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Katiejay99
Nomad
Posts: 429
Registered: 9-3-2008
Location: Todos Santos
Member Is Offline
Mood: it is what it is
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Hey Dennis - you are right about the "Never" part. I thought about it after I had logged off and headed to town. That word bites me alot and I really
should not use it.
There are a whole lot of great things to be said about the US - just as there are a whole lot of great things about living in Mexico. The flip side is
also relevant.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13052
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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yup...never say never is ALWAYS...I mean usually my motto!!!!
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by chrisx
Think The Mexicans are more far more likely to hit the brakes, wait till it is clear and pass safely on a narrow shoulder less road. The Americans are
more likely to try and pass at full speed, (10 too 30 mph above the speed limit,) without a thought of safety or concern for other people.
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Hahahaha.......where have you been??????.......this sounds like the drivers in Baja.....and downtown Ensenada. STOP signs and speed limits here in
Baja are not the law, they are a suggestion......
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
yup...never say never is ALWAYS...I mean usually my motto!!!! |
Hey Shari....Wiley and Carol came through town last night. Found the fire dept. hot-zone to check email and hit the road this AM. I guess they're on
a major road trip.
[this thread has been due for a major hijacking for a while now]
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Katiejay99
Nomad
Posts: 429
Registered: 9-3-2008
Location: Todos Santos
Member Is Offline
Mood: it is what it is
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I was riding with an American woman not long ago in Todos Santos. She blew right through a stop sign. I said, "hey, that was a stop sign, didn't you
see it?" She said yes she saw it but another friend of hers told her that if she stopped at them she would be hit from behind - so she never stops at
them!
UGGGGG! Maybe I'm wrong, but I ALWAYS (ummm.... should I use that word?) stop at stop signs.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Katiejay99
I was riding with an American woman not long ago in Todos Santos. She blew right through a stop sign. I said, "hey, that was a stop sign, didn't you
see it?" She said yes she saw it but another friend of hers told her that if she stopped at them she would be hit from behind - so she never stops at
them!
UGGGGG! Maybe I'm wrong, but I ALWAYS (ummm.... should I use that word?) stop at stop signs. |
As well you, and everybody else, should. Your friend was just showing her ignorance and lack of common sense.
I wouldn't be riding with her in the future.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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The following is a statement, and then a question-----I have no idea what the answer is, but I would like to know------
When I lived in El Centro, the local Safeway had a painted red curb in front of the store, and all we gringos parked in the parking lot and walked to
the store past and over the red curb. Often there would be multible cars, all with Mexican plates, parked at the red curb in front of the
store--------why is that???? Anybody know??? I remember that it DID annoy me.
Barry
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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There can be a flip side to the extremely polite customs. I don't want to say is can be dishonest, as that is too strong, it is more like a cultural
thing.
We have observed locals being quite polite to local people they really don't like because as they say, they need to be polite just because.
At times they can appear to be very accepting of some of the "behavior" of some visitors, but talk a lot later.
Workers will be very polite to people for whom they work, and have nothing nice to say about them to others---like the conversation KatieJay walked in
on.
So I am not so sure all of the politeness is really respect all the time-----just a cultural thing to be polite no matter what. And indeed, that may
be something positive. And we know it has happened to us also.
Then again, the same thing happens NOB, especially when money is involved. :-)
On the other side, it grows tiresome when these threads lead toward those NOB all described as basic barbarians. Some of them are, just as there are
barbarians everywhere.
[Edited on 8-19-2011 by DianaT]
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
When I lived in El Centro, the local Safeway had a painted red curb in front of the store, and all we gringos parked in the parking lot and walked to
the store past and over the red curb. Often there would be multible cars, all with Mexican plates, parked at the red curb in front of the
store--------why is that???? Anybody know??? I remember that it DID annoy me.
Barry |
Maybe they didn't understand the implications of those zones, Barry. They now have handicapped parking here....same signs, same placards and for the
most part, they are respected. They haven't been around for all that long.
On the nasty flip side.....there is little to no parking enforcement and occasionally someone will park in a restricted zone and dance into the store.
They do it because they know they can get away with it. These people are just plain a-holes.
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7433
Registered: 8-5-2011
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
The following is a statement, and then a question-----I have no idea what the answer is, but I would like to know------
When I lived in El Centro, the local Safeway had a painted red curb in front of the store, and all we gringos parked in the parking lot and walked to
the store past and over the red curb. Often there would be multible cars, all with Mexican plates, parked at the red curb in front of the
store--------why is that???? Anybody know??? I remember that it DID annoy me.
