Yes, well, it was only a matter of time. The first devil's invention to arrive in our glorious Republik has been installed at the end of a tunnel on the main thoroughfare which transects the vast city of Manila. Today I get a letter saying I was doing 65 kph in a 50 kph zone, along with a photo and a demand for P5,000 in 10 days or my car will be impounded.
Given the bureaucracy and inefficiency here that's probably an empty threat, and there is always a "way out", none the less I am thinking thin ends and wedges.
Darn it, the free-est place in SE Asia as well (as was).
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Is it programmed to only book Western looking drivers?
Roger in Spain
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"P5,000 in 10 days or my car will be impounded"
Dear God! I hope our lot aren't reading this... :-(
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>>>>>>"P5,000 in 10 days or my car will be impounded"
Dear God! I hope our lot aren't reading this... :-(
I know...Brunstrom Heaven I would think.
These guys here don't have the resources to carry out their threats so not worried on that score re impounding. Growlette will flash her pearly whites and be nice to the man on the counter so we will get away with some under the table money, but the worrying thing is that these guys are getting ideas from yours.
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So, civilistion has caught up with you at last G. Time to move? Do they have speed cameras in Vietnam?
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Do thery have ROADS in Vietnam?
Roger in Spain
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No worries! Growlette owns a (very) small island in the province so I can live on rum and mangoes and fester down there if it all gets too much. We do need a road though. More expense. Maybe I can instal my own camera and send myself threatening letters.....
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What do they call the cameras in Manila? El Gatso?
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Well NW in true Filipino fashion the law is honored in the breach as opposed to the observance. Guys are just saying OK I'll take my number plate off and stick it on my dashboard, or I'll dirty it up so the camera can't read it..it won't be long before somebody gets a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) passed on the grounds there isn't anything in the Philippine Constitution saying you can use speed cameras and then it all goes to Congress and I'll see you in 2014 while they all debate that lot. This will likely occur when the first official who considers himself important gets a ticket.
Not too worried in a a nutshell.
So many beautiful women, so little time.....
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"small island in the province"
Hell's teeth, G! Not content with your own Harley, housekeeper and 351 Mustang, you've got a girl with her own island! There must be some drawback somewhere... :-)
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Truly she does. There are 7,106 others, however. It is tiny, you have to hire a banca (outrigger boat) to get to it and it has a bahay kubo (bamboo hut) on it which she rents to an elderly gent, who tends the mango trees and sells the fruit in the market. They've just put electricity in as well. Since it's about 200m in length, not a lot of need for a car though (motoring link).
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"who tends the mango trees and sells the fruit in the market"
Hmm - that sounds pretty agreeable (although not an ideal candidate for a speed camera, perhaps). Reminds me of this:
www.inspirationpeak.com/shortstories/mexicanfisher...l
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If only I lived in Mexico...........
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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LOL, the Mexican story pretty much sums it up. The old guy goes out with a bucket early a.m. and comes back with it full of crabs and or shrimps straight out of the sea and puts them on a charcoal grill , boils up some rice -- that's lunch -- then he tinkers with the old jeep that has sat on breeze blocks since 197? (motoring link) -- then we get out the 50 pence bottle of rum, Growlette has brought some ice (best avoided, Philippine ice is to toilet paper what Mexican food is) and he shares all his stories of the Japanese occupation of the Phils in WW2.
Like many older Filipinos his English is perfect, such a shame the country let that one fade.
Last time we went I took him some universal radiator hose and some clamps (motoring link) for the jeep. He says he's been too busy to use them..........I don't suppose this has anything to do with the large number of empty rum bottles stashed outside.....
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