Driving in Costa Rica

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The first time I came to Costa Rica was in 2006. I didn't get to see much of the country, because I spent the whole week in a small beach town, in the South. I like the place, but I can't say I fell in love with it. It rained every day, from around 4 until late in the evening. It got dark around 4, too. At that time, the roads were horrible. They didn't have the PanAmerican Highway and many bridges still looked bad.

I came back in 2013 and decided to stay for a few months. I am still not in love with it. Yes, there are beautiful views and some beautiful places, but it seems so hard to get anywhere. Speed limit is 60 km/h in many places and goes up to 80 on some roads, but they are definitely not good enough to drive with such a high speed. You can feel all the bumps. I imagine they use the cheapest stuff when they make their roads, just like other countries do it "to save money".

On top of that, people can't drive. They didn't use to have too many cars 20 years ago, so most of them are "new" drivers. There are stop signs everywhere, but nobody seems to follow them. There are many two-lane roads and sometimes you're stuck behind a slow-driving truck for a long time. Ticos are "brave" and pass them, even on curvy roads.

Driving through big towns is always an adventure. Traffic is pretty crazy in San Jose, just like in most capitals of the world. Even in smaller towns, there is a lot of traffic all day. It makes you wonder where all these people are going in the middle of the day.

Parking is another story. In some towns, you have to buy parking tickets. Some other towns have private parking lots, which are pretty small and cost around 700 colones / hour. If you're lucky and you find a spot in front of stores, go ahead, as long as there aren't any "no parking" signs. There is usually a guy who will "watch" your car, so you have to pay him when you leave (200 colones should be enough). I understand they need money and they don't want to beg, but this is not exactly work. How about offering to wash my car while I'm gone?

Restaurants have their own parking lots, but you will run into these people there, as well. Sodas, however, are very small and if you can't find a spot in front of them, you will have to keep driving.

There are many one-way streets that have no signs. Good luck with that!

Many Americans prefer to take the bus, rather than having to deal with the traffic. The bus is less than $1, depending on the distance. You can also get a cab, but make sure they have a meter that is functioning. Red taxis are the safest.

Don't think that because they are a poor country, they don't have cars. Many of them to, and they are very expensive cars, too. The only old cars I've seen are old Toyota Landcruisers and from what I understand, they're not exactly cheap.

Once you're out of the car / bus, watch where you're going. No crosswalks, so pay attention to the cars. Some will stop, some won't. If I want to walk through town, I prefer to go on Sundays, when there isn't much traffic. Otherwise, the town is noisy, crowded and exhausting.

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