaped roads: some were narrow some were wide;

2.  Tricycles who cut in and out of traffic

3.  A traffic terminal near the intersection

4.  Traffic enforcers who give priority to vehicles at the West Bank and (tricycles.)  They are the tricycle's  champions.  TMG -  Tricycle Management Guards

The bridge is about to be finished and hopefully that will ease the traffic

But the above should be looked into too

                                                  This tricycle cuts into our path from
                                                       nowhere

                                                      Motorcycles contribute to the chaos

Bakit sobra trapik sa C5?

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Rizal Philippines
August 12, 2017

Bakit sobra ng trapik sa C5.

Bakit trapik blog

Last week last Wednesday, we exited SLEX and entered C5 6 pm.  We were hoping to be at Rosario by 7:00.   Whew, we were at  McKinley at 7:00 and were at Market Market for nearly an hour moving by inches at times.  We were at Guadalupe by 8:30 and were in Rosario by 9:00.   Quite a number emptied their bladder at Caltex past Bagong Ilog.   Imagine sitting it out  in traffic for nearly 3 hours.

Yesterday, we had a meeting. at Gateway Cubao at 4:30 pm.  One of the participants was a lawyer who came from BGC.  He said he left at 3:30.  He arrived at the meeting at 7:00 pm in Cubao.

Bakit matrapik?  Every body is complaining about C5.  What are our  Davaorulers, bosses in the govt. doing?

What?

Road Safety Slideshare Presentation

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Rizal Philippines
June 25, 2017

This post would like to share Road Safety Slideshare with the readers so that we may help reduce accidents especially the fatal ones.

Road safety de Arnel Rivera

Enforcing pedestrian lane crossing law Sec 42C RA 4136 - Traffic Code of the PHL - a toothless law?

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Rizal Philippines
June 24, 2017

Are you one of the motorists?  Some pedestrians who become drivers are not so courteous
or respectful of the law.


Do MC slow down on the pedestrian lanes?   Are you one of them who dont?   Be aware 42C of
the Traffic Code of the Philippines mentioned here



There is an oversight;   lack of penalties make the law the laughing stock of these pasaway
and may be for a good reason;  but lives are in danger daily


A video of woman crossing a pedestrian lane in Bulacan being  hit by two speeding motorcycles caught my interest.  Indeed, many motorists, MC and other MV disobey disregard the pedestrian lane.   They forget that they too sometimes become pedestrians.  In our town, right in front of the municipal building, motorists do not stop at pedestrian crossing lane.   An elderly was hit by a speeding tricycle near a bakery pedestrian lane.   The victim was able to get up, was brought to hospital where he was declared out of danger but died later during the day

WHO identifies the pedestrian, ,the bikers and even the  most vulnerable entities to traffic accidents.  50% of deaths occur among those vulnerable entities    From WHO Road Traffic Injuries report  (The video says in the Philipppines this is 9/10!)

What can be done?

1.  Driver education (like this one)  The trouble is one can easily get drivers license here at LTO even without taking the exams;   Republic Act 4136 enjoins motorists to yield to pedestrians when approaching pedestrian lanes.  (The traffic code of the Philippines )   These laws are important for road safety.

From LawPhil

      Excerpt of the Law   Section 42.C

Section 42. Right of way.

(a) When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right of way to the vehicle on the right, except as otherwise hereinafter provided. The driver of any vehicle traveling at an unlawful speed shall forfeit any right of way which he might otherwise have hereunder.

(b) The driver of a vehicle approaching but not having entered an intersection, shall yield the right of way to a vehicle within such intersection or turning therein to the left across the line of travel of such first-mentioned vehicle, provided the driver of the vehicle turning left has given a plainly visible signal of intention to turn as required in this Act.

(c) The driver of any vehicle upon a highway within a business or residential district shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing such highway within a crosswalk, except at intersections where the movement of traffic is being regulated by a peace officer or by traffic signal. Every pedestrian crossing a highway within a business or residential district, at any point other than a crosswalk shall yield the right of way to vehicles upon the highway.

(d) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway shall bring to a full stop such vehicle before traversing any "through highway" or railroad crossing: Provided, That when it is apparent that no hazard exists, the vehicle may be slowed down to five miles per hour instead of bringing it to a full stop.

2.  Those who have MC or other vehicles are kings of the road -  mayabang and will regard other entities on the road as piece of meat,  a future road kill.

