When in Mexico, Drive Like the Mexicans Drive

Barely 9 kilometros over the border on Mexico 2 (a highway), and we'd already almost crashed twice. The speed limit was 60 kph (about 40 mph), and every car on that highway was going 80. 80 miles per hour, not kilometros per hour. Oy. That was a fun ride. And that was just the first day in Mexico. It was most definitely an adventure.


There are speed bumps EVERYWHERE in Mexico. In Rio Bravo, they're enormous...and painful, especially if one is sitting in the back of the van. Also, one of our drivers loved to go slow at first, then gun it to get over the bump. We were not very happy with him. After a while we just started yelling "SPEED BUMP" every time we saw one. Then there's the speed bumps on the highway. Yes, on the highway. Crazy place, Mexico. Their traffic lights are strange, too. Not only are many of them on the highway, but they also flash green when it's about to turn yellow. It just means go faster.


One frightening example of Mexican driving was actually done by one of our own. On the way back from our worksite one day, we were traveling down the highway when the assistant driver in the front seat said, "We missed our turn!" So, the driver immediately turned to what she thought was the exit. It was actually the way on to the other side of the highway. We were driving on the WRONG SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY! Miraculously, we got onto the right side without getting into a head-on collision.


If you're not in the town or on the highway in Mexico, the road is dirt. Or rather, mud...especially after 3 straight nights of rain. And we had to drive about 30 minutes to our worksite each morning. By the end of the week, the outsides and insides of the truck and vans were covered with mud. It was pretty nasty...but by the end of the week, we no longer cared, because we were covered with dirt anyway. (I never felt clean the whole week. I think there's something in the water.) We did get the vans cleaned at the end of the week at a Mexican car wash...all 3 vehicles, inside and out, for about $20. Unfortunately, it took about 3 hours. We also ended up having to cram 24 people into a 15 passenger van (because the other one was still being cleaned). Now that was comfortable. There were about 5 or 6 people in every row, and some people had to sit on others. It was just a tad overcrowded.


We made it out of Mexico alive and well. Although we came close, none of our vehicles ever crashed. Miracles never cease.