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New residents driving tips


IMBurnen

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While there is a comprehensive guide to Mexican laws and tips for Jalisco drivers from Spencer posted here, I want to suggest a very short list of points for new residents. This is a selfish post as I've nearly been hit 3 times in one week by cars with tags from WA & FL states, and one from Ontario. You know who you are!

The lights on the carretera at La Floresta have a white and black sign hanging in both directions. On it is a diagram of a 'glorieta". That is a roundabout. It means that you cannot turn Left in front of me as I'm driving in either direction. Instead you need to turn Right, drive around the big tree, wait for the light and then cross over to your lower or upper La Floresta destination. If you would have hit me (great brakes on my car) you would have suffered a large degree of inconvenience and discomfort.

If you want to turn against the traffic from the carretera, you are required by law to move over to the right (unless this is in a narrow passage that would prevent this), turn your left blinkers on and wait until traffic is clear in both directions. I have seen traffic backed up for kilometers because someone has stopped traffic while waiting to turn. Oh no no no.

I'm not posting this as an invitation to malign other drivers, especially the Mexican ones. This is, after all, their country and if they choose to break the law, they will deal with the authorities in their own way and time. However, if you are not used to sitting in a Mexican jail for 24 hours, without your phone, water or food, then please, learn how to drive here. It's not the same as where you came from.

 

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1 hour ago, IMBurnen said:

If you want to turn against the traffic from the carretera, you are required by law to move over to the right (unless this is in a narrow passage that would prevent this), turn your left blinkers on and wait until traffic is clear in both directions.

In town? I will when it is an easy accomplishment out of town. I have a special signal for honkers.

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Actually, those are the RULES of the road here, the reality is something different.

If someone wants to turn left, slow down and let them.  

If a light is out, it probably means that it is "green".  Be careful because the whole light may be out and the cross traffic thinks the same thing.

Bicycles obey no rules.  Just because YOU have a green light means nothing to them.  Motorcycles may or may not obey the lights.

Motorcycle helmets are to be worn when raining, anytime else is optional.

Dogs, cats, horses, cows and humans jaywalk without looking.  People open car doors without looking.

I only obey 2 rules absolutely:  Don't hit anyone, don't let anyone hit you

 

 

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Some rules which are apparently laws: never have more than one working headlight; use highbeams whenever possible; never use turn signals; if you must turn left off the highway, make sure you start the turn 30 metres or so from the actual corner. And for pedestrians waiting for busses, make sure you stand in the middle of the street, and not on the corner, so that you can block traffic turning off the highway.

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I live out west of Ajijic, and I despair when I have to drive back home at night from Ajijic or Chapala BECAUSE there are no visible stripes on the sides of the road and no center stripes, and west of Roberto's, there is a stretch where there are no concrete barriers at the side of the road, so the only way I can tell I am in my lane is to judge by oncoming headlights, and I am met by vehicles with (a) no headlights, (b) no running lights OR headlights, (c) misaimed headlights that shine into my eyes, or (d) headlights on high which blinds me but apparently those are the only working headlights the driver has. And (e) some of the headlights are NOT normal headlights, they are some kind of extra bright ones like searchlights, which I am sure the drivers think is cool, but I don't appreciate them! And people wonder why retirees don't want to drive at night--DUH! End of rant.

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I'm with you on the night-driving issue. There is some kind of blurriness brought upon by age that prevented my Mom from driving at night, and I could never figure out how it could be so off-putting. Now that it is happening to me, I can understand: the glare from most headlights (especially the ultra-brights) actually acts like a curtain across the road, making it difficult to discern objects.

Back home in the summer, no problem night-driving: the luminiscent paint, side-markers, and other safety installations... not to mention the streetlamps... make it a moot point. Here, however, I am going to have to get my eye fixed.

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11 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

There is some kind of blurriness brought upon by age...

I think it is called cataracts.

"Those with posterior subcapsular cataracts usually complain of glare as their major symptom."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataract

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While we're on the topic.....  MANY streets in Ajijic, Chapala, and San Antonio (etc.) are ONE-WAY.  There are arrows on buildings at intersection corners indicating same. Try and respect them!  Many times, there is simply no room for cars driving "against the grain". And if you are to east edge of SuperLake (at the traffic light),     the street  at that right angle is a one- way UP. So those who persist in turning off at that corner and then getting on to the "lateral"  /parking strip are actually breaking the rules. If you cause an accident because someone is coming up that hill, you are at fault! (Can't count the number of times I've nearly been hit there while waiting for the light to change.)

Also, the laterals on the sides of the carretera are ONE-WAY.  Mountain side go with the traffic flow east to west.  Lake side the opposite.

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1 hour ago, Natasha said:

While we're on the topic.....  MANY streets in Ajijic, Chapala, and San Antonio (etc.) are ONE-WAY.  There are arrows on buildings at intersection corners indicating same. Try and respect them!  Many times, there is simply no room for cars driving "against the grain". And if you are to east edge of SuperLake (at the traffic light),     the street  at that right angle is a one- way UP. So those who persist in turning off at that corner and then getting on to the "lateral"  /parking strip are actually breaking the rules. If you cause an accident because someone is coming up that hill, you are at fault! (Can't count the number of times I've nearly been hit there while waiting for the light to change.)

Also, the laterals on the sides of the carretera are ONE-WAY.  Mountain side go with the traffic flow east to west.  Lake side the opposite.

Can we put the above post in BOLD LETTERS THAT FLASH? The incorrect use of laterals is my biggest beef as I often end up nose to nose with some ID IOT who doesn't understand the concept. You'll know me because I'll sit there all day until YOU back up.

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Well, I don't have cataracts YET, and I am still...uh..annoyed... by the $%&/()s with misfocused headlights, high beams in traffic, no headlights, one headlight, etc. Not to mention whether these $%&/()s have any car insurance.  Yes, driving here is a learning experience, and newbies need to be careful. Alas, it is NOT the local Mexicans who are the problem IMO! Did some of these expats get their licenses on Ebay or what???

And BTW, I know it is the rule in Mexico to pull over to the right and wait for traffic to clear, and then turn left from the right parking lane, but this DOES NOT WORK on the carretera!

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Traveling east, at the traffic light at the Liberamento, the left land is for people turning left and the right lane is for people proceeding east. Do not proceed east from the left lane.

Also do not exit Walmart by the AutoZone if you want to go west. Do that at the east exit.

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"If you want to turn against the traffic from the carretera, you are required by law to move over to the right ". I don't think that is by law but by local custom. Quite different.

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