⌛ traffic in Dumaguete

When I lived in Hong Kong I had something similar, sort of. Many days I would be walking in Central, the densely crowded shopping district. While walking, I found myself constantly turning my shoulders sideway so I didn't bump into people. After about six months I noticed I was the only one doing this, everyone else walking straight. So I stopped doing it and ended up bumping into people all the time. I didn't want to be a bully, given I was taller and broader than most of them, but my back was sore from turning all the time. So I guess they ended up with sore shoulders if they walked into me. I thought about that here when I started driving and found I was the only one stopping and yielding all the time so I became more cautiously aggressive. Nevertheless, I still have to keep the right balance between anger management and road rage. hehe

 

Everything is relative, living in Cebu means either permanent gridlock or like driving in dumaguete but at 70-80 KPH. Get accustomed to a different culture and leave your western logic and sense of superiority at home.

 

I spent 8 years in Cebu traffic every day and now just a couple of days per month. early on, I learned to control my road anger and go with the flow. As my wife said. "Let them go, if there is an accident it won't be us". Compared to Cebu, Dumaguete is a walk in the park.
Ron

 

The Flow, if you can understand it, is quite simple once you understand the eye contact and position etiquette, you realize that nobody will run into you no matter what you do. everybody shifts position to accommodate the group. If you get angry they just look at you and laugh. Or ignore you. Accidents at least in Cebu happen mostly between Jeepney drivers and motorcycles.
Motorcycle idiots come in two styles, ones with all their arms and legs, and those with limbs missing. Jeepney drivers are just unpredictable in almost all cases. Riding like everybody else is good advice, but learn the unwritten rule of the road first.
Mario Brothers Kart, level five, no lives left, pretty much describes Cebu
traffic.

 

I have to agree with the last few posts. Dgte is not very big & even though the traffic doesn't move fast, it does move pretty constantly & so we're never held up for very long. It looks horrendous, especially from your table outside Macdonalds but I think it's not as bad as Manila where it takes an hour to cross town.... Everything is relative

 

When driving in the Philippines, you're responsible for your front bumper.

And remember, in an unmarked crossing, the rule of "right-of-way applies. So that means if you hit that fenderhead thats turning right, right in front of you, without looking, you are in the wrong.

 

I have a concern with Dumaguete traffic as well, and I'm not a foreigner. It's just no longer the same! In the recent months, with an improving Robinson's and new establishments rising all over the place (e.g., Cang's), the traffic has become unbearable... for Dumaguete standards, that is! I've noticed that the worst congestion takes place by the new bridge in Real street during afternoon rush hour. I think the traffic scheme there is no longer working. I wish they would adjust the flow of traffic in that area. We need those traffic lights, too. Traffic aides are still on duty even after sunset, because more and more vehicles are coming out at night... but I can never see their hand signals anymore after dark! So guys... stop buying more and more vehicles! I believe that is the easiest and cheapest way to improve Dumaguete's traffic situation hee hee. :D

 

Get rid of the *%$#@ trikes and Dumaguete traffic would be minimal. Those *%$#@ ugly rolling junk heaps are choking the city to death.

 

Manzanita - I think you are being unfair. Those junk heaps choke up every city and town, not just Dumaguete. They are unsafe at any speed and for reasons that I don't understand, they obey no known (or unknown) laws. The only "accident" I've had in 10 months was hitting one of them that was cutting between my line of traffic. No damage to my motor or his, but it took all of the meat off of three of my fingers. I pulled into a gas station to stop the bleeding and he pulled in also and then got out of that piece of junk and disappeared completely, leaving the junk heap behind.

 

I think the new mayor also realized the traffic situation was getting so bad and that is why he hired all these traffic enforcers. Unfortunately, they seem to be totally brain dead and do nothing to help the situation. Oftentimes, I see them standing off by the side of the road ((during heavy traffic) chatting or picking their noses. USELESS!!!!