Despite my attempts to belong to it, the night hasn’t always been nice to me.
It was 2am and I was on my way home from a night out with friends. As I turned onto my street, I noticed a commotion ahead. A red CRV was parked on the curb, its hazard light blinking. Another car was parked in front of it, some tricycles were parked, and a crowd gathered around. At 2am, this was not a normal sight.
I initially assumed the neighborhood kids were drag racing on my street. I didn’t need this. I immediately signalled I was turning right when I really had to go past the crowd. As I got closer, I could make out what they were all focused on. A man was lying on the street, his arm outstretched, his body awkward. He was lifeless.
Just a few moments before, I went past a taxi with a guy forcibly shoving a girl in (which I hope I don’t have to worry about. I just felt I had to mention it). And even earlier in the night, I passed a white car rammed into flyover railings. It didn’t fly over but the car’s front was totalled.
Jump two months back when I encountered a crazy (and possibly drunken) driver. And just the same, it was at 2am. He was going in zigzags and he knocked over some street illuminators/dividers. It was a car chase, really, that car being chased by cops by foot. And not only that, they began open-firing while my friends and I were in the middle of it.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how sober you are on the road. It doesn’t even matter that you drive safer than a tortoise racing with a hare. More often than not, it’s the other road rats that need a good spanking. The roads in Manila are different at night. The congestion may not be there, but the dangers are increased a notch.
So Manila people, be careful and drive safely.