LACSON, Lopez Jaena, Gonzaga, Araneta, Magsaysay, Burgos and B.S. Aquino... you might be thinking of our national heroes but actually I am talking about these streets that never sleep. Why? For the reason that they all have in common - traffic.
Sometimes I tend to forget that I am in the City of Smiles because how can you smile when you face this everyday predicament? Take note, I usually hear this reason with my students in my 7:30 a.m. class when they arrived late “sorry miss na trapik ko” or with my colleagues when they do errands “Wow! Grabe ang trapik.” Why do we have to suffer like this? Do we now accept the fact that we are becoming like Metro Manila? Of course not, we do not want that to happen.
As a mom driving my children everyday to school and to other places, I could not help but really do give comments on what I have observed with the traffic situations in Bacolod. So, please allow me to share my observations. First is illegal parking. We do have road and bridge widening and that is great. This shows that there is an ease of access on the road for the moving vehicles. However, the road and bridge widening also meant an easy free parking space for the motorists. They just park their vehicles without being chastised. Even in the bike lane area, bikers cannot anymore use this lane since drivers of cars, pedicabs and tricycles use it as their parking area.
Second, some drivers of motorcycles are not afraid to do the snake-like motion. They slither in and out of every moving vehicle to change lanes, other times they use the fast lane section and once they get bumped by other vehicles, boom! Accident occurs and traffic comes.
Third, pedicabs and tricycles are like “hari ng kalsada” because they are not afraid to pass by the minor and major thoroughfares. Isn’t it ironic when you try to get their attention by using your vehicle horn, the pedicab and tricycle drivers are the ones who get mad if overtaken?
Fourth, the double parking. As I always pass by Lopez-Jaena Street going to B.S. Aquino Drive, there are vehicles who double park especially those near the furniture shops and hardware stores. Another is on the 6th Street near VSB building. The drivers just use their hazards to double park their vehicles. This makes me wonder if these drivers had undergone seminars before having their license.
Fifth, beating the red light and u-turn. We know for a fact that time is gold but so is our life. Some traffic enforces are actually visible but they do not do anything to reprimand those buzzer beater drivers and those drivers who take illegal u-turns such as in the Jollibee La Salle, Bangga Metal, and Bangga Cory.
Sixth, road constructions. I am just wondering because those in-charge of the road constructions or road repairs tend to destroy the roads so fast but take them long to finish. Another is how come repairs are always scheduled when classes start and rainy season begins? I’m just asking.
I know that there are still lots of reasons why there is traffic in Bacolod; but, it only boils down to one thing, lack of disciple. Only if and when the traffic rules are being strictly implemented without any vested interest by the people sitting in the government will Bacolod avoid being like Metro Manila. If other cities can have smooth flow of traffic, so can Bacolod.