If you are looking for thrills, driving in Mexico can provide them. I am sure that anyone considering driving to Mexico has read the AAA Tour book or other similar guides. When advising about the dangers of night driving they warn you that “burros do not have tail lights,” which is good advice. However, it is not adequate.
Driving in Mexico requires a whole new set of correct responses. We are all programmed to consider our own cultural responses as the correct ones and they are the ones we draw upon when faced with similar situations. People in Mexico drive on the same side of the road as we do in the States, there are traffic lights to control stop and go, and signage looks familiar. But underneath the similarities are many important differences in conduct. Knowing these differences will help you to have a safe trip.
First of all, you need eyes in the back of your head. Drivers have the custom in Mexico of passing on either side of the car under any and all conditions. In fact, there seems to be an unwritten rule that no-one should allow a car to be in front of them. It is not uncommon to have a car pass you on the left and then cut back in and abruptly make a right hand turn. If you are driving at or even above the speed limit in the left lane and take your eyes off the rear view mirror for a split second you may very well be surprised by a speeding driver who will flash their lights at you and expect you to promptly move over. One has the sensation that given the opportunity the fast approaching car would love to run you off the road. It has taken me years to re-program my reaction. I used to take offense at these “rude” and “unsafe” driving habits but now accept them for what they are…drivers following a different set of rules that are completely acceptable in Mexico.

Turn signals cause more confusion. The truck in front of you may turn on the left turn signal to indicate to you that it is safe to pass them (yes, even when on a curve with a solid no passing line). Do not believe this helpful behavior…it may also mean that they, indeed, intend to turn left, in which case you would run right into them if you tried to pass.

The other day I wanted to pull up to and back into a parking space on my right and a car was behind me. I slowed down and turned on my right turn signal and was almost hit from behind by the driver who sat on my tail not giving me any room to back up. But as he pulled out to pass me, instead of the finger, he gave me the signal that I should have turned on my flashing lights rather than the turn signal. Flashing lights are used frequently to mean watch out and slow down. I have tried that since then and, by golly, it is the proper communication since now everyone gives me room to back into the parking space!

North Americans tend to drive by the rules and Mexicans by the situation. In Mexico a driver is allowed to think. If the coast is clear, going through a red light does not draw the gasp that it would in the States. A stop sign is considered a suggestion not a rule. If you need to make a right turn from the far left lane, have your passenger stick their arm out the window, wave it while looking at the approaching driver and you will be permitted to make the turn. Without the waving arm the other car would consider you fair game to ram.
One last suggestion is that you need to be assertive. If you need to break into a piled up mass of cars all trying to turn at the same time, it is not going to work for you to be the polite driver who waits for his/her turn. Your turn will never come. Take the reigns and fight your way through, remembering to wave that arm, if necessary.

These are some of the rules of the road that I have learned in over 16 years of driving in Mexico. They may not be in any driver’s manual but they are, nevertheless, the de-facto rules of the road in Mexico. Using them will help make your driving adventure a more successful and safe one.