Driving in Angeles City

When I first arrived in Angeles City and I saw the driving situation I immediately decided that I would never drive here. Driving is not perfect in North America and there is a fair amount of road rage but some attempt is made to control the flow of traffic and enforce the traffic laws. Here it is general chaos until you get used to it.
There are few traffic lights, stop signs and directional signage so you are pretty well on your own. Driving practices range from defensive driving, outright offensive driving and blind driving.

After about three months of using trikes, jeepneys and taxis I convinced myself to rent a small motorcycle to facilitate getting around. I had never driven a motorcycle before and I will never again. During the short two weeks with a motorcycle I was involved in two accidents, both of which left me with scars, bruises as well as long term pain. In both cases my total lack of coordination on a motorcycle were to blame. Back to traveling by trikes, jeepneys or by foot. I must mention that there are many foreigners who drive motorcycles and they seem to blend right in with the locals.

One year later I moved to a gated community located away from Fields, the restaurants and the SM Mall. By necessity I reconsidered driving. This time I bought an old "owner type jeep" that looks more like a tank than a jeep. Well I have been driving this vehicle for over two years and I am quite confident driving in the general chaos that exists here. When in Rome do as the Romans and you can survive. Once you have an idea of what others are doing it is doable. I still have a few problems with the motorcycles passing on the right and on sidewalks, the lack of working headlights, brake lights and signal lights on vehicles, the jeepneys stopping anywhere they feel like it, the pedestrians who don't look before they cross the street, the kids playing everywhere and anywhere, the drunk drivers, the people walking in the middle of the road, the dangerous passing practices, the non respect of the few stop signs, and those traffic police officers who like to pick on foreigners.  As you can see I have adapted well. I even have an almost perfect driving record. As long as you are a calm driver you will do ok. Good luck to future drivers.