Terpe
18th February 2015, 10:26
I really like exploring on my own, although I know my wife sometimes worries. Especially when crossing a busy road :yikes:
I tend to expect the traffic to give way, but usually it just doesn't so I end up dancing over road.
Best strategy I've found is to find another couple of people waiting to cross and join them.
Oddly, it's the big lorries that generally stop for me. Problem is it's tricky to see what's coming around the side.
From our house to the Jeepney stop and the main road is a much smaller road. Looks like a single lane concrete road but it's actually two way traffic. It's mostly tricycles using it. Both pedal power and motorised. It's very busy from early morning until late at night and they really don't give much room for pedestrians. The problem is there's no path. Whatever space is for safe walking is taken up with market stalls selling everything from fruit to charcoal to tricycle spares and repair shops.
Getting to the local Market and the local HB1 convenience store means taking that small road then at the Junction crossing the main road.
When we first arrived it was, to me, a wide road big enough for two lanes of traffic each side.
Actually you often found three or even four lanes of chaotic traffic each side jostling and fighting for space.
They recently did some road widening so now it's always four (or more) lanes of traffc each side. What a nightmare. Especially at nightime.
The tricycles are not allowed to drive along the main road, but they are allowed to cross that road to take and pick up passengers at the market. Additionally you have the hoards of motorbike riders. Sometimes 2 / 3/ or 4 aboard :doh
Means, I really do deserve a few very cold beers when I get home safe and sound :biggrin:
I understand why my wife worries but I've got used to it now. I have to adopt just the same level of care whenever I walk along or cross the roads but I have a better understanding of how to manage.
There are no traffic lights and no pedestrian crossings near to our house.
Not that pedestrian crossings make much difference unless they are controlled by traffic lights and pedestrian 'walk/don't walk' lights.
What makes me laugh is when you not even halfway across those large busy intersections and the 'Red Hand' light suddenly comes up with a 10 second countdown.
The traffic then begins to sound and behave like the start of an F1 Grand Prix :omg:
Crossing the road is more fun in the Philippines (not) :olddude:
I tend to expect the traffic to give way, but usually it just doesn't so I end up dancing over road.
Best strategy I've found is to find another couple of people waiting to cross and join them.
Oddly, it's the big lorries that generally stop for me. Problem is it's tricky to see what's coming around the side.
From our house to the Jeepney stop and the main road is a much smaller road. Looks like a single lane concrete road but it's actually two way traffic. It's mostly tricycles using it. Both pedal power and motorised. It's very busy from early morning until late at night and they really don't give much room for pedestrians. The problem is there's no path. Whatever space is for safe walking is taken up with market stalls selling everything from fruit to charcoal to tricycle spares and repair shops.
Getting to the local Market and the local HB1 convenience store means taking that small road then at the Junction crossing the main road.
When we first arrived it was, to me, a wide road big enough for two lanes of traffic each side.
Actually you often found three or even four lanes of chaotic traffic each side jostling and fighting for space.
They recently did some road widening so now it's always four (or more) lanes of traffc each side. What a nightmare. Especially at nightime.
The tricycles are not allowed to drive along the main road, but they are allowed to cross that road to take and pick up passengers at the market. Additionally you have the hoards of motorbike riders. Sometimes 2 / 3/ or 4 aboard :doh
Means, I really do deserve a few very cold beers when I get home safe and sound :biggrin:
I understand why my wife worries but I've got used to it now. I have to adopt just the same level of care whenever I walk along or cross the roads but I have a better understanding of how to manage.
There are no traffic lights and no pedestrian crossings near to our house.
Not that pedestrian crossings make much difference unless they are controlled by traffic lights and pedestrian 'walk/don't walk' lights.
What makes me laugh is when you not even halfway across those large busy intersections and the 'Red Hand' light suddenly comes up with a 10 second countdown.
The traffic then begins to sound and behave like the start of an F1 Grand Prix :omg:
Crossing the road is more fun in the Philippines (not) :olddude: