EDITORS DESK
If there’s anything we can learn from all the viral traffic incidents that have taken hold of our collective consciousness this year, it’s not to run after figuring in a traffic incident. Perhaps the main reason why so many of these incidents have gone viral is because — most of the time — the perpetrator (or at least someone involved in the incident) had panicked and fled the scene. As such, in an effort to have them face the consequences or at least get their side of the incident, the footage typically goes viral.
The era of video
It's a foregone conclusion that practically everything is being recorded these days. A large majority of vehicles now have dashboard cameras installed. In fact, new models either come packaged with one, or at the very least have power outlets near where one could be installed. Many motorcycle riders have installed similar devices on their bikes or helmets. If not, you can always count on a few rubber-neckers whipping out their phone to film a gruesome traffic accident they pass by. If you ever figure in an incident, it’s more than likely someone has managed to film the incident, or at least captured the immediate aftermath. There’s practically no escape these days.
Blame the arduous and quite low-tech process of talking with traffic officers, filing reports, and claiming from insurance for the rise in dash cams and phone footage. There’s no better way to fast track this processing (and get a fair outcome) than with video footage.
After all, we’ve all patiently dealt with accidents, heavy traffic, and the draconian rules imposed to reign in unruly drivers. There’s a sense of shadenfreude (joy in the misfortune of others) when a violator is quickly caught for their misdeed. Conversely, when one escapes, there’s a strong sense of duty that arises to bring these traffic violators to justice. It’s often guided by the thought, “If I have to put up with these rules, so should you.”
Fear the internet sleuths
In a way, these viral incidents have become the ‘who-done-it’ of the modern era. Amateur internet sleuths take these bite-size mysteries as their cue to carefully pore over every frame of the video in order to gleam some sort of clue to the fugitive’s identity. Anything from a blurry shot of the conduction sticker, to a portion of the plate, to even something as trivial as a rear windshield sticker will be used as clues to identify the driver.
The main motivation is to name and shame. At a time when practically every politician promises to ensure that ‘all are equal under the eyes of the law,’ these traffic fugitives are the perfect stress test for that promise. It should hold especially true if the driver or owner is a politician, powerful businessman, or popular figure.
Once a traffic fugitive has gone viral, it’s not the LTO and PNP’s investigation prowess he or she has to worry about, it’s the citizens at large. Not hampered by due process or privacy laws, these amateur internet sleuths will not hesitate to publicize their full name, place of work, address, prior offenses, and other personal information.
Running makes them viral
Many may remember some of the most intriguing incidents that captured our attention. There was the SUV that ran over a traffic officer in Ortigas. The many road rage-fueled drivers cutting off others and brandishing their firearms to show their displeasure. More recently, there was the blue Tesla with no plate or conduction sticker that had escaped a hit and run with a motorcycle. In each of these incidents, the public has not hesitated to investigate and discover the driver’s identity. What’s worse, escaping leads them to suspect these drivers may be hiding other more serious offenses.
Each of these incidents (with the exception of the Tesla so far) has led to the driver being publicly identified and called to face an even harsher punishment than if they had just stopped in the first place.
By escaping, some of them may think they’re escaping an arduous negotiation and a couple thousand pesos in damages and fines. Yet once identified in public, they risk embarrassing their families, risking their job security, and possibly permanently suspending their driver’s license. Staying put and facing the consequences may have been way more affordable than being the public pariah many of these traffic fugitives turn into once identified.
Next time, simply stop, get down, and talk to those aggrieved. A few hours of inconvenience and a few thousand pesos in fines and damages are a far smaller penalty than a few weeks of being stalked and judged by the entirety of the nation.
(Iñigo S. Roces is the Motoring Editor of Manila Bulletin)