Driver's Survival Guide for Panama city

Ready? If you rent a car I strongly recommend you get the insurance too! most cars in Panama do not have collision insurance (except perhaps for the new ones) and it is a lost case to try to get reimbursed for damaged inflicted to your vehicle (or yourself!). But don't be afraid, you will be find if you read this carefully and exercise common sense.

Be alert! cars or people, these days I wouldn't even be surprised if somebody just falls on the roof of your car ;-)

Beep! Beeeeeep! BEEEEEEEP! yes, in Panama people abuse this feature, hunking is very annoying but you won't get away. Panamanians seem to have a sixth sense to detect when the traffic light is going to change to green, so when at a stop light be ready to lift your arm in disgust to signal the driver on your back to go to hell. I am not a rude person but you must understand that in Panama even female drivers are as aggressive, unpolite and unyielding as their male counterparts.

Be afraid, be very afraid ;-) of whom? any sort of public transport, Taxi and bus drivers are the devil's incarnation behind a wheel. That's why most taxis in Panama are all bumped and beaten, there are new fleets but it doesn't take long before they are a total waste. Buses? the so called Red Devils, they don't give a damn about anybody, I believe they would run over their own wives if they can. They go at high speeds, hunking, sometimes even without light, usually a very loud radio and total disregard for human life. They, like truck drivers in Panama don't worry because they know they are in a heavy vehicle that will not suffer much damage.

Your peer drivers? well, if you need to make a crossing without the aid of a policeman (they love to take over the control of the traffic lights and make the situation worse...) or traffic lights then forget about being polite, nobody is going to let you cross, the general tactic here is divide and conquer, move forward little by little until you cut the traffic.

Signaling? hum, I must say that I have noticed that Panamanians seem to have forgotten to use the signaling lights of their cars. I suggest you use them, I do, perhaps some days they will learn again :-). People just turn left or right without using the appropriate signaling.

Driving Manual for Tourists, Unofficial guide

Well, here is a reader's opinion that appeared in a local newspaper out of frustration. It was written by Juan Navarro Brin

1. When you see the "No Parking" sign, ignore it. It was valid for a few days many years ago but nobody pays attention to that.
2. If you cannot find a parking place near the place where you need to go, park your car alongside another parked car (double row). It may happen that in doing that you obstruct the free transit or that the owner of the other car cannot get out of his/her parking place anymore and gets very angry. But don't worry, no policeman is going to give you a ticket anyway.
3. When you finally do get to park your car, it is probable that somebody comes to you to say "bien cuidado jefe" ("I will take good care of it boss"). This is very well developed protection system in the capital. Just make a gesture of approval because otherwise you may find a new "defect" in your car when you come back. Upon return, you should give him a 25 cent coin (quarter) to the 'care taker'.
4. If it happens that when you are driving on the street, you notice that:
   • A group of people are protesting on the street and the desperate drivers are coming on the wrong way.
   • This is the right way but the wrong time of the day.
   • You are on the wrong side of the road but there were absolutely no signs to indicate that.
   Verify the direction of the traffic before entering a road because the signs are supposed to tell you that are not in all corners.
5. If you are trying to enter an avenue or principal road, do not wait until someone yields way, simply move the frontal part of your car into it little by little until somebody, more fearful than you lets you enter the flow.
6. When the road is congested and you see a narrow passage or the shoulder of the road, feel free to use it as a regular road but accelerate as much as you can because these are for rapid transit; specially for taxis. At the end of the passage you should act as recommended in the previous point to regain access to the road.
7. When traffic on your side of the road stops, keep yourself very close to the car in front of you and do not worry if you are now obstructing the transversal traffic (at the road crossing). The theory is that, if you cannot move why should the others be able to move?
8. If you feel the need to relief yourself (from a biologic need) and you are on the highway or road to the country side, do not worry about waiting for the next gas station. Just stop your vehicle on the side of the road and relief yourself. If on the other hand you are in the city, it is already customary to use an empty lot or the wall of a building and then returnining to your car without shame. Note: this section of the driving manual applies mainly to male drivers.
9. When you arrive to a major road crossing it is very probable that you find a relatively large number of persons approaching your car right in the middle of the road. Do not panic, they are selling a wide variety of small articles, from vegetables to electronic equipment. If you are not interested do not establish visual contact, nor make any movement that might imply that you like the merchandise; pretend that they do not exist. These merchants have developed a keen sense of marketing and perceive if you there is some interest on your part and would not get away from your window.
10. Before getting into a taxi, ask the conductor if he can transport you where you want to go. In Panama taxi drivers will take you only where they want to go; and if they do accept you, they will squeeze you in with other passengers.
11. The bus stops are also for public adverts and rainy moments; but the busses stop wherever they want and not necessarily on the bus stops. For your own safety (no kidding) avoid being on their path!.
12. If you have the misfortune of being involved in a traffic accident, it is absolutely certain that your visitor's visa will expire before the date of the trial. Plan another trip to Panama approximately six months later. But if the accident was with a bus then you have lost even if you win the trial.

Juan Navarro Brin