Are traffic laws a blessing or a curse???
How do *you* react when you see a cop in your rearview mirror? I know (in the U.S.) my heart would start to pound, and I would wonder, "Did I really come to a complete stop at the deserted intersection back there?" I'm a blinker-user, a speed-limit heeder, and a valiant seatbelt-wearer; yet, I still feel nauseated at the site of the black and white car.
The first time my mom came to visit me in Mexico, she wondered aloud if we're really as "free" as we think we are in America. We're such rule-followers - sometimes to a fault.
Its such a stark contrast to the Mexican way of the road. I have a pretty long drive to take the kids to school every morning and I get to pass through all sorts of interesting intersections. Each and every one of them has some quirk to familiarize oneself with. I'll admit that the oversized glorietas (big, one-way circles at the intersection of 2 or more major streets.) were pretty intimidating the first few times I drove them - but now each and every time I enter one, I can't help but picture a dance. Its amazing the way these cars move in and out of the painted lines, as though they're reading the minds of the drivers to the sides of them. Enter this lane to continue through the glorieta, this other lane to make your immediate right, the lane to the left to make the following right - and make sure you move smoothly from one lane to the next as you pass the intersections you don't need and approach the turn you're aiming for. Seriously, its pretty cool; but VERY disorganized.
I can see why we don't have many glorietas in the U.S. (at least not in the west.) - it would be almost impossible to write clear, enforceable laws for their use. And we can't have a lawless intersection, can we??? Even if no one ever crashes (which they seriously don't - its amazing!) But I guess that's the point, isn't it?
I'll admit I see a lot more fender-bender crashes here in Mexico than I ever did in the U.S. But, in the entire 2+ years we've lived here, I've NEVER seen a serious car accident. I've never seen a body laying on the pavement draped in a sheet. I've NEVER seen a car so damaged that you KNOW the person sitting in that seat didn't make it out alive. I saw these things on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis in Arizona.
Admittedly though, the U.S. roadways are generally well-planned, finely-constructed systems. The type of driving that we're getting used to here would never be necessary there. Likewise, it takes us Americans a LONG time to adjust our driving habits to the roadways here. We start out trying to follow the rules that are so engrained in us - and after a few weeks of having to make giant circles around the city, we realize that the only way to get into that left lane to make the turn we really want is to cut someone off. And instead of a honk, the birdy finger, and those flashing red and blue lights - we get cut off too, and chuckle about it as we make that oh-so-important left hand turn.
So, somewhere in all of this there is a lesson. I have no clue what that is - but it probably has something to do with more than one way to skin a cat. And cat does *not* taste good on tacos.
Viva la Mexico!
How do *you* react when you see a cop in your rearview mirror? I know (in the U.S.) my heart would start to pound, and I would wonder, "Did I really come to a complete stop at the deserted intersection back there?" I'm a blinker-user, a speed-limit heeder, and a valiant seatbelt-wearer; yet, I still feel nauseated at the site of the black and white car.
The first time my mom came to visit me in Mexico, she wondered aloud if we're really as "free" as we think we are in America. We're such rule-followers - sometimes to a fault.
Its such a stark contrast to the Mexican way of the road. I have a pretty long drive to take the kids to school every morning and I get to pass through all sorts of interesting intersections. Each and every one of them has some quirk to familiarize oneself with. I'll admit that the oversized glorietas (big, one-way circles at the intersection of 2 or more major streets.) were pretty intimidating the first few times I drove them - but now each and every time I enter one, I can't help but picture a dance. Its amazing the way these cars move in and out of the painted lines, as though they're reading the minds of the drivers to the sides of them. Enter this lane to continue through the glorieta, this other lane to make your immediate right, the lane to the left to make the following right - and make sure you move smoothly from one lane to the next as you pass the intersections you don't need and approach the turn you're aiming for. Seriously, its pretty cool; but VERY disorganized.
I can see why we don't have many glorietas in the U.S. (at least not in the west.) - it would be almost impossible to write clear, enforceable laws for their use. And we can't have a lawless intersection, can we??? Even if no one ever crashes (which they seriously don't - its amazing!) But I guess that's the point, isn't it?
I'll admit I see a lot more fender-bender crashes here in Mexico than I ever did in the U.S. But, in the entire 2+ years we've lived here, I've NEVER seen a serious car accident. I've never seen a body laying on the pavement draped in a sheet. I've NEVER seen a car so damaged that you KNOW the person sitting in that seat didn't make it out alive. I saw these things on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis in Arizona.
Admittedly though, the U.S. roadways are generally well-planned, finely-constructed systems. The type of driving that we're getting used to here would never be necessary there. Likewise, it takes us Americans a LONG time to adjust our driving habits to the roadways here. We start out trying to follow the rules that are so engrained in us - and after a few weeks of having to make giant circles around the city, we realize that the only way to get into that left lane to make the turn we really want is to cut someone off. And instead of a honk, the birdy finger, and those flashing red and blue lights - we get cut off too, and chuckle about it as we make that oh-so-important left hand turn.
So, somewhere in all of this there is a lesson. I have no clue what that is - but it probably has something to do with more than one way to skin a cat. And cat does *not* taste good on tacos.
Viva la Mexico!
This picture is a little like our glorietas; only always full of cars w/ traffic lights at each point where the roads intersect and traffic lights at 4-6 different points in the actual circle.
6 comments:
So, a glorietta must be a "round-a-bout'? We have a couple brand new ones on mckellips off the new freeway, leave it to Mexico to show us American's a thing or two, now if we can only teach our cops to take bribes.....that would be something (could do away with traffice school, if you know what I mean, wink)
Mom
I remember driving in MX when I was there for spring break a few ...ok, MANY at this point... years ago. It did take some getting used to, but I loved it! Who needs to stop for that red light anyway? Stop sign, pshaw! What do you mean this is a one lane road? There's a shoulder to drive on too!
Hanna you crack me up! I was afraid that you had been pulled over again! *whew*
Wow, that looks confusing! I don't know if I could ever get the hang of that. That's crazy you've never seen a really bad accident in Mexico.
I think if I was driving and ran into this round about I would turn right back around.... Way to complicated for me :-) Nice work figuring it out though!!!
You nailed that one on the head - good for you though for braving it and venturing out. I am still confined to my little world and feel it a feet to travel as far as Trompo Magico from my house. I love reading your version of the same things I experience. I am glad to see that my friends are fellow bloggers (I found yours while visiting Tanya's) - I am a new blogger myself. Your welcome to visit onelittlespeckledblog.blogspot.com I'll happily add you to my list when you give the thumbs up. :)
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