Tired Bus Drivers Taxi Drivers

Don't ride with tired drivers in buses or taxis.

Tired Bus Drivers and Taxi Drivers

Some of the scariest times are when your driver is obviously fatigued. On two occasions I have ridden with drivers who were trying to stay awake. One time was in a bus operated by Victory Lines. About half way through our trip on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from Angeles City to Manila I noticed the driver repeatedly nodding, slapping his cheeks, rubbing his head and slapping his forehead. All this time he was driving about sixty miles per hour with a bus full of hapless passengers. 

North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)

Another time I was riding in a taxi from the airport in Manila. We were again on the NLEX, this time going to Angeles City. I went to meet my Mom who had flown in to see us and our first child, who she had never gotten to meet yet. We were renting an apartment in Magalang, a small farming town near Angeles City. The driver was showing signs of fatigue. He began taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes and his head. I asked him to turn on the radio and play some music. I think that did the trick and we arrived alive at the Angeles City exit.

I found some advice online,

This one from Ireland,

"Driving when you are tired can be very dangerous, and it may cause you to micro-sleep (or nod off momentarily). At 100 km/h you travel at 28 metres a second, so if you micro-sleep for just 4 seconds you would travel over 100 metres without being in control of the vehicle. Never drive if you are fighting sleep."

and this (from a NOSH article),

"Time of day: Your body has a sleep/wake cycle that tells you when to be alert and when it’s time to sleep. The urge to sleep is the most intense in the early morning hours."

Advice

Humans have a natural urge to sleep at night.

Daytime is the best time to ride in buses and taxis (without a doubt.) 

I remember news stories where buses have crashed down off mountain roads and people died.

So, to be safe, I think is always a good idea to briefly interview the driver. Looking straight in his or her face ask "How much sleep did you get last night" and "do you feel wide awake now?" If the driver shows signs of lying (averting his eyes while answering you or reaching to his mouth, nose or face while answering) then you may assume he is tired or fatigued. Don't ride in his bus or taxi! Better to suffer a delay than possibly get into a wreck. There is always another bus or taxi.

Carry Some Canned Coffee

Maybe one should carry some canned coffee and offer an obviously tired driver a can or two, or three! Or, if in a taxi on an expressway, offer to buy him some hot coffee at a rest area.

Here is a complete list of places to stop along highways.

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This post will be expanded upon. Check back for more information about tired and sleepy drivers in the Philippines. Uploaded July 8, 2022.