On Rains and Cars and the Manila Traffic

I live in Manila, and believe me, this city remains to amaze me.

I am not going to rant here how bad traffic can get.  I mean, heck, I've seen and driven through the LA freeway in similar state, so I'd like to say that all these problems with traffic pretty much have to do with... how to deal with it.  Patience is a virtue, but you gotta be prepared.

Everyday --- well, except during my number-coding day ---- I drive to work.  It's not really a long drive if you think about it.  From Mandaluyong to the western edge of the Makati CBD, on lighter days I can make it in fifteen minutes.  On "normal days", 30-45 minutes will do.  Some days, though, it takes me more than an hour.  Crazy, huh.

I love to drive and I am known for what I call "secret passages".  These secret passages are NOT shortcuts, but rather alternative routes that can save you time but they sometimes require extra miles.  For instance, every time I drive north from my apartment in Mandaluyong, I take the San Juan route.  I take this specific street off Bluementritt which can lead me straight to N. Domingo or Aurora Boulevard.  From there, I take New Manila, the Scout area, and then Edsa via the Kamuning or Quezon Avenue u-turn.  Of course this does not save me from specific traffic blockages, i.e. corner of Broadway and N. Domingo which can be a pain because of the traffic light at the corner of Broadway and Araneta.  So what I do, if the left from N. Domingo to Broadway becomes a pain, I go straight, head to the Horseshoe area, and take a left instead at the old Magnolia that will lead me to Hemady.  And then I end up on E. Rodriguez where I get to choose between Thomas Morato or this small street leading to Kamuning.

Come rainy season, the trick with knowing all these shortcuts is you have to be aware of the flashflood areas. Mandaluyong, despite being a good alternate route between Makati and the north, is flood-prone.  Stay away from the Maysilo Circle as much as you can.  You can try the Barangka route, but this road tends to get really crowded because of the market.  And yes, it intersects Boni Avenue, hence the traffic can become a nightmare even on regular days.

San Juan is also a tricky area.  I think San Juan has lesser flooding because the area is generally hilly, but of course, as hills go up and down, there are certain sections that can get flooded with the snap of your fingers. An example is this area at the end of Manalo heading to Ver which offers salvation via the ends of Kalentong and then the higher ground at Bluementritt.

Anyways, I am now thinking maybe I should share some Manila traffic tips.  Because seriously... I know a lot of them.