If you want to drive in Vallarta, you must be prepared to follow the road rules!
The best way to drive here is to be 50% aggressive and 50% defensive. You should always keep your eye on the road, watch for other drivers near you and be extra careful driving at night, even in the city, as dogs, animals and people seem to love to leap out in front of cars.
If you are unfamiliar with the roads in the city, it is best you maybe spend a day or two riding in taxis or buses before you think you know where you are going. Many roads are one way, or a split one way and the arrows are in odd places or are virtually unnoticeable. An arrow pointing one way means one way in that direction. An arrow with an arrow on each end means it is two way.
An arrow pointing left, and a separate arrow underneath pointing right (or vice versa) means one road is one way in that direction and it is one way in the other direction (meaning, you are at a “T” and traffic changes directions or stops from two lanes of into a one way)
Confused?
Well, there are other rules as well. A green blinking light means the yellow is coming soon. If you are close to a blinking green light it is best you stop as going through a yellow can get you a ticket if a transito is in a bad mood or wants to write a ticket, not too mention a serious accident, as many drivers jump the gun and pull out before they have a green light. Also, when stopped at a pedestrian intersection, your tires must be before the painting cross walk!
In the hotel zone and some points north, to exit left, you need to get off on the right and then wait at the light for the green arrow to turn left. If you see a left arrow sign that says “con flecha” it means you can only turn left when there is a green arrow, NOT on a green light!
Also remember just because you see others breaking a traffic law, it doesn’t mean you should follow the pack! I see transito ignore someone going through a red light and then see them bust someone else for something more minor…who knows, maybe it was his daredevil brother in law who went through the red.
Mordidas
Mordida (little bite) is a bribe. Basically it is the 100 pesos or so you give a transito for your infraction. Really, mordidas hurt everyone, and should not be done, but it is your choice depending on your situation. Hopefully, if you drive right, you won’t have to experience the pay the ticket at the courthouse or pay the cop.
What is important is this. I have been driving for about a year here and have many gringo friends that drive on a daily basis. I drive an old tourist rental car, so I should be a target, but I have never been stopped by the transito for a fictitious reason, nor have my friends. I have to say I really believe the cops/transito here are pretty much on the up and up. Honestly, the olden days of them looking for bribes is pretty much over with. The one time I was pulled over, I totally deserved a ticket but was told to drive safe instead. Not a peso changed hands.
I also know that when anyone gets a ticket in their home town, you always hear them say something like, “I wasn’t going that fast! I was following traffic!” “The light wasn’t red” “I didn’t roll through a stop!” Why do I know this? I said the same things a few times myself.
So when I read on message boards about tourists saying they got pulled over and got a ticket, I pretty much know that they deserved it, especially since they probably didn’t know the road rules to begin with…. And $200 UD ticket, ha! Not even a DWI (DUI) costs that much, here the fine for a DWI is $500 pesos!
The other thing I want to make sure everyone knows if you are in a car accident, and someone (anyone involved) gets injured, you are going to jail. That is the law. You will need a lawyer and it is a hassle all around, and if you think that is bad, it is worse when it is a rental car, not one you own.
Seriously, think twice before you decide to rent a car. They are expensive and local transportation like the taxis or the buses are excellent and will be much cheaper in the end.
