Ticos can't drive. I saw 3 accidents in one day!

DELSOLII · Feb 24, 2005

Listen,

I am not saying that I am the best driver, but come on!!!

The taxis are crazy. I saw 2 taxis get hit today: 1 tried to go through a red light and got hit.
The other played "no patience" at a 4 way and hit a motorcycle. The guy on the bike had to have a cracked a rib or two.

The third was an aftermath of an accident. I didn't see the cars hit, just a lot of broken glass and messed up hoods.

Does anyone remember the 10 car accident on the highway (towards the airport) that happened about two weeks ago? One car hit another and it did a huge domino effect.

I drive real slow and stop at all of the stop signs and hesitate before going through a changed light.

I have had two accidents. a stupid chick backed into me at yohanns supermarket parking lot(busted head light) and the second was an old man who hit my back bumber while I was entering the highway to escazu. Both within 2 days.

No problem, I drive a yugo.

Sol II

herefinally · Feb 24, 2005

Been in the country 6 days, seen 2 accidents. Both involved taxis and motorcycles. :sad3:

-Slim- · Feb 24, 2005

If you saw 3 accidents in this country.., odds are one involved a Colombian, one involved a Nicaraguan and one involved one of those self proclaimed "Americans"....

Odds are then, none of them were ticos....

truthteller · Feb 24, 2005

Ticos are the nicest people I have met but put them behind a car and they are nastier than those ******* from New York.

wolfie_cr · Feb 24, 2005

"Odds are then, none of them were ticos...."

HA!

HAHAHA!

I am sorry but it's true, in general we don't know how to drive

why?????? because

1) we don't have proper training like you guys in the states have, in there you learn when you are in highschool
2) the roads are too narrow and we are like caged animals, most streets have ONE lane and if you have to park there (And you typically HAVE to because here noone thinks about putting proper parking for ANY kind of business.....) then you have a disaster waiting to happen
3) everyone is trying to get in front of you to get to the closest stop light TWO SECONDS before you, I don't really understand what the point is
4) noone understands the little concept of getting into the right lane and staying there................no! we most get in the fastest lane and then 1 meter before the exit then we must switch lanes and run over anyone there
5) its hard to drive when you are avoiding the guys from Hogares Crea trying to sell me pens or chewing gum, the guy selling cell phone accesories and the other guy who is selling peppers/mangos
6) you see it right there.......you know the idiot is going to ignore the stop light and he sees you seeing him......he doesn't give a damn!
7) everyone thinks they can "drive", talk on the phone and switch the radio station at the same time..........

I am glad up to a certain degree that we don't have real expressways ..........everyone would OF COURSE try to go at maximum speed and then more accidents!

The list of issues driving here is endless and that's why I encourage tourists NOT to drive here

DELSOLII · Feb 24, 2005

Wolfie_cr,

Great list! That's just the 1% of the craziness that happens here.

I would be very interested to hear other posters experiences with this.

By the way, I am afraid to use a taxi. If I do, I will always sit in the back behind the driver(is that the safest place to be in an accident?)

I have one question...Does road rage exist here?

I am very fond of cr and the people. I agree that the majority of Ticos become Locos when they drive.

Sol II

AdamSelene · Feb 24, 2005

Why isn't it a *tradition* (and legal) in Costa Rica for kids to learn how to drive and get a job (to pay for the car/gas of course) when they turn sixteen years old? That seems like a very important transition to adulthood and necessary skill development absent from tico culture.

I don't agree with the 21 drinking age in the States, but there is something to be said about learning to drive :105317756 5 years before learning to drink :drink: .

kingbill · Feb 24, 2005

He who swears loudest has the right of way, If you think the other driver is going to cut in front of you they will, if you don't think they will cut in front of you, they will. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com

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I think I get swore at the loudest whenever I am courteous and let another driver in front of me or let a pedestrian cross. MF's in Land Rovers honk and swear, I don't think he extra 20 seconds it will take them to get to work will kill them<o

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DELSOLII · Feb 25, 2005

My favorite is when the light turns green, I mean the moment it changes the person behind me starts honking.

Chill.....

