Summer Nightmare

If you have gone to the beaches of Batangas or other summer destinations around that area lately, I am sure you have had the unpleasant experience of getting yourself stuck in a long queue of vehicles on your way home — that is, if you have chosen the route back to the metro through Tagaytay City.

The traffic is something that can be dealt with as a matter of normal course, especially for those who are from Metro Manila where traffic snarls are nothing new; it’s actually a way of life. Besides, the unpleasant situation is more due to the sheer volume of vehicles, particularly during this time of the year, being cramped into a narrow two-lane highway. What makes the experience a nightmare is the wanton display of many motorists’ complete disregard for traffic rules and regulations.

As the traffic builds up beginning mid-afternoon and the snail’s pace maintained well up to about eight o’clock in the evening, a whole slew of undisciplined drivers take every opportunity to get ahead of everybody else. Passing on the highway’s shoulder, overtaking on areas where it’s not safe and then using the shoulder of the opposite lane or force themselves back into the line for refuge when an on-coming vehicle suddenly appears, are just some of the unsafe and disgusting antics that are commonplace in this stretch starting in Nasugbu just before one enters the Tagaytay City and well inside the metro’s summer capital.

But all these can be stopped and prevented just with the mere cooperation and collaboration of Tagaytay City’s police and traffic enforcers and the guardians of our highways – the Highway Patrol or whatever it is now called. On Sundays, when the problem is at its peak, the City, with the help of its socio-civic organizations which augment the much-needed numbers to make the endeavor less difficult, can utilize volunteer traffic enforcers.

There should be police visibility and actual traffic management in the entire stretch to ensure a much smoother flow of traffic sans all the unsafe tricks employed by undisciplined drivers just to go ahead of the rest, which more often than not, result to further traffic snarls and worse grid locks.

I join the legions that now find Tagaytay so pleasant to go to — clean, hospitable and orderly, except for this manageable problem. It’s a booming area whose progress may be deterred by a growing problem that can still be managed and even arrested at this stage. Sayang.

I hope I have the kind ears of the City Mayor of Tagaytay and the head of the TMG or the Traffic Management Group on this matter.

It’s very doable – let’s go for it! And let’s go for it now before the problem gets to be unmanageable. It’s already difficult and telling as it is.

Is The Worse Yet To Come At The North Tollways?

Last week, we wrote here about what we were told as the thoughts that crossed the minds of many motorists, who while agonizing in the midst of the traffic on the way home from their yearly Lenten vacation were dumbfounded to know that the tolls have been quietly increased at the North Luzon Tollways. This happened sans the usual protests of groups normally concerned with motorists’ welfare or with nary a whimper from the government. This puzzling nonchalance despite the fact that traveling through the North Tollways was at its most inconvenient when the increase was implemented. "It came like a thief in the night", was what many have reportedly gasped. Many also opined that it appears that the financing of the North Luzon Tollways rehab is being borne in great part by the motorists that inconveniently use them while the project is going on – somewhat being cooked in one’s own body oil.

Well, I had a taste of what it is to travel nowadays at the North Tollways last week when we went for our yearly pilgrimage to Our Lady of Manaog – with all the traffic and every inconvenience motorists encounter during a major highway rehab.

In fairness, there are indeed substantial areas already rehabilitated – possibly done in large part with the motorists’ tolls, unmindfully increased while they bear the inconvenience of the rehab notwithstanding. But what worries me is that some multi-laned areas found in the southbound lane in Bulacan are also multi-leveled. A driver cannot miss noticing the difference in the road’s level from one lane to another as your vehicle either bounces up or dips down as you change lanes. Aside from being uncomfortable and even scary for both driver and passengers, it can be downright unsafe especially at higher speeds. Be that as it may – inconvenient and unsafe, we presume that further resurfacing will be done in this area (They should!). Indeed another stage of inconvenience as traffic flow would definitely be affected again, unnecessary though, if they had only made sure to have even road surface levels to begin with. Well, they would know better. Or do they?

The worse is still to come in the North Luzon Tollways?

Pit Lane Notes

How would you feel if someone who used to rule your world tips you as someone who could rule next? Legendary Nigel Mansel thinks that with the right car and the right crew, Jenson Button — newbie podium regular — could become the next F1 champion. Of course it would take a messiah to end Michael Schumacher’s current reign of dominance, but with improvements to his car, Jenson could be the next biggest thing. He got his first ever podium finish two races ago after coming in third, and he repeated the feat in Bahrain. He is currently 3rd in the driver standings, behind only Schumi and Rubens Barrichello. At 24 years old, Jenson certainly has big things ahead of him. Who knows what could have happened if he never left Williams? Perhaps BAR-Honda was listening when Nigel said that all the young Button needs to rule the roost is a better car. The FIA however junked BAR-Honda’s unique rear wing design, deeming it as an illegal "third element". But with their team in the thick of the Constructor’s Championship, do they really need such radical tactics? They changed their tire manufacturer from Bridgestone to Michelin this year, and it’s certainly paying off for them.

Is Formula 1 getting too dangerous? BMW-Williams test driver Mark Gene seems to think so. In fact, he is appealing for something to be done to reduce speeds. How well will this idea sit with the FIA, not to mention us fans? Isn’t the point of the sport to be the fastest man on the track? Certainly something else can be done to up the safety of the sport without sacrificing the speed? Let’s see if the FIA listens to Gene.

Motoring Tip Of The Week

After having gone on out-of-town trips or as you continuously do so this summer, check your wheel bolts regularly. Make sure they are always tight and secure. One loose bolt can cause the others to get loosened as well and when this happens while you’re driving, you run the risk of having a runaway tire–very dangerous when traveling at high speeds. And while you are at it, you might as well check if any of your wheel bolts are stuck. A stuck up bolt can also be an exasperating problem when you need to change tires due to a flat, worse if this happens when you are all the way out in the boondocks.

Love your car and you’ll definitely go far.

Happy Motoring!!!

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