This is not a “vegetarian” related post but it is very important! Driving in Mexico is a bit of a challenge because of the road condition, often times invisible speed bumps known as “Topes”, large/slow trucks and buses that you share the road with, and police and military check points which can be intimidating if you do not speak spanish. We have experience driving in Mexico city, Oaxaca, Tabasco, and Chiapas regions. The following is a good summary of advice from our travels.
Some road advice:
(1)Make sure you come to a complete stop before going over a tope. (2) Look for the vehicles in front of you stopping in the distance as this is a pre-warning for an upcoming tope. (3) A slow vehicle ahead of you putting on their left indicator light is their way of telling you, that you can pass them, but of course check the road ahead first. (4) Passing is an art and a necessity if you want to get to your destination on time. (5) Do not drive at night for safety reasons (both road and robbery related). (6) Always have 50% more gas than you need. The road condition and absence of gas stations on remote roads means you should always have more than enough gas to get you from point A to point B. (8) If you can take a GPS with you. The roads are often not well sign posted and this will ensure you are going the right direction. (9) At a check point come to a complete stop. Make sure you have your passport, driver’s license, rental car agreement, and tourist card (the card you retained from the immigration form when you flew in) readiliy available for inspection. (10) DO NOT rent a car and/or drive in Mexico city. The road rules are in a constant state of flux and the police target tourists by falsely accusing them of traffic violations leading to requests for bribes. It is not worth it, trust me. Get a bus or taxi to Puebla or another safe city and rent a car from there instead. (11) If you are approaching a curve pelligrosa (dangerous curve) and there is a large vehicle coming the other way it is better to let them pass through the curve before you enter it as they may go over the line into your lane.
Rental Car Advice:
(1) Check your credit card and car insurance policies before you leave to determine their “rental car” Collision (CDW) and Theft protection (TP) policies with regards to renting a car. If you are covered you can decline the CDW and TP that the rental car agency with try and sell you when you go to pick up your rental car. (2) Do a full sweep of the car’s condition and make sure all damages are listed in the rental contract agreement or appropriate form before your leave the rental office. Also check the fuel level and have it noted on the agreement, often times it is not full. (3)If you have a digital camera with you take a photograph of the car’s condition before you start driving it. In the event you have an accident you can take photos of the scene, other driver’s paperwork, and your car’s post accident condition.
