The relationship people have with seatbelts here in the Philippines is quite different than what I'm used to in Canada. In Canada wearing seatbelts is not only the law it's also something that's force-fed into our brains from an early age.
'Wearing a seatbelt is necessary for your safety.'
'If you don't wear you're seatbelt you'll DIE!!'
Since we're given this teaching at an early age the first thing we do when we get in the car is attached our seatbelts. Both in the front and the backseats. And that's before the car engine is even running! You open your car door, get in, buckle up in your seatbelt, start the engine, then drive.
This is Canada.
Now let's talk about the Philippines.
It's also the law to wear seatbelts in the Philippines. But of the 10 people I asked no one seems to know if it's the law for both the front and back seats. No one here wears seatbelts in the backseat. NO ONE I know. My observation is people here are consciously aware they're wearing a seatbelt. They wear it and they hate it. They hate it so much they look for any opportunity to take it off. Here's an example: we have a driver in the family that takes us places. He will only put on his seatbelt when it's absolutely necessary. By 'necessary' I mean when it's possible a police may see him and give him a ticket. He only wears his seatbelt on main roads. Once we turn onto a side street the seatbelt immediately comes off. And I mean IMMEDIATELY. He turns the corner onto the side street and CLICK off comes the seatbelt. The reason I find this amusing is because when I'm in a car driving I'm not even aware I have my seatbelt fastened. I click it on and it stays on. I forget it's there. Our driver (and others I've seen actually) knows it's there and dammit, he wants it off. He treats it like a rabid dog biting into his waist. Sadly I'm falling into this Filipino seatbeat philosophy. I never wear my seatbelt in the backseat anymore. Oh what will become of good old law-biding Kenn?
4 comments:
You're on the road to decline my friend. It all starts with pooh-poohing back seat safety belts and before we know it, you're running a marijuana grow-op out of a rented house in Maple Ridge with a 300-pound Hell's Angel named 'Pinky'.
Yes, but that's the BC Dream not the Manila dream. :)
And for your information, my Hell's Angel is named Binky and he gives great foot massages.
I have some additional information about this post. My cousin Richie who is the god of all knowledge in the universe has just informed me that no, it is NOT the law to buckle up your seatbelt in the backseat. Also, the front seatbeat law only came into play seven years ago. Maybe this is why some people here are still so uncomfortable wearing them.
You've become "infected" you'll start to eat meat soon too.
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