The Ins & Outs of Driving in Mexico Part 3 How to Drive in Mexico
This is Part 3 of my 6 part post on Driving in Mexico. Click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
How to drive in Mexico
If you have never driven in Mexico (or most any country foreign to you) the prospect can be intimidating to say the least. The thought of dealing with new laws, customs, and attitudes, many of which unfamiliar, has lead many would be drivers to take a bus instead.
So, how to drive in Mexico? 3 simple rules:
Rule #1: The “Me First” Rule
Mexicans are some of the nicest, most hospitable people in the world. But put them behind the wheel, and many become some of the most impatient people in the world. If you are in a driving situation where it looks like another car may be able to jump in ahead of you, assume they will… even if that results in what you would consider being cut off (you’ll have to adjust your perception of what constitutes a cut off). Remember the “Me First” Rule (and make a little room for the other guy) and your driving experience will go much more smoothly.
Rule #2: People in Mexico drive aggressively
Mexican drivers are much more aggressive than American and Canadian drivers. Refer to Rule #1. When you are getting started driving in Mexico, just relax and let the other guy go. Pretty soon you’ll begin to see the flow, the method to the apparent madness of Mexican driving.
Rule #3: Drive Defensively
Refer to Rule #1 and Rule #2. Many American and Canadian drivers drive around half asleep on autopilot. In these countries people tend to follow all the rules and the roads have lots of clearly visible signs, lines, shoulders, large arrays of traffic lights, and a high degree of organization. In Mexico, this is not always the case. Actually, it’s seldom the case. Keep your eyes open and always check your blind spot.
These rules seem pretty ominous but my intention is not to scare you away from driving in Mexico, I designed them to help you stay on your toes when you first start driving here… After a little experience, you’ll wonder what I was worried about.
A small town near Sayulita, Nayarit
One more thing you should keep in mind if driving or even walking in Mexico. I call it sensory overload. When you go to a place that is completely new to you and so much new information bombarding you from all sides, your brain may have trouble seeing things, or rather interpreting what it sees.
When I first came to Mexico, it was completely new to me. A new country with new rules, new sights, new sounds, new language, new everything. Shortly after arriving, I had a conversation that went something like this: A friend said to me “Lets go in to that hardware store,” gesturing to a building across the street. I responded, “That’s a hardware store?” I was standing in front of what was obviously a hardware store, but my brain simply could not process what it was seeing. A lot of people find themselves on sensory overload for a few days after arriving in a new place. It goes away once your brain gets itself around the new images, but until then, consider yourself dangerous.
In Part 4, how to cross the border with your car. Meanwhile, I’d like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment if you have any questions or remarks.
Click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The Ins & Outs of Driving in Mexico Part 2 The Roads in Mexico
This is part 2 of my 6 part post on Driving in Mexico, Click here for Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The Roads in Mexico
The other half of the safety equation is the roads themselves. The roads in Mexico are generally pretty good… not great, but serviceable. If it is your first time, you’ll want to stick to the toll roads (autopistas de cuota) as much as you can. They can get a little expensive, but the roads are usually in very good condition with wider shoulders, passing lanes, better grades, less curves, etc. But toll roads don’t go everywhere. When you are on the free road just go easy, there is usually a lot of truck traffic, so be patient and pass when it is safe. The lines on the road are similar to those in the USA; dashed lines mean you can pass, solid means do not pass. You’ll see some roads where the lines are either very faded or non existent, just use some common sense and understand that there is less room for error on Mexican roads. Some roads, like the stretch between Tepic and Puerto Vallarta, are long twisty two lane mountain roads. These roads can definitely try your patience as there are few opportunities to pass and getting stuck behind a truck trying to go up a grade is never fun. In those cases just take a deep breath and relax… the one good thing is many of these roads have fantastic scenery, which makes it easier to enjoy the ride.
The road to Puerto Vallarta has excellent scenery and a canopy of trees you won't want to miss!
