Tuesday, October 26, 2010

How do you Outsmart the Threats of Commute in Metro Manila?

One of my most unfortunate experiences of commuting around the Metro is being a helpless victim of pick-pockets and snatchers.  It doesn't happen very often though, but when it does, it is so traumatic.

A few years ago, I still remember my very first experience one fateful night on my way home from Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. It happened way back my college days at UP Diliman, I used to take a ride home going through Katipunan Avenue, passing through the intersection under the bridge going to Aurora Boulevard in Cubao. At around 7:30pm, still a rush hour, there were many passengers in the area.  The LRT is not operational yet during that time and there wasn't much police officers nor traffic enforcers as well.  Along with the hustle and bustle of city life, all commuters young and old were busy securing themselves a ride going home, and majority of which were going through the same direction as mine, either to Marikina and Rizal area.  There you will experience running after a jeep or fx taxi, if you are lucky, you might even be pushed forward with a little effort to walk your way through the stop. Me and my org-mates, (as we are from the same non-academic school organization) never really compete with the big guys and elders, so we just kept ourselves confined in our small spot at the waiting area.  It was rather a rainy night that day, but the rain has come to a drizzle when we decided to hail for a cab.  When we were about to get in the car, there were at least 2 or 3 other people who struggled to take over us and blocked our way thru the door. As one of their companions trying to talk to the driver, the other two stood behind us. After a while, when they told the taxi driver where they were going and was refused to drive them there, they gave us a way and left.

We then finally made it inside with a long deep breath, saying "whew, now we can finally go home.."  I was wearing my comfy pink backpack with a pocket in front of it.  We were going off to Sta.Lucia Mall but before we reached our destination, our mate sitting in front of the cab started collecting our share of the taxi fare. I was so confident and told them I will pay half the total price since I would be leaving last among all of us. So when I checked my purse inside my bag, I noticed a small slit on the pocket.  I first thought that I might have caused it accidentally so I inspected carefully.  The slit looked like a cut from a sharp knife! I never carry anything that sharp in my bag that will cause any slit nor slash! Worried, I checked my bag pocket and to my dismay, my purse was gone! Anxious and frustrated, I was thinking of how much money I got in there and all of my ID's.  My allowance for the next 3 weeks was gone! And I would need to re-apply for my student ID, library ID, etc.  And much more, I have no money left to pay for the taxi! What a shame! When i told my mates about it, they really felt sad and sorry for me and we all thought about what happened that day which lead us to the conclusion that it must have been the incident at the taxi stop where we waited for a cab and being overtaken by 3 older ladies.  Since I cannot do anything about it anymore, they just lent me money so I could make it on my way home.  It would still be another jeep ride for about 30mins before I can make it home.



I may have still been lucky because I wasn't hurt, my parents told me.. but then again, it made me feel unsafe and my belongings unprotected during that time.  So after that incident, I realized how important it is to have a travel-safe and secure-bag to carry all around, whether in school or office. Something that is not just trendy and flashy, but rather, a bag that is more user-friendly and slash-free.  It is important that we can carry and keep our belongings to a bag that can keep it safe and secured, like that of Pacsafe CommutaSafe 100 bag.  Like traveling bags and luggages that we use when we go out of town, it has a secure and safe feature with its combination lock and a steel wire-reinforced shoulder strap, which can be used best if you have a laptop inside and you want to just leave it for a while on your chair to order some coffee or something. This is something very secure and convenient to use, and indeed very friendly.  It also has a smart and stylish design, which is great for smart and trendy travelers. It is better to invest on something useful like a Pacsafe CommutaSafe bag than to be sorry in the end.. Cut all the worries and paranoia of city travels, and get the security and peace of mind that you deserve...after all, your travel must be worth your precious time and experience!

Product Features
Material: 840D Ballistic nylon, high-tensile stainless steel wire
Volume:
Bag Dimensions: 16 x 12.5 x 6.25in (40.5 x 32 x 16cm)
Laptop Pocket Dimensions: 14.5 x 10.5 x 1.75in (37 x 27 x 4.5cm)
Shoulder Strap: Yes
Access Types: Top
External Pockets: 2 Water bottle, 1 front
Weight: 2lb 3oz (1000g)
Recommended Use: Casual, commuting, securing laptop
Manufacturer Warranty: 2 Years
Country of Origin: China

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