"Technobarbarian" wrote in message
news:Grxif.5154$pF.2953@fed1read04...
>
> "Brett" wrote in message
> news:TOednUKnlOp85BfeRVn-hQ@comcast.com...
>
>> To get to some of these smaller places, I'll need a car. What's your
>> opinion on renting a car in Mexico, especially if you speak no Spanish.
>>
>> Thanks for all of the info.
>
> I'm all in favor of it. When I first started traveling extensively in
> Mexico my Spanish was almost non-existent. It's still not very good. Take
> along your patience and a good attitude and it will get you a long ways. I
> carry guidebooks, dictionaries and an electronic dictionary. They're no
> good for conversation, but they're great in restaurants or when you're
> shopping and can't find the item you're looking for. With the Roji road
> atlas, enough time, and the phrase "lleno por favor" (lleno is pronounced
> ya-no with a long a)--it means fill it up please--you can get just about
> anywhere. Please and thank you--in Spanish--are a must. The numbers are
> very helpful, but I can tell you from personal experience that you can get
> by with just that little bit of Spanish.
>
> Mexico's public transportation system is far superior to what we have
> in the States. All of the places we've been talking about are served by
> buses on a very regurlar basis--even Oxchuc and Becan. In Oxchuc you'll
> see young Mayan women waiting for the second class bus with a small piglet
> on a leash. Taxis are cheap and pleantiful in most places. It's gone up,
> but a couple of years ago you could get anywhere in San Cristobal by taxi
> for 10 pesos (around a buck). Passenger vans, called combis, run regular
> routes in many places. Cities of any size will have very good bus service.
> In Merida, for example, most buses run about 5 minutes apart. In many
> places you can rent a taxi for a very reasonable price.
>
> I've driven my car in Mexico many times. I've taken long motorhome
> trips and I've even flown in and rented a car. With the motorhome
> particularly, but sometimes even when I have my own car, I'll leave the
> vehicle somewhere safe and use public transportation in the bigger cities.
> In many places it's a lot easier on the nerves and saves figuring out
> where to park.
>
> My one big warning is that driving customs in Mexico are a bit
> different than what we're used to in the States. Defensive driving is a
> must. In Mexico I use a modified version of the way the locals drive, but
> I do not advise going completely native. Many motorists in Mexico regard
> road signs as merely a suggestion--mainly intended for someone else. A
> small but very noticable segment of Mexican motorists are very aggressive
> drivers--especially the inter-city bus drivers. Some drivers will pass in
> amazing places--particularly the buses. On the plus side Mexican motorists
> generally pay better attention to their mirrors than Americans. I advise
> you to do the same. Staying off the highway at night is a bit of standard
> advise you will hear over and over. With a few exceptions it's good advice
> because of: road hazards, topes (speed bumps) they're all over the place,
> livestock in the roads, drivers without their headlights on and drunks. I
> can probably count the number of places that I'm comfortable driving at
> night in Mexico on the fingers of one hand.
>
> I don't agree with this guy 100%--his assessment of road conditions is
> overly pessimistic, for example--but here's a good article on driving in
> Mexico: http://www.rversonline.org/ArtMexDrive.html
> I haven't had time to read all of this one, but what I've skimmed through
> has all been good info: http://www.ontheroadin.com/plansandinfo.htm
>
> www.mexconnect.com and www.peoplesguide.com are couple more good sites.
> Carl Franz's book The People's Guide to Mexico is an excellent
> introduction.
>
> TB
>
Thanks again on all of these links and info. My fear about taking a bus to
go from one city to the other is feeling like I'm riding in a coffin. I'll
be thinking about twisted, mangled metal burning on the roadside until we
arrive at our destination safely. I know, it's crazy. But the fact they
aren't so careful lends some credence. Are there safer buses than others to
take? What is the difference in first class bus tickets and others?
Thanks,
Brett
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