Brazzil

After a couple of bad experiences I learned one cardinal rule: the driver assumes that anything just beind his peripheral vision does not exist. In other words, if we are going in the same direction, either side, and your front bumper is behind my head, I bear no responsibility for you. It´s like you´re not there.

So on one occasion I hit a parked car. The bus driver who pushed me over into it did stop, but only to ask why I did not use my brakes.

Take care of yourself in SP.

I loved the article as it was winding up but was disappointed towards the end. I think the author could have really nailed this one if he would have left his North American politically correct sensibilities aside. The author, in order to poke some fun at the Brazilian way of driving, probably felt obligated in the end to justify his humour by then making the observation, and I’m paraphrasing here, “that well, of course it’s crazy but it works, as does much in their lives, and we North Americans have a lot to learn from this crazy group of Brazilians”. Wrong!

The sad reality is that over 45,000 Brazilians die on the roads each and every year because of this “take no prisoners” mentality towards driving. The UN’s stats puts Brazil among the world’s worse for traffic fatalities. Traffic school is mandatory, but useless.

I would suggest the author rethink the conclusion of his article, leave the condescending "we from the civil world have a lot to learn from those lead-footed barbarians", and pound the message home that as funny as if may for a foreigner to watch the imbeciles on the road here, the pathetic reality is that until something is done tens of thousands will continue to die every year.

With some easily acquired stats, the author could rework this article into something much more meaningful and informative, without loosing too much of the charm and quirky observations found in the first few paragraphs.

I understand he was using driving as an example to launch himself into a general observation about being adaptive to life, however, it’s not a good analogy for all the reasons I’ve outlined.

I agree interily with Mr.Engles comments. Being a Brazilian, the trafic mores here are also annoying me. But I must say that São Paulo is not much diferent from other big cities. For instance, once in NYC a taxi driver was mad at me because I was crossing the zebra ( the trafic light was red for him) as he wanted to move on across the zebra even on red. I grant that in other cities, such as Orlando,Florida, the drivers behaves better, but so does the drivers in the interior of São Paulo. So, keep up your impartial spirit !!
R.Dias

I've never driven in Rome, New Delhi, or Lagos.

Dr.Engler, I havent driven in these cities either nor in S.Paulo.However, I have driven extensively in Brazil, Canada and the U.S. In the city where we live in Brazil, the traffic used to be orderley. The locals still drive well obeying all the traffic rules (including the rules with regards the Pedestrian crossings). The Brazilian traffic laws,on paper,is as good as the ones in Europe,U.S. and Canada. In fact they came out with a law recently that the drivers who got their driving license before 1998 , had to undergo a refreshment course in a Driving school authorized by the respective state governments, before their license is renewed (One has to pay for the course). It was an interesting experience for me as unwittingly I chose to go to a school where 100 % of the "students" (in their 50´s and 60´s) have driven in U.S. and Canada following the Brazilian traffic laws without any problem and returned home without getting involved in accidents. I was amazed to hear their opinions, because my experience was very similar to theirs.

However, our biggest problem is that though the laws are similar in Brasil, each state or municipal government has its own way of enforcing them. The drivers from S.Paulo, when they visit our state, really dont give a s**t about the traffic laws nor the pedestrian crossings nor the other drivers.In April, when I went around the state, I found them overtaking me on forbidden stretches of the highway (full of curves and mountaineous),honking the horn because I was driving under the speed limits and showing me the fingers for not speeding up. This is true in the case of Argentine tourists who visit our state during the summer time.

I agree with your view that the traffic of S.Paulo is unruly,the drivers very rude and they intimidate others by their big cars and showing off their Manhood by not stopping at the Pedestrian Crossings or slowing down at the "Yield" sign.

Btw, Professor. Engler, if you want to survive S.Paulo traffic, you better read about "Defensive driving" or buy yourself an "Cascavel" tank.

loved the article as it was winding up but was disappointed towards the end. I think the author could have really nailed this one if he would have left his North American politically correct sensibilities aside. The author, in order to poke some fun at the Brazilian way of driving, probably felt obligated in the end to justify his humour by then making the observation, and I’m paraphrasing here, “that well, of course it’s crazy but it works, as does much in their lives, and we North Americans have a lot to learn from this crazy group of Brazilians”. Wrong!

Dr.Engler, Dr.Pinga is right about your North American "Political sensibilities". There are not too happy about the Traffic Laws not being followed correctly. Why should you learn from "the crazy group of Brazilians"?

There are not too happy about the Traffic Laws not being followed correctly.

Sorry, it should read "There are millions of Brazilians who are not too happy on the constant Traffic violations"

As Brazilians like to point out, the country is not based on the "meritocracy" that shapes Western European and North American bureaucratic systems. What matters here is your QI: not your "intelligence quotient," but "Quem indica," who you know.