Gas stations are not as plentiful as in the USA or Canada, so don’t let yourself go below a quarter tank. If you are not sure where the next gas is, it’s better to top off than to find yourself out f gas in the middle of nowhere. A lot of people travel with GPS’s these days, and GPS data in Mexico is pretty good. But if you still prefer to use a map, then you’ll need a good road atlas. The “Rand McNally” type atlas in Mexico is called Guia Roji. Guia Roji prints map atlases for the entire country as well as city atlases for major cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. These guides are usually available in gas stations (those with a convenience store), book stores and news stands all over the country.
In Part 3, I’ll give some pointers on how to drive in Mexico. Meanwhile, I’d like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment if you have any questions or remarks.
Click here for Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The Ins & Outs of Driving in Mexico Part 1 Is it Safe to Drive in Mexico?
I recently ran across a question on a travel forum from a person asking if it was safe to take a family driving vacation in Mexico. As I was writing my response, it occurred to me that my readers here might find the information useful, so I decided to post a more detailed answer here. It has since grown into a 6 part post covering roads, driving, getting permission to bring your car to Mexico, accidents and breakdowns. I am interested in what you think, please leave a comment if you found this information useful!
Click here for Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Is it Safe to Drive in Mexico?
I have lived and driven extensively in Mexico for the last 12 years. I have never really felt worried for my personal security. In fact, most people I have met have been friendly and helpful… although some get a little intimidated by foreigners (or at least at the prospect of trying to communicate with foreigners). It helps if you can speak some Spanish.
Driving into Down Town Puerto Vallarta
Mexico has been taking a lot of heat recently because the the “drug war”. These issues are generally centered around border towns and once you get past those towns it is largely a non issue. There are no gangs of ‘banditos’ roaming the countryside looking for wayward gringos (unless you include timeshare salesmen 
). I remember someone saying of Las Vegas in the 50′s and 60′s, “No one got shot who didn’t deserve it.” I’m not condoning the violence, I’m just saying that as a disinterested 3rd party your chances of getting involved in some sort of violence while passing through a border town in Mexico are next to nil. When visiting the interior of Mexico, you will find many amazing places like Puerto Vallarta, Guanajuato, Morelia, Guadalajara, Mascota… way too many places to list here… which will more than make up for the perceived risk of coming to Mexico.
In large metropolitan areas like Mexico City there are areas you probably don’t want to go, as is the case in any big city. If you are staying in places like that, use common sense and stay at a decent hotel (which should keep you in a decent part of town). Use the same rules you’d use when visiting New York City or Detroit.
Next up in Part 2 – The Roads in Mexico. Meanwhile, I’d like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment if you have any questions or remarks.
Click here for Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Nahui – New Development on the Beach at Playa Destiladeras Riviera Nayarit
This afternoon was the official launch of Nahui, a new high end luxury development at Playa Destiladeras in Riviera Nayarit. A selection of Real Estate agents in Puerto Vallarta were invited to attend the presentation of this interesting new development (and enjoy a great lunch!). The sand, waves and cool breezes made the perfect backdrop for the presentation which gave us a taste of things to come.
Nahui Resort Development Presentation
Nahui, a Nahuatl word referring to the 4 elements wind, water, earth and fire, reflects the developers desire to create an ecologically sensitive low density community on an 800+ hectare (2100 acre) lot of Mexican Beach and Jungle land located in the northern Banderas Bay in Riviera Nayarit and just 45 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, near shopping, dining and entertainment. The Nahui community boasts 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles!) of coastline, including the excellent Playa Destiladeras and plans are in the works for two 18 hole golf courses and a beach club, as well as a village with commercial areas and dining.
Phase one of the development is comprised of 73 ocean view building lots of about 500m2 (5380 sq ft) on which the developer will build to suit. The architectural firm of
Palapas at Playa Destiladeras, future home of the Community at Nahui
Barba & Ramirez have prepared plans of modular homes which are highly customizable to suit any budget or any level of luxury. Barba & Ramirez have a lot of experience building high end luxury homes all over Mexico including Los Veneros and Hacienda de Mita (to name just a few) here in the Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit area. Having personally been inside some of their excellent projects I can tell you with confidence: when it comes to luxury, these guys really get it.
The project is brand new and we don’t all information yet, but we expect pricing to start at around $400,000 USD for a 2 bedroom home. In the next few days we are expecting more details and I’ll post here as they become available. In the mean time, let me know if you need any more information!
