Wednesday, July 1, 2009

An encounter with a corrupt traffic officer



A friend and I were on our way home to QC from Cavite last June 28, 2009. We took Macapagal Ave. The light turned red at the MOA-EDSA extension intersection, we made a full stop.


We were at halt for a good 3 minutes when an ambulance with its siren screaming at everyone and lights flashing approached and stopped behind him. It could be an emergency, he thought. But the big traffic sign on his right side says… “No Right Turn On Red Light”. But what if there’s a dying person in side the ambulance? Or someone somewhere needs to be rushed to the Hospital?


Choosing the best option, my friend turned right while the red light is on to let the ambulance pass and decided to just continue driving. No sense stopping at the corner after making that turn.


Then from afar, a person uniformed in an orange shirt started flashing a flash light (more like a pen light). Another guy even walked in the middle of the road attempting to stop my friend. My friend continued driving and eventually stopped at a distance with the traffic enforcer asking for his licence.


At 8:02 pm, this conversation took place.





(NOTE: to play recording click "MUSIC" icon)

The traffic enforcer, who refused to give his name, obviously knows that what my friend did is excusable but nevertheless would still like to reprimand my friend with a violation ticket. Sensing that my friend knows his right as a motorist, the traffic enforcer opted to lower down his violation to “not wearing seat a belt” (which is the most idiotic thing since all throughout the conversation I and my friend were wearing our safety belts).


Another appalling thing was, the police office was talking about the commission they get from the fine people pay whenever they commit a violation. He was trying to ask us to pay the violation (which is not even valid) so that he can get it percentage.


To test the officer’s credibility, my fried half-heartedly agreed to give him money instead of a ticket. The fowl character officer accepted the money and returned my friend’s licence.This traffic enforcer is one of the most idiotic person I’ve met, the most unreasonable and dishonest.


Why does our Government hire this kind of people to do our traffic management? I don’t know how to express my extreme disappointment toward that corrupt traffic officer and how inefficient our government is training them. Are they being paid unjustly, so low that they have to resort to extortion?


After the draining discussion, with one of the most depressed looking, narrow minder, corrupt traffic enforcer (I can’t believe this is the kind of person out government hire as a traffic enforcer), my friend, equipped with logic and a clear cell phone recording of what transpired, decide to take the extra mile to file a report against the officer. He made a U turn and went to look for the traffic officer’s headquarters. He also reported the situation to trapik.com.


It pays to know the traffic rules but it’s a bummer to have imbeciles working as traffic officers. I am not generalizing but this sort situation happens… and it happens frequently.


This experience make me feel less proud being a Filipino.







11 comments:

wanderingcommuter said...

the bliss of being a commuter....

parang nagiging suki ka ata ng mga traffic incidence ah! hehehe!

The Green Man said...

@ wanderingcommuter: kinakabahan nga ako kasi parnag series of unfortunate events na ito. hahahah!!!

red the mod said...

wow. wait 'til i write my entry on the police extortion i experienced at pasay last week.

Eli said...

nakaka pang init tlga ng ulo ung mga ganyang tao kasi parang alam mo un the way they treat people is like a bully bullying a kid. It's as if all the civilians in metro manila are idiots and are not familiar with the proper traffic rules na kelangan pang suhulan kotongan or whatever

ACRYLIQUE said...

Honga. Parang laging may unforgettable memories ka sa road. :)

The Green Man said...

@ red the mod: naku! you should write about it. I hope they reprimand that traffic enforcer. I hope he loses his job. Sana maging tambay nalang sya para may reason syang magnotong. hahahah!

The Green Man said...

@ ELAY: Naku sinabi mo pa. ang babastos... pag binastos mo in return ikaw pa ang masama. Maswerte talaga tayo at may pinagaralan tayo. I amsure nakatapos din yun, hindi lang halata.

The Green Man said...

@ ACRYLIQUE: oo nga e. napapisip na nga ako na baka sumpa na ito. hahaha.

Wala naman akong ginagawang masama para makarma. haaay.

Turismoboi said...

hay ano pa nga ba!

tzk tzk!

citybuoy said...

tsk tsk. some people..

Ming Meows said...

next time, papicture kayo ni officer para mamukhaan cya.