# Mexico as a Land of Paradox



## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

From my perspective of living and driving extensively in both West Central and Southern Mexico for some 13 years:

Mexicans are both among the rudest and most courteous drivers I have ever experienced in my travels around the globe over many years. That is unlike France, the other country besides the U.S. in which I have logged the most road miles/kilometers. French drivers are simply rude - period - and aggressive, unyielding and disputacious. Now, I´m not comparing French drivers to East Indian or Middle Eastern drivers where almost everyone seems homicidal but let´s get back to Mexico.

I have logged in countless kilometers driving in Mexico, mostly West Central and Deep Southern Mexico but also other regions and the driving styles between Central and Southern Mexico are very different which is something you simply learn from experience but, in each region, if you respect the regional driving foibles of your fellow drivers regardless of the letter-of-the-law, you will be OK up to a point. Just remember this; in Southern Mexico, with drivers with many eccentric driving habits, any two lane highway with semi-wide shoulders, whether a libre or toll road, is actually a four lane freeway and you had best get over on that narrow shoulder to let faster traffic by if you value your life even though it is normally illegal to drive on the shoulders. However, try not to to run over any stopped traffic or mule drawn wagons or pligrims or water gatherers as that will be your fault and you will almost immediately be fined a larger sum of money and encarcerated in a local prison indefinitely.

I would rather my car break down in Mexico than California or France any day. The same Mexican driver who might recklessly chase you to the moon in some macho auto dual to prove who is the most manly between the two of you will not hesitate to stop and help you if you are stranded on the side of the road in the wilderness and even, if that Mexican is mechanically inclined, try to fix your car or change your tire if you have no jack. Try that in California or France where no passing driver will give you the time of day and may just run over you to boot.

I remember being stranded outside of San Luis Obispo at dusk in a gathering major rain storm and I was soon to be isolated on the side of the highway in the dark and the heavy rain in the high desert there and this was one dangerous place to be alone in the desert in a storm at night some 50 kilometers from San Luis Obispo in an area that could only be described as wilderness and I was freaked. The very first big rig that spotted me pulled over and those two truck drivers helped me to get into San Luis and find a mechanic and a hotel before continuuing their journey north and, get this, I had not even tried to wave them down. I have other stories like that from Veracruz State and Chiapas.

It has always, since I have lived here, seemed a charming characteristic of so many Mexican people that, as long as you are not antagonistic to them and challenge their honor, they are usually willing to extend a helping hand if you are stuck out there in the badlands, perhaps because they understand that, in this country, we are all more-or-less on our own and dependent upon each other and this other guy´s plight may be your´s further of down the line. In France they would solve your problem by simply running over you cursing you for blocking their right-of-way on the autopista. In India, you would shortly be hamburger.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

And another story along the same lines: A couple of older lady friends of mine ("older" as in over 60) were on a trip in one of their newly purchased used cars when they arrived in the middle of nowhere in Mexico at dark with a busted water pump. Eventually, a dark and mustachioed Mexican man pulled up in a pickup truck. Scared them? Yup. But the upshot was that he towed them into town, arranged lodging, meals and a car fix. Wouldn't even take money for the services rendered. Now, that wouldn't always be the way things worked out........but in that case, Viva Mexico! Would be a miracle if that happened NOB.


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## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

lagoloo said:


> And another story along the same lines: A couple of older lady friends of mine ("older" as in over 60) were on a trip in one of their newly purchased used cars when they arrived in the middle of nowhere in Mexico at dark with a busted water pump. Eventually, a dark and mustachioed Mexican man pulled up in a pickup truck. Scared them? Yup. But the upshot was that he towed them into town, arranged lodging, meals and a car fix. Wouldn't even take money for the services rendered. Now, that wouldn't always be the way things worked out........but in that case, Viva Mexico! Would be a miracle if that happened NOB.


Now, that's a nice narrative. Whether you would describe yourself as a good writer or not, the picture you are painting flows along nicely and comes to a powerful point about the Mexican people. When they are shown respect and see only good intentions in your nature, most of them will be quick to come to your assistance. These stories illustrate as well as entertain. I call that good writing. Frankly, you need to seek a publisher, if you have not already.


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