Manila's infamous drivers

The Intimidator
PUJ & traysikol drivers are the stars here. They’re the ones who won’t seem to stop for anything or anyone at intersections, and will step on their brakes only at the last possible second.

The tralala-lalalala’s
They’re the ones who maintain their own grandma-speed limits, regardless of the recommended speed limit, or the flow of traffic. You’ll see them coming up the intersection from the perpendicular street, taking up your space, and changing lanes without warning, all at the blinding speed of 15kph.

The Low rider
You’ve definitely seen them - lowered cars with skirts, spoilers, pitch-dark tints, customized mags and rear and head lights, with the added accessory of left arm hanging out the window, with the radio turned up to 20,000 decibels (blasting 50 cent’s latest hit). They’re also the ones that make that grumbling syento-bente engine noise.

The Blinker
Know how irritating it is to find the car you’re tailing is about to make a turn from an inner lane without giving any warning? Well this one makes full use of his signal lights or hazards, needed or not.

The Buzzer
Wait a split sec after the light turns green before you advance, and if the one behind you honks at you like there's no tomorrow, then that's him. Oops, my mascara's running, wait a sec, retouch lang ako sandali...

The Dark Knight
The PUJ’s that don’t ever make use of their headlights in en effort to save on batteries. Oh they do occasionally use their headlights, when they want you to give way to them at intersections. May also come in the form of taxi’s or FX’s.

The Asserter (also called PUV’s)
They’re the ones who swerve/tilt without warning, always assuming you’ll give way to them whenever they do. If you look closely enough at an intersection, they’re also the ones who don’t bother a peek when making a turn; like I said, they assume you’ll give way to them. They’re not as quick as the Intimidators, but are just as space-grabbing.

The Patok
Oh ofcourse you know them. PUJ’s, extremely loud music, sticker design and lights overload, passengers holding on for dear life and practically falling off from the constant starts and stops and swerves. And you can’t forget the sidekick taga-singil, for that extra macho alpha-male appeal of the driver.

The can’t-hold-it-for-two-more-seconds
They’re the ones who seem to have been holding their pee for far too long, such that they cannot, absolutely cannot be held up, slowed down, or stopped at any point in the trip; as a result, they drive with absolute disregard for the rights and safety of other motorists.

The Ass-kisser (otherwise known as the Tail-gater)
They like to get close enough to your behind to take a peck. Their headlights will be blasting bright light throughout the inside your car, OR, if it’s daytime, you’ll be able to see the driver’s left cheek mole throughout your drive, for as long as his route is similar to yours.

The Sneaky bastard
They’re the ones who come up 2 inches from your left side mirror to speed off ahead of you. They like to dart in and out of traffic and change lanes at the speed of sound.

The Challenger
They’re the ones beside you at stop lights. And then you happen to glance sideways. Which he notices.
You begin to look more closely at the opposite direction’s traffic light, which is now turning yellow..
He revs up his engine ever so slightly.
You bring down your handbrakes in anticipation of the green light..
The second that the last street-crosser scurries up to the sidewalk, you and the car beside you speed off into the night…
until the next stop light.:)