| Kuro-kuro Ko Lamang |
by: Rtn.
Chuck Montecillo
Before anything else, I want to take
this time to apologize about last week's issue of
Pagkakaisa 2000 (or the lack of it). I know that
some of you weren't able to enjoy the issue
because there wasn't enough to pass around.
Somethimes, the technology that is supposed to
make our lives easier to get through, fails. This
situatuion then leasds to a more frustrating and
difficult set of circumstances. The IT gods were
not smiling at me that day. To make up for it,
last week's issue is available for your reading
pleasure this week, in addition to this issue.
Now, on to my thoughts.
I have been meaning to write about this topic for
the past several weeks now. It has to do with
Pedestrians. With all the dangers out there on
the road, today, the pedestrian is the most
vulnarable of all. With no metal cage to protect
their person, this creature crosses the roadways
with abandon, confident that on coming vehicles
will avoid and acknowledge their presence.
Unfortunately, this is not always true.
On my daily trips to Las Pinas, especially at
night, I have encountered people crossing the
Alabang-Zapote Road slowly, taking their sweet
time. I have no problem with people crossing
streets, but to do it as if I could see them in
the blackness of night, with headlights blinding
me from the on coming traffic, is just plain
madness!
So, this got me to thinking. Why do they do this?
Don't they know I can't see them until I'm
dangerously close? I guess not. I don't think
anyone in their right mind would do that.
Pedestrians THINK that drivers can see them when
they cross the street at night. Normally, this is
true. But, during times when there are cars
coming from both directions, because of the
headlights from both lanes, even the silouette of
the pedestrian is INVISIBLE!
Another phenomenon, is crossing a major highway.
The Coastal Road, a highway leading to Cavite/Las
Pinas, is regularly crossed by people, believe it
or not. Jeepneys and busses stop at the side of
the highway and let people off, the same people
that eventually cross the Coastal Road to get to
the otherside, to their homes. The scariest part
is that local authorities as well as the Coastal
Road authorities, condone this behavior. Not just
the crossing but also the jeepneys and busses
letting these people get down where ever they
please.
Sure, the roadway is large and visibility is
good. But, when you have hundreds of cars
travelling at 70kph and up, in random formation,
crossing the road becomes a game of Russian
Roulette. You can get away with it some of the
times, all it takes is one 3000lb., 4 wheeled
bullet to end it all.
Then, at night, when the trucks run, because of
the plume of black diesel exhaust (from poorly
tuned and maintained engines... that's another
article for later), anything in front of these
trucks become TOTALLY INVISIBLE. I remember
almost hitting a tricycle (illegal to even be on
the Coastal Road), which belonged to the Roadway
authority (!!!), after crossing the dark cloud of
bad smelling smoke. I dread the day that I
encounter a person crossing after I get beyond
these pollutant belching behemoths.
People need to be informed that just because cars
have headlights, drivers don't always see
pedestrians. Crossing Highways should be
prohibited and enforced (isn't it already?) I
think people should be told all the dangers and
an information campaign be launched to accomplish
this. Too many people get hurt or killed because
they didn't know any better. This is just plain
ridiculous. Filipinos are smart people.
Sometimes, we just don't have access to
information that can take us over the top.... or
in this case, across the road, safely.
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