In Defense of Mexican Drivers

In spite of today's post about the wreck, I feel that some compliments are due.

We picked up our rental car the night of 8/9 and did a quick venture into the heart of Guadalajara for a dental appointment and then out to the Lake. From there, we headed out on the most southern point chosen for this trip (Oaxaca) and have now worked our way back to Patzcuaro. So far a tad over 1700 miles spread over 12 days.

A couple of observations:
1) We have not seen so much as a fender bender, let alone any kind of serious accident!
2) The drivers in Oaxaca and Puebla are the absolute rudest we have ever experienced in Mexico! Horns are an essential tool to assert one's manhood/sisterhood or dominance of the road. No parking zones mean zero and double parking is the norm. It is perfectly OK to pull to the curb with one's flasher or turn indicator on to stop at a store, visit an ATM or simply stop to talk to someone thus tying up one of maybe two or three available lanes.

I feel certain that we have collected some of the most terrifying video of driving habits in these Southern Mexico States and I look forward to the challenge of editing into an entertaining video. I just checked my files and I now have 31.4 hours of "dash cam" video that should hopefully be entertaining?

The Dawg has been quite complimentary of the Arco Norte option when heading south and we would have to concur 100%! It is a beautiful new highway. They use what I would define as the eastern US toll roll option where one picks up a ticket at the entry point and you pay when you get off. In the case of the Arco Norte, it runs $353MXN from one end to the other. Generally speaking, drivers on the cuotas tend to be fairly polite and considerate as long as you are going fast. Last Sunday heading south on the Arco Norte, there were far more Federales than experience would have predicted but returning north today, things seemed normal.

So far, we have experienced on Federale and one military checkpoint where I was expected to have the driver's side window down only to be waved through. Probably another half dozen (Federale & Military) where we were simply waved through.

All of that editing will be a lot of work to be sure...but I , for one, CAN'T WAIT to see the video. Please know that your efforts are appreciated.

Ms.Thang:

This "dash cam thing" is just a toy and I don't consider it to be a bunch of work! In that we live in the border state of New Mexico, we are constantly amazed by the number of "Hispanics" with zero experience in Mexico.These videos will hopefully tell the right story?

Neil I know how you like to defend Mexican drivers but today on our 6 kilometer drive to Mega on Avenida Rio Nilo we saw the aftermath of two fender benders,transitos,insurance guys,the works,IMO a lot of the drivers in Guadalajara suck,but that's only my opinion based on 7 years of daily city driving here.
Frankly considering how rude and clueless many of them are I'm surprised there aren't more accidents.

The telling fact is even with Mexican plates we visa holders
pay less for car insurance than Mexicans. The statistics say
it all.

Z

Zedinmexico wrote:The telling fact is even with Mexican plates we visa holders
pay less for car insurance than Mexicans. The statistics say
it all.

Z

Let's see some proof.

Mexicans have insurance?

With the apparent lack of driving skill of some?, many?, most? of the Gringo drivers tooling around the north shore of Lake Chapala, it is probably a good thing those same drivers rarely leave the area! If that situation were to change, the US State Department and the NOB media would have a field day blaming the rising death toll on the Mexicans. HA!

Anyone who comes out alive out of the SL parking lot can drive in Oaxaca or Puebla without any problems. Remember Neil these people cause accidents but do not have any.

Neil get serious, there are horrible accidents here too: last time we went to Chiapas we saw a chain of cars and trucks all over the place in Vera Cruz State between Orizaba and Cordoba. That area is prone to fog, people go like maniacs and it is very comon to see nasty accidents all over the place.

There are plenty of accidents around Puebla and Oaxaca as well. Just because you did not se accidents does not mean there are not any or that people are great drivers.
Mexicans drivers have their pluses and minuses just like any other drivers from any other countries. The Mexican drivers are pretty alert but some people take plentyof risks and do plenty of stupid things as well. Humans are humans.

seisdedos wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:The telling fact is even with Mexican plates we visa holders
pay less for car insurance than Mexicans. The statistics say
it all.

