Ok, I have been gone for almost 5 years and came back this weekend for a very specific purpose. I was supposed to meet my sister and law at Gran Plaza at 3 and drive to KM 80 to talk to my guy about getting my palapas fixed. Boy is this different than Winter Garden Florida. First of all renting a car here is one of the most painful experiences in the world. In the u.s. i arrive and the keys are in the car for me. Today I went to Payless and was overwhelmed by the 30 minutes it took for the couple ahead of me to check in. but, at least it primed me for what I was heading into. I could decline insurance but, if I did they would charge almost $20,000 on my credit card (who has that limit?). then i get on the roads I have gotten so used to respect for the lanes, cooperation, etc. that I am simply overwhelmed by the traffic going from Courtyard by Marriott to Downtown. Then as I head out to KM 80 the amount of people walking/biking/driving on the road without any reflectors is amazing. I am happy to be in my hotel room safe and sound. Either I have gotten very old, Cancun has changed or I am used to the calm and respective driving of the u.s.
I don't and will never drive here cause it's absolute nuts, but I have never seen calm or respective driving in the US. The road rage and the killings I have heard about in the PA/NJ area in the last 5 years is horrific. Never see road rage around here no matter how bad it is.
Driving here is ridiculous. He who is in front has the power and most people will do whatever they can to be in front. I'm sure people think they are playing on their Xbox or something. They're putting in a new underpass at Bonfil - like anyone needs to drive faster on that road. John, Dani is at Alexandre now, so I do the school pick up every day at 2pm. I'm sure you know the route, pick up at school, drive towards airport for a few miles then returno and back to downtown. One of the busiest times of the day, idiots everywhere. Mom's with a cellphone stuck to their ear in an Audi Q8 with 4 kids jumping all over or macho men who just have to be first. Road Rage: hmm I used to do that - not real rage just a few gestures and sounding the horn at the idiots who have no care for others. I don't do it now, it's too dangerous. I just bite my tongue and let them continue, keeping well away from them.
Well, I came here from Houston and its not much worse. I quickly adapted and now I'm driving like a real Mexican. Having spent a lot of time in Bogota, Colombia, I can tell you it's all relative. Over there, stop lights and lanes are mere suggestions. It is VERY common to see 5 cars across a 3 lane road, mirrors literally fractions of an inch apart. And I can tell you, the don't honk anything like they do in Colombia and especially nothing like Lima, Peru. If the freakin' buses would only stop where they're supposed to instead of the right lane during rush hour, I don't see much wrong with it.
hahahaha. Welcome back, John! You're not in Kansas anymore! It is a different world. I have adapted mostly. In spite of the crazy driving, you will hear fewer horns here--except for mine when someone in the right hand lane wants to cut in front of me and turn left and sticks his hand out to let me know he is going to cut in front of me. I honk, shake my finger at him in typical Mexican style that says, "No you aren't." There is an old, not politically correct joke that says that the only time a Mexican is in a hurry is when he gets behind the wheel! Funny but not necessarily true as some drive slowly and in the passing lane especially if they are talking, gesturing to the person next to them or using the cell phone. Mostly drivers here pay no attention to others and are in their own world and horns are used infrequently as part the the general malaise of not knowing or caring what the rest of the world is doing around them. Flashing lights seems to work on many but it has been known to get people shot too so use it sparingly. No one cares if you are in a hurry, only if they are. Hope you survive! I am thinking how you would have answered this 5 years ago if some green newbie or wannabe had written the same--thinking and laughing.
I suppose the thing that surprises me is the chances the drivers take with close calls that could lead to fender-benders, which could run to the tens of thousands of pesos for repairs. I would never want to risk the expense or inconvenience of being involved in one, but many drivers don't seem to care about either, for some reason.
Jim, I was thinking the same thing not so much how I would have answered it but, how did I last so long here and the reality is you do get used to it. I was so worn out and stressed out that I came to my hotel at the Courtyard by Marriott (hello has anyone ever given this hotel advice on signage and how to actually get people into the hotel?) and stayed in I felt like I had been shell shocked or something. Steve I probably drove by you yesterday at Alexandre as I went to my old house and could not believe the amount of cars and could not believe the amount of cars in Alexandre last night there must have been a huge program. The city has certainly grown towards Alamos. Does that make my house worth more even if things arent selling?
I would think that, yes, your property is worth more since there has been a lot of growth in and towards that area. Of course not all of the "activity" in the Bonfil area is legal but that's another story! As far as those "close calls and fender benders," it seems to me that I see very few of those or even real accidents compared to the fearful and dangerous driving habits here.
I learned to drive in the south (Virginia) and everyone there was so incredibly polite on the road! I'm with Tori... I never want to drive here because there are no rules, except for the "whoever is in front has right of way", as Steve pointed out. I think the main problem is: 1. the lack of signage! No lanes drawn out, no arrows, different rules for every stoplight, etc. Merida has great signage and it's much easier to drive there. 2. the fact that they don't require any kind of test to hand out licenses. Anyone can just go into the DMV, take an eye exam and be handed a license. Many locals are unaware of the traffic laws. I was in the car with a friend once when she took a left turn from the right lane and crashed. She actually managed to convince the victim it was his fault because he had no idea who had right of way. I was stunned!
...and add bus and taxi drivers whom all seem to believe that "the fastest one wins!". Also, laws don apply to these guys. If/when anything happens, the Sindicato will back them up, and those guys are more powerful than the mayor, lol. Ps. Potholes just spices things up.