3.   Traffic enforcement   -  If the traffic enforcers stop the vehicles at pedestrian lane, issue tickets, and or send those who violate the traffic law should be sent on seminars  The trouble is in the said law, while there are penalties, (and which are very light and addressed to the timeline of the passage of the law the 1960s) there are no penalties for the violation of section 42 c of the said law.  No wonder the traffic enforcers are helpless to enforce a tooth less spineless law.  No wonder majority of motorists ignore the pedestrian lane crossing since they are unenforceable anyway, and so too pedestrians, (anyway the motor vehicles will  just ram them at the pedestrian lane) So buwis buhay na lang  anywhere it is convenient)

    What can be done?

Pedestrian injury and human behavior



Wala namang penalties.   A big oversight;  a spineless, toothless provision?  The law must be amended


Daily buwis buhay for commuters and pedestrians.   Humans are bipeds.




Araw araw buhay ng pedestrians nasa peligro

Spate of traffic accidents from undisciplined drivers; traffic jams too caused by the same problem

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Rizal Philippines
October 16, 2016

There was a recent feature of pasaway drivers:   MC, AUV, and SUV who counterflow causing more traffic jams and accidents.   The MMDA experts say that this against the law and must be stopped .  They plan to field more traffic constable.  Enforcement is the key

Discipline is key to nation building  Just look at Singapore.  Litteirng, graffiti and chewing gum are prohibited. They have many dos and donts.  But look at their wealth and progress.  How about the Philippines.  Uunlad ba tayo?

It is my experience too that motorists do not stop at pedestrian lanes.  So pedestrians beware. Just because there is a pedestrian lane, will it mean that vehicles trucks, jeeps, MC, private vehicles will stop.  Even if there was a traffic enforcer.  You risk being run over if you cross the lane if there are plenty of vehicles coming

Beware

Solons from the same region have better things to say?

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Rizal Philippines
September 5, 2016

This post noticed that two solons from the same regions could have better things to say.

1.  One said  that traffic was caused by pokemon craze.  Neither logic nor reality could lend truth to that statement.  There are other causes  of traffic like  narrow roads, too many vehicles unruly drivers and much much more

2.  The other was questioning  the declaration of  State of Lawless Violence in the Philippines.  It could lead to martial law he said. But the order merely would like to make the rest of the Philippine population secure.

Since they were elected by their constituents, we presume that they have high level of intelligence and would have said something better.

Why traffic is so bad?

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Rizal Philippines
August 7, 2016

                                   This portion of floodway near MEG, and Megawide is completed
                                    now thanks God. Passing through this was 1/2 hour ordeal b4

I had conversation with an AUV driver yesterday. I was his lone passenger for about 10 km at floodway and we had plenty of time to talk.

Our conversation focused on the traffic which certainly affects his livelihood. What causes the traffic and how it can be solved:

1.  Illegal parking on main thoroughfares.  While the signs say they are tow away zones, the road widening of floodway for instance resulted in the same width of road for use by motor vehicles.  tHe road widening became the parking lot/garages of vehicle owners along the floodway.

2.  Just too many vehicles?   How can you reduce them?  Have age limit on what vehicles can travel ply the roads (the vintage car owners, the 4x4 owners are fighting tooth and nail to have this neutralized)

3.  Too many colorum vehicles.  They do not pay the franchise fees but rather pay the protection money to some govt authorities

4.  We need good traffic management.  More training of traffic enforcers.  Be sure we have traffic enforcers at the major thoroughfares and highways.  At the bottleneck at C6 and Highway 2000, most of the time no one is watching.  No traffic cops, hence the horrendous traffic at C6.

What they say about Pasig blue boys?

What are the action plans?

Why is traffic at Ortigas (from Meralco) and RosarioC5 (Lanuza and Rosario) sooo bad?

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Rizal Philippines
July 31, 2016

I commuted last Tuesdayfrom Edsa Crossing going home to Eastern Rizal.  I had to take the jeep not the van because the jeep took the Ortigas Highway going to crossing and it too was going back the same route.  The floodway route is sooooo bad at the fish port (intersection of floodway and highway 2000)

While the whole trip as shorter than taking the floodway (thanks fo the driver for making the call)
the Meralco to Rosario segment, I bet nearly took more than one hour. Why?

