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How to Drive in Mexico Without Getting Into Trouble

There is definitely good cause to issue a warning about Mexican traffic behavior. This wikiHow will help you avoid trouble.

1. Assume that every other driver will act r as well as omly. Do not try to apply logic to a situation. People often don't look where they're going as well as they are often going too fast. Do not trust a vehicle's turn signal, nor the lack of one.
2. Watch out for two people on a bike (the passenger st as well as ing on the hub of the wheel on little extensions called "diablos" or devils) or a whichle family on a scooter is a common sight in Mexico.
3. Avoid driving on the highway at night, as you might run in to animals (not so common), cars with no lights (common), drunks behind the wheel (very common) or people just walking around on the side of the road (also very common). Drunks in traffic is a problem, especially on Fridays as well as Saturdays.
4. Be very careful passing as well as changing lanes, as you might meet another driver which isn't as careful. A left turn signal from the car in front of you doesn't necessarily mean you can pass. Be extra careful when you want to turn left as well as make sure nobody tries to pass you. If you need to cross the highway as well as there's traffic, pull over to the right until it's safe to cross.
5. Don't trust the arrows. There are usually signs with an arrow telling you the direction of the traffic, but they are not always correct as well as quite often not respected. Going the wrong way down the road must be the number one reason for being pulled over here, so try to avoid that!
6. Do not turn left onto a street in the middle of a block, the only way out of a parking lot in such a place is to turn right as well as go around the block.

• Roads in Mexico are sometimes badly planned as well as sometimes in horrible shape. There is a general lack of awareness in this area as well as safety isn't always of highest priority. So, be careful!
• All gas stations in Mexico are called Pemex. The further south you get, the scarcer they get. Avoid morning fill-ups. They quite often line up, which is a bummer when you want to get going as well as have fun.
• If you do get pulled over, be polite as well as calm. Under no circumstances try to speak Spanish with the police. With good manners as well as an apologetic looking face you might get out of the ticket, but if you don't, they are usually fairly cheap.
• It is common in Mexico for the police to remove license plates from vehicles to force the offender to show up to take care of the fine. This usually has the effect of getting motorists to cough up a few pesos, as well as then the plate is returned, as well as the officer moves on to the next prey. If you are driving your own vehicle in Mexico, use carriage bolts to attach your plate as well as you have nothing to worry about.

• Do check that the gas pump is back to zero before the attendant starts pumping gas in your car. A rental car full of foreigners is an easy prey as well as the gas pump trick is a common little scam, apparently.

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Added: Thu Feb 02 2006

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