A few notes and perhaps amusing reading on this subject may give you a more relaxing experience while visiting here.
xxFirst: you should keep in mind that, to Puerto Ricans, the concept of ‘Right of Way' has a more obscure meaning (if any meaning at all). After more than a year, I'm still getting lessons about this one. It seems to me that, just like at home, right of way is granted to you not just by the law but by the whims of the other drivers as well. But the circumstances under which these whims operate are different here. The laws regarding right of way take a far back seat to the whims. For example: if someone is in a hurry then you should let them get by you or let them cut you off or let them squeeze into traffic. Your impulse will be to honk and get angry. If you do that you will get a look of anger and bewilderment and they will still get in front of you. (Notice the dents in most of their cars.) If you are in a hurry, they will let you in, too.
xxI've seen drivers, who are in a hurry, cut off ambulances that are flashing their emergency lights. . .
xxA driver who is decidedly not in a hurry will often yield right of way to you when you don't expect it and when you don't notice that is what they are doing. You may be waiting for them to go while they will wait patiently until you notice that they are being kind and that you must go.
xxWalking citizens often do get the right of way, even from the people who are in a hurry. Crosswalks are not necessary for this. The walking citizen will often receive the right of way where you would think it silly. (Be wary of this one because they often don't get the right of way, too.)
xxIf you can avoid it do not go by schools where children are outside. It can seem that drivers will wait forever just in case someone standing by the side of the street might want to cross anytime soon. The kids being used to this will often not even look when they do decide to cross and while crossing they just might stop to have a conversation. This happens regularly.
xxParking on the opposite side of the road is a common practice. So is parking in the middle of the road or stopping in the middle of the road for any reason at all. Be patient.
xxPolice drive around with their emergency lights flashing for no apparent reason. No one seems to pay much attention. I'd advise that you do pay attention, just in case. Sometimes there really is an emergency.
xxSpeed bumps, sunken manhole covers and mothers-of-all-potholes exist here. With the very low bottoms of some of the new cars, you can understand why many drivers will go by these at 1 mph.
xxDistances on road signs are in kilometers. Speed limits are posted in miles per hour.
xxThere are no ‘passing-lanes.' If you are traveling on a road that gives you two lanes in your direction, use either lane you wish at anytime. That's the way it is done here.
xxPlease be cautious
and remember you and I are the foreigners here, not the Puerto
Ricans. |
