driving in the phils

[stevewool]

most know that one day i will ne living in the phils, hopefully bohol/pangla, if i wanted to drive out there do i need to take some sort of test, or would me being able to drive here be enough

[alsmith38]

I'm not sure but I believe you can use your UK license for a short period of time, maybe 6 weeks or so. But its quite easy to get a pi license. There is no test as such because you have a UK license, however there is a medical that everyone must go through, in saying that there was only really a urine test for drugs or drink....but there again you wouldn't go for your medical after a heavy night??...would you?.....the medical was a none event when I went...just a doctor asked if I could see the eye chart on the wall...to which I replied yes...that was it. There is some queing to go through, same as everything else in the Philipines, but there again you can pay for a fixer which will jump the queues for you.

[Terpe]

Yep, alsmith is right.

I'll just add that you can use your UK licence for 90 days from date of arrival.

Also for your first Philippine licence you will need to present your certificate of residency (address where you live), have a bit of an interview at the local police station and get your forms signed up.

The medical and drug test is pretty standard and exactly as simple as alsmith says.

The Philippine licence is usually valid for three years which is then just renewable.

Lot's of people use a fixer, but personally that's not something I would do.

[imagine]

thats usefull info,

ok so got the uk licence,, so what about the other things like insurance road tax? similar to here?

[Terpe]

Hahaha, there is a similarity but rather a loose one. :icon_lol::icon_lol:

Plenty of folks will advise that you don't need any. Wrong!!!. Period

Anyone thinking of driving around had better be sure to be very careful.
As a foreigner (well lets say rich guy) you're going to be wrong even when your right. Sorry if this sounds negative.
My bro-in-law has drummed this into me at every occasion and always with a story that sounds like it was written by Jasper Carrott.

It's been said that the philosophy and logic is that as a foreigner, the accident would never had happened at all if you were not there. :yikes:

He's taught me a lot and really does know a lot about this. His advice for me is to get the best comprehensive insurance I can. Read through all the small print and make sure it includes everything. Including "act of god".

On the positive side repairs seem usually pretty good and very cheap.
However, on the negative side medical expenses are extremely expensive (even when they're not :doh).

My bro-in-law has actually advised me not to drive if I could avoid it. He said in all major cities the traffic enforcers and police instinctively scan for foreign drivers and are very smart in developing some kind of violation especially for you. The fines will always be in cash.

Before I move over there I've a lot to learn :rolleyes:

Considering the costs involved in buying a vehicle and coupled with the dangers, I considering living close to my extended family and even employing one of them as a live in houseboy/driver.

Sorry if I've rambled off-topic again.

[stevewool]

you never ramble on peter:NoNo::NoNo:, just joking, but i thought there is no insurance as such over there, well not the insurance we have to have,, we all have so much to learn before we make the move, but then again do we, :)

[Terpe]

I really don't know if it's just 'urban legend' but my bro-in-law told me the story of an American guy just sitting in his parked car waiting for his wife. A guy on a bicycle rode straight into his car and fell over. The police were on the case in double quick time.
And guess what happened?? :doh
And guess how much was involved :doh

If it's true or not I really don't know.

Sorry mate, I'm rambling again. :olddude:

[grahamw48]

I've driven there Steve...also bought a couple of scooters, but hired cars as and when needed.

Make sure any car you drive has smoked windows and aircon if you want to avoid the outstretched hands of the cops wanting some lunch money. :)

[stevewool]

thanks Graham, dark windows did not help our fellow member which name i shall not say, his wife save him by paying his fine:yikes:

[Terpe]

thanks Graham, dark windows did not help our fellow member which name i shall not say, his wife save him by paying his fine:yikes:

Nudge nudge wink wink :laugher::laugher:

Say no more :laugher::laugher:

[grahamw48]

Just don't run any red lights Steve.

You'll only get stopped further up the road. :cwm24:

.
http://imageshack.us/a/img16/371/roadblockfils.jpg

[andy222]

The times I have been there my father in law borrowed me his motorbike. I asked a cop if I was allowed to drive there he told me what Terpe said for 90 says. As for insurance I havnt got a clue. I had no trouble with the cops in fact it was great fun.

[Rory]

My wife has a provisional license over there, i know for a few thousand peso she can get a full license without ever sitting at the wheel. :yikes: very scary thought. I would not let her do this but there will be many on the road that have acquired their full license this way. :doh

[tiger31]

steve ive been here 18 months and as a taxi driver and courier back in uk doing 100,000 k a year on average i,m reluctant to get behind the wheel of a car or scooter here man these people are NUTS i don,t mind telling you .you will end up with a nervous breakdown lol they come at you from all angles you litterally need eyes in the back of your head you get cut up from both sides scooters flashing past both sides of ya its crazy .like others have said no matter what any other driver does in an accident YOU are to blame coz your the foreigner period you will be expected to pay all medical expenses and damages .And yes tinted windows is a must so that traffic cops can,t see you to extort money out of you .the road signs here are very hard to find if any at all lots of no stopping areas with no signs whatso ever its a bloody nightmare mate .thats why i have decided stick with taxis they are cheap as chips less stress ,but i know your heading to bohol now thats a place that you do need a car as its very rural not so much traffic on that island so you maybe ok there.good luck which ever way you go but its better to have a 4x4 as the roads here are pot holed all over the joint a small family car would get wrecked very quickly.

