Is there anyone out there looking forward to renting a car in Cebu and go out driving while humming to the beat of a song? To those who have confidence in their driving or even to those have gone speeding along the highways of the United States, have a second thought! It is quite different here. Rules and practices here are simply different with what one has been used to in Japan. I mean, someone from Japan might just say "That could not be!"

 For example, when turning left or turning right, the one who gets the front of his car in first wins. Japanese who are used to driving in Japan would never have an inkling which car would suddenly dash out from where. Which reminds me of an incident the other day. I was driving straight ahead along a major road when a car suddenly came in from the other side almost close to hitting the front of the car. Angrily crying out "What is the matter with you? I have the right of way," I was met with an even angrier retort. "Hey, *!#$, I turned the winker on before you went ahead. Didn't you notice that," which left me wondering if winkers are supposed to mean that. More than that, what is frightening is that most do not even put the winker on. Anyway, one could probably forgive drivers not putting the winkers on so long as the break lamps signal are on but, what does one do with broken break lamps? This, by the way, happens every day. Anyway, what I am saying is that just about anything goes here.

 Not only are drivers dangerous. Stop at signal lights and you get swarmed by street vendors instantaneously and pedestrians start to weave around cars to cross the streets. Not only people, by the way. Dogs, chickens, goats, you name it: they come dashing into the street without warning. Once, despite having driven in Cebu for some time already, I got the scared as a cow dashed into the street, I had to press hard on the breaks. The streets of Cebu are, literally, where "just about anything pops into view." Don't ever think of driving in Cebu without getting used to the traffic first.
 By the way, my husband who has by now gotten used to driving in Cebu, lived in Sapporo for over ten years. He is a Filipino with over ten years of experience driving the streets of Sapporo. My husband went back to Sapporo on business trip last year, Upon coming back from his trip, he has this to say:
 "Whew! Driving in Sapporo was really scary! Almost everyone presses on the pedal, speeding way over 60 km per hour. Yesterday morning, the snow fell. I thought I would die, cold sweat dripping down my spine! What an experience!"

 ...Well, we should always beware of overconfidence. One could say that with driving too. "What an experience!" as my husband blurted out. "Getting used to" must somehow be equally scary, I thought.

P.S. Renting a car in Cebu normally includes the driver so that there is no hassle renting the car itself.