Driving in Lima

To be clear, this post is most definitely not about me driving in Lima, but about my observations of the drivers in Lima as well as the interesting "culture" that there seems to be while on the road in Peru. Personally, I think that I am a generally safe and good driver when I am home in NJ, but the drivers here are VERY different, and I couldn't even picture myself driving an automatic vehicle on these streets, which is crazy as most of the drivers here use manual vehicles that are usually 3 times the size of my car.

Throughout this trip we have had a few drivers, and Zoe and I had the fun experience of taking a few Ubers, which allowed us to more fully see how native Peruvian people drive in this city. It seems as if there is an utter lack of rules when driving here, as no one uses their turn signals, traffic signals such as red/green lights seem to be merely a suggestion, and pedestrian crosswalks are also rarely respected. However, to my surprise I have not seen a single accident while here, while in NJ I usually pass one a day just driving around Princeton. Zoe and I discussed this, and came to the conclusion that the difference in accident rates here and in the US is probably due to the fact that Americans are always doing something else while driving such as texting or drinking coffee or even applying makeup, while in Peru people drive manual cars so their full attention is on driving, which leads to less accidents.

Another topic related to differences in driving culture here is the behavior of taxis. While walking back from dinner taxis will actively approach you, honking their horns and flashing their lights, attempting to convince you that you need a ride home. This is super different from New York, where you basically have to jump into the street to get a taxi driver's attention. I believe that this difference is due to a difference in demand, as in NY driver know that there will always be someone who needs a ride, while here in Lima in seems that most people prefer to walk or take their own cars.

Overall, my experiences with vehicles in Lima have shown me the difference between driving in Peru and in the states, and while I will miss most things about life here in Peru, I definitely will not miss the stress of being on the roads, even as a passenger.