Have you surveyed drivers?

As election season is fastly coming up, so is the time for me to do a little personal experiment, again!

Whenever I take a cab, I make sure that I take the driver to a little conversation. This time, I tried to keep scores on their bets on 2010 Presidency. I have my own survey system.

I would ask the same question straight, “Sino po iboboto n’yo sa eleksyon [sa pagkapangulo]?” (Who should you vote in the election for Presidency), and I make sure they’re NOT influenced by my bet by not saying it at the start of our conversation.

Sometimes, they throw the question back to me. By then, I would not say anything other than, “Ako kaya unang nagtanong” (I was the one who first asked the question). By then, they should give their answers or–with one incident that occured–changed the topic. Silence is a right.

More than 15 cab drivers I have surveyed since the start of this year, and to my recount:

Gibo Teodoro..................6 votes
Noynoy Aquino.................3 votes
Richard Gordon................1 vote
Erap Estrada..................1 vote
Undecided.....................5 cab drivers

I was so happy for this result because my manok is on the lead.

When they respond other than Gibo, I would jokingly say, “Sayang, kung si Gibo iboboto mo, mas malaki sanang tip ma-ibibigay ko sa iyo!” (Too bad, if you’ll only vote for Gibo, I could give you a much bigger tip). Then we would laugh heartily.

Sometimes, when the bet is not like my bet I or the driver feel undecided, I would respond, “Hay, salamat po! Okay na’ng kahit sino iboto mo ‘wag lang si [omitted]” (Oh, thank you! It’s really okay to vote for anyone except for [omitted]). Then the cab driver would spill much of the gripes to that candidate as if he has already known the person.

Before disembarking, I would handed the driver fare plus always a tip. If bet was not Gibo, I would respond with a smile, “Isipin mo pa ‘yung tip na ibibigay ko kung si Gibo ang iboboto mo” (Imagine how much tip I’ll be giving you if you’ll vote for Gibo). The cab driver then must’ve handed me his smile.

There’s no vote-buying.

I was just making their day and, hopefully, touching their lives.