Driving in Argentina


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South America » Argentina » Salta » Salta
January 22nd 2012
Published: January 22nd 2012
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Thanks to John for his contribution giving an insight to driving a car in Argentina!
My reflections on driving in Argentina, double lines only signify that it is unsafe to overtake, so just ignore them and the upcoming bends and crests, like today a guy in a baby Renault overtook me on double lines, upcoming bend with two motorcycle cops watching from a park overlooked by a "Big Jesus on a cross" if Jesus is watching as well as two cops anything goes. Speed maxima signs are only there to inform you that it might be busy in the little town we are about to go through for instance maxima 40 means we may slow down from 110km/hr to 90 or perhaps as low as 80, like again today going through a small town a large 4x4ute thought me and two other cars in front were a bit lax doing 70 in maxima 40 zone, he saw a small gap in oncoming traffic and went for it, he either didn't know or didn't care about the speed sump, yes dip not hump, strategically placed in the center of town, my last view of him was the underside of his chassis as all four wheels lifted off the pavement as he continued on rodeo or should I say Gauocho style through the town. Motorcycle safety devices such as full face helmets are fashion accessories to be worn with the jaw protection area resting on your forehead and the securing straps waving jauntily in the breeze, winding through the fascinating scenery and torturous bends of the road from Cafayte to Salta in the baby VW Gol I got a close up glimpse through my windscreen of the inner part of the retina of a motor cycle riders eyes as he came around a bend, yes double lines blind corner and pillion passenger, on my side of the road, I would guess that evasive tactics are learnt fairly quickly in Argentina, I was amazed at his skill in being able to take the bike from leaning into the bend, and toward the centre of my bonnet, to be able to throw his weight instantly to the other side, skillfully correcting the bikes line away from the center of my bonnet and onto to a new trajectory that that saw him miss my fender by a hairs breadth and avoid the cliff edge on his side of the road, at least I think he avoided it. That was just a few of the many instances that happened today, I have a books worth about the 18 days of car hire......

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