Of Drivers and Traffic
Emilio is a native Panamanian that has visited near all the provinces and interesting spots
in Panama. As an adult he has also done both backpacking and traditional trips in Europe
and Africa. He does not enjoy driving in Panama.
Published: Jan. 2005
STOP! (you should)
Be Alert!
GO! GO! GO!
Of Drivers and Traffic
We all agree that to be behind the wheel of a vehicle entails a lot of
responsability, big or small it doesn't matter. Driving in Panama city can
best be described as aggressive, congested and chaotic. I am no foreigner
complaining about Panama's drivers, I am in fact Panamanian but having lived
abroad for many years one gets to see things with a different eye.
In order for you to understand the root of the problem I shall give you a
bit of an introduction before coming down on your Survival Guide on Driving
in Panama.
As for the traffic lights, if you are the first on the lane that just got
the green light, Watch out! sometimes
those damn buses (public transport) accelerate when they see a yellow light
and cross at high speeds when it is already red for them! if you appreciate
your life you will keep that in mind.
Driver's License (License to Kill)
In Panama you are elegible to this privilege at age 18, considered the time
that the youth comes of age in most countries. As in all (I hope) countries
you must first thoroughly study the traffic regulations, there is a booklet
for that. Then you have to pass an vision and hearing examination, present a
blood examination result and pass the theoretical exam, then you have to
pass the practical test with the police.
In other countries such as USA you do more or less the same, in others - and
notably most European countries- you must spend an enormous amount of money
(sometimes approaching USD $1000) to go through driving school. This driving
school is compulsory, I am in part for it because people are more concious
of the traffic regulations and their responsabilities but, no matter how
"advanced" the country is it is usually a sort of
"accepted abuse". Even so you find animals that think they can drive,
and even worse that they can drive better than others. But well so much for
European arrogance :-).
In Panama you can either learn for yourself (my father taught me) and
practice in remote places, or go to a driving school which not many people
do.
And the traffic in the capital in the month of December is horrible to say the least.
A horde of people and cars, you would be inclined to think that nobody is working
but nothing is farther from the truth. Back in December 2003 I was driving
carefully on Tumba Muerto (Ave. Ricardo J. Alfaro) and in that heavy traffic
I was suddenly hit -rammed is a better word!- by a Taxi that came out of nowhere!
our car was dragged and suffered considerable damage. The Taxi in fact crossed
the river of cars where he was not allowed to. He had the nerves to say that it
was MY fault, then of course he had no insurance to cover the damages and even
worse, the taxi was not even his!!! apalling!!!
Anyway, have fun because it is all part of life!
Didimo Emilio
