Things you must do if you drive in the Philippines

[jonnijon]

First, always drive on the right hand side of the road, if its full of traffic drive on the left, no problem. Never signal your intention it leads to confusion. Undertake at all times its safer. No thats not a traffic light, its a left over xmas dec from last year. Drink as much as you can before driving and drive as fast as possible. If you overtake make sure you overtake a overtaker,follow some of these rules and you should be fine

[RickyR]

bah, driving in the Philippines is great. Piece of Cake once you get used it. I quite enjoy driving around the islands, and hold a Philippine License now.

Now in the Middle East where I live, you've got the speed associated with European driving mixed with the complaicancy of driving automatics like the USA and then the madness of South East Asia/India mixed in. Now that makes life exciting, when you crash in Oman, its certainly a big crash!

[Steve.r]

Another one,

At night... you have 2 choices:

1, Never turn on your lights
2, Only use full beam

[CBM]

I remember driving from Manila to Subic on the old road and being amazed that we were overhauling a vehicle as fast as we were - it was an oncoming jeepney with RED headlights!!

[KeithD]

Even someone with dementia can drive in manila... everything happens in slooooooow motion

[CBM]

I prefer driving in Manila to driving in China. Filipinos seem to have more sense of what their vehicle can and cannot do. Not much of a standard, I admit!

[RickyR]

The first point when it comes to driving in the Philippines is that nobody has right of way or in fact everybody has right of way, whichever way you want to look at it. So, essentially you are responsible for avoiding another vehicle or pedestrian NO MATTER WHAT.
So there is a busy highway, and you want to enter it from a sideroad, if you force you way out, then the traffic on the highway must stop, this is perfectly acceptable.

If you are overtaking and there is a vehicle coming towards you, well then its upto that vehicle coming towards you to slow down and move to the verge to let you through.

If your in traffic, and want to get from the far left lane to the far right, just keep nudging your way across until you get through.

The system ACTUALLY works, it works, but results in slower traffic and a general max speed of around 20-30 mph, except on the highways.

If you hit a pedestrian, then you must accept that regardless of the situation, it was your fault.

If you try to apply the rules that you apply in the UK to driving in the Philippines you will have problems, or more likely cause a serious accident.

It's a nightmare in the Philippines when you end up at a junction behind an expat who isn't confident enough to 'nudge his nose out' and enter the flow of traffic.

Go where you want to go, do what you want to do, and avoid hitting anyone or anything. Easy.

[CBM]

Excellent advice by Ricky!

Be warned that there is just one corner of the Philippines where these rules do not appply - that is the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, which applies US driving rules - rigidly - and woe betide anyone driving "Phillipines Style" there!

[Steve.r]

I want to see them put lights on Carabow.... at night they are a nightmare when they are pulling a cart.

If I was in charge of traffic, I would make it madatory for all vehicals to have proper lights. Yes, front and rear!!! I have to take my car to get it's licence every year, where they check the emissions and horn of all things, so why cant they check the lights as well??

[grahamw48]

Things have improved a lot in recent years.

At one time MOT requirements appeared to be... if it was capable of moving it was going to be permitted on the road.

Actually quite hilarious at times. I remember thinking that probably 95% of the vehicles stacked in UK scrapyards would have been eagerly restored to use in the Phils, with just a quick wipe down.

.
I love the 'innovative' nature of the Filipinos....

.

[CBM]

Nice picture!

I wish I had snapped a sway-backed, overloaded, heavy truck that I saw in downtown Makati, of all places, in the 90's. The entire cab had been rebuilt out of wood and corrugated roofing sheets, but not painted.

