Joys of the Road: Driving Lessons for Central America
Driving in Central America is easier than you might think -- even if you're not well-versed in Spanish.
The basics are the same as in North America. Drivers stick to the right hand side of the road, the traffic signs are in (comparatively) easy to read letters and familiar shapes, and the speed limits are posted in numbers (though 45 means 45 km/hour not 45 miles/hour). Yield signs are yellow triangles and stop signs (they say ALTO) are red and octagonal. It’s all about keeping your wits about you, and keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road (as the old song goes).
Cars, too, will look familiar. Unlike in the U.K. and Europe, auto styles and manufacturers are really just about the same in Central America as the ones in the U.S. or Canada. Many are Asian imports, or made by Japanese or Korean manufacturers in the U.S., and almost all vehicles the Latin countries are of the same makes….Toyota, Nissan, Kia, and so on, all with standard equipment.
The danger, or the challenge, lies in the fact that most Central Americans do not have the same driver’s education and countless hours behind the wheel that we expats typically enjoy. Most Central American families can't afford a car; they ride buses, cheap taxis, or horses, and they walk.
Many who do own cars have only been able to afford them recently. So while a driver here might be 38 years old, he (or she) may have been behind the wheel with actual experience only for a year or two.
Therefore you really don’t know whether a signal light means a turn is coming, or whether flashing lights might mean “Hi, how’s it going?" for example. In fact, you're lucky to see a turn signal at all. So you practice defensive driving, just as my driving instructor, Mr. Barnard, taught us years ago….very defensive.
Buses and taxicabs have rules of their own. Anytime I follow a cab down any street, whether it's two-lane, four-lane, or a country dirt road, I have to assume that that he’ll hit the brakes hard and stop right in the middle of the lane to have a quick fare negotiation with a pedestrian trying to get home for dinner. The dollar fare discussion has almost cost me a rear-end ticket from the local constable more than once.
Fortunately, though, my most serious collision so far was scraping the side of my car against a Brahma bull that decided not to give way to the Toyota Prado that had invaded his “cow path” home.
Buses are fun. When I first got to Nicaragua, I asked one of our associates, “Just how many school children are there in this country?” as I saw over 50 yellow school buses on the first day I went to our offices.
This question was met with a wide grin, as my buddy told me to look at the passengers and the way the bus was working. There had to be 75 people on a bus built for 40, with one man hanging out the side door and another hanging out the back emergency exit. When the bus reached a corner or a major intersection, it just slowed down. The guy hanging out the door threw packages to some of the travelers who had disembarked, and grabbed the hands or arms of those wanting to get on.
Later, I found out that these guys work with the driver to collect the c20 Cordoba (about $1) from the passengers, to make sure they pay up front. The buses are large enough that when they stop (there are no marked bus stops, except in the city along the main roads….all three of them), you have to give way, or stop behind and wait for them to complete their business.
Traveling in the countryside is really easy, as there are decent highways running north and south through most of the Central American countries. The Pan American Highway varies in its quality from Mexico down to Panama, but is generally in pretty good shape. Unlike North American highways, though, even where the Pan American is a four-lane divided highway, it's also used by pedestrians, ancient pick-ups and even the occasional horse or ox-cart, so you have to be constantly on the alert.
One also has to be aware that rental cars are not normally allowed to cross national borders, which means that you have to rent one in Nicaragua and leave it at the border of Costa Rica, for example, then pick one up in Costa Rica to go across that country. If you want to drive your own car through Central America, you’ll need to check out the insurance coverage for each country you enter. The coverage can vary tremendously, but is manageable if you purchase a rider from an insurance company that does business across the borders. This will allow you temporary liability coverage while not in your home country. According to my insurance company, CSIS Seguros, my 4X4 can be covered for 30 days outside my country, anywhere in Central America.
Some persons prefer to enjoy a trip with a private driver, allowing them to just “tool around” seeing the sights, without worrying about traffic problems. If you have a week rental and a good driver and guide, it’s easy to enjoy the country in a sightseeing mode. Also, because the driver is the one who would be named on the rental contract, any traffic violations fall to him and not you. For $50-$100 per day, depending on the country, a guide service can provide a driver that can really educate you in the history, culture, and lifestyle of the country in which you visit.
Personally, I enjoy the adventure of driving myself, and after three years, I’ve almost gotten the hang of finding my way around Managua without street signs. I’ve even heard that GPS services are on the way. I’m looking forward to hearing the auto-voice say, “Turn left, 300 meters, at the fruit stand with the large lady selling plantains.”
