Editorial: Follow traffic rules

THE heavy traffic in many parts of Davao City can be annoying. We just want to get to the place where we needed to be.

The Davao City Traffic and Transport Management Office (CTTMO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Davao City Council have been doing their best to address the traffic woes of the city with the implementation and crafting of programs, plans, and ordinances that would best solve this growing problem.

The Department of Public Works and Highways and Davao City Engineering Office are also doing their best, assuming something is really being done, to finish the road works that are causing heavy traffic and headaches to motorists and commuters alike.

Let's face the reality, these agencies can only do so much. Their efforts and initiatives are nothing if the motorists and commuters can't follow simple instructions.

It can be observed that heavy traffic can be caused by motorists who can't even follow simple rules.

Some motorists counter flow causing grid locks. There are also some self-entitled private drivers and hot-blooded taxi drivers who don't even give way.

Then you have the hard-headed pedestrians who can't wait for the walk sign before crossing the street, suddenly crossing the street and causing a build-up of vehicles.

Some pedestrians are even crossing on areas where they are not allowed to cross.

Next we have the public utility jeepneys (PUJ) drivers who think that it is okay to just stop at anywhere to pick up or drop commuters.

We also have private vehicles parked illegally alongside the road. However, we cannot totally fault them as there are no decent parking spaces or parking buildings around.

The Ramon Magsaysay Avenue or Claro M. Recto (Claveria) Street are wide enough accommodate the traffic if only there are no vehicles parked on the main roads.

These are just some of the problems that are being committed by regular motorists and commuters, causing further traffic in Davao City.

If we just learn to follow simple traffic rules and be sensitive to others, then maybe we can help ease the traffic problems in our city.