         1.  The Lanuza left turn, and the left turn  going in reverse to a plush subdivision  The two traffic lights  at the junction, and the traffic light at Meralco road and at Rosario creates gridilock that really realllllly slows down the traffic.   The long queues blocks the tail end of each of the line of vehicles  (Eg, those turning left coming from Ortigas and Lanuza cant turn left because they are held up by the stop light at Lanuza

       2.  Vehicles coming from Tiendesitas to Ortigas also blocks the Ortigas Traffic.  Baka dapat umikot na lang sila sa Julia Vargas or Lanuza

       3. Traffic light at Lanuza.  Those coming down from Ortigas cant move because of the very tight build up of vehicles at C5 becasue of the Lanuza traffic light near Diamond Motors.  Likewise build up of vehicles going from Bagong Ilog to Eastwood because of the Eastwoold Traffic light.

Our traffic genius/planners must do something to ease this daily punishment to the commuters and motoring public.  Let us do what Francis did to traffic in this area.

Dont we have simulation software on how we can reduce build up and traffic jams here

Change must come from within, at the roots, in our day to day living; like driving and use of public space

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Rizal Philippines
June 6, 2016

                                             See the build up at upper right;  what caused it?

                     See the roadside terminal at upper left, and how it forces the buses to ply the 3rd
                      and fourth lane;  what are PNP, MMDA, traffic enforcer doing about this?  Cant
                      they see and solve this?  What about under DU30?

                               What?  The highway was widened to give way to parking and stalls; only 4
                                lanes left to the road functionality, ie passage of vehicles.

Yesterday, we joined a bike race in Lagro, Fairview, QC.   Going there early morning was not a problem because there were still few vehicles.

But going back took longer than usual. Why?  From the ground level, we can see what ails the traffic problem especially when there are many passengers on ordinary commute day

1. While the road was widened by up to 8 lanes in some areas of Commonwealth, about 2 lanes are used by PUV (fx and jeepneys) from the bridge up to the overpass as terminals. Thus the bus and other UV had to unload and load at 3rd and 4th lane;  thus traffic is clogged up to Fairview

2. The motorcycle lane thus, the 4th lane, is used by buses for plying their routes and to load and unload.

3.  There was no policeman and traffic enforcer on hand.  Not a single soul.

What can be done:

1. Put up a proper a terminal for UV (fx and jeep) at the said area;

2.  Apprehend and/or tow vehicles that are illegallyparked

3.  Enforce traffic rules strictly

4.  Assign enforcers police on Sundays and week ends.

Can somebody solve the traffic problem at C5?

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Rizal Philippines
June 1, 2016

MM traffic unmanageable Chairman Francis Tolentino  P2.6 trillion needed for mass transport system and 137 km of road networks.


Ever since former MMDA chief Francis Tolentino let traffic cut through portions of  C5, it has become a bottle neck.  The u turns of former MMDA chief BF worked.  Where are the five traffic lights:   at Ateneo, at  Acropolis, Lanuza, Mckinley and Marcos Highway cor Katipunan.

The traffic at Rosario, Ortigas, C5 area forms into a gridilock because the traffic slows down at Ortigas because of traffic light at Ortigas, Lanuza, ;  the traffic from Ortigas Tiendisitas  slow down before the another Lanuza stop light.  After Bagong Ilog,the traffic speeds up until Mckinley.

If you travel and commute, you find out after Mckinley, and after Unimart, there is no more traffic.

Can somebody remove the bad memories and heavy traffic that failed Senatoriable Francis Tolentino left behind.   It was much better than before he changed the rules.

More professional handling of traffic and leadership by MMDA needed!

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Rizal Philippines   |  September 9, 2014




From Business World - cabinet cluster opens trade lanes

Repost from MB - More traffic chaos loom

Some hearsays:   these huge and monstrous traffic jams did not happen in BFs time.   He had the guts and leadership to keep the egos of many of MM chiefs in check.  That the MM had their own truck ban, and that this resulted in congestion of the pier, and the single lane truck policy that coincided with traffic rerouting of Caloocan should not have happened.

Kasi nga may MMDA - may Metro Authority.   With MMDA reporting to the Office Of  the President, it should have strong power and clout to bang the heads of LGU chief executives to think and plan for the greater good.