Z

Let's see some proof.

Lewis and Lewis charges less for US licensed driver in mexico
whether you are in US lic vehicle or Mexican plated vehicle.
Why I asked and they said we are better drivers. Enough
proof? You think insurance companies don't know the demographics
of there customers?


Z

The comments below were made by Hound Dog and inadvertently posted under "Brigiite" because Dawg did not check to see who was logged in. My darlin´ wife is not responsible for the content of this posting.

To the best of my knowledge, Lewis and Lewis is a U.S. based broker serving primarily the foreign driver market, not an insurance company. Correct me if I´m wrong about that.

Rule #1 i n Mexico. Deal with a local agent/broker, not a U.S. outfit. The key positive characteristic of a good agent or broker is measured in service when they are needed not the premium cost. We insure our Mexican plated car purchased in Guadalajara with agent Jesus Tejeda out of Guadalajara through AXA and also carry our household insurance on two homes and our major medical insurance with AXA with Jesus as our agent.

So far, after ten years with AXA and Jesus, we have had two claims. One after an accident in a remote area of Chiapas on a back road on the slopes of the Tacaná Volcano on the Chiapas/Guatemala border and the other, a health insurance claim in a non-accredited primitive hospital in Chiapas after emergency gall bladder surgery. God help us if we had had to depend on a U.S. insurance broker under either ciscumstance for these out-of-the-ordinary claims but Jesus and AXA came through thanks to his excellent work on our behalf.

Think twice, dear reader, before you use a foreign agent or broker to save a few bucks on Mexican auto, health or homeowner insurance. When you really may need your agent, that minor savings on premium costs may come back to haunt you. This comment is not a reflection on Lewis & Lewis about whom I know nothing but if you do use an out-of-country broker, get some good solid references from past claimants before you commit

As for Mexicans and insurance, I am reminded of my favorite story on that subject. We count among our close friends an indigenous family from Southern Mexico with whom we were chatting one day a couple of years ago when the wife and mother of the family informed us that she had been driving for years without a driver´s license. Now, this may have made sense when they were paupers but made no sense now that they had accumulated a vulnerable estate. We were astonished and responded that she had to be nuts to drive without a license as, should she have an accident, her insurance would not be valid and would almost certanly be cancelled were she to make a claim after an accident or any other insured event. She responded without hesitation that this would not be a problem as they had allowed the car insurance to lapse years ago.

I am reminded further of our drive last year from Cuetzalan, Puebla to Veracruz City over the back country coastal roads starting in the vicinity of Papantla, Veracruz. After a harrowing drive between Papantla and our stop for the evening on the beach at Chachalacas, Veracruz just north of the city, we were enjoying a beer at the hotel bar and having casual conversation with the bartender when we commented to him that, in all of our years of driving in Mexico we had rarely seen such insane drivers as we had encountered on coastal roads between Papantla and Chachalacas. He laughed and responded that it was no wonder as the only requirement for qualifying for a driver´s license in Veracuz State was the ability to breathe and even that could be overcome with the "little bite". No written or driver´s tests and no eye exam or any other qualifyers and licenses issued for life. Now, I don´t know if this is true but based on what we had observed that day, if they have any driver qualifications tests in Veracruz, they need to be revised to somehow measure driving skills or the lack of same. Next time we head for Chiapas, we´ll take the autopista, thank you.

Gotta agree with you on the auto insurance issue Mr. Dawg. That is one thing you want to ensure is with a good quality Mexican carrier whenver possible. A local legal eagle recommebnded that we get ANA insurance which we did via Parker insurance. From all his experience with helping gringos who were in accidents he said ANA was by far the best. They always show up quickly to the accident scene to ensure that you are not spending the night (or three) in the local "crowbar" hotel...........

I am sure AXA is just as worthy.

We have ANA, but bought it from MexicoBob, NOB, for our US plated car. I don't know if we pay more, but , according to lakeside insurance agents, this is the only way to get rental car coverage while the vehicle is repaired. According to him rental car coverage is not available on policies purchased in Mexico.

