Driving in Mexico

Driving in Mexico is an interesting experience. You never know what you will find around the next corner on the Highway. Here are some examples:

Herd of cattle in the center section of the divided highway between the northbound and south bound lanes being looked after by a cowboy on a horse. Of course some of the cattle are right at the edge of the pavement because there is grass growing up to the edge of the pavement.

Whizzing down the road in the left lane of the divided highway where there is a concrete barrier between the opposite directions, and there are two guys up ahead hugging the barrier attaching reflectors to the top of it. No warning flagger, just the two guys on the edge of the lane.

A section of roadway where they have decided to widen the existing roadbed to make the lanes wider. They excavate the shoulder away right to the edge of the pavement. It is a straight drop off 4 feet down. Remember, the lane was already narrow to start with. You start driving with the left wheel on the yellow line and you hope you don't meet a bus coming in the opposite direction doing the same thing because they have excavated his side also. You don't want a moment of mis-attention and let a tire slip off the edge here.

That is not to say that they don't also do it right and post lots of warning signs about work ahead and have flaggers warning you to slow down and cones to direct you into one lane while they work in the other. It's just that they don't always do it. You have to be constantly scanning far down the road on the lookout for the unexpected, the broken down truck, pedestrians crossing the highway in the middle of nowhere, the horse tied along side the road to eat the grass but his rope has come undone and is wandering around.

The scary thing is that after awhile, it seems normal. You just do it. You start to drive MEXICAN!

Rick