[RickyR]

I drive quite a bit in the Philipiines and suspect I'll do a lot more driving there in the future. It's a completely different way of driving, but not difficult. I find the driving in the Middle East much much worse and far more dangerous.
Wrote off my 8 month old Kia Sorento 4x4 last week in a head on collision. Its essentially the madness of Asian driving with the benefit of big fast cars and 100mph highways.... So many deaths on the road here, I often see one or two big accidents on my fifteen minute commute to work.

[Trefor]

I drive quite a bit in the Philipiines and suspect I'll do a lot more driving there in the future. It's a completely different way of driving, but not difficult. I find the driving in the Middle East much much worse and far more dangerous.
Wrote off my 8 month old Kia Sorento 4x4 last week in a head on collision. Its essentially the madness of Asian driving with the benefit of big fast cars and 100mph highways.... So many deaths on the road here, I often see one or two big accidents on my fifteen minute commute to work.

Ricky - hope you didn't get too hurt in that head-on. I find there are two different types of driving in Oman - around Muscat is it pretty much like Dubai - the usual Middle Eastern nutters, wideboys in tired Civics, ar5es in Hummers, and old geezers who probably never took a test etc. However, out in the countryside it is much more dangerous. I drove the 1000km to Salalah once, it was quiet and a fun drive. However, the locals drive like idiots, overtaking into oncoming traffic with no seatbelts on, 8 family members onboard (in a 5 seat car) at 140kmh. I'm not sure if it is the local tribes but around Ibri, Izki, Rustaq etc. is especially bad. Then they stop non 4x4s driving to Jebal Ackdar - a pretty average road if you've driven mountain roads anywhere else in the world, but for some reason in Oman it isn't safe :rolleyes:

I'm renting and driving next week, around Manilla for the first day (f-ing CFO thing), then down the toll road thingy to Batangas. I'll report in on any interested encounters. Luckily Rose will be with me most of the time.

[fred]

Just take your UK licence to LTO in Tagbilaran and you can get that converted to a Filipino licence..(around 500 PHP) When you get a vehicle re registered here its compulsory to pay for a third party insurance policy.. If you want fully comp insurance you can get that privately.. If your vehicle is over 5 years old,that gets more difficult..Not to mention expensive.
Most drivers here have had no education about the rules of the road and because of that driving here becomes an interesting experience. Ive never had an accident in all these years but have had to learn slowly how to anticipate and avoid them..
Thats about the best we can hope for Im afraid.

[Michael Parnham]

After living in Dumaguete for almost 18 months, I would advise you not to bother driving at all, after all transport is cheap enough (pedi cabs and buses). When I returned to England I appreciated being back here, and realised how great Britain is. To me Philippines is fantastic for holidays only, but don't mean to put you off Steve.

[RickyR]

Hi Trefor, Ibri was the location of our head on. Kids came out worst despite being in car seats. Son is just walking again, someone damaged his knee.

For the Philippines, the license conversion was dead easy. Once had a minor bump when someone squeezed past in traffic, but no hassle. Police occasionally stop you, you can either pay the 500 php bribe (200-300 for a Filipino) or go through the process. Actual fines are very low, but involve you attending the police station going on courses etc

[Terpe]

Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase Support Your Local Police :D

[lastlid]

It's been said that the philosophy and logic is that as a foreigner, the accident would never had happened at all if you were not there. :yikes:



Same philosophy as I came across in the Middle East. Also extended to hiring a taxi! :omg: If you hadn't hired the taxi then the taxi driver wouldn't have had the accident - is that the same in the Philippines too?

[lastlid]

I drive quite a bit in the Philipiines and suspect I'll do a lot more driving there in the future. It's a completely different way of driving, but not difficult. I find the driving in the Middle East much much worse and far more dangerous.
Wrote off my 8 month old Kia Sorento 4x4 last week in a head on collision. Its essentially the madness of Asian driving with the benefit of big fast cars and 100mph highways.... So many deaths on the road here, I often see one or two big accidents on my fifteen minute commute to work.

Sounds like Kuwait when I was there.

[BoholoX]

When we move back to the RP we'll look to get a driver (from the wife's family) and put the vehicle in his/her name with an undated Deed of Sale so no ownership err.. shenanigans.

We were unfortunate to be involved in a completely not at fault fatal accident and as the 'foreigner who shouldnt be there' it cost me £000's in medical bills, funeral expenses, lawyers and police contributions. You can get a lot of taxis for that.

What made me very sad and one of the reasons I just needed a break was that a couple of months later we saw an old lady collapsed in the road, my human compassion and first aid training wanted me to pull over, but our previous experience made me drive pass (checking the following scooters stopped) as it would only take a 'witness' and we could have been in the same boat.

[lastlid]

When we move back to the RP we'll look to get a driver (from the wife's family) and put the vehicle in his/her name with an undated Deed of Sale so no ownership err.. shenanigans.

We were unfortunate to be involved in a completely not at fault fatal accident and as the 'foreigner who shouldnt be there' it cost me £000's in medical bills, funeral expenses, lawyers and police contributions. You can get a lot of taxis for that.

What made me very sad and one of the reasons I just needed a break was that a couple of months later we saw an old lady collapsed in the road, my human compassion and first aid training wanted me to pull over, but our previous experience made me drive pass (checking the following scooters stopped) as it would only take a 'witness' and we could have been in the same boat.

During both of my trips last year, we hired a driver, through the wifes family and minibus / van. It was my wifes idea. But I am so glad we did. I was so pleased that I didn't have to drive through Manila. My previous experiences of driving overseas (apart from USA and France etc) was in Kuwait and Libya and I feared it might be similar in the Philippines.