Jeepney and Tricycle

My blog (generally speaking.....) is 100% not meant to be controversial, quite the opposite, if anyone gets upset with my post and starts a "flame war" (blog term, i think for extreme views to be aired, erring to nastiness) then this is not my intention and this post is as controversial as it gets, in public from me.

In my opinion, and only my opinion there is one absolutely superb means of medium distance public transport to be found all over the Philippines and that is the jeepney.

Equally there is also a smelly dirty form of transport which in my opinion is practically useless and that is the tricycle.

Arguments in justification of the above are as follows, first the positive, the jeepney.

Jeepneys take large numbers of people to work or to town or to shops etc, every day over short to medium distance journeys, usually from A-B (ie using highways) and at an extremely economical rate. They take up the commuter slack that bus's can't cope with, please bear in mind that taxis and private vehicles are out of reach of the average person on a day to day basis.

Yes, sure jeepneys are smelly, dangerous (not roadworthy....most of them) their drivers are not to be challenged (all of them) , but and its a big but, they are available, regular, cheap, and go where people want to go to.

The tricycle fullfills another function and this is basically to undertake local journeys, for example into a subdivison where the jeepney drops people off at the highway.....so....why do i dislike them? I will try and convince (anybody following and still awake).

They are dirty and smelly, (so are jeepneys) dangerous and not necessary in most cases because the distance they travel is so local it is almost easier to walk, again in my opinon. Very poor people and children use tricycles all the time and i find this amazing, walking doesn't seem to be an option and am talking of distances in the 100metre range. Sure its hot and sweaty here and nobody wants to arrive at work sweaty, but they are hardly spared the rigours of the external climate by riding the tricycle.

Anyway, this is my opinion, i doubt it will change whatever alternative point of view is raised, but i would be happy to hear alternative points of view.

For the foreigners......tricycles can be hired exclusive, or will drop people off in turn in a subdivision, they lurk when idle at the "mouth" of the subdivision waiting for customers, usually there seems to be more vehicles than customers.

Jeepneys are regulated and follow a route, usually displayed on their side and in the front window, the passenger flags them down anywhere, the fare is set by regulation, they pick up anywhere but the authorities designate places (like at busy traffic intersections) where they are not allowed to pick up. Some are decorated very artistically in gaudy style and often laden with fruit or other goods, again a bonus in their versatility.

Photos attached are for example....both jeepney and poor old tricycles....