Why is it hard for some people to follow even the simplest, most basic rules?
I am a fan of organization, rules and regulations. No, I am not saying that I am the most righteous, rule-abiding person ever. But I like things organized, I like order.
Traffic and driving rules and road signs.
In my daily travel to work, I pass by an expressway where the minimum speed is 60kph for all vehicles, while the maximum speed is 80kph for trucks and buses, and 100kph for cars. In the said expressway, slow vehicles (i.e. going at the 60kph min.) should stay on the right (outermost) lane, and trucks and buses are not allowed on the innermost (left) lane. When I am driving to work, I mostly use the left lane, so I can go up to 100kph. But why, why is it that there are some drivers who are travelling so sloooow on that lane? Why can’t they understand what “slow vehicles should stay on the right” means? Also, why is it that buses and trucks are travelling along the left lane where they are not allowed? Because they know they can get away with it? Because the expressway management are too slack to apprehend them? Are the penalties too lax?
Being on time.
There may not be any laws about being on time for appointments, meetings, meet-ups, etc. Or, are there? But… still. Why can’t people be on time? I know some people who are always on-the-dot when leaving the office, but are usually late coming in. There are people who will get mad at you for being late in your meet-up ONCE, but they are the ones who are chronically late. I’m not saying I have never been late, BUT I am very rarely late. In my previous company where I stayed for 5 years (that’s like 1,000 working days), I have been late for less than 10 times only, yes, I have been late for only 1% of my entire tenure. Ha!
Also, when meeting with friends, even if I know that they will be late, I always arrive on or before the scheduled meeting time. I can’t even explain why. Maybe because I hate waiting, so I don’t want people I am meeting to be mad at me if I keep them waiting.
Escalators. Stand. Walk.
Oh God. This one. Yup, I am guilty of not following this SOMETIMES, but in my defense, this has not been the practice in the Philippines, and shopping malls only started implementing this around 2 years ago (I think), so, I always forget that this is now being implemented. Also, NOT ALL malls are implementing this.
I have been to Singapore where I first encountered this stand-on-the-right-walk-on-the-left culture. In my observation, Singaporeans have great regard with other pedestrians, so they practice this not just in mall escalators but in other path walks as well. I guess it would take years for Filipinos to adapt this practice, because we tend to gather around and talk even while walking, and especially when inside malls where “bonding” is highly promoted.
No Smoking. No littering. No this-and-that’s.
I am only an “occasional” smoker. I only smoke during beer sessions, because I hate the smell of smoke especially when it sticks to clothes. Just last year, a Presidential Decree was issued to regulate smoking in public places across the Philippines. Establishments were compelled to designate smoking areas and put up “No Smoking” signs in no smoking areas, but no matter how big the signs are, people tend to disregard them altogether.
The same is true with “No Littering” policies, “No Jaywalking”, “No Loading/Unloading” for PUVs and many other “No’s” and “Don’ts.” You will think, laws, ordinances and Presidential Decrees are created for these, but some people have a complete disregard for such.
The list can go on and on. One could write a 1000-page book about people disregarding rules, from laws to those as mundane as basic etiquettes. As the saying goes, “We are what we repeatedly do.” Discipline starts with oneself, so maybe this is why the Philippines remains in its position as we ourselves don’t give regard to our own laws. When will we ever learn? Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of being a Filipino, I love our country, but maybe we can even be prouder if we instigate discipline among ourselves? This may be true as well in other countries, don't you think?
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