Huli ka!

All this time, I was looking at the MMDA as the vehicle for reform for our traffic situation. But after seeing how their traffic enforcers fail to do their job in several instances, I am beginning to doubt that it will have any impact. At least, in the immediate future.

Just look at these guys seen this morning on the Shaw underpass.
For some reason, the first vehicle (SGS 125) was parked right at the foot (?) of the underpass, while the second vehicle (SEW 836) was actually backing up. Aren't these guys supposed to help reduce traffic, instead of causing it?

I guess I've pinned my hopes on a bum steer. But I do wish they would prove me wrong.

Here are some more vehicles caught smoke belching this morning. The first one is a Toyota Corolla (THH 450) seen on C5.
This next one is a bus (PXP 440) going northbound on EDSA.
Hindi ba nahuhuli during registration 'tong mga 'to?

Just look at this family crossing the C5 road.
Doesn't this guy love his wife and kids? Or is he trying to get rid of them? Or maybe nangaasar lang s'ya ng mga motorista?

Saw this bus (PYL 383) stopping at the Pioneer on EDSA this afternoon at around 5:24pm. Just look at the way he cuts in on the other bus and stops to load and unload passengers.
This is actually quite typical of buses traversing EDSA. They end up blocking both of the yellow lanes, sometimes even reaching the third lane, causing congestion. Also, the buses behind them usually have to swerve to the third and fourth lanes, causing more traffic.

I thought that the Organized Bus Route scheme being implemented by the MMDA disallows buses to overtake each other?

Filipinos commuters are a weird bunch. They're either in such a big hurry that they're willing to stand in the middle of the road and risk being hit by oncoming traffic, just so they can ride the buses that won't linger on the proper bus stops or get stuck in traffic, such as these ones seen waiting right before the Shaw underpass earlier tonight...
...or they're so lazy that they don't want to walk that extra minute to go to the proper loading zones, such as these guys waiting at the EDSA-Ayala intersection...
Let's face it. The traffic on the bus stops along EDSA are not just the drivers' fault. It's the fault of the commuters, as well. Unfortunately, it's a chicken or egg situation. If the buses don't stop, then the commuters will be forced to go to the proper loading zones. But if the commuters wait in the right places, then the buses don't need to stop in the wrong places.

Anyway, just imagine if the MMDA or local governments start catching these people for jaywalking. They'd rake it in.

From what I've read, the bus companies are all complaining that we don't have enough buses plying the roads, especially during rush hour. If that's the case, then why do most of the buses I saw earlier tonight mostly empty?

These pics were taken on EDSA going northbound, between 7:34pm to 8:07pm.
Here are some more...
And some more again...
Anyway, if I remember correctly, one of the objectives of setting up the MRT is to reduce the number of buses plying EDSA. Although I do admit that buses are only a small percentage of the vehicles passing through EDSA during rush hour, they are still one of the major causes of traffic, especially near the major pickup and dropoff points.

I sure do hope that the MMDA, the local governments and the LTFRB start enacting this vision of theirs.

By the way, in case you didn't get it, the title was supposed to be sarcastic.

The bus stop underneath the Magallanes Interchange seems to have evolved into something much, much bigger.
It's a place where taxis can park while facing the wrong way, sometimes causing traffic.
It's also an impound where your local traffic enforcement parks all kinds of vehicles, whether trucks, jeeps, buses, private cars, etc., caught for one reason or another.

Also, it's a place where people can test their courage by crossing the highway and pitting their skills against fast moving vehicles, despite the presence of a perfectly serviceable overpass (I'll try to add a pic of these daredevils soon).

And, all these things are done right in front of the mini station used by the traffic enforcers. Ang galeng-galeng nila, 'no?

I do hope the ongoing construction addresses these things.

Here's another vehicle that had no license plate in the back, but had one at the front. This mini truck was seen today going northbound at South Super Highway at around 4:06pm.
Unfortunately, the plate number wasn't legible. Anyway, this seems like this is becoming a trend these days.

