Today, November 27 2017, the Land Transportation Office slapped a revocation of Drivers License and a P8,000 fine on former beauty queen Maria Isabel Lopez Yokohama.

This stems from the case filed by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) against Lopez for violating the security protocol of the ASEAN Lane a few weeks ago.

But is this enough?

Will this dissuade the motoring public from emulating her actions and ignoring traffic rules?

Worldwide best practices have shown that a hefty fine is highly effective in creating law abiding citizens.

In more advanced countries like those in the United States and Europe, fines for violating traffic rules are so huge that it will affect the finances of anyone slapped with any of it.

In California, for example, parking on a spot designated for PWD’s may get you up to a $2,000 fine. An illegal parking violation tags you $65 and a moving violation up to $700.

Here, the best fine one can get is P2,000 for violating traffic rules. That’s why traffic enforcers get away with a P500 brine every time.

The LTO has already proposed a schedule of fines that is so huge it will scare motorists into strictly following the law.

The thing is, it needs legislation.

But when we have legislators like Congressman Rudy Fariñas who thinks they should be exempted from traffic laws, how do you think this will go?

And then you have a Speaker of the House like Bebot Alvarez who agrees and even works toward its application, then don’t you think we are screwed?

So where does this bring us and our daily carmageddon? Can we see any light forthcoming? Your guess is as good as mine!!!