Barry |
Why? Because parking tickets are rarely issued in Mexico. In the US, they are a source of city revenue. City having budget problems? Traffic tickets
fines go up. It's a tax.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by SFandH
[Why? Because parking tickets are rarely issued in Mexico. In the US, they are a source of city revenue. City having budget problems? Traffic tickets
fines go up. It's a tax. |
I think El Centro is in the states.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
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One Mexican - custom would be the wrong word - habit is also wrong (I'm having a senior moment. Had them all my life though) - is to partake in
conversations from cars that have stopped next to one another in the middle of the road and facing one another. This is illegal in the US but is
apparently so common and satisfying to Mexicans that they have a hard time giving it up entirely after they move here.
Basically, you drive down your street and find the road completely blocked up ahead with two exchanging pleasantries, parked cars on both sides, and
no way to get around. As you drive up you notice there is now a greater urgency to their conversation as they realize someone is behind but they
haven't quite finished. Finally, the wheels start to roll slowly forward and the voices become even more animated as they now are shouting across a
greater distance. Eventually, there is a wave of the hands for their final goodbyes and now you are free to continue your journey.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by SFandH
| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
The following is a statement, and then a question-----I have no idea what the answer is, but I would like to know------
When I lived in El Centro, the local Safeway had a painted red curb in front of the store, and all we gringos parked in the parking lot and walked to
the store past and over the red curb. Often there would be multible cars, all with Mexican plates, parked at the red curb in front of the
store--------why is that???? Anybody know??? I remember that it DID annoy me.
Barry |
Why? Because parking tickets are rarely issued in Mexico. In the US, they are a source of city revenue. City having budget problems? Traffic tickets
fines go up. It's a tax. |
Yes, El Centro is 11 miles north of the border in the Imperial Valley.
The Police, when called in (the Safeway parking lot is private property) would not issue tickets, they would tow the vehicle away. This rarely
happened as the veh. owners normally came back first and just drove away. We local gringos just thought it really rude for them to park like
that----------like what made them think that they were "special" ???
Barry
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
One Mexican - custom would be the wrong word - habit is also wrong (I'm having a senior moment. Had them all my life though) - is to partake in
conversations from cars that have stopped next to one another in the middle of the road and facing one another. This is illegal in the US but is
apparently so common and satisfying to Mexicans that they have a hard time giving it up entirely after they move here.
Basically, you drive down your street and find the road completely blocked up ahead with two exchanging pleasantries, parked cars on both sides, and
no way to get around. As you drive up you notice there is now a greater urgency to their conversation as they realize someone is behind but they
haven't quite finished. Finally, the wheels start to roll slowly forward and the voices become even more animated as they now are shouting across a
greater distance. Eventually, there is a wave of the hands for their final goodbyes and now you are free to continue your journey.
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"They" do the same thing with shopping carts in the stores. It's almost like I'm invisible until I smile and say, Con Permiso, then they almost
break their arms getting the carts out of the way.
This is a cultural thing, but I wouldn't even try to label it.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
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Well, I thought it was because many come from rural areas where this interchange is no big deal as there is nothing but a dusty road before and after.
But maybe it's because latinos are so social they take every opportunity to talk.
I gotta admit I'm seeing less and less of this. Actually, I've grown to like it, sort of. Along with their midnight serenades. Yeah, we've got a
regular Tortilla Flat here in HMB.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Well, I thought it was because many come from rural areas where this interchange is no big deal as there is nothing but a dusty road before and after.
But maybe it's because latinos are so social they take every opportunity to talk.
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Whatever it is, it's selfish and rude. I don't care where they are.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Well, I thought it was because many come from rural areas where this interchange is no big deal as there is nothing but a dusty road before and after.
But maybe it's because latinos are so social they take every opportunity to talk.
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Whatever it is, it's selfish and rude. I don't care where they are. |
Well then you probably won't like me much either. It is one habit I have picked up since moving down here. It's a long road out to the house and
whenever we cross paths with a friend or acquaintance it is the norm to stop, roll down the window, exchange greetings and catch up.
We do try and leave room for folks to get by though...
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGringo
We do try and leave room for folks to get by though...
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That's the difference.
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astrobaja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 952
Registered: 5-22-2006
Location: near San Pedro Martir Park
Member Is Offline
Mood: beam me up
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I don't mind the habit of stopping in the road to chat either, exactly the same thing happens all the time in rural Ontario!
Perhaps its because we've become a mostly urban species driven by our fast paced rush to get things done that we hesitate to stop and chat. Too bad!
I always breathe a sigh of relief when returning from "freindly" SoCal (not!)
Here to us is really starting to feel like "home" never again a big city!
\"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.There is another theory which states that this has already happened\"
Douglas Adams
our website: http://bajadarkskies.com |
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
have you ridden a bicycle in 10 years |
Not in the 7 years I've been in Baja, but before that I had a stationary bike in my bedroom. Does that count 
Bob Durrell
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