Driving in Costa
Rica is “The
Perfect Storm”
By John Holtz*
Driving
in Costa Rica is
a challenge and
that is not a
bad thing. I
like the idea.
It keeps us
thinking, we are
focused drivers
who know to
expect the
unexpected at
any moment. From
pedestrians
crossing the
free ways to
taxis driving on
the sidewalk, we
put the “D” into
defensive
driving.
We could be
living in very
predictable
countries like
Germany,
England, Canada,
Japan and the
United States.
Everything is
pretty much
defined, linear
and believable.
But we do not.
I mean at 200
km/h on the
Eurobond or 90
m/h on the I-95
Freeway, you see
the car in front
put on a left
hand turn signal
and you curse a
little, but
anticipate,
totally expect
she/he to change
lanes or the
highway patrol
to pull the car
over with a
citation for
speeding within
the next few
minutes.
In Costa Rica,
who the hell
knows what the
car in front is
going to do and
the traffic
police are not
about to give
chase at those
speeds and no
speed at night.
In these other
countries the
driver puts on
the emergency
blinkers and
there is usually
an emergency.
Perhaps the car
is stalled, the
tire blew out,
the driver had a
coronary. But
not in Costa
Rica. I
personally
believe outside
of both ICE and
AMNET the worst
thing to happen
in this country
is the emergency
blinker
syndrome.
It can
in0idcate, “I´m
talking to my
girl friend.” “I
am about to
drive backwards
because I passed
up my
girlfriend´s
house.”
“Saprissa is
going to score
any moment now
and I don´t want
to miss it.” “My
turn signals
don´t work so I
am using my
emergency
lights,” and, “I
just got a call
on my cellular
but the damn
phone fell on
the floor.”
Whatever the
reason,
“Emergency” does
not seem to be
one of them and
is indeed
defined
differently in
Costa Rica than
in other
societies.
Buses are the
biggest abusers.
They click on
those two
blinking lights
and just don´t
want to turn
them off. It is
some kind of
macho status
symbol that we
have no idea
where in God´s
name the bus is
going but you´ve
got to be
prepared and get
out of the way
of whatever will
happen next.
However, having
said all that,
excluding the
motorcycles and
scooters who are
nuttier than
last year´s
fruit cake being
re-sold by Auto
Mercado at 5%
more in
December, most
car accidents
are minor with
some that are
very major. Why,
you ask? Fear is
the answer.
We drive with
the
understanding
that the
probability of
getting into a
car wreck, per
capita, is one
of the highest
in the world and
on the road we
trust nobody and
no vehicle no
matter what is
being signaled.
Mix this
together with
companies like
Autopista del
Sol who simply
kiss off the
falling boulders
that have caused
one death during
the rainy
season, and the
horrific holes
in all the
roads, the
four-way stop
lights that do
not work, the
traffic that
needs to fight
for passage and
the number of
cars, trucks,
not to mention
busses who
travel with open
doors to jam
inside one more
passenger of
which some fall
out and we have
the formula for
vehicle disaster
at any speed.
Driving in Costa
Rica is “The
Perfect Storm”.
To prevent
clunkers from
being driven on
our challenging
road system,
Costa Rica gave
a concession to
Riteve (RTV)
that means each
year vehicles
are to be
inspected for
defect s and
emission
control.
But what happens
after that
inspection day?
How is it
possible to be
behind a Mack
truck or a
community bus
and choke,
literally choke
on the black
fumes spewing
from the
exhaust? Do the
traffic cops do
anything about
these clouds of
smoke as the
vehicle passes
by their very
eyes? Nothing,
nothing at all.
Because, once
you have your
RTV sticker, for
one full year
you can drive a
toxic garbage
can with four
wheels if you
want.
The sticker
rules.
Driving while
using a cellular
phone, a
national pass
time along with
football and
politics.
Text messaging:
I add it is an
addiction second
only to hanging
on the cell
phone while
driving the car.
Proudly, the
traffic police
said that they
gave out 345
cell phone
tickets last
month. I say
double that many
I personally
have seen
driving from
Escazú to
downtown San
Jose in a single
day.
The thing to
remember about
traffic police
is they are
limited in what
they are
authorized to
do, they are
terribly under
paid and most
have no idea of
the rules of the
road, especially
regarding the
new traffic laws
that are still,
after two years,
being debated at
our national
assembly.
Nothing like
moving on a the
dime, right? How
hard can this
be?
But, as most
things in our
little country,
new traffic laws
will be debated
to oblivion and
few people will
actually
understand the
new traffic
reform or new
traffic law. At
this point, I am
not sure if I
need to carry
medical stuff in
my car like an
emergency kit
for something
catastrophic or
not. For sure,
the traffic
police that I
asked could not
answer what
needs to be
inside the
roadside
emergency
kit…”stuff,”
they say!
There are a
limited amount
of road signs
and at least one
that I know
about is
incorrect. The
sign pointing to
the on ramp in
Lindora to San
José is
indicating the
wrong direction,
but good try.
Who has the
right of way? In
my opinion, the
driver with the
most courage has
the right of
way. Very simple
and the police
seem to respect
that, so far.
This week, it is
possible that
the traffic cops
will go on
strike because
they were
promised a wage
hike but have
not received it
or a date to
expect it. What
that means is,
again I do not
know because I
have never seen
them do too much
except
investigate
traffic
accidents that
the monopoly
insurance
company, INS,
also needs to
inspect and to a
solicit from me
a payment in
lieu of a hefty
court fine.
Tell me and I am
sure you will,
when there is
only one
insurance
company covering
motor vehicles,
why not go to no
fault insurance?
INS has to pay
no matter who
causes the
crash. No fault
is much cheaper,
no traffic jams,
no courts and
there is no
waiting in line
to make a claim.
On Sunday and
always at night,
red lights mean
slow down but
you do not need
to make a full
stop. So we have
to be looking,
lock the doors,
shut the windows
and be on guard
at all times.
Good for old
folks who must
be alert to
their
surroundings
which keeps them
young and good
for younger
drivers who
cannot relax,
even for a
minute. This is
the challenge!
Survive driving
in Costa Rica!
Surprisingly, a
lot of vulgarity
is exchanged
between drivers
and even
passengers but
very little road
rage. “Kudos,”
Costa Rica!
The problem with
now driving in
the States, for
example, is
after a month or
I lose that
edge, become
complacent,
trusting and
….BAM!
*John Holtz is the Executive Director of
theCenter for
the Studies of
Modern
Management
www.modernmanagement.org and can
be reached at:
[email protected].
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