How Not to Ruin Your Work Day
I was browsing the full list of submissions of how-to posts at the Problogger group writing project. ACZafra submitted her take on How not to Ruin Your Day While Driving to Work (The Philippine Connection), described as:
dedicated to my fellow 8-5 employees who go through to the ordeal of getting to their work not only on time but safe and sound as well, 5 days a week. Specifically folks, who traverse the long strecth of EDSA (the Philippine capital city’s premier national road), on their way to their offices mostly located in the northern part of Metro Manila, Philippines. Here are 5 ways of not ruining your day due to erring bus drivers and other public transportation drivers.’
Ah, yes, the EDSA commute. The daily test of hardiness, patience and resourcefulness. Head over to ACZafra’s post to get five tips for surviving it.
Tags: EDSA, Manila driving, Filipino daily life
2 Comments
Traveling along EDSA, whether you’re driving or just commuting, can be a real nightmare. I myself try to avoid EDSA as much as I can when going to Ortigas or Makati. Thank goodness, though, for the MRT.
i was in manila from 12th to 21sept to celebrate the first death anniversary of my younger brother. i drove to that congested street in the picture, under the great protest of my wife. all of my friends including my children back home in the states told me i was a fool to drive in metro manila. i was driving in the pouring rain on the 14th of sept and i was in QC making a big turnabout at quezon circle enroute to visayas ave to visit my wife’S cousin in one of the govt offices. it was at 7pm and the rain is pouring by the buckets. the street was flooded, the traffic was terrible. nobody seems to be giving anybody any lee-way to maneuver the cars. on the return trip to our house in alabang from QC, i have to pass by EDSA toards the skyway, another mess and the street is flooded. i did not showed my wife that i was nervous driving. i was stopped by this man in blue uniform, asked for my driver’s license, (for violation i dont know)gave him my U.S. drivers license and had an argument. said i cannot use the U.S. license to drive in Pinas. i told him he does not know what he was talking about, U.S. license can be used to drive in Pinas for six mos. then my cousin said to offer money. i asked him bluntly how much he needed, adamantly answered me a thousand pesos. said to this guy, all you to do is ask and dont B.S. with me.i did not bargain and gave him the money, and he saluted me. told him he better feed his real family w/the money, not his queridas, then he smiled and saluted me again. my wife was telling me that pinoys will not change nor the country itself. i told my wife, IF ALL THE PINOYS AND THE COUNTRY IS WELL BEHAVED AND ORGANIZED, THEY CANNOT BE CALLED PINOYS ANYMORE, THEY COULD BE CALLED JAPANESE. i don’t blame my countrymen for being what they are. they are like little kids that has to be guided, step by step.if we have to change the country and the citizenry, we have to kill them all, and start indoctrinating the new generations on many things including orderliness. our countrymen cannot change overnite.I SURVIVED THE DRIVING IN MANILA AND I AM STILL ALIVE AND WELL IN CHICAGO.