The Filipinos on Pedestrian Lanes Hugot

By Ysrael Donnie Villondo

Pedestrian lanes are designed for people crossing in a vehicular traffic roads to ensure safe travel from one lane to another. Most of these lanes are found at intersections and busy roads that are too unsafe to cross like schools. In the Philippines, pedestrian lanes are often taken for granted by the passers and the drivers themselves amidst provision of a Presidential Decree. Deaths caused by crossing the lanes comprised 19% of the total road accident rate in the Philippines. The reasons behind these accidents are the least to expect.

In Cagayan de Oro City, it was new to almost everyone the strict implementation of anti-jaywalking along Divisoria since 2013. Pedestrian lanes are emphasized and the yellow boxes are visible to the drivers. Tourists were amazed that the city has finally seen the importance of this provision to the Kagay-anons. Since the heart of the city – Divisoria, is almost filled with students from nearby institutions, vendors, drivers, and people from different walks of life, lanes are of great importance towards ensuring safety upon crossing.

Amidst city ordinance, emphasis and visibility relating to these lanes, people are reluctant in using them. According to TopGear.com, people are allergic to pedestrian lanes and footbridges because it’s way too long for just one straight cross over. Pedestrian lanes are partnered with traffic lights which causes delay for some. The switching of color forces them to wait. Moreover, a footbridge multiplies number of walks. Thus, allowing the passers to cross wherever they want to. They have failed to realize that there are serious sanctions for those who will be caught. Presidential Decree No. 1958, issued in 1984, amends the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of 1964, Chapter 5, Penal and other provisions, Article 1, Penalties, Section 56 fine violators, reckless drivers and jaywalkers will be charged P100 to P500 pesos or do community service for at least three hours when caught.

According to Rappler.com, 1,513 people have died due to road accidents, of which 287 (19%) people died due to crossing the pedestrian lane.  Motorcycles top the list for garnering 53 deaths. This was based on 2013 data from the Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highway-Traffic Accident Recording and Analysis System. Topgear.com included texting while walking in their top 10 worst habits of Filipino pedestrians as the 2^nd reason of road accidents. A person crossing the lane while texting is vulnerable to accident. The lack of attention to vehicles coming and the focus to stop, look and listen before crossing set forth danger to pedestrians. It is therefore essential to set keep an eye when crossing.

Who is to blame if one person crossing the pedestrian lane while texting bumped by a vehicle? If drivers are expected to respect the lanes provided for pedestrians, it is therefore expected for the pedestrians to be responsible in accessing this grant. Pedestrian lanes are made not for walkers but also for the drivers. For walkers to have safe access when crossing roads and for drivers to keep their heads up when passing busy roads highly dominated by walkers. 

Types of Pedestrian Lanes

by Harold Villegas

It may look normal and regular crosswalks to you, but it has the power and responsibility for our street and road safety as a pedestrians.

Before anything else let me give you a brief and concise view of what is Pedestrian Lane or internationally known as crosswalks. It is a place designated for pedestrians – us, to cross the road. Crosswalks are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can be seen by motorists, and where they can cross safely through vehicular traffic.

Marked pedestrian crossings are often found at intersections, but may also be at other points on busy roads that would otherwise be too unsafe to cross without assistance due to vehicle numbers, speed or road widths. They are also commonly installed where large numbers of pedestrians are attempting to cross or where vulnerable road users regularly cross. Rules govern usage of the pedestrian crossings to ensure safety; for example, in some areas, the pedestrian must be more than halfway across the crosswalk before the driver proceeds.

According to Driving School Beckenham, there are about 6 different pedestrian lanes or cross walks worldwide, but in the Philippines we only use two.

Though they have the same use, they have different meanings. The standard crosswalks are located at intersections, while a continental crosswalk is highly more visible and designed to avoid wheel paths.

Whatever the design is, it’s still the safest way to cross the road. Just make sure to remember that the colors are strictly monochrome, and its location. Better safe than sorry, right?

Source: Driving School Beckenham UK, Wikipedia, San Franciso Road Administration

Of shortcuts and safety (in regards to the Pedestrian Lane)

by Alyssa Michelle R. Viado

One could not help but thank the birth of shortcuts, especially for those born with short patience or are just plain lazy. In a lot of ways, shortcuts have proven to be the better alternative that eases everyone’s stress, troubles and worries, especially with the advancement of technology. Filipinos, in general, just love shortcuts. We just have this knack for it, probably because we’re naturally lazy (blame being located near the equator zone) and just waiting it out won’t cut it. Ika nga: ‘when there’s a will, there’s a way’. Little did we know that aside from having this inborne mindset, it causes us to become careless or clumsy. In regards to our safety, shortcuts don’t always guarantee it especially when the situation calls for the road.

                Prove us wrong? Well, I dare you to go to any street in Cagayan de Oro and observe people. Watch they cross, do they just casually cross or do they use the pedestrian lane? And if either of the two occurs, keep count of who actually uses the pedestrian lane and who doesn’t. A recent study shows that more people use their improvised shortcut than already existing ones, thus, resulting to their deaths.

For one, why do people find the idea of using the pedestrian lane very tiring? And do they really think that they’re just paint on the street? Has anybody forgotten basic safety rules? If we go back to the aforementioned, we could put the blame on the natural Filipino’s laziness/’bahala na’ habit and thick-headedness when it comes to the rules. Hey, shortcut, right? Easiest way, right? Wrong. Think about yourself first, consider then the shortcut. To simply put: not all shortcuts guarantee your safety.

