OT: Driving in the "developing world".

[gaijinda]

You all seem like a well traveled bunch...What are your experiences in driving in the "developing world"?

I can deal with driving on the wrong side of the road, I have lived in Japan & the U.K., but on a recent trip abroad, I had never been so scared in all my life. Potholes that can eat a whole car. Floods. Chickens, goats and children in the road. People passing you on a two lane road into on-coming traffic - in the opposite lane AND on the opposite shoulder! Crazy! Did see a Porsche though, a bused up 944!

I will never complain about New York City roads again!

[Paul Franssen]

Welcome to the REAL world!

[cds72911]

We were in St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands for our honeymoon and they drive on the left hand side of the road with left hand drive cars. Wierd!

The island is very hilly/mountainous and the roads are mostly on the sides of mountains with steep drop offs. We were told they started driving like that so the driver knows how close they are to the drop off. Don't know if it is true, but it sure is interesting.

[MMBRAZIL]

We donīt have chickens and goat in the road down here in Brazil, but the roads are pretty bad of holes and inperfection, and traffic is crazy, too.
Maybe thats why we have good F1 and indy pilots....they learn the hard way.

[ScotMcLean]

We moved stateside from southern Chile. My first car in Chile was a Toyota Tercel w/ the 1.3L engine - excellent car in a country where gas is over $3.00 a gallon (probably $5+ now). I also owned a "HiLux" 4 door truck 2wd - again excellent - wanted to ship it stateside but the paperwork just wasn't worth it. We've driven all over, with the twins in their childsafety seats imported from Ohio, and no problems for the most part. I always had my license + business cards of where I worked (university) so when - and it did happen - we had problems with a belligerent bus driver, I gave my licence and card to the police officer. Social status counts and it made a difference more than once where I got stuck with a driver who was digging a cassette off the floorboards while swerving to hit me, and then trying to shift blame after the fact. Always be careful, always care a toolkit + simple supplies, and cellphones worked through most of South America. Some remote places in Peru & Bolivia require satellite phones but westuck to the "basically" main roads - which included 100+ mile gravel roads. Be adventurous, but rely on yourself.

[patalive]

Interesting Topic!
-
I am a retired foreign serivce officer and had the pleasure of living in six different countries.
-
1. Turkey - drive on the left - took my wife's MG Midget from the States
-
2. Pakistan - drive on the right - new Chevy Blazer - Fiber Glass roof piller cracked
-
3. Cairo, Egypt - drive on the left - took our Ford Capri - wore out the horn
-
4. Nairobi, Kenya - drive on the right - had the Capri and purchased a RHD 1,300cc VW Bug. Shipped in 1600 cc engine and converted to 12v. A runnin bug!
-
5. Damascus, Syria - drive on the left - purchased a French domestic Peugeot 504 - great car for bad roads!
-
6. Bridgetown, Barbados - drive on the right - Daihatsu sedan and a Daihatsu tiny mini van (the kind that go "twang" when you shut the door) - van used to haul "stuff" down to the boat.
-
The most challenging driving was probably in Cairo and Syria. Cairo for the sheer volume of traffic, which, fortunately restricted speeds - and in Syria - just plain crazy drivers but more open spaces for greater speeds! (Yikes)
-
Unfortunately, the WashDC area is becoming so crowded, it begining to resemble Cairo, traffic wise. And the roads are just as bad.
chuck

[Allan Broadribb]

I know it's pushing the term to the limit but can we consider Florida as part of the developing world?

It's always interesting to see a Cadillac with no driver in front of you at 25 mph. Pull up alongside and you'll see a head of blue rinse just high enough to see through the top spoke of the steering wheel.

Watch out for men who wear hats while driving.

Consider traffic lights to be a guidelines. For example: at a red light you should give consideration to stopping. Generally speaking it's hard to consider you ran a red light if the three people behind you didn't stop. Another example: when the turn left arrow comes on consider turning left for 20 to 30 seconds before doing so which will ensure that only 2 or 3 cars can get through.

Gotta love the tourists driving side by side at 25 miles per hour. One will move ahead a car length, just enough to let you think you're gonna get by, but "no way" he drifts back again and the other moves ahead. Switch lanes, but it happens all over again.

On the other hand I do get to drive my 911 year round and the tourists spend enough that there's no state taxes. Can't complain too much.

------------------
Allan Broadribb
'70-911E, 2.2l with Webers
http://www.cheaterswayside.com/uploads/Mvc-002s355.jpg

[Obin Robinson]

i've rode with relatives when driving through back roads in the caribbean. though that's not "developing world" the roads were ROUGH, NARROW, and SLIPPERY! i felt like a WRC navigator/copilot.

it was kind of fun though. they were driving tiny japanese cars that aren't sold in the US hitting 60mph on roads that most americans won't do 25 on... and little old blue haired Souther California ladies would not even drive on. all the cars were manual shift and they drove them like everywhere was a stage of a Group B rally race.

amazingly.. the accident rate is far less than in larger countries. i guess there's somethig to say about learning to drive on narrow roads.. and having to get somewhere quickly.. during a tropical storm... with debris on the road... and no street lights... with a sheer rock face on your let, and a 200 fott cliff on your right . the coolest thing is that the cars have an "artificial horizon" just like an airplane. that way you can tell if you're trying to climb a hill that's too steep for the car. in fact, the road to my grandfather's farm was so narrow, and steep, that you could not have ANY cargo in the back of the toyota on the way up the hill. it was around a (not kidding at all) 40-45 degree slope about 300 feet long.

try doing that at night

obin

[twin plugged targa]

Driving in Florida IS BORING!.
It was only when i discovered auto cross that I appreciated owning a performance car.
I just wish I could do my current work in Europe where I could appreciate windy roads and drivers who don't tailgate or understand how a car can, or cannot manoeuver at high speeds! .
Also I have seen more roadworthy vehicles in 3rd world countries due to the lack of Floridian vehicle inspection/emissions.
Florida appears to be degressing