So I wait a few more seconds till the second honk, then slowly move forward. I know it pisses them off but hey, they deserve it. That is when they do everything possible to speed up and cut in front of me. Half of the time I get the bird.

I just smile and continue on my way.

Sol II

truthteller · Feb 25, 2005

That's what pisses me off the most. They can't wait 3 seconds after the light turns green before they start honking. Sometimes I wait 10-20 seconds. That really pisses them off.

DELSOLII · Feb 25, 2005

I am glad that I am not alone.

Good for you Truthteller.

Any other suggestions?

Sol II

wolfie_cr · Feb 25, 2005

I don't think I am Michael Schumaher but I bought a huge mirror so that I know exactly who is where..........with motorcycles swinging side to side................and everyone trying to pass me ....................by the left AND right lane at the same time its great

When I see some bastard getting ready to move in front of me and take the little distance I keep from my car and the one in front of me......I speed up just a little ...........so that he just can NOT squeeze in

DimeBag · Feb 25, 2005

Slim,

You got to be kidding, Ticos are responsible for the majority of accidents here, no bad intended they just drive like lunatics. For the record though, after five years of being here my driving resembles that of a "pirata" and have been known to honk and cuss at the idiots on the roadway.

Dime

kingbill · Feb 26, 2005

I can't believe I am defending the drivers here but I think many people honk the moment the light turns green is a way to tell the person in front in case the lead driver has pulled to far ahead and can't see the light hanging. Otherwise they may be just A**h*LES

wolfie_cr · Feb 26, 2005

oh no you are big time wrong kingbill

I typically stop the closest I can while STILL being able to see the light, if there are two lanes.......the guy next to me usually goes further ahead ONE FULL CAR, you can see him completely twisting his neck trying to see when the light goes from red to green

Jabow · Feb 26, 2005

Give me a break guys, ,
listen when th e light is GREEN it means GOOOOOOOOOO!
, when you have things to do and places to go, nothing is worst than you're about 5 cars behind, and you know on that green at LEAST 12 cars should pass through a green light and you're in 5th place and you never get through because people like some who posted have their thumbs stuck up their #$$##.

Give me a break, now, if everyone decides to GO SLOW, it would be another thread, TICOS ARE TOO SLOW, pleaaaaaaaaaaseeee,

BTW, its society that has us all uptight and in a rush, things will never change, its rush, rush, rush.

truthteller · Feb 26, 2005

I am not talking about the guy that is 5 cars back honking but the car that is directly behind me. In the U.S it's much more fast paced than here but they don't hunk as as much.

wolfie_cr · Feb 26, 2005

Jabow, let me explain to you what we are taking about

1) car moves at the speed of light and then goes from 80 to 0 in 1 second by slamming the brakes because the light is red
2) you are in front of him and the light turns green
3) one nanosecond before he is honking "hey you , move it, its green and I am wasting precious nanoseconds, move it or I will run you over"

Darkwing · Feb 26, 2005

here finally said:
Been in the country 6 days, seen 2 accidents. Both involved taxis and motorcycles. :sad3:

Taxis are horrible there. If you find a good taxi driver, get his cell number and try to use him as often as you can. lol. I've had scarier taxi rides in Curacao though.

Now people in France simply can not drive. They go flying around in their cars until they run into each other. Then they get out of the car to yell and shake their fists at each other, maybe pound the roof of their car, and then get back in and speed away while they beep their horns. Truly the craziest thing I had seen in a long time. I lost it and could not help but laugh my ass off.

Darkwing · Feb 26, 2005

wolfie_cr said:
Jabow, let me explain to you what we are taking about

1) car moves at the speed of light and then goes from 80 to 0 in 1 second by slamming the brakes because the light is red
2) you are in front of him and the light turns green
3) one nanosecond before he is honking "hey you , move it, its green and I am wasting precious nanoseconds, move it or I will run you over"

Very accurate description. I was once in a cab down there and we must have been a good 10 cars back at the light, maybe even farther. The very second the light changes green, this guy starts laying on the horn - as if any of the cars in front of us had any opportunity to move. You'd think they had been sitting there all day waiting for that light to change.