‘Kamote driver’: Pickup truck driver draws flak for risky parking maneuver

July 19, 2024 - 9:43 AM
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Screengrab from a video posted by VISOR on Facebook on July 16, 2024 (visor.ph/Facebook)

A pickup truck driver earned criticisms for his/her careless parking move.

Motoring publication VISOR on Tuesday posted footage taken from a dashboard camera that recorded a black pickup truck driving over a center island instead of properly turning toward the parking slots.

Center islands or traffic islands refer to a raised area in the middle of the road for separating traffic traveling in different directions or to mark a division between opposing streams of traffic.

It is not supposed to be driven over.

However, this happened in the footage submitted to VISOR, which called out the pickup truck’s maneuver.

“‘Yan ang benefit ng off-road vehicle,” it said in the comments with an eyeroll emoji.

A car was also spotted parking in reverse while the pickup drove over the center island.

The car appeared to come in the direction where the pickup truck was supposed to have come from.

The post has earned 1.6 million views, 25,000 likes and laugh reactions, and 2,600 comments so far, with Filipinos calling out the pickup driver for executing a wrong maneuver.

“Always convenience, over safety. #pinoymindset,” a Facebook user wrote.

“Diskarteng mali,” another Pinoy commented.

“Syumorkat (grinning-with-sweat emoji) sana oil naka 4×4,” wrote a different user.

“Tinamad dumaan pathway… talagang rinampa sa mga gutter at center pathway ng parking… kayabangan o [katamaran],” another Filipino said.

“Opinion. Mabuti may video. Always think of safety. This shows that it doesn’t matter how expensive a vehicle is but how the driver [uses it] when driving it. Please don’t commend this attitude. I hope different parking management can see this and have policies on safety. #notokamotedrivers,” commented a different Pinoy.

Another Facebook user described the driver as a “kamote.”

“‘Kamote driver’ is a Filipino slang term used to describe reckless and irresponsible drivers. The term ‘kamote’ means sweet potato in Tagalog, and in this context, it implies that the driver is as reckless or thoughtless as one who might drive carelessly or without regard for rules and safety,” the online user said.

“This term is often used to criticize drivers who exhibit dangerous behavior on the road, such as ignoring traffic signals, speeding, or making abrupt and unsafe maneuvers,” he added.