‘Recipe for disaster’: Counterflowing tricycle, bus without safe distance caught on cam

January 24, 2025 - 3:44 PM
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Screengrab of a dashcam footage submitted by Jeffrey Colico to VISOR and posted on its Facebook page on Jan. 23, 2025 (VISOR via Facebook)

A dashcam footage showing an accident involving a bus, truck and tricycle has sparked discussions about road safety and the measures that should be followed to prevent such incidents.

Automative publication VISOR on Thursday, January 23, posted a video submitted by Facebook user Jeffrey Colico that showed a bus that hit the back of a truck and a counterflowing tricycle.

Based on the dashcam footage, the incident happened on the morning of January 14.

“May pananagutan ba ang tricycle?” Colico was quoted by the publication.

The video showed the uploader’s stationary vehicle by the side of the road. By the 0:16-minute mark of the clip, a bus could be seen hitting the back of a truck.

The truck then moves forward, and a counterflowing tricycle appears on the right side of the video. The vehicle with the dashcam also moves forward to make way for the tricycle.

Meanwhile, the bus remains stationary. By the end of the video, someone gets out of the vehicle and looks to see where the tricycle went.

VISOR also shared dashcam footage from another angle, showing the front part of the parked car.

In this footage, the tricycle can be seen counterflowing to avoid the parked vehicle.

The truck, which the bus had hit from behind, later appears in front of the parked car and comes to a stop. By the end of the video, the truck’s passenger door opens.

The main video sparked discussions on road safety and what measures could be taken to prevent such accidents.

“May violation ‘yung tricycle, definitely. But the bus failed to maintain proper following distance for the conditions,” a Facebook user wrote, referring to safe distancing among vehicles.

“Bus is not paying much attention. Could be distracted. There’s a good braking distance [between] him and the trailer,” another online user commented.

Motorists are advised to follow the three-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, giving them enough time to react if the vehicle suddenly stops or slows down.

To measure this distance, a driver can use a landmark. Once the car in front passes it, the driver should wait at least three seconds before passing it themselves.”

Another technique is to focus on the rear wheels of the vehicle in front. The driver should ensure they can see the rear wheels of the car they’re following.

Some Facebook users pointed out the tricycle’s counterflowing actions.

“Ang problema ‘di siya (tricycle) direct na natamaan or nahagi, kaya ang laro ng sisi ay sa bus lang, [kasi] masyadong dikit sa truck. Pagpalagay natin nasapol ang tricycle at nachugi ang tricycle driver, kasalan na ng truck at makukulong pa. Sad reality, ganun nangyayari sa batas,” a Facebook user commented.

“Solid white shoulder line. This denotes the edge of the roadway. Any asphalt or concrete surface beyond this line should not be used during the normal operation of your vehicle,” another online user said, taking note of the area which the tricycle used to counterflow.

“Sa highway pa talaga nag-counterflow. Lakas [ng] loob, pasalamat siya iniwasan siya, kung ‘di, may isa na namang mabait na tao na naka burol,” a different online user said.

Counterflowing, or driving against the normal flow of traffic, carries a penalty of P2,000, and a three-month suspension of driver’s license.

Meanwhile, other Facebook users also blamed the uploader of the video for being stationary.

“Ito ang sinasabi na once in a blue moon, nagsasama ang mga elements para magkaroon ng perfect recipe for disaster: Nag-park sa tabi ng highway, kamote na tricycle driver, bus driver na mabilis magpatakbo kahit alam mo na madulas ang daan, plus, nakatutok sa sinusundan na sasakyan,” a Facebook user said.

“Ikaw ang [may] kasalanan, national road, [naka-park] ka, tapos hindi [ka pa] naka-hazard, lalo pa’t umuulan!! Nag-hazard [ka lang] nung nagkabanggaan na!” another online user wrote.

However, Colico argued that he was on the highway shoulder, which is typically used for breakdowns and emergencies.

“Nag-shoulder ako [diyan] sir kasi tatawid ako. ‘Di po ako naka-park,” he wrote in the comments.

Colico also uploaded the video to his account, where she shared his side of the story.

“Nag-shoulder nako [diyan] para tumawid papuntang bahay, [nang] itong tricycle naman, ‘di maka-antay, sinalubong ang truck… Dahil sa biglang nag-preno ang truck, bumangga sa kanya ang bus,” he wrote.

According to the Land Transportation Office, shoulders on the road are not meant to be used unless the vehicle has encountered an emergency. These are areas located outside the outer lane.