Going to the North (Isabela and Cagayan) and EDSA !! can be an ardous journey

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Rizal  Philippines  |   September 5, 2014





I had to make a business trip to Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela yesterday.  It was a challenging travel

1.  I nearly missed my reservation at 8:00 for one of the buses going to the north because:

     1.  It rained (EDSA is slow moving because the water level rose in some low lying roads of EDSA;

    2. All the buses were SRO because of the problems with MRT and for unknown reason.

    It was difficult to get a ride.  I walked from Galleria to SM just to get on the buses that were not as crowded in Galleria.

From Rappler - traffic at EDSA at standstill when it rains

2. At the bus terminal, there was  huge crowd waiting to get a ride.   This particular bus required reservations ahead of time because of suspension of a fatal accident last February 7, 2014  (But I  see other Florida bus - GV Florida's station near Timog to be open and accepting passengers all ready.

On the way back though, there was another challenge.  A trailer truck malfunctioned and blocked Sta Fe zigzag for  3 hours.   I would have arrived Manila by 3 am.  Instead I arrived at a little past 7.  Someone must find other routes for the Northeastern Board.  Frequent landslides  and accidents that blocked the now four lane Dalton pass could mean countless hours lost fuel, and revenues lost.

Dalton Pass Alternative Route Road Project cost P5.9 billion

Alternative Dalton Pass road project  (San Jose Aritao road costing P232 million







As if that was not enough, the NLEX route to Manila (A Bonifacio) was jammed even on an early morning.  The reason according to hearsay was the "one truck lane policy, the traffic rerouting by Caloocan City.

The queue stretched as far as 7 km up to 5 pm yesterday  Some motorists left their vehicles on the road.

When will the travails of travellers end?

22 dead as Don Mariano bus falls off skyway near Bicutan

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Rizal Philippines   |   December 16,2013

 

From ANC Yahoo

It is indeed sad that it is just 9 days before Christmas and 22 people died in a very bizarre accident  which again involved Don Mariano bus.  I rode on that bus last Monday from Estrella to EDSA crossing.  In front of EDSA Central, a Don Mariano bus rear ended another bus causing massive traffic jam.  My experience with that bus ride was hair raising.   It was as if there were no other vehicles on the road. 

The bus fell off on closed van and the rescuers had difficult time extracting the injured. The bus was on its way to Pacita complex.

The accident paralyzed the traffic in the area.

A suspension order will be served, effective for 30 days for 3 of the 78 buses of Don Mariano

What the traffic enforcers doing to enforce traffic rules?  Maybe they turn the other way around as Don Mariano bus violates the speed limit, safe driving because..... (Guess....)

If the traffic enforcers were faithful doing their job, would this have happened?

Was the driver drunk or high on drugs, or simply reckless?

 

Heavy traffic last night?!!#

Social and political criticisms

Last night was a rush hour time and it was maybe by default a traffic fraught night.

A major thoroughfare was jammed last night.  However lo and behold, when we reached the intersection, the traffic was merely caused by jeepneys who used the intersection as their terminal.

What in the world?

Since the traffic enforcers or policemen were all ready off, the drivers can violate the traffic rules/laws with impunity.

Can we not have enforcers on staggered duty even late at night?  It is good income for them anyway.  With overtime and.....

Just get rid of those unruly drivers.

Improve our mass transport.  Guys at DOTC. MMDA (please)  PNP  (Manila City hall)

Let us help our country move forward.  Traffic wastes health and gas.

Why Traffic can not be Better.?

This nation can be great again?

I had a cop friend before.  Now I do not want cop friends.  They become fiends.

He said that when there is traffic, there is big money.  You do not need motorcycle to apprehend or run after vehicles. 

So when you see traffic cops, you expect traffic.  That is what traffic cops are for:  to create traffic.

And oh, traffic cops no longer direct traffic.  Traffic aides-  they aid in creating traffic.  Expect the worse:   many of them  do not know rudiments of traffic management;  and they simply give priorities to friends and drinking buddies, even if they come from side streets.

Its Christmas time, Its Traffic and Crime Time

This nation can be great again.

Its December 5 and in 19 days it would be Christmas.  We expect two things:  crimes, especially those involving thefts, robbery, snatching, pickpocketing, bag slashing, would be on the rise;  and traffic.

The first one is understandable:  in order to celebrate Christmas, money is needed to buy food and gifts.  How ironic?  I wonder if would make the Savior at the manger cringe at the idea.

The second one, the traffic due to diggings in December is difficult to understand.  There are l2 months in a and maybe 330 days before Christmas.  Yet time and time again, the diggers will dig in June and in December.  There oughta be a law?

Cant we change the digging schedule?