Drivers License | Living In The Philippines

Should You Drive There?

I wonder if the plastic garden chairs are bolted down? Nah!

I prefer to drive myself. I know it sounds arrogant but I have yet to be driven by a Filipino who drives as well as I do or better. I was professionally trained I confess but the standard of driving in the Philippines is pretty woeful. However the amazing thing is not that they have so many accidents but that they don’t have more. Accidents are either minor fender bender bingles or major multiple fatalities.

Having said that I have driven all over the country and only ever came off my motorcycle once and never had an accident in many years of driving. The secret is to be aggressively defensive, use your horn constantly and expect the worst at any moment. Never let your guard down for a second,e specially in city traffic and watch for pedestrians… the odds are they are hoping Jesus is watching for you on their behalf. They will just walk out into the traffic without looking either side (so they don’t catch your eye and feel obliged to stop) and you will have to avoid them and any other vehicles in the vicinity.

Heavy rain can make it hazardous to drive as well as causing major landslides and road holes to appear. Roadworks are often not lit at night or properly marked or cordoned off, so watch for craters to suddenly appear in front of you with nowhere to go to avoid the thing. Drive at a speed that allows everyone to jump out if need be… almost serious there. Do drive slower for the most part and it will minimize the damage from any hits should they happen.

Have fun, drive like the locals do to a degree and just keep your wits about you. Thrive in chaos because that is what it is, chaos.