[sars_notd_virus]

First, always drive on the right hand side of the road, if its full of traffic drive on the left, no problem. Never signal your intention it leads to confusion. Undertake at all times its safer. No thats not a traffic light, its a left over xmas dec from last year. Drink as much as you can before driving and drive as fast as possible. If you overtake make sure you overtake a overtaker,follow some of these rules and you should be fine

lol you need to be lunatic to drive in the PH
...the street is all yours including the little pavement which is the canal
... you need to use your cars horn everytime you change the gear

[KeithD]

Waste of time using the horn, as everyone else uses it constantly it just gets ignored, but they don't seem to realise that

[stevewool]

always have your wife with you so she can bale you out of tricky situtions, thats right aint it steve

[RickyR]

Ah, the horn is used to alert a car that you are overtaking him, since you are both responsible for keeping clear of each other. It's also used when approaching junctions or to alert traffic to your presence, hence the regular use.
Flashing your lights at someone means that you are continuing and WONT give way to them, unlike in the UK where it means please go ahead.

[andy222]

Never put tyres with tread on. They will think your rich.

[CBM]

(This advice comes from my sister in law) Remember that being a traffic cop is a macho job. A Filipino holding down a macho job needs to demonstrate that he is, in fact, macho and the simplest way to do this is to have two families - one with your wife and another with a mistress. Unfortunately traffic cops salaries do not run to multiple households and the driving public is expected to understand this and make up the difference. Never leave home without a suitable bill folded into your licence.

[Steve.r]

always have your wife with you so she can bale you out of tricky situtions, thats right aint it steve

SSShhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

[RickyR]

. Never leave home without a suitable bill folded into your licence.

For a Filipino: 300 peso
For a Westerner: 500 peso

[CBM]

For a Filipino: 300 peso
For a Westerner: 500 peso

Really important advice. Don't imply that the copper might be corruptible by offering him 1,000. And don't insult him by being kuripot and offering 100. 500 is correct.

[Ako Si Jamie]

For a Filipino: 300 peso
For a Westerner: 500 peso

What about a Korean?

[Ako Si Jamie]

That's genius

[Dakila]

It was the ultimate test of patience when I drove in Manila again during my last visit. We had quite a road trip, from Manila to Tagaytay, Manila to Cavinti Laguna, Manila to Subic, from SLEX all the way up to NLEX and back, in and around Makati. It was hell and fun at the same time.

If I can leave one single advice: Always honk your horn

[hawk]

i get plenty pratice in my truck in uk

[Steve.r]

i get plenty pratice in my truck in uk

Not exactly the same Hawk, at least in the UK traffic is predictable as we have a highway code. In the philippines it is every man or woman for themselves... its

[Kalboaso]

For those of you who drive in Manila & have a smart phone, download the MMDA app Metro Manila Traffic Navigator, it has all the latest traffic news, maps & a good FAQ page where it lists all the violations with the proper fines, very handy when you get 'very serious violation sir, 2000 peso fine' oh really you say well lets have a look at this little app officer, ah look it's only 150 peso, how about I give you that for your lunch and we will be on our way' salamat & adios curropto cop....

[CBM]

Good one; thanks.

[andy222]

I wouldnt dare to drive in manila. I applaud those on here who do.

[Trefor]

We just arrived home after a week's visit to Manila and Batangas. I rented a car and drove there for the first time. As I suspected I had no problems, you just need to be careful with all the pedestrians due to no decent footpaths. My only 'near hit' was a young lady who was completely invisible to me for a few seconds, missed her though. Everything moves so slowly in the cities that there is plenty of time to stop. Driving after dark in rural areas was interesting, you can't go fast in case of a huge crater in the road - I now see why Rose panics when I'm doing 70mph along a country lane in the dark in the UK

We visited a few interesting places, including family in 'the mountains' South of Batangas - that tested the poor 1.3 engine and suspension! Lake Taal and the volcano was pretty cool, but I couldn't help feeling ripped off at the cost for a boat ride/entry to the island to hike up to the volcano. Still, the family enjoyed it.

[Trefor]

For those of you who drive in Manila & have a smart phone, download the MMDA app Metro Manila Traffic Navigator, it has all the latest traffic news, maps & a good FAQ page where it lists all the violations with the proper fines, very handy when you get 'very serious violation sir, 2000 peso fine' oh really you say well lets have a look at this little app officer, ah look it's only 150 peso, how about I give you that for your lunch and we will be on our way' salamat & adios curropto cop....

Installed for future reference - thanks for the tip.