WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRIVING IN MEXICO

Since I was about 14 years old, I have been driving.  Before I was licensed I use to borrow my Mothers car.  Maybe that is why I learned to be such a careful driver.  Never had a ticket and one accident where another car hit me head on.  I drove ever day in all kinds of weather.  However, the driving conditions in Mexico have taught me to pray while driving.

There are markings on the road that separate the lanes of traffic (in some areas) and like in the states, two yellow lines together indicates that you cannot pass the car in front of you.  Plus the government here has also put up road signs telling you not to pass.  

That has nothing at all to do with how you drive.  No person on that road will pay attention to either the sign or the markings on the road....EVEN the police!  It is a two lane road.  One lane going in one direction and the other going in the opposite direction.  Up hills - around turns - two lanes no passing.  HA!  Two massive sized trucks were both trying to pass a car and the truck in the back was also trying to pass the other truck.  That is three cars in one lane (forget the yellow line) coming right at you.

Then there are these old narrow streets in town.  Cars are parked on one side of the street - unless someone wanted to park on the other side.  Oh and do not forget that double parking is allowed so you will have two cars parked horizontal to the curb.  This could be a one way street or not - it does not matter because if a driver wants to go down that street - he is going to do just that.

Just look at the rear back left tire of the one car in relationship to the front tire of the other car.  Also you have to understand that they are NOT traveling at a speed of 5 miles per hr.  NO, this is going at a speed of 30 or so.  No one slows down for this kind of passing.  

If you need to feel safe from the traffic, just do what most of the dogs do so they will not get killed. 

There is more to driving in Mexico other than dealing with other drivers.  There are of course the speed bumps which are all over the place and they are serious about the speed  bumps.  But there is more - there are things out on the road that you need to know about.

People - cows - horses - donkeys - 

These two fellows were in Morelia on the main drag.  Every time the light turned red, they would set up their pails and preform.  Then they collect money from car to car for their performance.

There are also people who will rush out to your car and start to wash your windows - even in the rain  - they want money also.

Just traveling right along and passed this horses - no owner any where around.

These two were waking to town.  Do you believe it?  Who would honk at them , so you just slow down and eventually they will move over.

The picture above reminds me of a picture I took the other day.  I was thinking about doing a painting of this lady.  She makes corn tortillas at home and then goes to different restaurant and sells them.  Just look at the load she carries and she walks up and down these hills.

Both bags are full of tortillas.  She pulls them out of the bag, wraps them up so they stay fresh and walks them into the stores and restaurants.  It is winter here and cold.  She has on a thin dress, her apron, a thin sweater, with a wrap around her head.  

It is becoming Christmas in the grand plaza and most of the songs coming from the speaker systems in the park are English Christmas Carols.

In Mexico like every where else, people are rushing to make their families Christmas special, weather by purchasing things or making them.  Being in Mexico I have seen a lot of different standards of living.  There are a lot of poor people here.  But what I do not see is people begging for money.  Oh they may jump in front of your car and wash your window and ask for money.  They may blow there whistle while you back out of a parking place to stop traffic and help you not run into anything and ask for money.  They may be without legs in a chair or on a step but they are playing a instrument to give you enjoyment and they ask for money.  But I do not see someone with just holding a sign up telling you their sad tale and asking for money or telling you they want to work yet giving you nothing in return. Just a different culture and different standards and just my own observations.

Adios amigo.           From Donna

                                           from Butch

                                from  Ken