Here are some of my favorite driving manuevers that I've seen pulled by Queretanos:
- Wrong way on a one-way street (I'M even guilty of this one! But hey, in a residential neighborhood with wide streets, it's dumb to have the streets only go one way...)
- "Bypassing" stop lights - this is my favorite that the busses do, there is a stop light by my house where the busses kind of edge a little ways into a parking lot entrance so they can avoid stopping at the red light - it's like they're exiting the parking lot!
- Left turn from the right hand lane - This is a favorite of the busses. I honestly think I see it every day.
- "White line? What white line?" - traffic lanes in QRO are very similar to those in the U.S. However, here, those dashed white lines mean absolutely nothing. A street that is two lanes in one direction can soon turn into 3 or 4 lanes - if you can squeeze by without taking off someone's side mirror, it's all good.
- U-Turn on a red light - self explanatory.
- "I put my hand out the window, so it's legal" - you can get from one side of the road to another very quickly if you just stick your arm out the window and go for it. Ignore the horns beeping to the "tune" of an offensive saying...
- And my favorite: Left hand turn from the right hand lane on a red light - yes, I have actually seen it happen!
I have never been in an accident here in QRO yet. It is an interesting experience though to see these lovely driving manuevers on a daily basis.
I still say that Queretaro has nothing on Tegucigalpa Honduras. They have the manuever that I call: "50 mph down-hill on a two lane highway through a residential area, passing someone on a blind curve." But, that is how two guys got killed in front of my house a few years ago... And in QRO, if you DO get in a wreck, it's handled similar to in the U.S. In Tegus, if someone gets hurt in a wreck, you better run and hide or you'll never see the outside of a Central American prison again.
So, now do you have a little bit more respect for those poor vehicles that carry Californian plates? Happy driving!!
2 comments:
I think in Mexico City they drive by FAR worse, and if you have chance, go to Toluca, is ugly and they actually don't even use the traffic lights, they belive is like a way to enlight the city in a colored way.
By they way like 70% of Queretaro's population are from Mexico City, I'm from Queretaro, and before 1986 we didn't have that kind of drivers, just after they came.
Sounds kinda like the driving in Nicaragua, butyou would also need to add"Honking the horn often and for no apparent reason". And, in Nicaragua, even if you have a minor fender-bender, you're supposed to leave the cars where they are, 'cause apparently you can be arrested if you pull the cars over to the side of the road after an accident.
And speaking of Nicaragua, please be praying for their elections tomorrow. My Nicaraguan friends are a little nervous.
Post a Comment