Real Talk
Here’s Why Commute Can Drive Families Crazy
Families, professionals, and all sorts of people are trying to commute but it gets crazy with Metro Manila traffic!
While the commute has always been hectic in the Philippines, it gets worse during the holidays. Stories of many commuters struggling to celebrate at home with their families and friends are popping up all over social media, revealing how some are even asking Lalamove and random Angkas drivers. Taxis are charging people extra for short distances and the traffic is driving everybody crazy.
Metro Manila: The Worst Place to Commute?
Ranked eighth in the world as a city with the worst traffic by a technology insurance company in the UK, it’s no surprise that many families are struggling or trying to opt for a more quiet life away from Metro Manila. But when the city offers higher pay and more accessibility to places like better schools and hospitals, it’s hard to leave. However, the holidays make it worse when some taxi drivers go home to the provinces to celebrate with their families. The demand clearly outpaces the supply.
Fear and Stress for the Driver
Traffic is stressful for both the passenger and the driver. Drivers need to process at least 50 different personalities within their immediate line of sight. That’s not including the pedestrians who are taking selfies on a crosswalk and not paying attention to the stoplight. In cities like BGC, coupled with the strange directions and road orientations, it’s stressful for drivers who burn 18% more gas when they’re idle. It’s even harder when driving a car on a manual transmission. Added that if the driver does honk his horn at the pedestrian or other cars for doing something risky or against the law, the perp even has the gall to be offended!
For those who don’t drive, manual transmissions require the driver to constantly keep a certain RPM (revolutions per minute) so the car doesn’t die on the road. It’s why many people who own private cars prefer getting automatic transmission vehicles.
Exhaustion for the Passenger
Passengers who commute don’t want to be late especially if their parents set a strict curfew. Some parents genuinely fear public transport due to the horror stories. From stories of some public transport drivers attacking their passengers to scamming them, it’s horrifying for parents as they pray that their kids are not the target for the day. For any parent, all they want is their children or the family home, safe and away from the traffic.
Celebrating together physically
One of the bigger reasons for the insane commute traffic is that for the last two years, people have been celebrating and doing everything online. Not everyone has had the chance to come home. OFWs finally got the green light to see and hug their families again after so long. Grandparents are fully-boosted, lowering the risk of them catching COVID-19. Most of all, it has always been in the Filipino culture that in any celebration, families must spend together physically.
More Christmas stories:
8 Easy Christmas Leftovers Recipes Beyond Lechong Paksiw
5 Christmas Gift 2022 Suggestions for the Family
5 Cute DIY Grazing Box Ideas We Can Do For Christmas
