Poles, trees and holes

Driving in Costa Rica can be treacherous on good days. Forget it if it is raining or dark. While I have become used to many things in my path every once in awhile I forget and almost hit a tree that is placed 4 feet off the curb or an electric pole that is a meter out from the side of the road. You must pay attention while driving here. You can’t take a lunch break and take your eyes off the road for even a moment.

On our way to school each day, we go over 3 manholes WITHOUT covers on one short street and dodge a half dozen poorly placed electric poles only to be dodging big trucks, buses and motorcycles at the same time.

For those that have driven in Mexico or other Latin American countries this I am told is not out of the ordinary, but if this is your first time to Costa Rica….BE CAREFUL!!!

We have lived here for 6 years now and I still have to stay on guard when driving here. If you know where the manholes are or if you can see them, you can dodge them. At night they aren’t visible and often cars fall into those holes and either get stuck or damage their front end.

Now that coupled with the motorcycles driving down the middle of 2 lanes are hard to get used to.  My defensive driving instructor back home would be very proud of the driving skills that I have acquired while living in Costa Rica.  Driving in Costa Rica takes defensive driving to a whole new level.