My ‘no bribe policy’
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MUCH to my frustration, I have never been issued a traffic ticket, neither in Manila nor in Mexico, during the past three decades that I have been driving. That is not a self-serving declaration, though I am secretly convinced that I am better at the wheel than most of the arrogant hot-heads driving in the National Capital Region. I am also more law-abiding and courteous, so tolerant that even if I have the right of way, I don’t always insist. Although I have never crashed into or grazed another vehicle, I have been caught invading the yellow bus lane on a Saturday morning (when I thought the regulation was suspended) by a pot-bellied traffic aide in a yellow shirt and on foot; most drivers would have gleefully stepped on the gas as he couldn’t have given chase, but I stopped obediently. When he perceived that I was more than willing to pay the fine, all I got was a perfunctory lecture. Sometimes, I turn while on the wrong lane or inadvertently go into a one-way street, but I have never been issued a ticket. Through the years, I have never resorted to bribery, even when in a great rush, for fear (and shame) of corrupting a public servant who, I always assume, is merely fulfilling his/her oath of office. Hopefully, my "no bribery policy" will one day make a positive dent on traffic enforcement in this metropolis.
Two weeks ago, I committed a gross violation; I was caught driving with a Mexican license which, to my horror, had already expired. I was on EDSA, heading towards Pasong Tamo Extension when out of confusion, I took the new taxi lane. As expected, a traffic aide in blue flagged me down. As always, I docilely pulled up to the curb, resigned to the fact that I would have to cancel all many appointments that afternoon. The MMDA traffic aide was jubilant when he saw my invalid license, yet visibly perplexed that I was pleading guilty and asking for a ticket. He waved to a companion who came to give me the same long-winded, pro-forma description of the gravity of my crime; I listened patiently. Traffic aide #1 said he had to take me to their station at McKinley Road and quickly slipped into my car so off I drove though I was not sure he was supposed to do that. Once at McKinley Road, he told me to go to the Shell Gas Station across the road while he talked to his supervisor but, pointing to the "No Left Turn" sign, I said I could not possibly commit another violation in his very presence. So, I was allowed to park on the grassy shoulder of the street, under an acacia while, he and other aides conferred. I began to call and reschedule appointments. When aide #1 returned, he was with a companion who was about to give me a third lecture when I told him, very politely, that he could spare himself the trouble as I was fully aware of my grievous crime. Again, I begged to pay the fine which aide #1 said amounted to R950. When I was about to reach for my purse, he said he could not issue a receipt. But why not? We would have to go to the MMDA office so he could ask his "boss" about the "process." I very meekly said that it was indeed strange for an MMDA officer who was already on duty at a busy thoroughfare like EDSA not to know the "process." Unbelievable, I stressed. Flustered by my patience and firmness, he surreptitiously glanced at his watch, it was already 4:30 p.m. Then he and the other aide said there would be no time to go to the MMDA so if I insisted on the receipt, they would have to confiscate my license plates which I would have to claim at the MMDA, the next Monday. Very politely, I told them that I had been informed by friends that I should never surrender my license plates so, perking up noticeably, they demanded to know who these friends were. No, I did not name drop. Instead, I asked them to please show me a manual, a rule book, whatever, to prove that they were authorized to remove my license plates. They could not. Finally, they said I could pay the fine but that there would be no receipt. I could not agree to that. It would have violated my cherished "no bribe policy" which I have assiduously upheld all these years. So that was that; I was dismissed with disdain because I wasted their time.
What about me? I spent two hours of my life trying to be a law-abiding citizen, showing utmost respect for officers who were supposed to be enforcing the laws. In the process, I could not take my car to the service shop and I had to cancel an appointment with the dentist, but never mind; at least I did not demean myself by corrupting public servants. That is why I was happy to hear that MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando has simplified the whole process so we traffic violators can now go to Metrobank to pay the specified fines. By the way, I just got my Philippine driver’s license and that is another story. (gcruz@Imanila.com.ph)
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