8 Common Pinoy Traffic Violations Caught On Google Street View

It’s more fun in the Philippines.

When Google Philippines launched their Street View option on Google Maps in September 2015, net-savvy Filipinos couldn’t wait to get their hands on it. The urge to be the first to check out how the facades of their houses looked like in 360 imagery, “travel” to different places virtually, or probably snoop in on friends’ and ex-lovers’ neighborhoods was just too hard to resist.

On the other side of it was a candid representation of the country. Navigating in street view lets one see the conditions of our streets taken in 2014—presenting funny, weird, and sometimes harsh realities of everyday Filipino life. This includes bad habits of drivers and pedestrians that are just too common they were caught on cam, like the ones below.

1. Jaywalking

8 Common Pinoy Traffic Violations Caught On Google Street View

© Google, used with permission

Where: Edsa Ortigas, Pasig
Brutally honest signs like the one above are commonly found on the biggest highways in Metro Manila. Even so, people like this jaywalking man remain undeterred and continue to ignore the rules despite the stern warnings.

(See Related Topic: 7 Safe Driving Tips You’ve Probably Never Heard Of)

2. No U-turn

No-U-Turn-Andrews-Ave-NAIA-T3

© Google, used with permission

Where: Andrews Avenue Roundabout, Pasay
We don’t know what’s worse: The vehicles who turned a blind eye on the No U-Turn sign, or the cop who couldn’t be bothered with his indifference.

3. Unauthorized vehicle on a highway

un-authorized-vehicle-EDSA-Taft

© Google, used with permission

Where: Edsa-Taft, Pasay
An ordinance in Pasay prohibits three-wheeled vehicles such as tricycles and pedicabs from traversing national roads, except when crossing highways like Edsa. The pedicab in the photo above is clearly not crossing Edsa; it’s doing a dangerous stunt that compromises the safety of its driver and passengers.

4. Not staying in the lane

not-staying-in-lane-Cavitex

© Google, used with permission

Where: Manila-Cavite Expressway
In a highway like this, vehicles that keep shifting lanes at breakneck speeds are bound to cause traffic and fatal accidents sooner or later.

5. No helmet

No-Helmet

© Google, used with permission

Where: Andrews Avenue, Pasay
The violation “No crash helmet” while riding a motorcycle costs a fine of P150 per offense, as stated on Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) website. Not visible: How much the authorities who caught this violator actually pocketed.

(See Also: Prevent Road Rage By Asking Yourself These 9 Questions)

6. Driving against the flow of traffic

Counter-Flow2

© Google, used with permission

Where: España Boulevard, Quezon City
Counterflowing is not cool; it’s rude, inconsiderate, and dangerous. It doesn’t make you a “smart” driver; it says a lot about how you can’t follow a simple rule of logic. It doesn’t save you time; it wastes the time of other motorists who are patient enough to wait for their turn on the road. Counterflowing isn’t cool; it will kill you.

7. Illegal parking

Illegal-Parking

© Google, used with permission

Where: Manila
Yet another common violation that’s being done all the time is illegal parking by the roadside. We see this every day, especially at bars and restaurants within the vicinity of residential areas. What part of “No Parking” (posted twice for emphasis) don’t people understand?

8. Abusive use of special vehicle plate

8-plate-main

© Google, used with permission

Where: Pasay City
The government has already issued a warning toward officials who abuse their vehicle plates to get a free pass on the road. This government-plated vehicle number 8 (for the members of Congress), for instance, looks like it was trying to boss its way from the leftmost lane of the rotunda to the NAIA Terminal 3 access road but failed. And so this happened–caught on Google Street View for all of the world to see. –Kristel Serran

Ever spotted similar traffic violations and bad practices of Pinoy drivers on Google Street View? Share them in the comments section below!