The driving in Buenos Aires is not the worst in South America, but that’s not saying much. When I first came here from Europe travelling in a bus or taxi was one of the most terrifying (or exhilarating if you’ve had a bit to drink) experiences of my life. Traffic in London seems bad when you come from Dorset, then you drive in Paris and things back home seem tame. Go from Paris to Milan or Madrid and things start to get a bit more lively. Then you arrive in Buenos Aires and nothing you’ve seen or known before applies.
When I got back here from Colombia it actually seemed tame here compared to Bogota, but nonetheless things are hectic and I am constantly amazed that more serious accidents don’t occur. Simple things here have always puzzled me like why nobody takes the blindest bit of notice of the lanes. There may be 4 painted on the road but there will be 6 cars lined up as you cross. Indicators have no link to reality. Ever. In fact it is not uncommon to see cars or driving along indicating right for 2 blocks, then the indicator stops and the car goes left.
Last week any puzzlement I may have had about why these basics are ignored was finally cleared up. Talking to some colleagues from Argentina and Holland, we were discussing the process in each country to get a driving licence. Myself and the Dutch guy talked about 15 hour long driving lessons, 30 minutes one-on-one driving tests, theory tests, the works. We then asked the Argentinian about the test here. “Test?” he answered, “I turned up on my own in my car, he made me reverse into a parking space, showed me one road sign and asked me what it meant, gave me the psychological test and got me to draw a house, a person and a tree, checked my eyesight and that was it, handed me my licence and I drove off again in my car, which wasn’t even insured.”
So there you have it, nobody here drives like they know what they are doing, because in actual fact they don’t know what they are doing.
Hi!!
I have just read your note “Explains a lot”. I can not say, the traffic in Buenos Aires is not chaotic. You are totally right. (although I can notice you have not been to Cairo´s city hahaha) But I do not fully agree that drivers do not know what they are doing. Actually, there is a high percentage of people who drives (maniobra) very well, and know how to find their way through the lanes. It is true that the exams for obtaining a driving license are not verry hard, and depending on the place where you take it, it could be as easy as only giving them a 4×4 photo. But the thing is, that te traffic laws and regulations are not followed nor controlled by the police. So, I do not believe people drive good or bad depending on how hard it is an exam or how many hours you shuld drive before you got your license, but, how rules and regulations are obeyed and the kind of penalty or fine for the people who doesn´t.
An example of this, is that pedestrians (who does not need any type of license) neither respect the traffic lights nor zebra crossing. You can notice people from Europe, who normally respect them in their home country, slowly but surely, start not to respect them as well. This is due to the lack of reprehension or punishment for infractions. Not because people does not know what to do or how to do it.
Changing the topic, you have very nice pictures on your blog!!!!
Hi Florencia,
Thanks for the comment – I’m glad you like the photos!
Being used to the European system I guess I was a little shocked to find out how little it took to be able to drive here. I wasn’t trying to say that people drive badly here, but they do drive in a very different way, mainly because they have to figure it out for themselves – see what works and what doesn’t! I also agree that the police could do more about bad or dangerous driving – when I first came to Buenos Aires no motorcyclists wore helmets, then they started enforcing the law and now it’s very rare to see a helmet-less rider, so it can work!
I agree with Jonathan: traffic is CRAZY, and there is NO ANGER MANAGEMENT. Taxi drivers are the worst! they are LOCAL, unlike New York!