As promised, a few tips for anybody about to
drive in
Ecuador, as we found the internet lacked these!
1. Get a GPS, even if it costs a lot. 1 out of 8 streets seems to have signs, and the signs are 4’’ x 6’’ with small lettering. While everyone we met and asked directions from was very helpful, it gets to be annoying when you drive in circles for an hour.
2. The only rule people seem to follow (unless a cop is present): round-abouts. When driving in the outside lane, you must immediately exit! If you want to stay in, you MUST go to the inside lane.
3. Taxis: they’re extremely aggressive drivers, and the agent at Avis says if you’re in an accident with one they’ll want you to buy them a whole new car. They also don’t stop at stop signs. Look out!
4. Stoplights: Instead of just a yellow light, they are green and yellow together. Not a big deal, except people from all directions treat these as green lights. I understand the same is true in Boston… Some lights are also green and red at the same time, but this is because of faulty wiring (!) so figure out what you are supposed to do on context.
5. Speed bumps. They’re sometimes signed, but often not. You can be flying down the highway at 90 kmph and hit one if you’re not careful! Best to keep a local driver in front of you so
6. Lanes. There aren’t any? They don’t usually have lines painted on the road, because it’s understood that there are as many lanes as cars can fit in the road. Also, those yellow hatched regions between your side and oncoming traffic are commonly treated as a lane.
7. Passing. Better to not do as the locals on this one! They will fly past you on the blind curve of a foggy road in a heartbeat. It was amazing! If they can’t pass you they’ll tailgate you really closely. If there’s a shoulder, it’s Ecuadorian courtesy to move as far right as possible (while maintaining speed) so they can pass you in the lane… just look out for donkeys and pedestrians – even on the highway.
8. Speed limits. The few they have posted aren’t obeyed.
9. Look out for animals in the roadway. All roadways!
10. Honking. It’s not a rude or angry gesture here, but a language. “Beep beep!” means “Hey I’m here and overtaking you!” and in reply a “beep!” means “Got it! I’ll make sure not to swerve into you!” Going through small towns, the camionetas (buses) will often honk several times while barreling down the road to alert pedestrians to jump out of the way.
This sounds just like the Philippines!! It was worse in the provinces/rural areas (lots and LOTS of honking as a means to say, "hey, I am going in the oncoming traffic lane to pass you, move into the dirt on the shoulder please" and was typically directed at non-motorized vehicles and dinky mopeds. The general rule for accidents there is that whichever vehicle his farther ahead (nose of car sticking out farther, basically) is not at fault because it means the other car was behind and thus the one to hit. I think there were lane lines but no one respected them, partly because of how much traffic there was (people on foot sold snacks to people in cars!). The only place there wasn't traffic in Manila (and surrounding) was on the toll roads...because you basically pay a fee to go fast on a clean road above the rest of the cars. Luckily, I did not have to drive (though I was in a car that got hit in very slow traffic).
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