This guy must be illiterate, cos he sure didn't understand what E-PASS ONLY meant. Either that or he's blind as a bat.
Hehehe.

I thought that the use of commemorative plates was already banned?
The second one even had a PNP-sponsored one. Anyway, both of these, seen heading southbound on South Super Highway this morning at around 7:35am and 7:39am, respectively, had green plates at the back.

Here's another example where the government's money could have been better used elsewhere, but was spent buying this mini Pajero.

This post is not about traffic-related matters, really. I am just wondering how the government can afford to buy luxury vehicles in today's economy. Here are some samples:
Just imagine, a Ford Chateau Wagon, a Nissan Terrano and a Toyota Camry. All of them costing over a million pesos, brand new. Just imagine the good these money would do if these were spent fighting poverty or crime, or improving infrastructure to attract foreign investments, or even pay our national debt.

Is it too much to expect hope the government to exercise good judgement when it comes to it's expenses, especially for things like these? I mean, this just sends the message that the government prioritizes the needs of a few government employees over the the rest of the country. And that's not exactly what they need to do at a time like this.

Took this pic last night at around 7:03pm on South Super Highway, northbound.Okay talaga! In-advertise pa yung pangalan n'ya!

If you remember a previous post, a pic showed a cop riding a motorcycle, complete with all the necessary cop accessories, but sporting a private plate number. Well, here's another one, seen going southbound on EDSA this morning at around 6:38am.
Anyway, the bike's plate number is NR 1726.

Again, is this really his own bike, deputized as an official cop bike? Or is there some arrangement wherein the PNP buys the bike and the cop ends up owning it? As a tax paying citizen, I'd really like to know.

Saw this Toyota Corolla going northbound on EDSA earlier tonight at around 6:02pm.
This model really wasn't designed to handle our local license plates, so some people, like this guy, are taking advantage of it to get away on their coding days.

Anyway, his plate number, which I saw from my sideview mirror, is TGR 687.

Saw this Tamaraw on Santolan this last Tuesday, October 18, at around 7:01am.
Imagine, flaunting this while passing by the PNP's national headquarters. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see if he had a license plate attached in front.

Just discovered that the MMDA website is up again, together with a new email address for Chairman Bayani Fernando.

This Honda Accord was seen this morning at the South Super Highway with his rear license missing.
But when I passed him, I noticed that he did have his front license plate on.
Unfortunately, I couldn't read his plate number.

A cop car parked right underneath a no parking sign. And right in front of Camp Aguinaldo.
And they expect everyone else to follow the law. Shame on you!

Caught this convoy yesterday morning at around 10:41am on EDSA. It was a 3-car convoy, with a Toyota Revo (WMR 922), a Cadillac Escalade (XRJ 525) and a Ford Ranger (XNP 637), all of which had wang-wangs.
In the first place,the use of flashers are limited to government and emergency vehicles, which these are obviously not. Second, if they requre official escorts, then they should get escorts with official vehicles. Third, being private vehicles, they obviously should keep on the non-yellow lanes, as there wasn't much traffic really. Last, if he can afford a Cadillac, then he can obviously afford to rent, or even buy, a helicopter.

Bottom line, nobody should be above the law, even if you're the richest man in the world, or know the president or chief of police personally. And if this guy's a government official, then he should set the example by following even the smallest rule and be beyond reproach.

The owner of this BMW 520i with plate number WMP 181, seen last night on EDSA at around 7:44pm, must really want to become a caucasian.
Imagine going through all that trouble fabricating a european looking license plate to match his european car.

When a license plate is lost for one reason or another, car owners typically put something in it's place to indicate the status of their application for replacement. It's just that the descriptions can really be beyond anyone's ken, such as the one seen on this CR-V last night at around 6:59pm.
What in heaven's name does FOR DROPPING DIPLOMATIC mean?!?

Not sure if you can really see it in this pic, but this Ismael Bus Line bus, with plate number NXN 783, was spewing smoke like a James Bond car escaping from a bunch of enemy spies on EDSA at 9:38am today.
Now where are the legion of smoke belching operation cops and traffic enforcers when you need them?