Rules Of The Road In Colombia

Drivers there are about as good as they are in Ecuador then?

11. Driving any less than 30 kmph over the speed limit is forbidden.

12. Do not overtake on long, open, clear stretches of road; instead do it when there are at least 4 fastly moving vehicles heading straight for you.

I just read in The Atlantic Monthly that under the rule of Saddam Hussian, most Iraqi's were not allowed to own private cars.

Now there are thousands of "new" car owners. The cars may be gas- guzzling, third-hand clunkers, but their owners consider that following a traffic code is not neccessary in a "democratic" state.

Driving is a form of self-expression.

You are crazy to drive in Colombia because of guerillas. Most people just take planes, even if the city is only 2 hours by car away.

# 1 - Yes they have the right of way, but they also prefer to avoid hitting pedestrians.

# 2 - True but many people (mostely taxis) run lights even if cops are around (but their across the stree).

# 3 - True

# 4 - 100% true

# 5 - True - same goes for Lima, Peru. In fact most people there don't even bother with their "turn signal". Their waving hand IS the signal.

# 6 - True, but I've actually seen people who are smart enough to slow down so they can get behind you and make the turn. Not in Peru, though.

# 7 - True. Taxis like to do this a lot and it pisses me off. Just take the turn nice and wide or tail gate the person in front of you so they can't get in.

# 8 - True, or someone will work their way in front of you.

# 9 - Welllll, it happens that way some times - most people don't lean on their horn though, they just honk a couple of times. Sometimes this one annoys me, but if me and 30 other cars have been though 2 previous consecutive cycles on the same light still trying to get though since the light is so short, I approve of this one.

# 10 - SO true. One caveat, however. Those who drive in Bogota know, if you make one wrong turn, you could spend the next 1/2 hour trying to get back to where you were so you can try again.

Number ten: Like I said, a caleño wouldn't think of actually taking the wrong turn. He'd just stop in the middle of the street and back up against oncoming traffic 'till he got back to where he could turn where he wants. I've witnessed this by the way.

Those are interesting "culture" , as far as I know, traffics in some Asian countries aren't any better........

I agree with you re traffic in Asia - traffic lights are invisible to motorists and no one can cross the road. Traffic jams are normal daily occurrences - so much so that everyone knows when they will happen and get out to go to the nearests cafes for a drink and watch the cars all freeze in the middle of the road. It's attrocious. I'm so used to the orderly traffic - in Australia - if the lights red, stop. In Asia - red light? what red light????

I was always told that in Taipei "Red lights are for refrence"

This all sounds like the drivers in my home state of Massachusetts. Do you mean to say that there are places on earth where people drive differently?

In Mexico:

1. Automobiles trucks and busses have the right of way and do not slow for pedestrians, ever.
*True, most of the times.

2. It is customary to run traffic lights if there's no cross traffic and no traffic police visible.
*True, specially at night.

3. Stop signs are ignored unless the cross road in front is actually about to be occupied by a fast moving vehicle. A car that stops under any other condition may be rear ended.
*Stop signs?

4. It's customary for motorcycles and scooters to go where ever they can squeeze between cars so that at a red light where the traffic is actually stopped they all zig-zag through the stopped to cars reach the front of the line.
*Do you want that pizza in less than 30 minutes or not?

5. If you're traveling in the far right lane in three lanes or more of heavy traffic and you decide at the last minute you want to turn left at the corner you're about to pass just stick your arm out the window and wave your hand up and down and miraculously all the other lanes will avoid hitting you as you cross in front of them.
*This is called "pericia". and has nothing to do with "perish".

6. If you want to turn right at the next corner and there is a car in front of you pass it then hit the breaks hard in order to make the turn.
*This is "impericia". Also done.

7. If you pull up to a stop sign where cars are actually stopping and you wish to turn left pull to the right and along side of the car in front of you and quickly cut him off crossing in front of him to make your turn.
*A taxi speciality. Good also when the left turn is prohibited.

8. When driving in heavy traffic obey the law "horror vacui" and do not permit unoccupied car lengths in front of you.
*That's why most incidents occur under heavy traffic. One foot is the maximum distance any non-chicken allows.

9. When a red traffic light is about to change it turns yellow before turning green. At the first hint of yellow immediately honk your horn and keep honking until the car in front of you begins to move.
*Yes, a nanosecond.

10. If you accidentally pass the corner where you wanted to turn simply stop where you are and cautiously back up against the oncoming traffic.
*Cautiously?

11. The yellow light means "speed up, or you'll get caught in the red". If you don't speed up, chances are you'll get hit in the rear.

12. Microbuses are supposed to leave their passenger at the middle of the road. Vehicle dodge training.

There is strong evidence that these rules apply also in Argentina, specially among public transportation drivers.

The famous song "Candonga de los Colectiveros" by Master Johan Sebastian Mastropiero (AKA Les Luthiers) tells it all:

"Semo lo coletiveros, que cumplimos nuestro deber...
No se puede yo lo siento, ni bajarse ni subir
con el coche en movimiento, no me gusta transigir,
Salvo cuando son ancianos los que quieren descender,
que se larguen si son sanos, no me pienso detener...

Semo lo coletiveros, que cumplimos nuestro deber...

Plata, chica, no me queda, cuando tengo que cobrar
o me pagan con monedas, o se bajan, que embromar!
Eso si ante la afrenta de pagarme con 10.000
en monedas de 50, doy el vuelto muy gentil...

Semo lo coletiveros, que cumplimos nuestro deber...

Corro fuerte, nunca aflojo, con coraje y con valor
Si el semaforo esta en rojo, acelero sin temor
Pero no me olvido el freno, yendo a gran velocidad,
con el colectivo lleno, que porrazos de verdad...

Semo lo coletiveros, que cumplimos nuestro deber...

Cuando llueve, a la vereda me aproximo servicial,
salpicando con la rueda al que espera, soy genial!
Si el afalto esta mojado, paro lejos del cordon
nuca falta el apurado, que se ligue el tropezon...

Semo lo coletiveros, que cumplimos nuestro deber..."