Sidepark

It was another typical evening of December 2018 when I decided to go for a jog around

Salcedo Park. I put on my favorite dri fit shirt and a pair of leggings that match the only running

shoes I have. While walking, I heard a loud honk coming from my back and was startled to see a

car coming straight at me. My mind went blank, I didn’t know what to do so I trusted my instincts

and did the only thing I could think of – fall. Luckily the driver was able to stop a few feet away

from me. I heard the car door open and saw a young man hurriedly stepping down from the vehicle.

I could hear the panic in his voice when he asked me if I was okay. I told him I was fine. He

immediately apologized for not being able to see me and offered his hand for support, since I was

still wobbling from the shock. He asked me why I didn’t use the sidewalk. I looked around and

said “paano ako maglalakad sa sidewalk, e ginawa ng parking lot?” He laughed and told me “may

point ka.”

Why do people buy a car without first ensuring that they have a garage to park it in?

Sidewalks are not meant to be parking spaces. They are meant for people to walk on so that

accidents can be prevented, and traffic could be regulated. Some countries have already established

laws regarding illegal parking of cars on sidewalks. However, it is sadly not the case in the

Philippines. Two-way streets often become one-way streets because of illegally parked cars along

the road and the car owners could only care less. People often find themselves forced to walk on

the streets instead of finding comfort in the safety of a sidewalk, because the latter’s access is

blocked by cars.

Bottomline is, when you park your car along the streets or even overtop of a sidewalk, you

create a ripple effect. People won’t have any access to the sidewalk forcing them to walk on the

road and motor vehicles will have to stop and wait for the people to get out of the way, eventually
contributing to traffic. So, the next time you see a car parked along the street or sidewalk, make

sure to report them to the authorities and have their cars towed if possible.