---- Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:
> O
>
> > All this reminds me of a trip into Mexico on a route with which I was not
> > familiar at the time.  A traveling companion and I agreed that I would
> > follow him, since he knew the route and I didn't, though I did have it
> > marked out on a map.  I didn't realize that speed was the most important
> > criterion for proper driving to him.  Traffic was heavy along most of the
> > route.  I truly feared for my safety.  Finally, I just gave up trying to
> > follow him, and followed the route we had marked out.  I got there ten
> > minutes later than he did, on a 300 mile trip.
> >
> > On the return, I never tried to keep up with him at all.  But I did see
> > him, about half way along the route.  He had been involved in an accident,
> > and was stopped along the road.  The other driver had sped away, probably
> > fearing jail, which is a common consequence of a traffic accident in
> > Mexico.  The van my companion was in was not drivable, and we feared he
> > might be jailed also.  However, a "green angel" stopped, called the
> > gendarmes and a tow truck, and everything worked out ok.  But speed was a
> > contributor to the accident.
> > >
> >
>
>
>    Mexico driving is a whole different game.   It's not the United States
> and they do a lot of things differently, some things they do much better
> than we do here in the USA....   LIke when you are following a slow Mexican
> truck along a remote winding two lane highway and his left blinker goes
> on.....that  means he sees ahead and it is clear for you to pass him....If
> he is turning left, he will pull into the left lane ahead of time, before
> he begins to slow for the turn,  and then turn, allowing following traffic
> to pass on the right without slowing for him....

Oh, I know about this rule in Mexico, and use it myself when there, if I am ahead of a driver who wants to go around me.  If I can see far enough ahead, I signal to him.  But that is not the rule here in the U.S., and on a crowded freeway it certainly isn't sensible driving.  A left blinker on a U.S. highway is communication of intent to move into the lane to the left.  A guy behind who then jumps over while accelerating is just inviting an accident.  But, I try to be alert for such fools.

With respect to Mexico, unfortunately, the part that I used to visit most often, Tamaulipas, has been put off limits by the criminals.

But I hope to go to Baha California in the spring.

David McNeely