Although that's true for most Brazilians, not all Brazilians agree with it. I am one of those that despise this kind of thing.

I am one of those that despise this kind of thing.

So am I

I live in SC and anyone who has driven this highway in the south here knows that it is the highway of death. I have seen drivers kill themselves and others in front of my eyes. Why? because they did not give a s**t that the curve was not meant for passing on the oncoming lane. So it's not only the cities and SP, but every where in the country!

BR 101
written by Doggy Daddy, 2007-06-17 21:07:55

I live in SC and anyone who has driven this highway in the south here knows that it is the highway of death.

Doggy Daddy: I dont know which city in SC you live. The south of Palhoça on BR 101 " é uma merda".Why? Everything depends on the f**king PMDB politicians, who control highway building and this has been going on for years. They talk a lot and accomplish nothing,while we have to put up with the s**t.

btw, I like the stretch in "Serra do Rio Rastro". Amin did it with concrete slabs,just like the way the American Highways are built. If you have time, enjoy the drive through the picturesque ride.

Brazilian drivers are simply insane. They all think they're the world's best drivers too.

It's getting to be politically correct to imagine you see political correctness everwhere, so you can cut it down. I didn't get what JP got from this piece, though I usually totally agree with his very well-put comments:

The author, in order to poke some fun at the Brazilian way of driving, probably felt obligated in the end to justify his humour by then making the observation, and I’m paraphrasing here, “that well, of course it’s crazy but it works, as does much in their lives, and we North Americans have a lot to learn from this crazy group of Brazilians”. Wrong! / The sad reality is that over 45,000 Brazilians die on the roads each and every year because of this “take no prisoners” mentality towards driving

As I read it, the author wasn't poking fun. He was describing the way things are. The end of the article isn't about driving. It's about one upside of living with chaos -- downsides, like the dangers of bad driving, were pretty clear in the rest of the article. He isn't saying North American have a lot to learn. He is pointing out an interesting fact, just a fact: people who get used to living in dangerous chaotic situations will be better at getting by if the world gets more dangerous and chaotic.

I am from the US, have lived in this county for almost 10 years and made a number of thousand-mile-plus road trips. I agree with everything you said. I think the habit of tailgating is probably the worst aspect of Brazilian driving, and a national campaign against it could do a lot to reduce fatalities.

Hey all fellow Brazilians, I love our country. But seriously, the only time we all unite for a cause is when the seleção is playing or someone criticizes our country. If we ALL AGREE that we aren't safe when we drive, why can't we all start driving safer. Lead by example, who knows, maybe it might catch on. Let's change instead of complain.

Are you complaining about our complaining?

Yes I am

I think the habit of tailgating is probably the worst aspect of Brazilian driving, and a national campaign against it could do a lot to reduce fatalities

You made an interesting observation about tailgating and I agree with ya.Fulano D Tal also suggested something that I do all the time I drive. My point is that we have to follow the Traffic laws of Brazil ( Nothing different from your country) and if the other drivers dont like the way I drive, tough luck. I can always use my cell phone to call in the cops. In our state it works and I am proud of it.

Can you imagine that,while in Canada, I dont stop at the Pedestrian crossing, when there are people wanting to cross the road and what happens to me? Probably the RCMP will get me.

In a nutshell, our laws are good,but they have to be rigorously implemented.

I swear that I suffer from PTSD every time I drive in Brazil on BR101. Hyperattentiveness always follows with poor sleep. No one obeys the law. The signs are totally ignored. The tailgating is easy to understand. It's necessary in order to pass with a low power vehicle. Also, it's insane that BR101 is shared with every type of vehicle known to Brazil on just TWO LANES! and usually no turnout lane, except in a few locations.

I swear that I suffer from PTSD every time I drive in Brazil on BR101.

BR101 is not made for flutter hearted wimps. If you suffer from PTSD every time you drive on Br 101,can you image how you would be while driving through the streets of Baghdad?.

So shut up and drive on BR101, following the rules and regulations of DETRAN of your state.

PTSD,my ass.

One day I travelled to a small town on the RJ coast, together with my Brazilian wife... Luckily, she was driving, because we escaped death TWICE. One case of a lunatic crossing the full line, at 140km/h our speed 80 km/h - an eventual frontal crash would utterly, totally, abso-f**king-lutely destroy both cars. She managed to keep the car steady, and the a*****e pássed perhaps 5 cm from our car.

Just half an hour later, we almost fell off from a bridge. We entered that stretch of road too fast, and the bridge was too narrow. My hair is raising at the moment, remembering how he managed to steer the car onto that bridge.

