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I have just gotten back tonight from a business trip to Mexico where we drove about 700 miles in two days.  We were in big cities such as Mexico City to small towns such as Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico…home of the blue agave!  The road conditions there make I-94 around Detroit Metro airport seem perfect.

While the expensive toll roads had some sections that were very nice and smooth, most every free road sucked…bad.  There were pot holes, speed bumps, bad patch work, cracks that would eat a motorcycle tire, etc.  Most small towns have cobblestone or dirt or uneven brick roads.  It sucked in a car an I have to think its worse on a bike.  Even thought the traffic is terrible there, I would have to think twice about commuting amongst the crazies if I lived there.

Oh yeah, laws are enforced when its convenient or hardly at all.  I have no idea if there is a helmet law, but not many were wearing them.  Insane if you ask me.  See, this selctive enforcement of laws translate into lawlessness, including traffic habits.  For example, we were in a lane designated to go straight forward by a paint arrow and the guy next to us on the left makes a 90 degree right turn in front of our car - wtf?

We have all, at one time or another, driven like idiots…say…because we are late for a flight or whatever.  We do so (cut people off, make passes that are a little close, etc.) out of a percieved necessity.  Now imagine your absolute worst case of this and consider it less aggressive than the norm in Mexico.

I’m not a big fan of traffic enforcement, but Mexico makes me appreciate a little law and order.  People simply go where they want when they want regardless of who is next to them.  People were backing down highway entrance ramps because they saw traffic ahead and changed their mind.  The hard part is that if you try to drive like an American, you will either get nowhere or get in an accident.  It seems to work for them, but to the polite and courteous - BEWARE!  The natives will eat you alive.