Gong Xi Fa Cai!!
Ford Group Philippines recently invited a small media group to experience Ivan Man Dy’s The Big Binondo Food Wok as a timely pre-Lunar New Year activity with the all-new Ford Focus. The wok-ing tour (pun intended) in and around Binondo Church featured many hole-in-the-wall gems that are frequented by the community. Fantastic lumpia, oven-fresh hopia, to-die-for artisanal dumplings and fried siopao were just some of the things we munched on.
Our small group met up at the Ford Global City dealership, and from there we drove in pairs to our meeting point, the Binondo Church. Our very agile steeds made maneuvering through the exceptionally tight traffic that led into China Town an easier and safer task. As China Town was extraordinarily busy with preparations for the coming celebration, the orange indicator lights of the BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) located at the side mirrors were practically on the entire time as we tackled Jones Bridge. I particularly enjoyed demonstrating Ford Sync to our first-timer onboard, who was just as amazed as I was, the first time I experienced using it. Its really a pity we didn’t have to park the cars ourselves as I would have loved to demo my ninja-like parallel parking skills – yes, while using the Active Park Assist feature. Hahaha…
Here are some handy tips that Ford Group Philippines would like to share for safer and smarter driving:
- Buckle up and do it right: The seat belt remains the most important piece of safety equipment. Ensure that it tightly encircles your hips, not your waist. Never place the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.
- Ensure that the tilt and height of all headrests are correctly adjusted.
- Avoid placing objects over the airbag cover: Do not place any object between an occupant and an airbag or near any other airbag covering. The airbag may not inflate properly and might force an object into that person, causing severe injury or death. The instrument panel grab handle should never be used for storage. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear at all times.
- Do your homework. Know your car’s condition and its safety features: Check for basic maintenance and items in your car before heading off for a trip. Items to check include tire tread depth, tire pressures, and ensuring oil and water levels are correct.
- Be responsible and know the speed limits: If you’re traveling across provincial areas, be aware of the speed limits and road laws of the states you will travel through. Always carry your driver’s license with you.
- Give yourself enough time to complete the journey: Plan for stops along the way. Drive at an appropriate speed for the road conditions and leave sufficient space between the vehicles around you.
- Pack heavier items in lower areas of the vehicle: When filling up the cargo areas of the vehicle, always place the heaviest items close to the vehicle floor or truck bed so that in the event of a quick stop, those items remain in place and do not move forward in the vehicle where they can collide with passengers or other materials.
- Use a voice-activated, hands-free connectivity system like Ford Sync to control your mobile phone or navigation system: Ensure the system is ready to go before you set off.
- Don’t drink and drive.
- Don’t drive when you’re tired: It is recommended that you take regular breaks on a long journey.
Visit HERE to read more about the all-new Ford Focus. Click HERE to view more pics. Like THIS to know more about Ivan Man Dy’s awesome walking tours.