If I had driven that car, we would be both dead now, period. Because as a European I simply didn't expect such situations and wouldn't react well. In the first case I would probably fly off the road, in the attempt to avoid incoming vehicle. In the second case, I would probably hit the rim of the bridge.

Lesson. Don't drive in Brazil. (I also said to my wife to sell the car.) I am without a car now, and we're just fine. (Also, not having a car avoid major stresses like being assaulted at the semaphore.)

I agree with Joao Pinga in that I think Mr. Engler made many extremely valid points and observations, only to let political correctness cloud his conclusions ... I lived in Brasil for most of 2005, in a town of 500,000 people near Campinas, and driving down there was an adventure to put it mildly ... I drove to Rio and Sao Paulo a number of times, each time swearing that it would be my last ... when in Rio, you'd better drive like the cariocas, and when in Sao Paulo, you'd better drive like the paulistas - if you don't, the odds are good that you will be the next victim of an "accident" ... (can you still call it an "accident" if it is due to aggressive, stupid, irresponsible and dangerous driving habits?) ... and the tailgating? It's SO dangerous and SO common - if the driver behind you is less than a car's length away from your back bumper, they're not close enough ... based on my experience, the majority of Brasilians see a one-way, one lane street or road and drive as if it were a 3-lane highway ... it seemed that if a Brazilian driver could see your back bumper, it was his or her civic duty to pass you as soon as possible - safe driving habits be damned! ... when I showed common courtesy to other drivers, it frequently led to much shouting and gesturing from drivers behind me ... and the motorcycle drivers?! Saco! They're all at least a little bit crazy ... seeing shapely, heels-wearing, long-haired young female motorcycle drivers pass me on the shoulder of the road, doing about 50 MPH in a 25 MPH zone, became common, though I never quite got used to it ... and Brasilians do seem to have this image of being the best drivers in the world ... Ayrton Senna, the late, great Brasilian Forumla 1 driver, is a national hero ... tiny cars poorly maintained and poorly designed roads impatient, aggressive drivers and their crazy driving habits = lots of driving fatalities ... driving here in the States can be a safe, relaxing and enjoyable way to get somewhere ... for me, driving in Brasil was like walking on hot coals - I just tried to not get burned ... traffic laws in Brasil are basically "suggestions" ... double-yellow lines are routinely ignored by Brasilian drivers when it comes to passing another vehicle, and stop signs and red lights seem to become invisible to many Brasilian drivers ... while living in Brasil for almost a year, I NEVER saw a policeman standing next to a citizen's car and speaking with the driver, whether issuing a warning or issuing a ticket ... but the police sure looked standing around, appearing very official and macho in their knee-high black boots and starched gray uniforms,with their 9 mm pistol on their hip! ... I miss my Brasilian friends and loved ones, but I don't miss the ordeal of driving in Brasil ... and I don't know where BR101 is, but I do remember that Brasilians had a name for the dangerous north/south "highway" that runs from Sao Paulo state down through Curitiba - the Death Highway ...

and the motorcycle drivers?! Saco! They're all at least a little bit crazy ... seeing shapely, heels-wearing, long-haired young female motorcycle drivers

Mark, I agree with you about the Motorcycle drivers and your appreciation for the shapely young female ones,in spite of the ordeal you underwent confronting these "Shapely Wenches". I wish there would be more of such riders in our city!

Now talking seriously, I think that the Motorcycle Riders are the worst traffic violators and I mentioned this fact in a Refresher course I was compelled to take to renew my licence last year (Anyone who got the Driver´s licence before 1998 had to take this course and pay). All the participants agreed that they are the wildest bunch and expressed their constant worry that they may end up killing a Rider and spending time,money and energy to defend themselves.In the early 80´s when the Motorcycles came to be introduced in Brazil, it was with the intention of making it as alternative form of transport in congested cities and to reduce gas consumption. However, over the years, it became the form of transport of goods and people (Moto Taxis,Moto Messengers,etc. Then last year the government wanted to win the votes of these Riders,by eliminating the Road Tax for Motorcycles of (I think) less than 350 c.c. The result is utter chaos and even the cops cant handle so many of these riders vilolating all the traffic rules.

but the police sure looked standing around, appearing very official and macho in their knee-high black boots and starched gray uniforms,with their 9 mm pistol on their hip!

In our state, it is different (at least so far).They are very professional and friendly. Even with this attitude, they have hell of a problem controlling the Motorcycle Riders (there are too many) and the Tourists during the summer time.As I keep on saying,our traffic laws are as good as yours,but we do not have good roads like yours nor the political will to enforce the laws.

