MANILA, Philippines – Traffic congestion during rush hour? MMDA’s solution: a driver-only car ban along EDSA.
Singles steered away from EDSA after Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started its dry run of the driver-only car ban on August 15. The first day of the dry run sparked an outcry from netizens ranging from long rants on Twitter to humorous solutions to skirt the ban.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">New single passenger policy on EDSA?<br>No problem! <a href="https://t.co/Rt5MeyzMR7">pic.twitter.com/Rt5MeyzMR7</a></p>— Sam (@samlichauco) <a href="https://twitter.com/samlichauco/status/1029377858546749440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Some made the most out of their predicament.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Am putting up an 'EDSA Buddy' business. If you need company to go through EDSA,<br>1) Regular person—30Pesos one way<br>2) Interesting conversationalist—150Pesos one way<br>3) Showbiz person. 5K. <br>Pag rush hour, 10K one way.<br>Make sure to state your political leanings para walang away.</p>— Jim (@Jimparedes) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jimparedes/status/1029516942841769984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hi crush! I just want u to know that the shortest route between my office and my school is EDSA Pasay-Estrella. But i drive alone lang kaya bawal na ako there. So if ever you need a ride, hehe call me, text me, beep me coz hehehe we need to save time</p>— Tin Peñalosa (@tinpenia) <a href="https://twitter.com/tinpenia/status/1029646013567393792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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On a serious note, netizens took to social media to express their frustration at the impracticality of the driver-only car ban along EDSA. While it may have decongested EDSA by a small margin, it also flared up the traffic situations in other routes.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Banning driver only vehicles seems to have lessened traffic on EDSA, but has severely increased traffic in C5. This has also led to backlog along ortigas extension. This policy isn’t removing the problem, it just transferred it.</p>— Juan (@jaofriginal) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaofriginal/status/1029532444276359168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Others also pointed out that the ban only moved the traffic elsewhere, and suggested the need to look for sustainable solutions that would improve public transportation.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MMDA's driver-only car ban lightens traffic on EDSA (left) this morning but creates traffic jam on C-5 (right). Is it a solution? Time to revisit insights of inclusive mobility (move people not vehicles) and the imperative for an efficient & effective mass transit system for NCR <a href="https://t.co/aTcYlIzE4O">pic.twitter.com/aTcYlIzE4O</a></p>— Benjamin Velasco (@BenjieBVelasco) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenjieBVelasco/status/1029572347026497536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Here’s what others had to say about the ban:
{source}<a class="twitter-timeline" data-partner="tweetdeck" href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom/timelines/1029622060903948290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">EDSA driver-only car ban - Curated tweets by rapplerdotcom</a> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
The ban comes concurrently with the implementation of a provincial bus ban along EDSA. MMDA hopes to do the full implementation of the driver-only car ban on August 23. However, the Senate is pushing for its suspension and is urging MMDA to "provide for real solutions to Metro Manila traffic congestion." –Rappler.com