Anyone know for sure?

We have AXA insurance with Jesus Tejada. Couldn't ask for a better agent or service from the company.
We've had one sizable claim. It was handled proficiently and our payment came timely; no hassle.
I agree that you'd be wise to go with a Mexican headquartered company for your insurance needs.

Yep Dawg Lewis and Lewis is Qualitas but they have an
excellent program and they really make it easy to under-
stand Mexican insurance. It is a good place to start if you
are NOB and need insurance and don't know any locals
which is why I used it. If I need car insurance I would find
a good company and a good local agent. But for NOB newbies
coming down for the first time I do not regret my experience
with Lewis and Lewis. Very easy website to understand what
is covered and what isn't. They supply the legal policy in Spanish
but also a translation in English. Seems pretty transparent to me.

Z

I was originally with Rachel's Insurance in Chapala for about 9 years. They seem to keep changing companies. Once I was with Qualitas for a few years, whom I have heard is good, but never used them. Once I was with AIG and they made me wait 4 1/2 months to get paid after I had paid the body shop first. It was promises, promises, promises.

There was a woman on one of the forums who waited almost a year to get paid by ANA. Her agent was Lloyd's. Everyday it was a different excuse from Lloyd's.

I'm with Parker now, not ever hearing of the insurance company I'm with, I'm going to switch nect year. Especially since they carry ALLIANZ health insurance. We all know about them from JimW. I will either go back with Rachel or ask Edgar Cedeno, my health insurance agent from Seguros Monterrey to give me a quote.

I would NEVER use Lewis & Lewis after the horror story my friends had with them. Their car was in storage for a year accumulating fees because of them.

John, I was insured through Rachel's Insurance in Chapala years ago. She was fine until I made a claim and then she just washed her hands of me. Didn't lift a finger. Stopped returning my calls. I had to deal with the insurance company myself!
The company was Seguros Comercial in Guadalajara and they jacked me around like you wouldn't believe. It took 6 weeks for the adjuster to even look at our wrecked/totaled car and that was only after dozens of phone calls and numerous trips to Guadalajara. Then they gave me the run-around and finally some low level employee told me "we are not going to pay your claim" with a look of incredulity on her face like she was amazed that I was still trying.
I threw a fit and got paid , no thanks to Raquel. And I had to pay for every day my car sat in the junk yard.

I am not in the habit of bashing local businesses if I'm not satisfied, I just go somewhere else. But she was worthless and it was deliberate and inexcusable. I am sure she is capable of getting a claim paid with no problems, but this is also what she is capable of. Beware of her.

Ms Thang - Thank you. We will not go back. I had to call her twice a week to get our claim paid, but I think it was more of that crappy AIG company when they were going down the tubes. But they were quick to take a government handout and pay ridiculous bonuses.

Remember that an insurance agent represents the company he is working for. Wouldn't it be a better idea to go to an insurance broker like Parker?

An insurance brokerage doesn't work for any one company. Rather the broker shops around and finds the best insurance companies and lets you choose from those.

Over the years, the Parker Brokerage has recommend that I change insurance companies. I have learned to trust them and change insurance companies when they so recommend. I still pay Parker, they just recommend which company they have chosen to represent that they find is best for me.

Raquel advertises that she is a broker...I never realized that was what made the difference between an agent and a broker in the insurance biz, Pete...good to knopw.
I have not had car insurance since the Raquel experience...10, 11 years? Maybe I should get some.

johninajijic wrote:I'm with Parker now...

Ahhhh - so much becomes clearer...

So Axixic, you gonna be at the swarm Thursday?

Zedinmexico wrote:


Lewis and Lewis charges less for US licensed driver in mexico
whether you are in US lic vehicle or Mexican plated vehicle.
Why I asked and they said we are better drivers. Enough
proof? You think insurance companies don't know the demographics
of there customers?


Z

That's no proof at all.