As for your comment on BR 101 and the stretch between S.Paulo and Curitiba,you and your Brazilian friends are right and it could easily be fixed considering that both the states of SP and PR are wealthy. There again, the political haggling,which people are sick and tired of.

I hope the next time you visit Brazil, you will find the driving conditions to be better.Safe driving.

Excellent article. This phenomenon seems even worse in Rio, where there is little to no consideration in traffic, and motorists blatantly breeze through red lights, even when pedestrians are crossing the street. The disrespect for pedestrians in Rio is not only amazing, but shows how those with cars think they are superior to those walking (those normally of the lower class?).

I can totally empathise with the author. I was insane enough to ride a motorbike whilst living in João Pessoa, Paraíba. Inevitably, I had an accident before long. I was riding down the street when another motorcyclist decided to pass me on the outside lane and then, without indicating, suddenly decided he needed to cross into my path and turn down a street. Naturally, there was no time to stop, I ploughed into him and luckily only hit his delivery box (lucky for him and his passenger, at least). I was catapulted over the handlebars, landed hard on the asphalt yet miraculously managed to get up without anything more than cuts and bruises.

The response for the halfwit into whom I crashed was the surprising thing. "Você tava correndo, hein? Ta de pressa?" ("You were racing, weren't ya? You in a rush?"). This was obviously quite insane considering HE PASSED ME. Anyway, I got up and rode away before the police could arrive (the bike just about worked). There was a lot of superficial damage but, obviously, the delivery boy didn't have insurance and he'd never have admitted blame anyway.

Driving and riding a motorbike in Brazil was an endlessly soul destroying exercise which I never, ever got used to.

The response for the halfwit into whom I crashed was the surprising thing. "Você tava correndo, hein? Ta de pressa?" ("You were racing, weren't ya? You in a rush?").

Unfortunately,most of the Motorcycle riders these days are hafwits.Lucky you survived with just a few bruises.btw, they do not have insurance. I have seen dozens of them lying dead on the streets doing the same manouevres, the motor cyclist in the case of your accident did. I dont think they would ever learn,unless the DETRANs take a more rigid attitude and start fining them (If they cant pay the fines, confiscate their M.Cycles)

the insane motorists here in brazil. I've driven nearly all over brazil as well and believe it or not, Sao Paulo is much better than where I live in the northeast. People here have absolutely no respect for any driving law whatsoever and the only one that is enforced is the seat belt law. The behavior of brazilian motorists truly emphasizes the selfish nature of many brazilians.

I've always said that it's amazing how one can sit with a table full of brazilians drinking beer, everyone calm, relaxed, joking, then they get in their cars and turn into the biggest bunch of disrespectful, dangerous people I've ever seen. It's almost as if they think it's a game and there's no chance of anyone getting hurt. I attended two funerals here in brazil my first year, both people died in auto accidents. Their family is understandably weeping and sobbing yet as soon as the funeral is over everyone jumps in their little minicars and down the road 100 km's per hour, just makes one shake his head.

here in my city, pop. just over 500K, there were 140 people that died last year from being ran over!!! When I think about it it's almost humorous, you have these pedestrians, some of whom like to stroll across a main highway or street, like they're daring someone to hit them, then you have these insane, agressive motorists with the attitude, "you don't move and your ass is grass", and there ya have it!

I 100% agree with Pinga. Please, don't try and twist and tort people being not only disrespectful, but also criminally negligent and homicidal and try to say, "well, there are some good things about this as well." Wait until one of your friends or family is killed because some idiot, lunatic is driving like his ass is on fire for no good reason and then say, "oh those crazy brazilians!"

OMG... You know what guys i think every country has their own problems and sometimes ppl feel good to say bad things about each other... I just think if everyone would think about it and mind their own business, and the gov. do something about it too it would probably be better... we all grow up the way we see things and behave the way everybody else does the difference is some gov. works better than others offcouse improvement is needed.

Come to Lorena SP and add bicycles to the situation and have fun.
(MOCORONGO'S) I have grown a third eye to cope with suicidal fools who have a village mentality ,the only rule they obey is the one they agree with .Comming from Australia I expected this and being a driving instructor there I can only laugh at the bad dream situations I have encounterd here by young and old alike not in my wildist dreams could I have imaginationed these, and the worst driving skills on the planet (good racing drivers do not a good driver make) totaly different situations.But let me add they are the worlds most warm friendly people thats why I live here I married one.Dont stress out just think and be aware it's not worth the stress it wont change,so relax have a very cold Brahma and enjoy those wonderful brasilian friends (while there alive)PS. do not ask for directions brasilians will send you the wrong way every time,,hahaha and dont go to the transport dpt in lorena what a laugh(resembles an Iraq prison)WORTH A LOOK for a laugh drive safe amigos.....