I recall an event, while on my way home, of four passengers dropping off at the same stop. Two of them were adults, and the other two were children. The adults chatted as they casually crossed the road, while the children were about to do the same when one of them reacted and said, ‘pedestrian lane lang ta agi!’ (Let’s use the pedestrian lane!). Though the streets were quiet deserted, they still used the pedestrian lane. The adults turned out to be workers of the Department of Education, situated just in front of the school of the children. Now isn’t that ironic, that a child knows better than an adult? Or is it because a government worker from an education institution forgot simple protocols they remind students of all ages to do? Isn’t it embarrassing? And it happened right in front of me, with me darting my eyes from the two walking different paths.

Pedestrian lanes are there for a reason: they help reduce road congestion, they safely bridge to and from pedestrians on the road, and they save lives. This is the true shortcut, one that guarantees safety of many. Instead of thinking of it as a hassle, why not think otherwise? You can exercise your way to it. That way, you remember where you are, you’re losing heart and improving cardio. Easy, right?

Risk and danger of not using the pedestrian way

by Carlo Jay Canilao

When we were still young, we were always reminded to be safe while walking around the streets. These are lines told to us by our parents, which are repeated over and over. These lines maybe “look to the left then right before crossing” or “cross the streets while stepping into these white bars you see painted on it” and a lot more of these reminders.

                As we grow older, we have lived our lives embracing these aides-mémoires from our parents. However, do everyone really live up to these precautions? Sometimes, people are so lazy to step into these lanes provided for our own welfare and we tend to choose shortcuts which some lives have been cut short because of being irresponsible on the road.  Not all. Therefore, here are the dangers and risks of not using the pedestrian lanes especially here in the city of Cagayan de Oro, with the recent application of the ‘Hapsay Dalan’ where many are still ignorant to basic road discipline and safety.

One could be the ever-famous 500-peso charge. When in Cagayan de Oro, be sure to abide by traffic rules especially for pedestrian safety guidelines. Pedestrian lanes are to be used, when you neglect or forget to do this then be sure that no one in yellow-clad officer will catch you. Head’s up, these RTA enforces are deployed almost everywhere in the city streets. You have no choice but to discipline yourself and really use the pedestrian lane. If you are caught violating this rule, then you are charged to pay 500 pesos or commit to an hour’s worth of community service. Almost anyone who was caught paid and never resorts to doing cleaning work or wall painting.

                Paying 500 pesos could not really pay your life back the next time you cross the road and get yourself hit or bump by a moving vehicle. The danger of being an irresponsible pedestrian is fatal. Not using the lanes and following guidelines may lead us to serious injuries or worst, death. This is real danger. Crossing the roads irresponsibly is like giving ourselves to a pack of wolves.

                Danger is everywhere. Carelessness and ignorance is a deadly risk. Whether we like it or not, danger can be knocking in our car window or can crash us at any second if we’re not careful. One thing is for sure, danger cannot be present if we live a life knowledgeable and not in idiot way. Following simple rules could spare our lives. In the roads, if you are sure to be human then use what was made for you. Don’t be like a dog walking around like kings but then crashed like old day slaves.

                So Higala, be safe around the road! Focus Ba!

Operation ‘Hapsay Dalan’

by Rea Mae Hebia

As we can see Cagayan De Oro now is booming especially in terms of the economy.  Truly, everything needs process, process of everything. The city would not move without the leader, a leader that guides his down line to make impact to where he leads.

Dubbed as ‘the City Of Golden Friendship’ and because of that everything in the city should be in order. One best example of this is the traffic rules. Three years ago, Mayor Oscar Moreno implemented the "Hapsay Dalan", a project bent on instilling road safety and discipline to the citizens of Cagayan de Oro city, which really changed the feeling when you are in Cagayan de Oro.

Once upon a time, the city road was a nightmare. Literally and figuratively. The traffic was disastrous, the road congested existed almost everywhere, in every few minutes, some poor soul is crashed. All these, Mayor Moreno saw as something he needed to change.

Athelo Gabalo a Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) officer says that "deperensya ragyud ang dalan sauna ug karun pero para sa amoa nga mga RTA dako pagyud ang trabahuon para ma maau na ang traffic diri sa atong syudad. Pero di gyud nimo mapugngan basta naa na sa daghan tao pareha sa mga market, diha sa cogon ug divisoria" he added, as he is stationed in Cogon Market. Being that not everyone seems to use the infamous and nearly invincible white marked road, thus, making them safeguards for people to cross in the absence of such. Gabalo also mentioned in regards to the pedestrian lanes that "mas na disiplina ang mga tao karun compare sauna kay kabalo na sila asa dapit insakto mutabok".

Over the first few months of Moreno’s administration, many have reacted over the ‘Hapsay Dalan’ project. Some, stating that it’s ‘too much’ or ‘a bit overrating’ while others, students especially, saying ‘it’s about time’. Nevertheless, the city now is better than before. Kagay-anons seemed more disciplined now and cautious about their welfare when on the road. Though accidents happen once in a while, the Roads and Traffic Administration is ever optimistic.

With Moreno’s administration coming to a close, the question remains: will the ‘Hapsay Dalan’ fade too? Will Kagay-anons revert to their old selves? Will the streets return to becoming a nightmare for drivers, Kagay-anons and tourists? We will never know.

Honestly, it is just so amazing how people have learned to value their lives especially anywhere in the road. People are learning quite a few things, and a few tricks. In sum, everything should be in place in order to achieve the ideal city. The city has improved so much, and it’s only a matter of time before we meet the standards that of Davao or Cebu. Now, Cagayan de Oro really has the potential for it is better now. It maybe just the road we’re looking at, but it makes just as a difference as it reflects us, Kagay-anons.