Tourists..dont drive in Mexico City!

[bear]

How is it that tourists, who seemingly have the good sense to not bring firearms to Mexico or use drugs while in Mexico, think it is wise to "drive" in
Mexico, especially in Mexico City? Tourist folks, this is not a good thing to do!
Recently, I came up behind an American tourist near Mexico City who had the dire misfortune to hit an old man on a bicycle, worse yet, in a rented car.
Tourists....dont drive in Mexico, especially in Mexico City area. There are only two driving rules there, "me first" and ¿What laws?. There is no mercy on the mean streets of Distrito Federal, and there are no laws that are consistently obeyed....none! Nada! Never!
It takes those of us who retire or work here months of harrowing experience
to learn to drive here. You cannot learn it in a couple of days. Dont try.
I tried to help my countryman, but they took him to jail! I dont know what came of it but I know that it cost him plenty of money.
Bus systems here are too good, taxis are too cheap. There is no reason to take the chance. Bear

Originally Posted by bear

There are only two driving rules there, "me first" and ¿What laws?

Mexico City? Those two driving rules apply just about everywhere in Mexico. It is just far worse in the capitol. I cannot imagine why anybody wants to set foot in that abysmal city.

[brink]

This is a message that needs to be repeated. When I go on Craigslist and say "don't rent a car in Mexico" someone who has been to Yucatan or Cabo says "It's not so bad." I think those are the only two areas (largely deserted) in the whole country where it is not so bad.

Driving is tolerable in Toluca (only if you really know the city) but completely unnecessary because of the great taxi system.

Driving in Acapulco is probably worse than DF. Every day I see Gringos in a rented jeep looking for a place to park or pulled over by the transitos. I only try to drive once a year here: New Years morning at 7 AM through the city to Playa Revolcadero.

[Quién Soy Yo?]

Brink, your advice may be sound for someone from Perry, Iowa . . . but for persons accustomed to driving in any major city in the world, I think driving in Mexico City will seem normal. Of course, the big difference is that signage is in Spanish.

My general advice for newbies in the D.F. is that they study a roadmap of the city/area prior to driving there. Maps are available for sale over the internet as well as in bookstores and even some are free to view online. Plan your route and familiarize yourself with the road system and highway numbering. Also, brush-up on your Spanish terminology - study some of the signs. Some guidebooks offer examples for practice.

Brink lives in Toluca, and folks in that part of the D.F. metropolitan area (if one can call it that) are a bit skiddish about being in the D.F. They're as afraid of being kidnapped as they are of having a fender-bender.

About foreigners driving rental cars: take all of the insurance add-ons to protect yourself. Few home country policies will cover you when driving in Mexico and when they do the coverage is not all-inclusive - there are some gaps. Similarly, the protection many people think their credit card issuers provide them is very limited. All of this added coverage can easily raise your daily rental costs to $500+ pesos. If you don't have proper/adequate coverage and you get into an accident or cause property damage you're likely to find yourself in jail temporarily (or for longer, and a hefty civil penalty as well).

But, bottom line . . . don't let someone scare you away from driving on the expressway system in the D.F. Planned properly, it's no different than driving in NYC, Chicago or LA (better, actually).

[sparks]

The main concern about driving in a big city is getting lost and not knowing what to do or where to turn. The big 6 lane one-way boulevards are quite civil compared to smaller towns with no traffic lights and narrow streets. I just drove thru DF about a month ago from Patzcuaro to Cuernavaca ... not by choice ... but because I missed the turn off that goes thru the mountains to Tres Marias. I did fine thru the city but probably because I spent 4-5 months there about 6 years ago. Even back then I had a rental car for two weeks but always had a local riding shotgun. Tourists that rent are asking for a learning experience for sure ... even in cities like Mazatlan or Vallarta.

I drive all over Mex but will not drive in Mexico City. I get lost every time I go there at last count 80 times! Taxis are the only way!

[Quién Soy Yo?]

I get lost every time I go there at last count 80 times!

Take a hint. Hand back your drivers license. Anybody who is that confused shouldn't be on the highways behind the wheel. ;-)

[sparks]

80 times .... can't say he didn't give it a try. Sometime I get my bearings with the sun ... but the smog in DF often defeats that angle.

I guess you have never been on the periferico and have gotten off and did'nt know here you were. I put in my post that I get lost every time I go there and it is true, and I dont drive, I take a cab and my post was to inform people that go there to take a cab and not drive themselves. There are over 400 colonials in Mexico City and it is quite easy to get turned around and not know where you are. Even most taxi drivers have admitted to me that they also get lost and have never been in all of Mexico City. I grew up in L.A. and can honestly say that driving there is alot safer than in DF. Now that the upper level on the periferico is being put in it should be even worse to negotiate. Well see Yo!

LOL, comon Bear, where is ure sense of adventure????
I could have used this information about 8 months ago, but as I did not have this tip, wellll, we NEbraskans went driving in Mexico City in a rental car.
OMG, you are so right! There are no laws, no rules, and it was the most BIZARRE thing I have ever experienced I think in my life. But hell, my companion was an EXCELLENT driver and caught on to the game very quickly. We hit the street running and drove the wrong direction for 4 hours before having to turn around and come back, lol, but we MADE it. Oh, and you forgot to mention that the beautiful little RATS paint over all of the direction signs so that you have no idea what it says, whats up with that????
You just have to be a crazy mofo to drive there, and even maybe a bit more crazier than that. I am an excellent driver but I was so relieved that I did not take it on.