# Traffic rules difficult to enforce



## grahamw57 (May 27, 2018)

I'm wondering how many people are killed and injured on the Phils roads every day,,,as compared with the very expensive covid cases.
The police and traffic enforcers are already paid a salary, so perhaps just encouraage them to do their actual jobs, thus saving many lives, hospital and insurance bills, at almost no extra cost.


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

grahamw57 said:


> I'm wondering how many people are killed and injured on the Phils roads every day,,,as compared with the very expensive covid cases.
> The police and traffic enforcers are already paid a salary, so perhaps just encouraage them to do their actual jobs, thus saving many lives, hospital and insurance bills, at almost no extra cost.


In the area I live in a LOT of people are injured not too many killed until one gets outside of towns where speeds can increase. Traffic enforcer is in many cases a ghost job. I was told there are over 100 on the books for the city but you might see 3-4 on any given day, until holidays arrive.
Police? They do not patrol for traffic violators. Police here are reactive not proactive. They aren't into preventing accidents or crime but they eventually show up after. HPG? Only see them occasionally escorting politicians.
Every family I know here has at least one immediate family member who has been injured or killed in a traffic accident. It's accepted as a fact of life


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Quezon Expat said:


> In the area I live in a LOT of people are injured not too many killed until one gets outside of towns where speeds can increase. Traffic enforcer is in many cases a ghost job. I was told there are over 100 on the books for the city but you might see 3-4 on any given day, until holidays arrive.
> Police? They do not patrol for traffic violators. Police here are reactive not proactive. They aren't into preventing accidents or crime but they eventually show up after. HPG? Only see them occasionally escorting politicians.
> Every family I know here has at least one immediate family member who has been injured or killed in a traffic accident. It's accepted as a fact of life


A big problem is the traffic police have to catch them in the act. Yesterday there were a couple of police on the main road checking for violations and just up the road in plain site were dozens of single motors, tricycles etc all pulled over waiting for the police to go. All of them would have been no helmets, no registration, no licence etc but the police can do nothing unless they are actually stopped whilst running.


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

Gary D said:


> A big problem is the traffic police have to catch them in the act. Yesterday there were a couple of police on the main road checking for violations and just up the road in plain site were dozens of single motors, tricycles etc all pulled over waiting for the police to go. All of them would have been no helmets, no registration, no licence etc but the police can do nothing unless they are actually stopped whilst running.


Yes, the police do not mobile patrol they stay stationary and word gets out quick. In my area there is even a FB page where people report where check points are. Some even ask if it's clear between point A an B, they get answered quick. Additionally many police think traffic work should only be done by the HPG . HPG last I heard only had about 350 motorcycles for the entire country. Law enforcement in general is very low but traffic law enforcement is practically nonexistent outside the NCR.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

The main targets of these checkpoints are motorcycles and trikes, many just can't afford to operate and maintain a motorcycle let alone cough up money for a license and registration.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey Gary,

so, they can just sit there until the police leave and then break the laws. What a joke. Why can't they have cameras mounted and take pictures???? Pictures are worth a thousand words as it is said. 

art


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

art1946 said:


> so, they can just sit there until the police leave and then break the laws. What a joke. Why can't they have cameras mounted and take pictures???? Pictures are worth a thousand words as it is said.


 Why dont they just look at them when they arrive at that "waiting place" ?


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

Last night I saw some vehicles - including a couple of jeepneys - trundle past with no lights. Totally dark. Not even a running light. To top it all off they all went right past the police station, in no rush at all. I only saw them because of streetlights as they approached from an unlit side street.

Also concerning was the trike ride home with the gf at around 2300, on the unlit road a trike whizzed past going in the opposite direction. No one saw him because (you guessed it) totally unlit. Our triker saw him just as his own beam picked him up. He tooted at the other guy but it didnt make a difference. I looked behind and it was just darkness.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

art1946 said:


> hey Gary,
> 
> so, they can just sit there until the police leave and then break the laws. What a joke. Why can't they have cameras mounted and take pictures???? Pictures are worth a thousand words as it is said.
> 
> ...


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

KatanaDV20 said:


> Last night I saw some vehicles - including a couple of jeepneys - trundle past with no lights. Totally dark. Not even a running light. To top it all off they all went right past the police station, in no rush at all. I only saw them because of streetlights as they approached from an unlit side street.
> 
> Also concerning was the trike ride home with the gf at around 2300, on the unlit road a trike whizzed past going in the opposite direction. No one saw him because (you guessed it) totally unlit. Our triker saw him just as his own beam picked him up. He tooted at the other guy but it didnt make a difference. I looked behind and it was just darkness.


 They do that thinking save fuel 🤣 not thinking at all about safety!
The generator is running undepending of if light is on or not, so if the battery is full, surplus electricity is just wasted...


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

Lunkan said:


> Why dont they just look at them when they arrive at that "waiting place" ?


They dont want to enforce the law that much. Mayors influence enforcement. There is one sure way to make a lot of money, get elected to office. It would be bad politics to make too many people mad.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Quezon Expat said:


> They dont want to enforce the law that much. Mayors influence enforcement. There is one sure way to make a lot of money, get elected to office. It would be bad politics to make too many people mad.


I would agree at barangay level but I think tbe feared HPG are above that. There hands tied by halfarsed laws are the real problem.


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

Lunkan said:


> They do that thinking save fuel 🤣 not thinking at all about safety!
> The generator is running undepending of if light is on or not, so if the battery is full, surplus electricity is just wasted...


So thats why they do it! I was wondering. One of the unlit jeepneys was modded with a row of lights in front (big spotlights). Yet he was content to drive in blackness. Hoping he turns em on once on the highway..


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I think Mark hit the hail on the head, We drive through road blocks all the time in the car and waved through, for years, perhaps if you can afford a car? Ben on the bike gets stopped most times for registration and license check, apparently at times they wave him through as they are used to the locals. Why set up a road block if you don't check all, half arsed and speculating it seems.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> I think Mark hit the hail on the head, We drive through road blocks all the time in the car and waved through, for years, perhaps if you can afford a car? Ben on the bike gets stopped most times for registration and license check, apparently at times they wave him through as they are used to the locals. Why set up a road block if you don't check all, half arsed and speculating it seems.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


A road block is just lip service as anyone illegal is not going to approach it anyway.


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

Gary D said:


> I would agree at barangay level but I think tbe feared HPG are above that. There hands tied by halfarsed laws are the real problem.


Problem is I haven't seen HPG but about twice in Quezon Province in the last few years and they were escorting some VIP. The PNP does not have cars that patrol here either. Traffic enforcers when they come out don't work if its too hot, raining or dark. When my wife was taking driving lessons she had a good instructor who made sure she understood all the laws and safe driving practices. But he said driving here is mostly based on feelings not laws as laws are rarely enforced so people do what they feel they can get by with. I've found this to be pretty accurate.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Gary D said:


> A road block is just lip service as anyone illegal is not going to approach it anyway.


Yep seen them lined up on the highway waiting for the powers that be to go away, then they move on.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Scott E (Jun 1, 2015)

KatanaDV20 said:


> So thats why they do it! I was wondering. One of the unlit jeepneys was modded with a row of lights in front (big spotlights). Yet he was content to drive in blackness. Hoping he turns em on once on the highway..


Those lights are Not Wired ,, Just for looks only in the day aesthetic purposes only ...


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