When you’re driving around in a Toyota Wigo in the Philippines, or in any other car for that matter, road courtesy is of utmost importance. In simple words, road courtesy is driving with care and attention and with consideration for other people on the road. Never drive as if you own the road. Share the road! It is not yours.
That being said, it’s sad to admit that there are plenty of drivers with bad manners, thinking only of themselves when driving. They only care about getting to their destination on time, not considering he or she is being rude to other drivers on the road. Remember that it is the duty of each and every driver in the country to follow road rules and treat other drivers with respect. You’ve probably had to deal with rude and reckless drivers before, and you definitely do not be one of them!
In case you’re in a situation of having to deal with a bad driver, you should always keep calm and don’t let your emotions get the best of you because road rage helps no one! Here are some examples of common practices of bad drivers:
Honking at pedestrians
Do not blow your horn at pedestrians who are crossing at the proper pedestrian lanes at the proper time and never EVER attempt to cut them off.
Double parking
This can cause bad traffic flow, which will make motorists have to find other ways to get around them.
Not using signals
Always use the proper signal lights! Not using them and changing lanes can cause serious accidents. You or someone else might change lanes or turn unexpectedly causing cars to bump into each other and crash.
Cutting
Cutting others off is a cause for road rage and aggressive driving.
Distracted driving
Don’t eat, drink, talk on the phone, smoke, change clothes, put on makeup, or do anything while driving that will reduce your reaction time. This will also cause you to drive more slowly, which is a pet peeve to others, and can also be qualified for a ticket if the road you’re driving on requires minimum speed.
Not letting emergency vehicles through
This is a common problem among Filipino drivers: they don’t let ambulances through. The reason why ambulances have their sirens on is to warn the other cars that there is an emergency and to give way.
Doing your best to avoid these examples of bad etiquette is already being courteous to other drivers. If more people practiced road courtesy, our roads will be safer and less accidents caused by aggressive driving or road rage will happen. Be courteous to others, and they will acknowledge that and be courteous to you, too.
